I’ve found myself limiting my SyncEV to 12amps to keep it within scope of the inverter. Unfortunately, unlike various other brands, their “smart” charging is anything but. Of course, knowing I can set it back to 32amps is massively important!

Hi how did you install it? Spur from an internal plug in the house? I'm yhij9ing of doing it myself. Also do you know 5he name of the plug you purchased?

I’m sure an extension cable is not advised for safety

Yeah the wattage draw is consistently high close to the limit of a wall plug so it will likely put alot of stress on an extension cord and have a higher risk of blowing a fuse or starting a fire. If your going to use an extension cord at least make sure not to plug anything else into it.

@tn1495 that's not true, if the cable is the right one and it's got a 13am fuse it's fine. I'm using one now.

Yup. Cost. The amount some electrical contractors charge is outrageous. The Government give you a grant and the EC’s put their prices up by a similar amount.

This is how I charge my EV6. The car's parked 10 meters away from the house in a shared private car park, so I'd have to have a charging pole put in and the council want planning permission etc. It's far easier to just hoy the cable over my hedge and to plug it into an IP66 socket for the night. Especially when my leccy costs a fraction of the cost of DC charging.

That's alright...the fire will occur on the outside of the house...💥

There's always been the opportunity to melt extensions leads.

I'm pretty sure there is no law on the subject that applies to householders, just to those installing fixed wiring. Of course, there could be a civil liability issue. I doubt many householders are aware of the fine detail of regulations, such as not using a socket at full 13A for sustained loads, or that double sockets are only rated for 20 amps total for a sustained load.

If it's a spur you are limited to 20A from a ring final assuming it's done in 2.5mm T&E cable, and not subject to de-rating requirements.

@@guffermeister Thanks Michael, kind of you to share. That sounds good then, I used 2.5 T&E, through the wall with ducting at a slight angle (down to outside). I intend to fit the Masterplug socket which has a 16A RCBO in it and my granny lead is limited to 10A for my Tesla. I don't believe there are any other spurs off this ring main. I am quite familiar with my domestic electrics having been here for over 20 years and I changed my fuse box for a (then) modern consumer unit in 2007 (council inspector came and signed the system off).

@@Ben-gm9lo you can have as many spurs as you like, just limited to one single or double socket outlet on each spur (without additional measures). And unless there's something funny going on you don't need a 16A RCBO either. There's an argument for taking a potential PEN fault in to consideration though.

@@tomcardale5596 Thanks Tom, most kind of you. I feel happier now then, just the one socket on this spur.

This 100% needs another video and clarification 👍

It's still an ev charger in my eyes so needs pen fault and dedicated circuit

I do a very low mileage and short journeys so I think overnight top up charging will suit me. My detached garage has two 13A sockets fed from a spur from the house, and this spur is fed from the main distribution box via a 16amp circuit breaker. So I am guessing my best option will be to get the 13A sockets replaced with an EV marked socket. And maybe limit charging to 8 amps.

Yeah and wires it up with some 2.5mm, the building standards in this country are beyond hopeless.

Most authorities state type 2 in the application conditions.

You still need an EV rated 13A socket outlet.

​@@johnburns4017doesn't apply to householders using an existing socket, unless you can name a law that criminalises such things. I would also mention that it is likely to be breached a lot. A relative turning up for the weekend is quite likely to be obliged by the householder with a chance for a top-up charge via an extension cable. If the intention is to make that sort of thing illegal, then there had better be appropriate publicity as to its dangers, as the average householder will not have a clue about things like the dangers of PEN faults (which, of course, will apply to using any earthed appliance outdoors - although most electric garden tools will be class 2). I should add that civil liability is another matter. If a car is being charged via an standard 13A socket, and becomes energised due to a PEN fault, then pinning down responsibility is going to be tricky. Even well informed householders, who know about the function of RCDs will probably expect that to provide protection from electrocution.

Not necessarily anything, however the manufacturer has done sufficient testing to be able to confidently assure that the socket will allow 10A constant load for years and years. Unmarked sockets haven't been validated to this level.

@@smc812 Thanks,.

Use commando sockets - no fuse to get hot !

Why do you have to notify the dno?

Not using a house socket no

@@marklola12 it's not a 'house' socket though is it? It's a dedicated ev chargepoint socket and therefore presumably come under the same regs as any other EV chargepoint. 6mA dc protection?

But it is not an EV dedicated socket. It's a 13 amp standard socket outlet in to which any mains appliance on a standard plug can be plugged in. What's the worst that can happen? 1. The RCD trips and cuts the power off. 2. The circuit breaker and trips the power off.

@@deang5622 I'm guessing you don't know what a PEN fault is, as neither the MCB or the RCD will save your life!

@@TeamSimpsonRacing Yes I do know what PEN fault is. I am not convinced the car body would become live in the event of a PEN fault.

@@deang5622 you can't fully understand it if you don't think the car would become live.

@@TeamSimpsonRacing 1. It only applies to MPE installations. 2. How many PEN faults does a property experience over the course of say 20 years? None. It's an extremely unlikely event. 3. It depends on how the battery charger inside the car has been designed.

As long as you're putting in more than you take out every day, it doesn't matter what charging speeds you're using right?

It is going to depend on the quality and condition of the plug and socket. It could last years. Of course most, if not all 3 kW space heaters have a thermostat and are expected to cycle. Wham it upto full, in a big room then it could run for a very long time, although maybe bankrupt you at current power prices.

Just another example of the IET boffins getting all excited about forcing specification for another cash cow product introduction. The lawyers are getting sweaty too, since they have been told by manufacturers that the test data for running a 13A socket at 13A for 20 hours caused it to melt, sometimes. Big arse covering exercise. Running 2.5mm T&E cable as a dedicated spur in ideal installation conditions, the IET tell us, is rated at 27A. So why on earth would the standard 13A twin socket outlet not be BS rated to the same current ?

@@MikeSmith-tx2lp The official BS1363 standard for twin sockets is for a sustained 20A over a period of 4 hours without causing an excessive increase in temperature. The test conditions are for 14A on one side, and 6A on the other (and it is 14A for a safety margin and because a fuse will almost certainly not "blow" at 14A, even after a couple of hours or more). That maximum rate of 13A is possible, but not for sustained use. So not problem for, say, a washing machines and a tumble drier on the same socket as neither have sustained loads of 13A as their respective heating circuits (for water and air) tend to cycle. However, not so wise to run 2 x 3 kW space heaters off the same twin socket as they are often sustained loads. Not, I should add, that anybody ever tells householders about this.

@@TheEulerID Thank you for your very informative summary. Clearly manufacturers are not going to spend extra to meet requirements over the standard specified. I got in this rabbit hole having installed a decent quality IP66 double socket fed from a 32A RCBO run in 4mm armoured cable. The customer was only ever going to use a Mode 2 ‘granny charger’ that I understand are limited to a 10A draw from the house supply. It worked great for two years. He then let the property, hence an EICR was performed and the electrician slapped a “not for EV charging” label on that socket. Belt and braces I guess. Still, manufacturers can now charge at least double for a special socket that is type tested to 10A forever.

@@MikeSmith-tx2lp The issue will likely be more to do with lack of broken PEN detection than the rating of the socket. The issue with that is on TN-C-S power distribution systems, which is the great majority in the UK. If there is a broken combined neutral/earth in the supply system (and those are becoming more common as the underground cables and connections age), and there is a load on the system, then the voltage on the earth/CPC circuit can rise to dangerous levels and, in principle, to something close to full line voltage if there no low impedance path to earth (and with gas and water often now supplied by plastic pipes, earth bonding does not help in such situatiojs) . As the car chassis is connected to the supply earth when charging, that means the car chassis can also reach dangerous voltages with respect to earth. As cars are often outdoors when being charged, often in the rain, anybody wandering by and touching the car could receive a lethal shock. The solution to that is either to have a TT system, with a separate earth via an earth rod, or, as most people have, a charger with broken PEN detection, a system that simultaneously breaks line, neutral and earth. Hot tubs have the same issue. So, why is it not such an issue indoors, and the answer to that is it is drier, and that conductive metal surfaces ought to be bonded so, if you touch a tap and the microwave case, they are essentially at the same potential. The floor will not be, but in general, that will be a very poor conductor. So, why is it not an issue with electrical garden equipment? Well, it is, if not double-insulated. Most of that equipment will be. So will an RCD save you? Basically, no as the current will flow via the CPC, connect to the neutral at the distribution head, back to the CU and RCD and exactly balance out. So, why if broken PEN faults are becoming more common, why are we not hearing of many electrocutions? The reason for that is often because of older gas and water distribution systems. They are bonded to the house CPC and that means, if there is a PEN fault, your neutral current finds its way be means of your bonding systems, by way of neighbour's bonding systems and back to the substation via their PEN connection (and a bit through the Earth too). Neither householder will be aware, but if a electrician comes along and disconnects the ground at the neighbour's house, they, or anybody else, could be hit by full line voltage from any earthed metalwork. This is something that is called diverted neutrals, and a hot topic at the moment. New builds will be required to have "foundation earthing" to help deal with the issues of broken Pens. John Ward on KZfaq has excellent issues on earthing systems, car charging and diverted neutrals.

Unlucky. I’ve used my Hyundai charger on my Kona every few nights for 15 months with no problems whatsoever. I don’t do it now. Why? Because Scottish Power have hiked their prices to 31p per kWH whilst ChargePlace Scotland charges 15p per kWh and £1.60 connection fee. There are 22kW EVSE’s near me which are free.

@@thalesofmiletus2966 you are lucky, at leats 50% of the times i have tried to use a chargeplace scotland charger they have been faulty. It has put me right off going full ev, until the charging network is fit for purpose.

It’s an extra cost when it comes to PV and home batteries tho.

@@edc1569 Not strictly. If you wire up all low power devices to one phase, it is not an issue.

Not many cars with two type 2 sockets...

Masterplug mode 2 .. available from most electrical wholesalers

BG make one (as shown in the video) that’s the only one I’ve ever seen. But why would you, especially if it’s spurred off a ring with the kitchen. As for the master plug. It’s not a socket outlet and isn’t what the Regs are asking for.

You're thinking of the masterplug charging cable.. i was talking about the EVH132S1SPA, which i thinkk is made by BG but branded masterplug

@@thattoolguy9432 thanks for pointing that out. You are correct. It probably is a BG rebranded. This is now the only socket I’ve seen!

@@rossthompson1936 i haven't seen any others either, you would have thought big brands would have jumped on the wagon.. to be fair though.. BG make some great ip rated gear

That sounds like a perfectly sensible solution. I just came here because you said "never" at the end and that amused me - the Titanic was supposed to never be able to sink after all ;)

I'd like to retract my previous statement of "it's"never going to break" and replace it with "it shouldn't ever break" 😂

Is there a 3 pin plug on the 25 metre double socket IP66? This is what I’m trying to do at my office at the moment, so it effectively just becomes a long extension cable you’d find in a house, just with better sockets

Yup. Straight into a smart plug in the garage.

What core size cable do they use? 1.5MM²?

@William Tell but they can only charge at a slow rate, the same as a plug-in that gives you a trickle charger There was an explanation on This Old House just the other day

I fitted on of these ev safe sockets with a pen fault detector and on its own circuit as I thought that was the only allowed way?

As long as the circuit and socket you plug into can handle the current without degrading over time from any heat generated

An obvious example is when visiting a friend or relative and you want a top-up charge and they do not have a EV charging point.

You can't fill up with petrol at home, yet you're ok with having a petrol car.......

@@Brian-om2hh Exactly.

Yeah. I use a plug-in kiln which draws nearly 13A for hours at a time. Found out the hard way that BS1363A sockets don't necessarily like that. It totally destroyed a socket without blowing the fuse in the plug. Was very lucky it didn't burn my studio down.

Ah yes but the criminally corrupt government in place at the moment, wants the customer to have to pay for the privilege of handing the government control of the on/off switch of that charge point. Backhanders to their donors doesn't come cheap you know!

Commando sockets aren’t really appropriate for residential. EV socket standard is fine and safe, just everyone’s milking the market at the moment.

10A is fine all day long, you'll even get away with extension leads most of the time

@@edc1569 Yep, I have used a regular 13A external socket with a extension lead for the last 2 years, I wouldn't do this with some cheap store bought one though the one I use I made myself with quality plug and socket and and suitable cable to easily handle 13A

They’re just sockets with EV written on them

Old 1950s socket standard didn’t for see EV charging where you’d have a heavy load for hours and hours in high ambient temperatures.

People have been fiddling their electrics for decades. Bypassing meters, using nails instead of fuses, overloading sockets etc etc but looking through the stats very few houses in comparison to the amount who fiddle have actually burnt down.

@@thalesofmiletus2966 you are probably correct. I actually made one of these "dangerous" plugs for a specific use case. It was just for short term use, and only I could use it! But I added the "fire warning", just to discourage people from doing it themselves.

lol

And because it goes along way we don’t require a petrol pump in our garden

And if you are happy to fund Russia and Saudi Arabia then knock yourself out! With EV and Solar its free!

@@andysims4906 no fuel ,no life , ie no road tar no soap no plastic, etc ,how would we exist,

And pay a lot for it!

😫

Be cautious, the good ones have temperature monitoring of the plug, you can’t just snip that away and expect it to work.

Complete and utter nonsense....... Instead of suggesting WE look into it, why didn't *you* post a link to where you found this codswallop? Like many non EV owners, you have clearly misunderstood the issue.... The *WHOLE* idea of regulating EV charging, is to try to get people to charge during the night hours. There are two reasons for this. 1. It is when the UK's grid has the most capacity available. And 2. It is also the cheapest time to buy electricity on cheap rate, as it costs around a 5th of the normal day rate. Do you even know or understand what off-peak tariffs are?

No there is not, although all new dedicated EV charging points must be "smart". I know of no regulation barring householders from using existing 13A sockets as the regs apply to new, dedicated EV charging facilities. If there is a change to the law that applies to householders using existing sockets, then it has received zero publicity to those it affects, namely ordinary householders.