Can you recommended a suitable extension lead

[K9pvc]

Hi Guys
As in the title really looking for some personal recommendations as which extension lead you are using or would recommend. As a temporary fix to help me to charge my potential new Phev with the supplied charger until I decide on which charge point to get installed. I'm in the Uk so uk based suppliers would be best along with any links to relevant suppliers would be a big help. Would only need 5 meters but obviously a longer length would not be a problem.
Thanks in advance
Paul

 

[maby]

Any good quality 13A rated lead will be fine - just make sure you fully unwind it before use to avoid overheating. Go to a recognised supplier - someone like CEF or Screwfix - don't trust something from a market stall or Poundshop.

 

[Bladevane]

Sound advice. There is another thread on the forum about the reasons coiled cables should not be used so if you can are at a loose end it's worth searching for it.

 

[K9pvc]

Yes I was thinking along the lines of this one from screwfix seems like a good price
http://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-heavy-duty-extension-lead-1g-240v-10m/44635?cm_sp=Search-_-SearchRec-_-Area1&_requestid=296975#_=p
Do you think that would be up to the job
I did think of maybe removing the socket off the end and replacing it with this outside socket
http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-13a-2-gang-dp-switched-plug-socket-with-outboard-rocker/30139
What do you guys think

 

[Scouse]

Hi,

I had a 13 Amp rated 15 metre lead but found the car charged quite slow on it.

Had the electrician who installed my outside socket make me a lead up with artic blue cable. Works great. No heat and car charges spot on 5 hours.

Key to it being safe make sure it's un-coiled

 

[ansellrk]

If I was putting a "semi-permanent" extension lead outside with a proper IP rated socket then it's worth having a RCD adaptor on the other end for added "Peace of mind"

http://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-rcd-adaptor/63731

I fitted my own external socket for a pond and used armoured cable into an external socket with a gland kit and then inside my garage used a junction box to run a normal twin and earth cable into a plug and into an RCD.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/prysmian-lv-armoured-6493x-3-core-cable-4mm-x-10m-black/94686
http://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-internal-gland-kit-20s-ip54-pack-of-2/40782
http://www.screwfix.com/p/round-4-terminal-junction-box-with-knockouts-grey-60mm/59471

Probably overkill but it stops accidentally damaging the cable and makes a good job.

 

[jaapv]

Just keep in mind that formally the length of the lead to the charger box may not exceed 50 cm. Having said that, I have had no problems with standard 16A extension leads up to 25 meter.

 

[Carnut]

I was told that Mitsu UK advise against ALL extensions. I even got told off by my Dealer for my set up....
13amp socket on the inside wall of the house. 4gang block. 16amp cable into first socket on 4 gang. drilled hole though outside wall, 16amp cable into weather proof 13amp socket (Screwfix £13.00) et voila. I check and none of the cables, plugs or sockets get warm and it charges from flat in a tad under 5 hours. Mind you I NEVER leave it plugged in overnight , I charge in the evening and the socket is in the sitting room where I am sitting (and the fire extinguisher is in the kitchen 12 feet away!! :lol
Cost per charge, about £1.15. (First Utility)
Dealer also told me that a Mitsu UK Manager charged his using an extension, in the early days, presumably coiled up and it caught fire!! Whoops!

 

[greendwarf]

I was told that Mitsu UK advise against ALL extensions. I even got told off by my Dealer for my set up....
13amp socket on the inside wall of the house. 4gang block. 16amp cable into first socket on 4 gang. drilled hole though outside wall, 16amp cable into weather proof 13amp socket (Screwfix £13.00) et voila. I check and none of the cables, plugs or sockets get warm and it charges from flat in a tad under 5 hours. Mind you I NEVER leave it plugged in overnight , I charge in the evening and the socket is in the sitting room where I am sitting (and the fire extinguisher is in the kitchen 12 feet away!! :lol
Cost per charge, about £1.15. (First Utility)
Dealer also told me that a Mitsu UK Manager charged his using an extension, in the early days, presumably coiled up and it caught fire!! Whoops!

Clearly drawing almost the max for the car could mean using the other 3 sockets wcould overload the ring main - presumably fused at 30amps?

 

[Carnut]

The only other use of the socket is 2X 40 watt bulbs and they are usually OFF so it handles the 2.7Kw easily with no warming of plugs or cables. If it were to overload the system I would assume (not being a leccytrician) that the 13amp fuse in the 4gang plug would blow first?? Or am I being simplistic?

 

[maby]

The only other use of the socket is 2X 40 watt bulbs and they are usually OFF so it handles the 2.7Kw easily with no warming of plugs or cables. If it were to overload the system I would assume (not being a leccytrician) that the 13amp fuse in the 4gang plug would blow first?? Or am I being simplistic?

You are being simplistic - the ring main supports multiple 13A sockets, but is only rated at 30A overall - so three 11A loads plugged in simultaneously could overload the ring although each socket would be well within specification.

 

[nellv]

Hi

I bought a proper type 1 to type 1 extension cable from this company:

http://evcables.co.uk

Non of the charging companies that I approached could do a cable longer than 10m, and living in a rural property I can't get my car within a 10m range of the house. This extension cable is a bit on the pricey side, but it's really robust, and I don't have to worry about it getting wet as it copes with that fine, and I can just use a standard outdoor socket.

 

[greendwarf]

The only other use of the socket is 2X 40 watt bulbs and they are usually OFF so it handles the 2.7Kw easily with no warming of plugs or cables. If it were to overload the system I would assume (not being a leccytrician) that the 13amp fuse in the 4gang plug would blow first?? Or am I being simplistic?

You are being simplistic - the ring main supports multiple 13A sockets, but is only rated at 30A overall - so three 11A loads plugged in simultaneously could overload the ring although each socket would be well within specification.

I'd also assumed that the "4 gang" referred to was a wall socket wired directly into the ring main. By reference to the 13 amp fuse above this is actually a normal 4 way extension (lead?) plugged into a standard 13 amp wall socket. This means he is daisy chaining extension leads which is normally frowned on

 

[Carnut]

Well I don't claim to be an electrician and am genuinely interested in the charging/power usage facts.

But 1XPHEV takes 2.7KW=12.27 amps. 2X40 watt bulbs =.36 amps total therefore total is 12.63 AMPS.TOTAL (I am crap at formulae, so I hope I have the calculations correct) in the inside wall socket. All the cables are standard 16 amp 3core.
Someone please enlighten me. If I am not overloading the socket what is the problem?
A 3 KW electric fire draws 3 Kw and will run all day on a 13 amp plug.
I am aware that the ring main is fused at the box at 30amps so (& I am NOT trying to be a clever dicky here) can someone tell me why the ring main fuse would not blow if you had 1X 3Kw fire, 1 X 3Kw kettle and 1 X 3Kw immersion heater burning in different sockets round the house?
All I ever have running on the ring main when I am charging the car is 1. the car 2. the telly on a different socket.
I do check every time I charge the car that there is no heat generated in the plug.
I am not trying to be contentious, I admit I do not know much about electricity and am genuinely interested in the science behind it.

 

[maby]

Well I don't claim to be an electrician and am genuinely interested in the charging/power usage facts.

But 1XPHEV takes 2.7KW=12.27 amps. 2X40 watt bulbs =.36 amps total therefore total is 12.63 AMPS.TOTAL (I am crap at formulae, so I hope I have the calculations correct) in the inside wall socket. All the cables are standard 16 amp 3core.
Someone please enlighten me. If I am not overloading the socket what is the problem?
A 3 KW electric fire draws 3 Kw and will run all day on a 13 amp plug.
I am aware that the ring main is fused at the box at 30amps so (& I am NOT trying to be a clever dicky here) can someone tell me why the ring main fuse would not blow if you had 1X 3Kw fire, 1 X 3Kw kettle and 1 X 3Kw immersion heater burning in different sockets round the house?
All I ever have running on the ring main when I am charging the car is 1. the car 2. the telly on a different socket.
I do check every time I charge the car that there is no heat generated in the plug.
I am not trying to be contentious, I admit I do not know much about electricity and am genuinely interested in the science behind it.

You are completely correct in the above. There was something in your original message which made me wonder if you were suggesting that the 13A fuse in the plug was enough to guarantee that you are not overloading the ring main - and that is not the case. Three fully loaded 13A plugs is sufficient to overload a ring main - the PHEV is a heavy load on the main and if someone adds one to an already two thirds loaded ring, it could overload the ring. If I misunderstood you, then I'm sorry.

 

[Carnut]

Please don't apologise. As I said, I am quite prepared to be told that
I don't know what I'm talking about with regard to electricity. All I do know that it did tend to wake me up on the two ocassions in my life when 220volts & self have come into contact! :shock:

 

[ckirby101]

My car (delivered next monday) will be parked next to an outbuilding.

The outbuilding has its own junction box that is fed from the main house junction box with a 20A fuse on the RCD side of the box.

Heavy duty armoured cable takes the power from house to the outbuilding and into the second junctions box. The outbuilding never uses any power, theres lights that are turned on when we go looking for stuff etc, but apart from that nothing is switched on ever.

I think taking a 27A T&E cable from outbuilding junction box to an outside socket should give me a great way to charge the car.

Can anyone see any issues with this?

Chris

 

[ChrisMiller]

Welcome, Chris - you've got some fun times ahead in the next few weeks!

I'm no electrician, and I think before you spend too much time and effort on the new outlet it might be worthwhile consulting a professional. Some obvious questions:

How far is the run from your house to the outbuilding?
Can you test how much power you can safely draw, by (say) boiling a kettle and running an electric heater in the outbuilding?

I charge the car from a standard 13A socket inside my garage, which (though internal) was built as part of a house extension and runs on its own electric spur with its own RCD, and I have no problems.

 

[ckirby101]

Yeah cannot wait! First electric car, but bit the bullet because i work from home and my daily drive is the school run (15 miles / day) . Plus shopping and days out. I'm also a keen gardener so i can use it with a trailer for materials and I'm in the countryside and was stuck multiple times over winter so the 4WD is the way to go..

And my wife only drives autos so the PHEV was the perfect car for us.

Actually had an electrician (normally installs cookers) friend come over today. The cable running from house to garage is 60A armoured and in good condition.. The junction box in garage is old but protected but a 63A RCD. So we went and bought a ip66 rated outside plug box and some 2.5mm T&E cable and he's going to run a lini from the junction box to it.. And as a bonus were gonna switch out the old flood lamp with two new LED PIR's to watch over the car