Power lash-up, while it’s lashing!

All Honda E related discussions
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rickwookie
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Post by rickwookie »

While we get around to having a home charger installed, I’d planned on just getting away with using the granny charger. What I hadn’t planned on was the week of non-stop rain.😱

Anyway, there was a brief respite yesterday afternoon so I had time to bung an IP54 double socket on the side of the house just before it got dark.

Plugged in and then it started lashing again, at which point I concluded that it was unwise to leave the old extension reel out in the rain. Spent the next 15 mins working out how to release the charge cable 🤪 (too dark to notice the button).

Anyway, picked up this little gem this morning from Screwfix https://www.screwfix.com/p/pro-xt-13a-1 ... -10m/4097x but it did mean a 22 mile round trip to collect it, meaning I arrived back with just 12% charge. 😬

After a small mod removing a bit of rubber in the lid so that it would fully close over the large 3-pin plug on the end of the Honda granny cable, it’s all nice and rain-tight now. 👍

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The 10 m extension was just the right length.

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milligoon
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Post by milligoon »

It has been a bit moist hasn't it, I'm lucky I have a socket near the front of my garage, but it does mean leaving the door open s tiny bit for the cable from the granny charger to poke out, down side was my strip drain was overwhelmed so I have cleaned the drain out again.
Still waiting on my wall pod being installed as well the car came quicker.
Ex e owner
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Minky92
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Post by Minky92 »

Thanks for the recommendation, might have to grab one myself! So that big boxy unit thing on the 3-pin charger cable is weatherproof too? I figured it probably had to be, but worth checking before leaving it outside!
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bogga
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Post by bogga »

rickwookie wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2020 11:18 am Anyway, picked up this little gem this morning from Screwfix https://www.screwfix.com/p/pro-xt-13a-1 ... -10m/4097x but it did mean a 22 mile round trip to collect it, meaning I arrived back with just 12% charge. 😬
I've got the same cable I use when on holiday, stealing power from holiday cottages.. However it is not totally waterproof, so be careful how wet you let it get.
Joolsdc
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Post by Joolsdc »

Please be careful
It’s not recommended to use extension cables with a granny charger. They are typically not rated to draw 13A continuously
Likewise an ordinary wall socket doesn’t normally draw 13A continuously. Hobs and cookers are on a 30A circuit. Other devices don’t have the draw.
I know I sound like your nagging mum, but getting a dedicated EV charger really is the way to go

PS I got nearly 4kWh of free charging from my solar PV today
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bogga
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Post by bogga »

Joolsdc wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 9:57 pm Please be careful
It’s not recommended to use extension cables with a granny charger. They are typically not rated to draw 13A continuously
Likewise an ordinary wall socket doesn’t normally draw 13A continuously. Hobs and cookers are on a 30A circuit. Other devices don’t have the draw.
I know I sound like your nagging mum, but getting a dedicated EV charger really is the way to go

PS I got nearly 4kWh of free charging from my solar PV today
Granny chargers only draw about 9-10 amps
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rickwookie
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Post by rickwookie »

Joolsdc wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 9:57 pm Please be careful
It’s not recommended to use extension cables with a granny charger. They are typically not rated to draw 13A continuously
Likewise an ordinary wall socket doesn’t normally draw 13A continuously. Hobs and cookers are on a 30A circuit. Other devices don’t have the draw.
I know I sound like your nagging mum, but getting a dedicated EV charger really is the way to go

PS I got nearly 4kWh of free charging from my solar PV today
EV grannies are only rated at 10 Amps, and this cable is definitely rated for 13 Amps continuous anyway. It's more of a problem for extension reels, since you need to de-rate them if they're used part-coiled, since the cable will heat up. this cable is not on a reel and indeed is fully extended in free air (it only just reaches). It's plugged into a dedicated RCD socket that I've just fitted that's on it's own 20 Amp MCB.

I certainly intend to get a 7 kW charger installed, but I have to move a shed first.
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rickwookie
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Post by rickwookie »

bogga wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 5:01 pm
rickwookie wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2020 11:18 am Anyway, picked up this little gem this morning from Screwfix https://www.screwfix.com/p/pro-xt-13a-1 ... -10m/4097x but it did mean a 22 mile round trip to collect it, meaning I arrived back with just 12% charge. 😬
I've got the same cable I use when on holiday, stealing power from holiday cottages.. However it is not totally waterproof, so be careful how wet you let it get.
It should be IP54 again now after my small mod, and I have both ends of the ground so that it should never get submerged. 👍
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londiniumperson
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Post by londiniumperson »

@rickwookie
How did you close the lid on that extension lead?
I picked that item up today and there's no way that I can shut mine, the granny cable is too thick.
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rickwookie
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Post by rickwookie »

londiniumperson wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 9:02 pm @rickwookie
How did you close the lid on that extension lead?
I picked that item up today and there's no way that I can shut mine, the granny cable is too thick.
rickwookie wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2020 11:18 am After a small mod removing a bit of rubber in the lid so that it would fully close over the large 3-pin plug on the end of the Honda granny cable, it’s all nice and rain-tight now. 👍
Rip out the bit in the lid that is just rear of the cable seal (it still has a seal that goes all around the edge of the lid anyway) and also if you put the granny plug in to the socket, you'll see that even ignoring the lid - the plug doesn't sit fully down into the socket due to that massive plastic tapered rear end. Use a Stanley blade to score the block of rubber that is stopping that tapered end from sitting flush, either side of the plug taper, then take out the plug and cut that bit of that rubber block out between the two score lines. Once that's done the lid will close (without the retaining clip popping back open every time). It's still bloody tight, but it stays fully closed.

Since I put it on the end of the granny, I've not taken it off, as it all fits in the bag together. It's now effectively a granny lead with useable length!
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