Long Gardens and extentions

[marvin28]

Also worth considering the test plug, but I cannot find it on website anymore. That can live plugged inside the above socket to check the electrics you hooked up to are reasonably sound. Then once it checks out ok, just swap over for the UMC plug.

13A UK socket tester

 

[phillcom3]

Define ‘long’!

Firstly, Tesla official advice is not to use any extension cable at all with the UMC.

Many people including myself do use say 20m extension plus the UMC which is 6m.

Safety: use an RCD. The voltage will drop the further you go and do you then need larger cable cores.

Let's say its probably 100 m end of drive to park spot then 20 30 m to the house.

 

[phillcom3]

If you're looking for an extension cable I can recommend the EV extension cables from Tough Cables with the in-line RCD and waterproof box on the end.

Electric vehicle leads

But, if we're talking 100s of meters then you might be better off canvassing the neighbours on PlugShare or treat your folks to a night out at the local pub with a 16A commando outside...

Nice link I hadn't seen them before.

 

[phillcom3]

The main thing (apart from the obvious stuff like safe routing of the cable, weather tightness, etc) is the voltage drop. If possible, try and get a tough cable made up from 2.5mm² H07RN-F. The maximum acceptable voltage drop is about 5% at full load, and a 50m run of 2.5mm² H07RN-F will have a drop of about 3.9% at 10 A, so acceptable.

2.5mm² is about the very largest cable that can be terminated in a 13 A plug, and even then it's a real struggle, as plugs are not really made to take this size of cable (can be done, though).

The largest cable that Tough Leads make is a 25m one, that uses 1.5mm² H07RN-F cable. You couldn't, for example, use a 50m long cable made from 1.5mm² cable as the voltage drop would be too high, around 6.5% at 10 A.

Making up a long, tough, extension lead is not hard, although the ones Tough Leads sell are good value if you are OK with up to 25m long. If you wanted a longer cable, then 2.5mm² H07RN-F is around £1/m. Probably the easiest way to terminate such a cable (given that it doesn't fit easily into a 13 A plug) would be to get a pair of 16 A free commando connector (plug for the lead, plus another free socket) and then make up a short adapter lead from 1.5mm² cable with a 13 A plug on one end and the commando socket on the other. For the other end of the 2.5mm² cable, then a B&G weatherproof single outlet can be fitted, with a suitable screw type cable gland for the cable inlet.

I have a 25m extension lead like this, plus another 25m extension lead (made from 2.5mm² cable) that has 16 A commando connectors on either end. This gives me several options, as I can charge from a 16 A commando outlet, or a normal 13 A outlet, at some distance from the car. I also fitted an RCD plug on the short adapter cable. Not shown in this photo is the additional extension lead that just has a commando on either end:

View attachment 489142

So what charge rate are you grting of thst at 13a?im assuming prity much same as if through supplied cable at short range by that point?

 

[phillcom3]

M

Got the larger one. Thanks all!

What's delivery tines loke
I think I'll be needing one late January

 

[UrbanSplash]

M

What's delivery tines loke
I think I'll be needing one late January

It’s not been dispatched yet. But communication from them has been good. Hopefully it’s sent Monday and delivered just after Christmas

 

[Glan gluaisne]

The Tesla granny lead sets the maximum charge current to 10 A when the 13 A adapter led is plugged in, so for any extension lead with a 13 A outlet the maximum charge current will be the same 10 A. The small voltage drop down the cable won't impact the charge current, but will very slightly reduce the charge power, because of the small voltage drop in the cable.

 

[MrBadger]

You need the larger version

13A extension lead BMW, Tesla, Nissan & Jaguar compatible (RCD options)

A word of caution when using the 13A UMC connector and this lead, and leads using similar enclosures.

I've done a couple of long charges now and on both occasions, even after double checking correct insertion of 13A plug at start of charge, on completion of charge and opening the weatherproof box I have found that the plug has worked its way out of the socket by 5-10mm. Everything completed fine, and no sign of heating, but its not great.

I suspect it is because the UMC to 13A plug is very rigid and over time/movement it rotates over the weatherproof seal as the fulcrum.

I am reluctant to modify the weatherproof seal to reduce the rotation, and I suspect a more weatherproof solution will be to affix a block of some form to the inside of the lid to prevent the plug from riding out of the socket.

As I say, I am sure its not specific to this particular cable, but more of a problem with any weatherproof socket where the entering cable is not perfectly aligned with the socket due to the inflexible nature of the UMC cable.

On similar vein, this is also likely to be a similar issue with some switched outlets where there appears to be some skew between cable entry and socket due to the position of the switch.