Retiring a temporary charger, or should I?

[Avendit]

As mentioned on a few threads, I've been using a 'temporary' 16A connection + UMC to charge my M3 for almost a year now. This has primarily been because of some building works which were expected to start, then did start, then got stopped by Covid and are now nearing completion.

As this slowly winds to completion, my proper charger (Andersen A2) has been installed and I'm wondering what to do with the temporary one. The obvious answer is just pull it out and be done with it, but now I'm wondering if I should keep a 16A commando in case of problems with the main charger? Or to use for a second EV (eventually) or guests (a hahahaha )?

The supply for the commando exits the house at a point it would be pretty good to have an outdoor socket, so one thing I was considering was having a comando +waterproof 13A socket put in, but I can't find any such device. Does such a thing exist? Should I just get a double 13A like normal people? I can't think of anything other than the UMC or a second car that I actually need it for...

Cheers!

 

[phil4]

I've found having an outside socket handy many times.

Also, if you do that, you can still other cars/EV's using their granny charger. It might be a smidge slower than the Commando, but it'll work, and provides a useful backup, as well as a useful socket for lawnmowers, pressure washers etc.

 

[pgkevet]

Removng a valid socket is a waste.. passers-by can charge their mobile phones on that.
Actually could be useful for a decent welder.
i had a few extra sockets installed when I had the Tesla wall unit put in..compressors, pressure washers.. all handy stuff without long cable reels.

 

[LongRanger]

leave it as-is then add an adaptor for commando > 13A if needed.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

As above, I'd leave it in place. I installed a temporary building supply when building our house, just a caravan hookup box with a 16 A commando. Decided to leave it in place when we'd finished, and it's been invaluable.

 

[Adopado]

As this slowly winds to completion, my proper charger (Andersen A2) has been installed and I'm wondering what to do with the temporary one. The obvious answer is just pull it out and be done with it, but now I'm wondering if I should keep a 16A commando in case of problems with the main charger?

I'll add my vote for keeping it. Belt and braces? I needed to depend on a secondary charging source when my charger had a fault ... it happens.

 

[Alistairuk]

Spend £7 on one of these Fly Lead Socket Convertor 16A Lead to 13A Socket and just keep existing setup

Or make your own for £3 with as long a cable as you like!

 

[Avendit]

Spend £7 on one of these Fly Lead Socket Convertor 16A Lead to 13A Socket and just keep existing setup

Or make your own for £3 with as long a cable as you like!

Probably the best idea.

Cheers for the thoughts everyone.

 

[LongRanger]

I bought one of these for £7.12 (price has gone up since) and use it to power PIR led light at one of my charging locations to give auto-light as I open the door to the wooden hut

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N2VJ5RQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Glan gluaisne]

The charging lead kit I keep in the car includes a 20m long 16 A commando to commando lead, a 20m long 16 A commando to 13 A weatherproof outlet, plus a couple of 13 A plug to 16 A commando adapter leads, one with an RCD plug, the other without. This combination covers pretty much every option, as I can charge at up to 16 A using the commando lead and the UMC with the commando adapter, or at 10 A with the UMC and the 13 A adapter using any combination of the leads. The reason for having an RCD and non-RCD adapter lead is just to cover the case where there's already RCD protection on the outlet, as it isn't best practice to daisy chain RCDs with the same sensitivity.

 

[rjinski]

Sorry, to high jack this thread a little with some newbie question...

Is the UMC waterproof?
If using the UMC with either a commando or 13A plug do you house it in a waterproof container?
Is there a a "cable" to use commando without the UMC?
Are commando outlets common to come by? Wouldn't most unplanned charging spots use a 13A plug?

Thanks

 

[Glan gluaisne]

Sorry, to high jack this thread a little with some newbie question...

Is the UMC waterproof?

Yes, to an extent. It's weatherproof, so OK to use outdoors, but not waterproof in the sense that it is safe if submersed in water.

If using the UMC with either a commando or 13A plug do you house it in a waterproof container?

No need to, as commando connectors are also rated for outdoor use (but not immersion),

Is there a a "cable" to use commando without the UMC?

Not as far as I know, although there are other makes of portable charge points around that can be fitted with a commando connector.

Are commando outlets common to come by? Wouldn't most unplanned charging spots use a 13A plug?

Thanks

Very common, every electrical store in the country stocks them, as well as places like Screwfix, in terms of buying them. They are often found in caravan and camping sites, and marinas, as they are the standard connector type used at places like that.

Whenever I've needed to charge at somewhere like a holiday let, that hasn't had a charge point, I've used a 13 A outlet (with the owner's consent), as it's not that common to find commando outlets in domestic type settings.

 

[MrBadger]

Is there a a "cable" to use commando without the UMC?

No.

The car does not support Mode 1 charging, that is, a dumb cable plugged direct into the car. The car uses comms to communicate with the charge connector for charge monitoring, which Mode 1 does not offer.

A dedicated wall connector or fast charger is Mode 3 or Mode 4 and incorporate this comms for charge monitoring.

The UMC is Mode 2 charging and basically allows a non dedicated outlet without comms to support charge monitoring.

NB 'Mode' and 'Type' are not the same thing. The latter is the plug/socket type, ie Type 2, CCS etc.

 

[rjinski]

Yes, to an extent. It's weatherproof, so OK to use outdoors, but not waterproof in the sense that it is safe if submersed in water.

Great to know. Thank you. Although the UMC will be locked into the car, I assume nothing is stopping some one from stealing the UMC -> 13A connector?

Whenever I've needed to charge at somewhere like a holiday let, that hasn't had a charge point, I've used a 13 A outlet (with the owner's consent), as it's not that common to find commando outlets in domestic type settings.

Thanks. I'm trying to decide what I need to have in my charging "toolkit" so for worst case scenarios and was thinking of a 13A extension cord with a waterproof 13A socket on the other end. Would you prioritise 13A --> Commando --> UMC --> Car over 13A --> 13A --> UMC --> Car ?

No.

The car does not support Mode 1 charging, that is, a dumb cable plugged direct into the car. The car uses comms to communicate with the charge connector for charge monitoring, which Mode 1 does not offer.

A dedicated wall connector or fast charger is Mode 3 or Mode 4 and incorporate this comms for charge monitoring.

The UMC is Mode 2 charging and basically allows a non dedicated outlet without comms to support charge monitoring.

NB 'Mode' and 'Type' are not the same thing. The latter is the plug/socket type, ie Type 2, CCS etc.

So nerdy! Thank you! I missed the pre-reading before collecting my M3 and having some fun trying to work out what/where all the plugs go! It seems as though most of the untethered chargers I've seen are Type 2 and only CCS is on Tesla superchargers. Is that a fair rule?

 

[Glan gluaisne]

Great to know. Thank you. Although the UMC will be locked into the car, I assume nothing is stopping some one from stealing the UMC -> 13A connector?

That's right, the Type 2 connector, the long charge cable and the UMC will be effectively locked to the car by the connector latch, but someone could unplug the short (around 300 - 400mm long) adapter lead with the 13 A plug from the UMC connector. As it's not that useful, and not expensive (around £35 or so for the various UMC adapters, IIRC) I don't think the risk of theft is that significant. In around 7 years of charging all over the place, often overnight at accommodation, I've not once had anyone interfere with the cables.

Thanks. I'm trying to decide what I need to have in my charging "toolkit" so for worst case scenarios and was thinking of a 13A extension cord with a waterproof 13A socket on the other end. Would you prioritise 13A --> Commando --> UMC --> Car over 13A --> 13A --> UMC --> Car ?

Depends very much on where you go. My habits are borne out of trying to find somewhere to charge when on holiday, and some date back to the time when any form of public charging was nowhere near as common as it is now. We tend to either stay at hotels that very often have destination charge points (so only need the Type 2 lead that comes with the car, or a longer one if you feel you may need it) or at self-catering accomodation, that may sometimes have a destination charge point, but has always had something we can plug into, even if that's meant running a hefty extension lead out of a window.

If you aren't likely to need to charge when away, then the chances are you don't need something like the collection of assorted leads I carry around.

So nerdy! Thank you! I missed the pre-reading before collecting my M3 and having some fun trying to work out what/where all the plugs go! It seems as though most of the untethered chargers I've seen are Type 2 and only CCS is on Tesla superchargers. Is that a fair rule?

There are two main types of charging option, a Type 2 AC charge point (which isn't a charger, as such) that can charge at up to 32 A single phase, or 16 A 3 phase, using the charger(s) built in to the car, so ~7 kW and ~11 kW respectively.

The other type is a rapid DC charger (not a charge point, as such, as the charger is in the thing you plug into the car) that will have a CCS connector, which is just a Type 2 connector with an additional bit on the bottom that allows a direct DC connection to the car battery pack. Tesla Superchargers are rapid chargers, and far and away the easiest to use, and often the cheapest, too. There's a big network of them, and they tend to be very reliable (unlike some of the others). CCS is becoming the de facto standard across most of Europe, so in general you can find rapid DC chargers all over the place.