Ubitricity, afraid of cable being nicked

[Dralexus]

Hi guys,

I got my Model 3 2020 this week and due to us living in a flat and buying a house in the next 6 months, charging is a small problem. I have 2 options, to use the granny charger, which is not a great long-term or the ubitricity charger which is like 10 seconds from my door.

What worries me is leaving the car and cable outside for the entire night, am I overthinking it? Have you guys ever had someone trying to steal your cable or even had it stolen? I know that they can't just unplug it from the car, but it can easily be unplugged from the lamppost and then be cut safely.

 

[Durzel]

They are locked at both ends when charging. Technically I suppose you could unlock it from one end by doing an emergency stop on the charger, but it would still be attached to the car.

I suppose it is technically feasible that the could be nicked, and they're worth a reasonable amount of money, but I've never heard of it happening personally. I think you'd damage the cable beyond the point of being worth anything to sell trying to remove it.

 

[Billbrown1982]

What will happen to my cable if I opt for Smart Charging?​

We’ll lock your cable in place once you’ve selected our Smart Charging option. We won’t send any power to your car until the peak period ends. At the end of the charge, just unlock your cable as normal.

I assumed all chargers locked the cable at their end aswell but I double checked the website.

 

[Dralexus]

What will happen to my cable if I opt for Smart Charging?​

We’ll lock your cable in place once you’ve selected our Smart Charging option. We won’t send any power to your car until the peak period ends. At the end of the charge, just unlock your cable as normal.

I assumed all chargers locked the cable at their end aswell but I double checked the website.

I am pretty sure I could pull the cable even when it was charging, it even tells you on the instructions to pull the cable of the car first before the pole.

 

[Billbrown1982]

I am pretty sure I could pull the cable even when it was charging, it even tells you on the instructions to pull the cable of the car first before the pole.

Exactly. The post end isn't supposed to be unlocked until you remove the car end first.

 

[NewbieT]

Don’t worry about it. Whilst it’s possible, I don’t recall a post of anyone ever having a cable nicked. Stuck in a charge yes. Nicked no.

Some insurers (LV) cover your charging cables.

If you’re really concerned, 1 move house. Or 2. buy a single phase cable. Cheaper to buy /replace if stolen/damaged than the 3-phase you get with the car.

 

[PITA]

I use these wall anchors.

Great for holding the cable off the floor, and they'd have to cut the cable to steal it.

 

[Adopado]

I use these wall anchors.

Great for holding the cable off the floor, and they'd have to cut the cable to steal it.

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OP is connecting to a lamppost in the street.

 

[WllXM]

I am pretty sure I could pull the cable even when it was charging, it even tells you on the instructions to pull the cable of the car first before the pole.

Both ends ‘speak’ to each other and when it’s locked on the car end, it also locks to the lamppost. Besides being nicked, also prevents a Karen from unplugging you mid-charge.

Yes, technically, with a very strong force, you can break the locking mechanism as it’s half a centimetre of plastic, but haven’t seen reports of this yet… depends how dodgy your street is I guess

 

[PITA]

OP is connecting to a lamppost in the street.

What difference does that make? It's an anchor point.

You use a different anchoring mechanism for the lamppost which is lockable... enough for the cable, but not enough for the connector to slip through.

Cutting the cable makes it scrap. Won't stop vandalism though... but then it's a £150 cable attached to a £40k+ car

 

[Billbrown1982]

What difference does that make?

Well I doubt his local council would be too impressed if he uses one of your wall anchors to bolt his cable to the lampost


Unless you was suggesting he bolts it into the wing of his car?

 

[PITA]

Well I doubt his local council would be too impressed if he uses one of your wall anchors to bolt his cable to the lampost


Unless you was suggesting he bolts it into the wing of his car?

I've edited my original post.

Just think differently... find another form factor for an anchor point.

Like a bicycle lock lamppost fitting U-Clamp... enough space for the cable, but not enough space to remove the connector.

The cable is scrap if cut, and you'll never stop that.

 

[Jason71]

based on the youtube sentry mode videos I have seen of people, mostly drunk idiots, trying to pull cables mid charge damage to the cable is the least of the problem once they brace their foot on the side of the car to get better leverage. Even that generally fails so then they just snap off the charge port cover out of spite. #WhyWeCantHaveNiceThings

 

[Jason71]

I use these wall anchors.

Great for holding the cable off the floor, and they'd have to cut the cable to steal it.

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If you need that maybe just get a charger with a tethered cable? or move

 

[dafish]

It's only 6 months, right? odds are getting better just by dint of lower exposure.

London standard power is 230V right? Is the Granny charge that big of penalty? For 6 months?

No horse in this race, just brainstorming a bit. Unless I was putting on big miles I'd probably charge on my own power. Can you park someplace safe then?

 

[Jason71]

It's only 6 months, right? odds are getting better just by dint of lower exposure.

London standard power is 230V right? Is the Granny charge that big of penalty? For 6 months?

No horse in this race, just brainstorming a bit. Unless I was putting on big miles I'd probably charge on my own power. Can you park someplace safe then?

it is 230v single phase but due to the old design of our outlets you can only run a granny charger at 10amps so after losses you are only really getting 2kw so its pretty slow

 

[dafish]

6-7 miles or range per hour?

I suppose I'd charge on the granny on Friday and Saturday nights, (hooligans), use the lampost Sunday night, and Friday night and decide the other nights based on actual range demands. Most folks would add 60 miles or range a night on the granny. Not even sorta fast, but for 6 months, and to lower risk as best possible, a combined approach might work..

Again just thinking out loud. Luck to you!

 

[Bouba]

based on the youtube sentry mode videos I have seen of people, mostly drunk idiots, trying to pull cables mid charge damage to the cable is the least of the problem once they brace their foot on the side of the car to get better leverage. Even that generally fails so then they just snap off the charge port cover out of spite. #WhyWeCantHaveNiceThings

That is pretty terrible...some people are just a__holes...we should invent a stretchy cable like a bungee cord so it frustrates vandals

 

[PITA]

...If you need that maybe just get a charger with a tethered cable? or move

Why do you assume that?

I have three wall chargers, and a mix of tethered / untethered.

One tethered 22 kW Wall Charger which is used all through Winter. Very handy.

One untethered 7 kW Wall Charger which is used all through Summer, transferring excess Solar to either car, and depending how far they are away... using a suitable length cable.

One untethered 22 kW Wall Charger which is used all year round, with a suitable cable length that's needed as and when required.

Not all the cabling needs to be outside all the time, but sometimes it's handy to have the Grid Cable or Solar Cable ready.

Anyways... it works VERY well for us, and we have no need to move house.

 

[Mr H]

I've edited my original post.

Just think differently... find another form factor for an anchor point.

Like a bicycle lock lamppost fitting U-Clamp... enough space for the cable, but not enough space to remove the connector.

The cable is scrap if cut, and you'll never stop that.

Thieves don’t use hacksaws, they use bolt croppers which will cut the cable but if that is the object of the theft then they’ll cut the anchor instead