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Yes. I live in a Condo, so the other option would be to disconnect it every day. I'm mentally prepared for this, but if I can get away with a secure solution I'd be a happy camper.
That 14-50 plug and socket will not last very long if you plug and unplug every day. They are not designed for 10,000 cycles life like J1772 plugs for EVs.
I would look for a weathertight lock box that would hold the UMC and cable, and keep it plugged all the time.
GSP
I would look for a weathertight lock box that would hold the UMC and cable, and keep it plugged all the time.
GSP
Princeton96
Member
I live in a townhouse community too and have the same box. I currently unplug my UMC each day and store it in my trunk. I only plan to be living here another year or two, so hopefully the box will last long enough.
I've been thinking about how best to rig up some sort of locking solution. I may try to jury-rig something with a cable lock. If I come up with something, I'll let you know.
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In another thread, someone made a cage that is about 2-3 feet long so it can cover the plug and UMC when it is wound up. It has a hole int he bottom for the cable to drop down through. Someone quote me $400 to make this.
I think a better use of the money would be to put it towards the HWPC. I only have a single charger but it would be covered by my insurance if anything were to happen.
Princeton96
Member
Seems like overkill and I'm pretty sure my HOA wouldn't be wild about a huge cage covering the outlet. Not sure how yours is on those sorts of visual aspects. There must be a way to fit some sort of lockable ring over the UMC cable and then thread a cable lock through it. I just need to find the right kind of ring.
Princeton96
Member
Here's my MacGyver'd solution. Seems like it will solve the problem.
Parts Needed:
1/2" Pipe Repair Clamp
Small Piece of Foam Drawer Liner
Tape
Small Padlock
Cable Lock
Tape the drawer liner around the UMC cable between the plug and box thingy (technical term). This acts as padding. Lay the cable part of the cable lock next to the UMC cable. Attach the repair clamp around both the UMC cable and cable lock using one of the provided bolts. Place the padlock through the other end of the clamp where the other bolt was supposed to go. Don't tighten the bolt too much. You don't want to damage the UMC cable and it's also helpful if the whole thing can slide around a bit. The padlock is the thing keeping the clamp from being opened anyway.
I locked the cable lock around the conduit leading to my outlet box. The clamp can't be removed, even if the bolt is removed. It doesn't fit over the plug if the padlock is in place.
Here are some pictures:
Parts Needed:
1/2" Pipe Repair Clamp
Small Piece of Foam Drawer Liner
Tape
Small Padlock
Cable Lock
Tape the drawer liner around the UMC cable between the plug and box thingy (technical term). This acts as padding. Lay the cable part of the cable lock next to the UMC cable. Attach the repair clamp around both the UMC cable and cable lock using one of the provided bolts. Place the padlock through the other end of the clamp where the other bolt was supposed to go. Don't tighten the bolt too much. You don't want to damage the UMC cable and it's also helpful if the whole thing can slide around a bit. The padlock is the thing keeping the clamp from being opened anyway.
I locked the cable lock around the conduit leading to my outlet box. The clamp can't be removed, even if the bolt is removed. It doesn't fit over the plug if the padlock is in place.
Here are some pictures:
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