32A Commando Socket for 7kW charging

[Gladers01]

ruggedscotty said:

OutInTheShed said:

ruggedscotty said:

I wonder....

That plastic box.... should have been either metal or it should have been enclosed in a fire proof enclosure. thats actually part of the fire requirements... That copper pipe to the right.... if thats a gas pipe it contravenes the regs as the pipe is less than 1.5m from the consumer unit....

Aye

The plastic box would have been fine when installed, and AIUI would in itself still be fine today as an existing installation?

The IET only changed to wanting metal consumer units some time in the last ten years?
If you go back say 20 years, was it even possible to buy a metal CU? Were they even allowed?

yup there were allowed in 2000.

Like you say Scotty if the impedance/resistance of the circuit had been tested this would have probably flagged up the poor connections in the consumer unit as a higher value than permitted, which in turn would lead to the protective breaker taking longer to disconnect the power supply, if at all.

Do you know if the EV charger when plugged in to a near flat battery charges at near 7 KW, say 28 amps constantly for the entire duration of the charge or does the current reduce over time as the batteries gradually become fully charged?

[ruggedscotty]

Gladers01 said:

ruggedscotty said:

OutInTheShed said:

ruggedscotty said:

I wonder....

That plastic box.... should have been either metal or it should have been enclosed in a fire proof enclosure. thats actually part of the fire requirements... That copper pipe to the right.... if thats a gas pipe it contravenes the regs as the pipe is less than 1.5m from the consumer unit....

Aye

The plastic box would have been fine when installed, and AIUI would in itself still be fine today as an existing installation?

The IET only changed to wanting metal consumer units some time in the last ten years?
If you go back say 20 years, was it even possible to buy a metal CU? Were they even allowed?

yup there were allowed in 2000.

Like you say Scotty if the impedance/resistance of the circuit had been tested this would have probably flagged up the poor connections in the consumer unit as a higher value than permitted, which in turn would lead to the protective breaker taking longer to disconnect the power supply, if at all.

Do you know if the EV charger when plugged in to a near flat battery charges at near 7 KW, say 28 amps constantly for the entire duration of the charge or does the current reduce over time as the batteries gradually become fully charged?

With charging the charger delivers a power to the battery, thorugh electronics. a 7kw charger is going to provide that 7kw over the charge duration which is generally to around 80% soc. going from 80 to 100% takes a lot longer than getting it to 80%

The battery voltage between 20% and 80% isnt that great a difference. so the current being drawn from the mains will be roughly the same during that main charge so 7kw on the mains is around 30A.

this 30A will be drawn for roughly the same duration.

[Heres Johnny]

Gladers01 said:

Do you know if the EV charger when plugged in to a near flat battery charges at near 7 KW, say 28 amps constantly for the entire duration of the charge or does the current reduce over time as the batteries gradually become fully charged?

I've personally found it will delivery the max rating (30-32A for most) until its past 95% state of charge. Tapering happens on rapid chargers, but they start from a much higher starting point and even on those they only get below 7kw at very high states of charge and most people have long since given up waiting and move on.

[somouk]

Heres Johnny said:

I've personally found it will delivery the max rating (30-32A for most) until its past 95% state of charge. Tapering happens on rapid chargers, but they start from a much higher starting point and even on those they only get below 7kw at very high states of charge and most people have long since given up waiting and move on.

I also don't find I see any tapering on anything but DC fast chargers until much further up the cars battery percentage.

[cb31]

Won't these commando type sockets get more popular once the government gets around to taxing home car charging? I believe newer official chargers have some kind of mandatory electronics in which can identify that they are charging a car. Got to get that lost petrol tax back somehow so I guess it is a matter of when not if. Apologies if I'm talking rubbish

[Gladers01]

somouk said:

Heres Johnny said:

I've personally found it will delivery the max rating (30-32A for most) until its past 95% state of charge. Tapering happens on rapid chargers, but they start from a much higher starting point and even on those they only get below 7kw at very high states of charge and most people have long since given up waiting and move on.

I also don't find I see any tapering on anything but DC fast chargers until much further up the cars battery percentage.

As mentioned above it's a hefty 30 amp current draw for 4 hours or more with little tapering effect and on a par with a power shower.

I'd be tempted to do a visual inspection periodically on the consumer unit every few months for loose wires or hotspots if the installation is DIY and not fully tested for a disconnection time of less than half a second