Charging the PHEV from an outdoor 13A socket

[P_J]

Hi all,

Need to pick your brains if I can please.
I’ve been charging the new PHEV at work until now, but want to use the ‘granny charger’ when at home.
I have an outdoor/external electrical socket run directly off of an RCBO from the main CU, which I intended to use for this granny charger connection.
However the socket cannot take the plug of the supplied charger due to the socket being switched, meaning the socket is slightly off-centre and the cable cannot bend through the gland seal hole.
Also, the external cable thickness of the charger is 12mm and the hole isn’t big enough. 
So I'm looking to replace it. 

So.. does anyone know which sockets are suitable for use with this beast of a charger? Or is it a newer spec charger which has more armouring perhaps (are they all 12mm)?
Clearly I can resolve the switched socket off-centre issue by replacing with a non-switched socket, which will avoid the need for any bend.
But the 12mm hole required for the cable can only really be achieved by presumably Dremel’ing the hole a bit bigger.

I’ve trawled screwfix, toolstation, RS etc. and the best options I can find is:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-storm-ip66-13a-1-gang-weatherproof-outdoor-unswitched-power-socket-with-large-housing/190xg
(very large but more likely to fit perhaps – cant see a hole size)

https://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-masterseal-plus-ip66-13a-1-gang-weatherproof-outdoor-unswitched-socket/41160
(doesn’t sound like the clip will last long though)

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/plug-sockets/7051639
(looks ideal - but 11mm cable size max though – sure I’ve seen a pic of someone on here using this socket)

 Any help would be appreciated. Cheers

[ernieb]

I see you already have an RCBO but this is the external plug I use. Masterplug;

Masterplug  IP66 13A 1-Gang Weatherproof Outdoor Unswitched Active Plug Socket With RCBO. Available at Screwfix.

[P_J]

Thanks Ernie. 
I did look at that as an option, but it still looks like the cable outlet will struggle to accept the chunky cable on my charger. 
I could look at replacing the charger itself for something more.. flexible, though that seems counterintuitive. 
Might have to buy a socket and drill out a bigger hole before fitting it to the wall...sigh...

[GBgraham]

I would modify . . . Necessity is the mother of invention😉

[Bper]

2 hours ago, P_J said:

Thanks Ernie. 
I did look at that as an option, but it still looks like the cable outlet will struggle to accept the chunky cable on my charger. 
I could look at replacing the charger itself for something more.. flexible, though that seems counterintuitive. 
Might have to buy a socket and drill out a bigger hole before fitting it to the wall...sigh...

Hi PJ, these sockets are IP rated so any alterations including drilling bigger holes will allow water ingress if the cable is not properly 

 

2 hours ago, P_J said:

Thanks Ernie. 
I did look at that as an option, but it still looks like the cable outlet will struggle to accept the chunky cable on my charger. 
I could look at replacing the charger itself for something more.. flexible, though that seems counterintuitive. 
Might have to buy a socket and drill out a bigger hole before fitting it to the wall...sigh...

Hi PJ, Remember these sockets are IP66 rated so any alterations including drilling bigger holes etc will effect the ingress protection.

[P_J]

Yep. Fully appreciate that. And would very much like to not need to do it. But at the moment the cover on my existing socket will not get close to closing, so a long way from any IP rating. 

Thats why I really wanted to know how others are doing it. 

Unless of course I have a newer model of the charger with thicker cabling. 

[P_J]

[nlee]

@P-J Before I had a 7 Kw wall charger, I used the "granny charger". I installed the exact MK Masterseal one from Screwfix you linked to above. It was fine, cable fits perfectly (I'll have to check cable OD but I'm sure it's it the same, it's pretty meaty). I read the reviews on the cover/hinge but have had no problems. Having said that, I left the charger plugged in permanently and fixed the control box to the garage wall just inside our gate and installed a holster for the plug, so wasn't opening and closing the cover all the time. 

I still use the socket for power washer, etc. and it's still holding up. 

[P_J]

Yes I think it was your setup I took a screenshot of ages ago. I have the exact same setup. Side wall of garage with a gate in front. 

I usually prefer MK for electrical stuff, but was worried the clip wouldn't last. I plan to leave fixed in place I think, so that's probably not going to be an issue for me. 

Thanks

[ernieb]

21 hours ago, P_J said:

Thanks Ernie. 
I did look at that as an option, but it still looks like the cable outlet will struggle to accept the chunky cable on my charger. 
I could look at replacing the charger itself for something more.. flexible, though that seems counterintuitive. 
Might have to buy a socket and drill out a bigger hole before fitting it to the wall...sigh...

The one supplied by Toyota has massive diameter, but I needed a longer cable and bought a 10m, masterplug one in green which fits the external master plug, as above, fine.

[P_J]

Ah ok. I was hoping to use the Toyota supplied unit as it's exactly the right length for my needs. 

Appreciate the help guys. I'll have to customise something I think...

[Station]

So I bought and installed this one -

https://toughleads.co.uk/collections/ev-electric-vehicle-extension-leads/products/weatherproof-socket-compatible-with-bmw-nissan-and-jaguar-ev-chargers?variant=19886029111384

Wired via a 2m run of 4mm T&E into its own 16amp breaker in the consumer unit.

The lid wouldn’t quite close initially as like you have said, the cable doesn’t drop perfectly vertical due to the socket being off centre slightly due to being a switched one.

All I did was trim the hard plastic (not the squidgy seal) that is at the edge of the seal. Push the squidgy bit and you will feel hard plastic that cannot conform to the cable size. I just used a sharp set of side cutters which left no jagged edge and the lid now shuts perfectly.

The seal is perfectly intact so I don’t feel I have compromised the integrity of the socket housing.

Hope this makes sense and I do use the official Toyota granny charger.

[P_J]

Very clear response thanks Simon. 
I have a very similar setup, with the exception of the final socket. 
I'll pick up a socket at the local Screwfix I think and try to modify it to take the big cable. 
I did not expect this to be a problem 🙄

[nlee]

51 minutes ago, P_J said:

Very clear response thanks Simon. 
I have a very similar setup, with the exception of the final socket. 
I'll pick up a socket at the local Screwfix I think and try to modify it to take the big cable. 
I did not expect this to be a problem 🙄

If you buy the MK Masterseal one you were looking at, it will not be a problem. 

I checked my cable and it is 12mm OD, just like yours, and it fits fine with no modification. Here's a couple of photos I took for you....

[P_J]

Thanks Nigel!
Really appreciate the effort you've gone to, to show a working solution exactly as I had hoped. 
Looks like a good fit too. 

A few reviews suggest the hinge is a bit weak, but as I'll be leaving in situ (bar the odd visual check now and again), shouldn't be an issue!. 

[Station]

On 3/12/2024 at 4:10 PM, nlee said:

If you buy the MK Masterseal one you were looking at, it will not be a problem. 

I checked my cable and it is 12mm OD, just like yours, and it fits fine with no modification. Here's a couple of photos I took for you....

I did see this type but wanted a switched socket so I can leave the charger plugged in permanently.
The cable tidy and plug holder I got secures the cable making it not so easy for any lowlife to pinch !

Also bought a spare charger to keep in the car if needed away from home.

Regards.

[P_J]

I'm intending to leave mine plugged in permanently and left on, but there is a locked gate between the socket and car so they'd have to be pretty nimble to nick it. They'll probably have next door's before they come for mine. 

But that's a good point... I do need to look at hooks to suspend the charger unit and plug. I have some that should suit but I need to check dimensions. Shouldn't be the showstopper that the socket is.