TOTALLY unrelated to self building, but one for a Guru

[Millie Master]

I have recently bought a BMW 225XE phve and love it !

My question is that I am charging it at home on the supplied 13amp lead and have installed a special 13 amp external socket which now has a stand alone earthing spike fitted with a 5 mm cable along with the existing 2 mm earthing cable.
The feed from the main consumer unit is unique to this socket.

My concern is that the socket is getting really quite warm, should it and if not, should I fit an alternative system?

 

[Derekoak]

You perhaps need to test that the connections in the socket are sound and tight.

 

[Squiffy]

Edited as incorrectly sent.

 

[Squiffy]

I have recently bought a BMW 225XE phve and love it !

My question is that I am charging it at home on the supplied 13amp lead and have installed a special 13 amp external socket which now has a stand alone earthing spike fitted with a 5 mm cable along with the existing 2 mm earthing cable.
The feed from the main consumer unit is unique to this socket.

My concern is that the socket is getting really quite warm, should it and if not, should I fit an alternative system?

My son has Toyota EV and when he comes home he plugs into my outside socket that I've fixed to my wood shed/workshop it's on a 16 amp Rcd unit, to be fair I have never thought to check wether the socket gets warm but he's used it many times with no problems. Next time he's up I'll check it as a hot socket on pine wood doesn't bode well. Though I have to say that if it's supplying high ampage it's bound to get a bit warm. As Derek says could possibly be loose connection. Phil

 

[Millie Master]

I can confirm that all the connections are very tight, my only thought is that whereas the body of the waterproof (Chinese manufactured) socket is of amazing quality, I do believe that the socket itself is a bit naff!

So, unless I install a very high powered system and remain with a standard 3 pin plug which with this car is quite adequate, what are the best, highest quality sockets you can buy?

 

[MarkJ]

Do you know at what rate it should charge itself? Just wondering if maybe it's actually drawing more than 13A.

My Volvo can charge from a 13A socket, but also from a faster, dedicated charge point (which we had fitted). I'm wondering how it knows what it's connected to?

But great to see someone using a correctly earthed socket for charging.

 

[PeteS]

If you take 13A from a socket it will get warm, thats 3.1Kw across the contacts. If its too hot to touch then yes theres a problem

 

[Millie Master]

Do you know at what rate it should charge itself? Just wondering if maybe it's actually drawing more than 13A.

My Volvo can charge from a 13A socket, but also from a faster, dedicated charge point (which we had fitted). I'm wondering how it knows what it's connected to?

But great to see someone using a correctly earthed socket for charging.

Hello Mark; the standard cable the car is supplied with is for use with 13 amp sockets, which I can only presume has something in cars plug end which sets the charging rate?

You can of course buy other cables from BMW for the higher powered charging points but they cost an eye watering amount added to which would be the cost of having one of the high powered charging points installed which cost a significant amount even allowing for the current Government grant that covers part of their installation costs (ending in March).

But for me it will continue to be a 13 amp socket and the 3 hour charge period for my 82 mpg machine.

Phil

 

[Derekoak]

What is the fuse at the consumer unit?
You could up grade the socket to a 15 amp waterproof socket like hookup cable and campsite sockets, then change the car lead end from 3 pin to waterproof to suit.

 

[Millie Master]

What is the fuse at the consumer unit?
You could up grade the socket to a 15 amp waterproof socket like hookup cable and campsite sockets, then change the car lead end from 3 pin to waterproof to suit.

Hello Derek; The throw out switch on the consumer unit is a 32 amp.

I have thought about converting the connection to a hookup type socket and wall point, however as I would still have to have a 3 pin plug on the cars cable (just in case I ever want to use it when I am away from home), there would still be the weak connection of a 3 pin plug in the system.

I am actually looking into buying a UK produced external socket in the hope that it will be of a far higher quality than the one I currently have which came from China!

Phil

 

[Derekoak]

MK is a good make I do not know the best.
You could convert to hookup type on the car and convert back with a conversion extension (waterproof socket to 3 pin plug), to carefully plug into someone elses socket on the odd occasion? You might even want to charge from a hookup when away?

 

[Millie Master]

MK is a good make I do not know the best.
You could convert to hookup type on the car and convert back with a conversion extension (waterproof socket to 3 pin plug), to carefully plug into someone elses socket on the odd occasion? You might even want to charge from a hookup when away?

Thanks for that Derek, I hadn't thought of doing it that way drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr (!), a new hook up type connection is now under way.

Phil