EV Car Charger

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by jackSwan, Nov 25, 2021.

  1. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    Using the cut cable prices on the TLC website:
    • 10 metres of 6 mm two core SWA and a set of glands including VAT = £35.88
    • 10 metres of 6 mm twin and earth including VAT = £32.40
    So the difference in the cost of the cable is £2.88 including the cost of the SWA glands. The actual two core SWA cable on its own is cheaper than the T&E.

    @jackSwan that makes your assumptions rather ridiculous.
     
  2. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    Upgrading from 6 mm SWA cable to 10 mm SWA cable costs £12.72 and the reduced heat loss would mean the upgrade would pay for itself in a couple of years, which is absolutely negligible initial cost for the increased performance and reduced bills over the life of the cable.

    If I were installing the cable for myself at home for an EV charger I would use at least a 10.0 mm, despite it being possible to use 6.0 mm or possibly even 4.0 mm.

    £48.60 for 10.0 mm SWA cable and glands is hardly a deal breaker even with a 30% mark up.
     
  3. Sad spark

    Sad spark New Member

    If I was installing any circuitry to charge my car I am afraid it would have to be a 3 core I know the gland offers earth but for peace of mind for certification I would go for a solid earth
     
  4. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    If I was installing any circuitry to charge my car I am afraid it would have to be TT, I know there are methods to disconnect the earth under fault conditions, but where I would park an electric car is far enough from house to use TT.

    But not talking about my car or @Sad spark car, so leave it to the installer.
     
    Sad spark likes this.
  5. Sad spark

    Sad spark New Member

    Sorry I must have misread OP I didn't realise they had an installer.
     
  6. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    @Sad spark there is not an installer, the original poster is asking the question in anticipation of being ripped off with another hundred quid being added on for unnecessary SWA cable, from an earlier post:

    “Thanks :) I'm trying to make sure I don't have to have something I don't need! I've been stung before where I've been told I need something I don't, just because there's a bigger mark up on it and not profit in it for the installer/engineer.”.

    Unfortunately the original poster is penny wise and pound foolish, whilst worrying about saving literally a few pennies, probably less than three hundred pennies, three pounds, when spending thousands of pounds on a new car all he is doing is potentially reducing the standard of the installation to the lowest acceptable standard rather than getting a well engineered installation that will outlast the new car by many years and may actually reduce the running costs significantly over its working life.

    It just ends up being a waste of time trying to quote work for people who take the attitude that every time you suggest using better quality materials it is just to rip them off, I have learnt the hard way and wasted far too much time quoting for people who take this attitude over the years.
     
  7. The OP simply wanted an opinion about whether he needed the more expensive cable. He didn’t say he wouldn’t have it if it was a better option.
     
  8. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    The original poster made far too many assumptions.
     
  9. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    I have been watching a video on EV chargers, I am sure there is some thing I am missing? The guy seems to think the 6 mA DC, and PEN loss detection is only required if the charger is hard wired?



    He looks at three chargers which he plugs into a 32 amp socket, and seems to think the 18th edition does not cover if not hard wired, to be fair he is using them in a garage, so really the loss of PEN is not an issue, but would like to see what others think?
     
  10. Roys

    Roys Screwfix Select

    As stated right at the start I would want a SWA cable in my garage over a t&e, yes a t&e would do the job but why for the sake of a few quid would you go for a lower quality install. The SWA in my opinion will look better and be safer from knocks and scrapes which may occur in a garage. Yes you could put your t&e in mechanical protection but that is going to have a combined cost of more probably than a SWA install anyways.
    So no your spark won’t be ripping you off by suggesting SWA.
     
    The Happy Builder likes this.

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