Outdoor socket

metricspaces

I am getting an outdoor socket installed for general garden use e.g. lawn mower. Should I do anything to future proof myself for charging an EV? I don't currently own an EV.

I am wondering if I am paying an Electrician for the cost of installing an outdoor socket, it is much the same cost to get it setup for 32A?

BoatMad

metricspaces wrote: »

I am getting an outdoor socket installed for general garden use e.g. lawn mower. Should I do anything to future proof myself for charging an EV? I don't currently own an EV.

I am wondering if I am paying an Electrician for the cost of installing an outdoor socket, it is much the same cost to get it setup for 32A?

a standard socket , outdoors . can usually be taken from the existing house radials or ring ( you dont even need a registered sparks for this )

A EVSE capable socket 16A or 32A should be fed directly from the distribution board and protected by a suitable and dedicated RCBO, this requires a RECI sparks

goz83

metricspaces wrote: »

I am getting an outdoor socket installed for general garden use e.g. lawn mower. Should I do anything to future proof myself for charging an EV? I don't currently own an EV.

I am wondering if I am paying an Electrician for the cost of installing an outdoor socket, it is much the same cost to get it setup for 32A?

So, to "future proof" for an EV charge point, you should get a sparks to install 6sq or 10sq (if the run is over 10M) to allow the installation of a 32A charge point at a later date.

If you are certain about getting an EV and it's in the near future AND you are buying a used EV (which does not give you a free charge point) you could always look at the combo units such as the rolec wall pod. It can be got for much less money, but that's the first link that I found. I have this CP and it's great. I use it regularly for power tools and hoovers etc. I can also charge both my EVs if I like.

cros13

As goz and boatmad said get 3 x 10 or 3 x 6 sqmm SWA cable back to the distribution board.

In addition consider one of these for your outdoor socket:
http://carcharger.ie/product/rolec-wallpod-ev-ready-deep-base/

The faceplate can be swapped to make it a 32A Type 2 chargepoint. If you are fitting one of these Rolec EV ready units get the electrician to fit a 40A Type C MCB at the distribution board side like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/bg-mcb-40a-c-type/88734 ( make sure to stress Type C as they'd normally fit a B )

That way you can swap the faceplates yourself later.

unkel

If you are likely to buy an EV within the next year or two, I'd have an EVSE (EV charger) installed. You can get ones which have built-in sockets as well for your general garden use. Should take an electrician no significantly longer to install an EVSE than just a socket. Make sure he uses 6mm2 cabling though and get a 32A EVSE.

Edit: beaten to it

metricspaces

Thanks for all the info! It sounds like it will be a lot more expensive to install a socket capable of charging an EV?

For a normal socket the electrician can just take the wire from the nearest point in the circuit to where I want the socket.

For an socket capable of charging an EV, the electrician will need to take a wire directly from the fuse board. If I run the wire around the outside of the house then there's the cost of protecting the wire. If I run it on the inside of the house, then large redecoration costs to hide the wire?

goz83

metricspaces wrote: »

Thanks for all the info! It sounds like it will be a lot more expensive to install a socket capable of charging an EV?

For a normal socket the electrician can just take the wire from the nearest point in the circuit to where I want the socket.

For an socket capable of charging an EV, the electrician will need to take a wire directly from the fuse board. If I run the wire around the outside of the house then there's the cost of protecting the wire. If I run it on the inside of the house, then large redecoration costs to hide the wire?

You would be installing armoured wire, so it's already protected. If I were you, I woukd do everything to prepare for an evse, but put an outdoor socket in its place. If you then buy an evse, it's just a matter of replacing the socket with evse

bp_me

What I've done is have the electrician run 10sq to the point on the house where I would put the charger (probably would have gotten away with 6... but excess is best ). Going to put a 16a external socket on it until such time as I am ready for the EV.

This does mean I'll also need a RECI to change the breaker/whatever it's connected to in the fuse box at that time too but thats ok.

BoatMad

metricspaces wrote: »

Thanks for all the info! It sounds like it will be a lot more expensive to install a socket capable of charging an EV?

For a normal socket the electrician can just take the wire from the nearest point in the circuit to where I want the socket.

For an socket capable of charging an EV, the electrician will need to take a wire directly from the fuse board. If I run the wire around the outside of the house then there's the cost of protecting the wire. If I run it on the inside of the house, then large redecoration costs to hide the wire?

yes its more expensive as you point out.

cros13

But when you are going EV (and that's inevitable) you'll need to do it anyway.