Great video! Now all I need is a house to have one installed 😅 Heading off topic, any recommendations on washer fluids for the M3? The manual has outlines many cautions (i.e. VOCs, do not use rain/bug repellent etc) which rules out the majority of what’s being sold in Halfords.
Thanks Peter! I haven't actually needed to do it yet but I'm probably going to take those recommendations with a pinch of salt and follow the general principle of just not buying the super cheap stuff, but not worrying about it too much!
I had a Zoe before getting my present model 3 and always charged from a 3 pin wall socket. I am still doing the same with my Tesla but I have been in touch with an electrician to fit a commando socket and have already bought Teslas commando plug for the charger. I am not really too bothered by the astheatics of the wall socket as I plan to have it tucked away. I still haven't used a Supercharger yet!
hello, how do you get around the issue of the UMC connector not being fully waterproof? I had to replace mine after only 6 weeks due to the car not being in a garage or not under cover at all
This is the solution to what i need due to not being eligible for the OLEV grant. Can i ask what the make/model of the 32A socket you used and which RCB (A / B) did you use. Plus did you have to have an earth rod fitted too?
Hi Paul, it's a GEWISS 32A IP67 socket (model GW66215N). Unfortunately I'm not sure on the RCB or earth rod questions, I left that to the electrician, sorry!
I don’t have a Tesla yet. Can you tell me if you can “tell” the car to only charge at a certain time to take advantage of cheaper rates through the night?
Are you still using this 32A connector with the tesla mobile charger? I've been using the 16amp blue connector with it for 5 years, but thinking of upgrading to this one of 32A, or a proper wallcharger (expensive option). Thanks in advance.
Gotta be the cheapest way of doing it. A few hundred quid to install a 32A socket. Of course you lose all of the feature of a "proper" charger point- app control, timing, ability to lock people out and so on. However, these are probably not worth the cost of installing a smart charging point. I suppose that the other point is that there's potentially a bit more risk involved with these sockets if you've got kids about. Also, what's the IP rating of these outlets? Are they suitable for permanent outdoor installation?
Yep, agreed, I think it’s more just the inconvenience of having to take out/put away the charger each time compared to a nice tethered solution that would tip it for me when it comes to very frequent use. The screw cap and the fact you can’t turn on any power without something plugged in I think goes some way to address the concerns of having kids around. It’s IP67 rated, which I think exceeds the IP rating for the EO Pro, so should be fine as a permanent outdoor fitting. I think ideally though, you’d have something like a lockable encasing cupboard around it that could also shield the UMC (which is “weather-proof”) as I wouldn’t really be comfortable constantly charging with that in torrential rain…
@@jdhartwell732 It'd be a good solution if you visit relatives or the like regularly. Kinda like a destination charger, especially if it was inside a garage. Certainly a damn sight cheaper than the Andersen that I had installed last week!
@Cheradanine Yep, exactly my thinking. Ha, I think pretty much everything is cheaper than the Andersen to be fair, but it's sooo nice, absolutely the option I'll be going for! Was it a long lead time between ordering and install?
@@jdhartwell732 No, it was quite quick. I placed the order on the 3rd September. I completed the online survey the same day and they confirmed that a standard installation applied on the 9th. They confirmed shipping of the charging point on the 13th and it arrived on the 16th. On the 15th they offered an installation date of the 22nd. This didn't suit my diary, so we agreed an install of the 1st October. All-in-all, I could have had it installed in 3 calendar weeks from ordering. Very easy process.
I've just had a 32A commando socket installed for £180 and bought an Ohme smart charger lead (£199 through Octopus energy). £380 all in for what is effectively a tethered smart charger. Okay, it doesn't look the prettiest, but it does the job.
Nicely explained. I live in France and have installed the same for around 280€. Here, we call it a 'prise bleu' which translates as 'blue plug' and therefore bears no relation to questionable clothing habits... I am really pleased with the result and can see no reason why I would now install a wall-charger as it's perfect for my daily 55-80% charge.
Everything sounds a little more classy in French :) It's been working great for me so far. The only reason I can see for installing a full tethered wall charger now is the convenience factor, but we're talking seconds here...
Only other thing is the commando option wont scale back the charge if there is more demand in the house (electric showers etc). You need to keep an eye on that yourself.
Am likely to use a comando socket when we move but apart from occasional long journey to mum in laws we will probably stick with the granny charger which I get 10-11mph
Hi. If im going for a commando. Should i contact a qualified electrician and just tell them i want to install a commando socket? Sorry for the silly question. 😥 Thanks for the informative vid!
Does this work for the Model Y aswell? On the Tesla website it only gives information for: Range per hour: 44 km with Model 3 35 km with Model S 31 km with Model X So I'm a little confused.
My electrician installed a 32amp 3 pin for £50. The plug was £40, adaptor from Tesla was £35. So for £125 this is a brilliant option. Mines hidden in my garage so you can't even see it. 3x speed for £125 was a bargain.
I think ur best bet might be to get the Tesla one, and then get an extension, something like this - www.videk.co.uk/section.php/1404/1/32-amp-commando-power-extension-cable
Very cost effective solution, thanks for sharing! Would you mind sharing the shop where you got your Commando socket from, I'm looking for a similar one but for 16A instead.
Thanks Joost. I don't have the exact link as the electrician ordered it, but toolstation have a pretty good selection, think you'd be after something like this - www.toolstation.com/industrial-socket-ip67/p79209
Great video, but I’m wondering what protection you put in place for the 32A socket PEN fault protection and or RCD Type A + DC 6mA? or did you just directly connect to a 32A Breaker on your consumer unit?
@@stevoc9930 actually the supply could have been changed to PME in the street. Unfortunately it can’t be relied upon looking at what the earthing arrangement is in the property.
Hi there, I think campsites are probably more likely to have the 16A variant of this (looks almost the same but is slightly smaller) although some may have 32A sockets too. You can get a 16A adapter from Tesla.
excellent video - when installing this i assume your fuse/distributrion board needed to have space for an additonal 32amp breaker to run this new commando circuit on?
You can add a dedicated EV/Shower priority board between the company fuse/meter and the existing distribution board. That way, if the load on your existing board exceeds a certain level (for example if you have an electric shower and cooker on at the same time) the priority board will shut off the current to your EV charger so that your 63 Amp company fuse doesn't blow. Once the current drain falls below 30 Amps, power will be restored to the EV charge point.
Interesting video, Probably being dense but I'm missing something, how you are getting the extra charging power? Is the commando unit connected to a dedicated circuit off your main supply and also contains additional electronics to boost the power over the normal 3-pin plug?
The limiting factor on a mains circuit is the current carrying capacity of the cable. Domestic UK ring mains are wired in 2.5 Sq mm cable but can also be a radial circuit which should be rated with a lower 20A fuse /MCB. A 32A commando would be wired as a radial circuit using 4mm sq cable ( or larger for longer runs to reduce volt drop). The Tesla charging cable knows what type of adapter (commando or domestic 3 pin) is plugged into it and will adjust the cars charging current accordingly to limit charging to 7kw when using the three pin adapter. This is so the mains circuit can still have a kettle plugged in without tripping a circuit breaker on your distribution board or setting fire to your house.
This is great to know. I can't charge at home but can at my Mum's - but therefore won't be eligible (legally) for the grant. My Mum only lives a mile away, so its great that I could get a 32A Commando fitted and whack in the juice at 7.4kw, while I'm round there!
Just bear in m ind that neither an existing 13A socket, nor a 16A or 32A commando, meet the electrical safety regulations for charging an EV without either a PEN fault detector/isolator or a suitable earth rod (new or existing). The issue with a PEN fault is that your whole car will become live without proper protection. That's not to say that all smart chargers don't need one too, but there are more and more that have the protection built in.
@@matc1603 think about it: a PEN system is just where the PE (Protective Earth) and N (Neutral) circuits are ‘combined’ and the house feed is just two wires. This is the norm nowadays. A PEN fault here is where the cable is disrupted (dug up by the water or gas company for example) and the PEN wire broken but not the L wire. That doesn’t seem such an unlikely event, and it isn’t.
Even though I have several wall ev chargers at home, I still had a 32 Amp Commando Socket installed for a Universal Mobile Charger. Ideal for a Grid Outage as the Commando Socket will run off the Home Battery storage.
@@paulf3353 EV chargers need specialist safety protection for the unique way the UK electrical system is earthed. A fault on the suppliers system could make the EV bodywork rise to 230v and when someone opens the EV car door they will complete the circuit as their feet will be on true Earth. Likely to result in death. Commando sockets have no protection unless a separate safety unit is installed. That cannot be installed for £140.
@@neilbridgeman7768 I hear you, but it is no different than having the same fault inside the house (like in the bathroom for example). Also, the probability of that is extremely low, probably significantly lower than the EV car accident. PS. I wonder who is that bright mind who decided to use TN-C-S and why additional house earthing is not mandatory. It sounds ridiculous.
Well, I hope your parents might find that commando socket useful, one day! ;-) Also I note that some commando sockets are rated 16A, some 32A, and some (the red ones?) can be used with 415V - is this an option for the Tesla? - or any other car? Maybe we'll see new homes with a 415V connection as standard soon... Thanks!
If your house has a 3 phase supply , you could get a 3 phase red commando socket but this would need to be 3x16A as this is the maximum the internal model 3 AC chargers can handle … If your local Aldi has the blue post newmotion chargers these are often 11kW 3 phase and I get 54 miles of range added if I turn off the a/c while charging on these…
This whole PEN fault thing is madness, you have sparks insisting you can't fit simple solutions even when houses have existing outdoor sockets and earthed garden class 2 lighting everywhere
My worry here is that yes it will inevitably be cheaper to have a commando socket on the wall rather than a purpose built EV charge. The more ‘expensive’ purpose built chargers have a range of safety features installed to protect the user including specific EV RCDs and specialist monitoring devices that monitor if a drop in the neutral conductor occurs (very common in the UK) and cuts off the supply. A plain commando socket does not have this protection so clearly it will be cheaper. However opening an EV car door, while charging and when the neutral has dropped off will result in a horrendous electric shock and at 32A very likely death. A smart EV charger like a Zappi by MyEnergi will not let that happen. The alternative is to have an earth rod installed but I take it you have not had that installed as that would push the cost way up. A commando socket in most UK installations is terribly dangerous and would not meet the wiring regulations for the UK.
@@patdbean a good question. In terms of likelihood it is no different. But charging from a 13A plug is not really seen as a long term solution as most house sockets are not suitable and the slow charging rate is just rubbish. Also when you look at commando sockets or some of the dumb chargers, like the Tesla charger (that also has no safety devices fitted as standard) the current is a lot higher (16A - 32A) and therefore the resulting electric shock will be considerably worse. In an ideal world nobody should be charging an EV without the appropriate RCD and PEN fault protection as the consequences could be fatal.
@@neilbridgeman7768 yes, but I can well see someone who charges mostly at destination chargers, shopping centre, gym. Etc. Saying "I do one or other of those at least once a week, I can live with 14 hours 7mph charging the odd time I need to leave home with 150+ miles range Couldn't the PEN fault detection be built into the car? .
Totally agree. If a commando socket is installed with the intention of EV charging an earth rod should be installed. I do think it states this in the instructions for the Ohme plug-in charger but most DIYers will probably ignore this 😏
Thanks this is really useful great video. Can you possibly give me the link how you sourced the adapter I noticed you gave an address in a previous reply but it doesn't seem to work (even cut and paste and im having trouble finding the adapter?
This is great. I'm going to get a tesla but was worried I'd have to get a dedicated charger. I'd much rather have this solution. I have a garage so won't need to keep unplugging the mobile charger anyway.
As stated by other contributors, what’s missing from this video is additional cost of an Open PEN device and type B RCBO or type A with additional 6mA DC fault device. Installation of an EV charger socket in the UK, no matter what type, and has particular regulations that must be adhered to in order to properly protect against electric shock in the event of a fault. Always consult an experienced, qualified electrician.
This should never been put on RU-vid. This is not a safe installation at all. I know people are trying to save money but if you can afford a EV you can afford a a safe charger install. You would be toast if a PEN fault was to occur. Also loading on the property has not even been considered. What would happen if there was a DC fault on the car? What type of RCD protection is upstream? This type of video pissis me off!
Why is everyone ignoring the fact that a commando socket olongapo is not compliant with the electrical regs for EV charging? No wonder you got it installed for £300!