[Paul]

Saw this while on holiday. Would it be a good option for those without commando cables but with regular domestic plug EVSEs? I've seen the one-to-one adaptors, but wondered if this would be as good/better, especially if camping so you can use all plugs?

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/mobile-mains-kit-p155317

£40 from Go Outdoors and online elsewhere.

 

[Robwiz]

That's an interesting find. It looks like a lot of kit for the money and makes Type 1 to Type 2 cables look very expensive in comparison

 

[osbrook]

Really sorry but this is way OTT. I use a Blue Commando to 1 domestic socket (which is what you meant) to charge my Twizy while on campsite. Cost between £4.99 and £8 for one that will handle the full 16 amps available at the connection point - obviously not used by Twizy - approx 10amps.

However what yours offers is addition fuses which, I rely on the campsite pillar to provide.

You still need to check that the supply is high enough so you don't trip out the circuit - some campsites don't supply 16amps which is the standard. Random Flea bay one for £7.44 Inc - 13amp socket.

 

[Paul]

By being fused will it stop you risking blowing the campsite (or other socket) electrics, and as a result becoming quite unpopular?

 

[osbrook]

It might ! In my experience it is not the case. If your fuse on the cable is 16 amps and the site is only 4amps and yes these do still exist, it will be the site that trips first. Best checking with site or connection point before loading. Most campsite have fused points for each socket and therefore it will only be the one point that trips.

I have 25 years experience of this through Caravaning and Motorhoming, so have never yet tripped the site with the Twizy although I have only had that 2 years. The smaller single socket also makes it easier to protect from the rain/damp and lowers the risk of overloading the connection with someone forgetting and plugging in a kettle at the same time.

Either way I'm happy with my sub £10 version, which does the job for me. Now if I could use standard type 2 chargers for a reasonable price that would be of interest to me.

 

[Edd Beesley]

Now if I could use standard type 2 chargers for a reasonable price that would be of interest to me.

Define "reasonable" !

 

[osbrook]

As I have a cheep EV then I'm not paying £80+ for for the Type-2 connector to make my own. I paid £4.99 for the Commando connector (assembled). So reasonable in my case means cheep. Best I saw was £150, but that was a while ago and not seen adapter recently. Even that sounds a lot for the use I would make of it.

The reason is I'm not too likely to use public charge stations very often if I have for wait 3.5 hours every 50 miles
I live close to Mark @ nuWorldEnergy so would use him for cables.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

I have a few issues with that...

Is it rated for 10A continuous through the 3-pin sockets? I doubt it tbh.

It is a 16A commando to 3 x 3-pin sockets... that lends itself to overload as the temptation is to plug into the 3-pin sockets more than 16A. Personally, I wouldn't have more than one 3-pin socket rather than a 3-gang.

As has been mentioned already... many caravan sites only offer 10A or less on their hookups and even those that claim to offer 16A don't and will trip out at 10A (I have had this on several occasions). Charging at caravan sites needs particular care as their electrics are not always in the best of condition. Always check you have permission too from the owner first and they might direct you to use a particular socket which they know to be more reliable or more recently inspected.

I have tripped the main breaker for the entire site on one occasion. Fortunately I did have permission and I was then directed to a socket installed more recently.

 

[Nick]

Saw this while on holiday. Would it be a good option for those without commando cables but with regular domestic plug EVSEs? I've seen the one-to-one adaptors, but wondered if this would be as good/better, especially if camping so you can use all plugs?

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/mobile-mains-kit-p155317

£40 from Go Outdoors and online elsewhere.

Also doesn't appear to be waterproof once a BS1363 plug has been inserted so only suitable for use inside a tent, and not to charge a freestanding car at a freestanding socket outlet.

 

[Paul]

Also doesn't appear to be waterproof once a BS1363 plug has been inserted so only suitable for use inside a tent, and not to charge a freestanding car at a freestanding socket outlet.

Is there a waterproof commando to three-pin adapter out there? The cheaper ones I've seen don't seem to be properly weatherproofed, unless I'm missing something, which is quite likely.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

Not "waterproof" but certainly water-resistant enough to use outdoors...

http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/electric...0-5m-EXS13IPS05-OP-MS-10549099?skuId=11039631

Change the 3-pin plug for a commando and Bob's your uncle

I use one of these when charging at my caravan site on a commando socket.

There is a discussion about this here: https://speakev.com/threads/using-16a-commando-sockets-at-campsites-and-zero-net.419/

 

[Paul]

Link's dead @Paul_Churchley

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

Fixed. Thx