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Have a read here why...
http://purplemud.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/are-electric-vehicles-ready-for-long.html
http://purplemud.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/are-electric-vehicles-ready-for-long.html
Posts by Paul_Moxhay
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I certainly don't want to see commando sockets everywhere... at least not in public locations.
In private locations they could be useful but it is not wise to have live sockets in public locations especially as they will not have the protections that are built in to an EV charging station particularly in the event of the cable being cut or the plug being removed from the car.
EV charging in public locations must be done using a properly installed charging station with the associated protections. Doing it through simple sockets might seem like a good solution but only for private locations and even then only for occasional use. If a location has a regular requirement to charge EVs then they should install a proper charging solution rather than just commando sockets. I wouldn't advocate installing commando sockets for regular EV charging use anywhere except in a private location.
In private locations they could be useful but it is not wise to have live sockets in public locations especially as they will not have the protections that are built in to an EV charging station particularly in the event of the cable being cut or the plug being removed from the car.
EV charging in public locations must be done using a properly installed charging station with the associated protections. Doing it through simple sockets might seem like a good solution but only for private locations and even then only for occasional use. If a location has a regular requirement to charge EVs then they should install a proper charging solution rather than just commando sockets. I wouldn't advocate installing commando sockets for regular EV charging use anywhere except in a private location.
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Won't happen Geoff. Open sockets are not permitted for public charging and I can't see that changing. I for one don't want to see open sockets in public places. They are not safe and there is no monitoring or way to restrict use to authorised persons only. This argument was had several years ago and it is universally accepted that open sockets are to be banned for public charging infrastructure. Sorry.
I do realise that it would be convenient and easy to install but there are way too many disadvantages and risks. Charging an EV at home/work might be as easy as a plug and socket but when talking about public access it is a whole new ball of wax.
I do realise that it would be convenient and easy to install but there are way too many disadvantages and risks. Charging an EV at home/work might be as easy as a plug and socket but when talking about public access it is a whole new ball of wax.
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I don't know what the maps might do Geoff to be honest.
Caravan sites are not public access, they are on private land without public access, so I could imagine they might stay.
Caravan sites are not public access, they are on private land without public access, so I could imagine they might stay.
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I agree... we should not be banning for the sake of it.
Any location that has controlled access in my opinion could be a candidate for dumb sockets. It is the uncontrolled, public access that makes it potentially unsafe in my view. If a member of the public can rock up to a charging location and just use it without getting explicit permission then it is public access.
I am not keen to see dumb sockets at motorway services except in secure locations where there is no public access (perhaps with access via on site staff). Marinas, car parks , hotels etc... the same. If it is secure, so that access is controlled and permission is needed to gain access, then fine. Caravan sites are generally not public access and people generally need explicit permission to use their hookups... so that is fine.
IIRC the EU has mandated that dumb sockets must not be used for public access charging hasn't it?
There is another aspect to this discussion that I think is worth considering. If a dumb socket is used there is then no way to restrict its use only to those that have the right to use it. e.g. those that have paid. This is not so important at the moment. There are so few EVs and it is costing chargepoint operators so little that it isn't worth levying a fee right now. However, when there are a lot more EVs and when EVs have batteries with much larger capacities, so charge point owners may have to levy fees and then controlled access will become important.
There is also the aspect of charger status reporting. There are many EV drivers almost demanding real-time status updates yet this is totally at odds with the idea of dumb sockets. If we want real-time systems giving us the information we need to determine charger status then we cannot use dumb sockets. Again, this aspect is not so important right now as most of the time chargers are not in use but when there are queues forming people will want that information and so we need to put in place chargers and systems that can do real-time reporting now... while there are no queues.
I think I understand where you are coming from. The phrase "it is just plugs and sockets" comes to mind and so if that is all it is then why do we need all the complication and cost of smart networks? I do get that. But I really hate that phrase. It hides the fact that yes, at its absolute basic it is just plugs and sockets and that is fine where that is appropriate. But if we want a public charging network that give the driver the information we are all demanding then it most certainly can never just be "plugs and sockets". So in public access networks we need smart chargers with well-designed back-office systems linked intelligently to online maps, in-car systems etc.
So I am with you 100% on dumb sockets where there is no public access but I am also a huge supporter of smart systems for what they can offer us in spite of their cost and complexity.
Any location that has controlled access in my opinion could be a candidate for dumb sockets. It is the uncontrolled, public access that makes it potentially unsafe in my view. If a member of the public can rock up to a charging location and just use it without getting explicit permission then it is public access.
I am not keen to see dumb sockets at motorway services except in secure locations where there is no public access (perhaps with access via on site staff). Marinas, car parks , hotels etc... the same. If it is secure, so that access is controlled and permission is needed to gain access, then fine. Caravan sites are generally not public access and people generally need explicit permission to use their hookups... so that is fine.
IIRC the EU has mandated that dumb sockets must not be used for public access charging hasn't it?
There is another aspect to this discussion that I think is worth considering. If a dumb socket is used there is then no way to restrict its use only to those that have the right to use it. e.g. those that have paid. This is not so important at the moment. There are so few EVs and it is costing chargepoint operators so little that it isn't worth levying a fee right now. However, when there are a lot more EVs and when EVs have batteries with much larger capacities, so charge point owners may have to levy fees and then controlled access will become important.
There is also the aspect of charger status reporting. There are many EV drivers almost demanding real-time status updates yet this is totally at odds with the idea of dumb sockets. If we want real-time systems giving us the information we need to determine charger status then we cannot use dumb sockets. Again, this aspect is not so important right now as most of the time chargers are not in use but when there are queues forming people will want that information and so we need to put in place chargers and systems that can do real-time reporting now... while there are no queues.
I think I understand where you are coming from. The phrase "it is just plugs and sockets" comes to mind and so if that is all it is then why do we need all the complication and cost of smart networks? I do get that. But I really hate that phrase. It hides the fact that yes, at its absolute basic it is just plugs and sockets and that is fine where that is appropriate. But if we want a public charging network that give the driver the information we are all demanding then it most certainly can never just be "plugs and sockets". So in public access networks we need smart chargers with well-designed back-office systems linked intelligently to online maps, in-car systems etc.
So I am with you 100% on dumb sockets where there is no public access but I am also a huge supporter of smart systems for what they can offer us in spite of their cost and complexity.
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