Options for replacing damaged tethered cable

7596 Views 35 Replies 10 Participants Last post by dkelly84, Jan 1, 2021

dkelly84

Discussion Starter · Dec 23, 2020

Hi All,

My tethered cable has become damaged, and I'm looking at options for replacement. So far my brainstorming has come up with the following options:

- Just replace the cable with a like for like replacement

- Get a wall mounted Type 2 socket wired in, effectively converting it to an untethered charger (then get an Ohme cable or regular T2-T1 cable)

- I've asked Ohme if they'll do a bare end cable for replacing a tethered. Failing that, could I just remove the Type 2 plug? I can't see why not

- Replace the whole PodPoint unit with a 32A Commando and get the Commando Ohme cable? Seems like a waste of a perfectly good PodPoint unit, and does tie me into Ohme somewhat

Any thoughts and opinions? Any glaring problems with any of those?

1 - 20 of 36 Posts

Jrtev

· #2 · Dec 23, 2020

Like for like, you're over thinking it.

h8ten

· #3 · Dec 23, 2020 (Edited)

If the damage was a fluke accident then I would consider a like for like. If there is a chance that it could happen again then I would consider replacing with a Type 2 socket and buying the Ohme cable (they're on offer just now at £150 which is not too far away from a plain Type 2 to Type 2 cable) and then it is easier and a lot quicker to sort if it should happen again.

freddym

· #4 · Dec 23, 2020

dkelly84 said:
Hi All,

My tethered cable has become damaged, and I'm looking at options for replacement. So far my brainstorming has come up with the following options:

- Just replace the cable with a like for like replacement

- Get a wall mounted Type 2 socket wired in, effectively converting it to an untethered charger (then get an Ohme cable or regular T2-T1 cable)

- I've asked Ohme if they'll do a bare end cable for replacing a tethered. Failing that, could I just remove the Type 2 plug? I can't see why not

- Replace the whole PodPoint unit with a 32A Commando and get the Commando Ohme cable? Seems like a waste of a perfectly good PodPoint unit, and does tie me into Ohme somewhat

Any thoughts and opinions? Any glaring problems with any of those?

You need a blue replacement, they are more breakproof than regular black ones ( just kidding)😀

mikeselectricstuff

· #5 · Dec 23, 2020

Just replace like for like. if the plug itself is undamages and has some cable remaining you could probably get a few quid for it on ebay.
Replacing the cable into the old plug is tricky as you need the right crimp tool for the contacts, and new contacts

Neilew

· #6 · Dec 23, 2020

dkelly84 said:
- I've asked Ohme if they'll do a bare end cable for replacing a tethered. Failing that, could I just remove the Type 2 plug? I can't see why not

That would be my choice. You've got to do something about it and it's an opportunity to make an improvement. (I'm assuming you got a type 2 untethered in the boot)

Neilew

· #7 · Dec 23, 2020

h8ten said:
they're on offer just now at £150 which is not too far away from a plain Type 2 to Type 2 cable

That's a bit of a no brainer as the cheapest one I could find for my MG (no cable supplied) was £125.

dk6780

· #8 · Dec 23, 2020

dkelly84 said:
- I've asked Ohme if they'll do a bare end cable for replacing a tethered. Failing that, could I just remove the Type 2 plug? I can't see why not

Rather than buying a Type 2 one buy a Commando one and sell your current EVSE for spares.
If you are buying an Ohme then get a move on as the Octopus offer ends tomorrow.

Reactions: 1

dkelly84

Discussion Starter · #9 · Dec 23, 2020

dk6780 said:
Rather than buying a Type 2 one buy a Commando one and sell your current EVSE for spares.
If you are buying an Ohme then get a move on as the Octopus offer ends tomorrow.

I think this is leaning towards the preferred solution. I need to move fast if I'm going to catch that deal, and wiring in a bare Type 2 socket looks much harder, simply because a commando socket is a much more regular occurrence and the parts are cheaper.

Ohme got back to me on the bare ended cable - they're not prepared to do it and removing an existing plug would invalidate the warranty.

Reactions: 2

dk6780

· #10 · Dec 23, 2020

dkelly84 said:
Ohme got back to me on the bare ended cable - they're not prepared to do it and removing an existing plug would invalidate the warranty.

So why bother having two sets of EVSE controls? If you want the Ohme then ditch the existing EVSE, otherwise just replace the existing lead with a second hand one from eBay. I question whether you need the Ohme - unless you are on Agile the onboard charge timers on the LEAF will do what you need. Is your current wiring 16A or 32A? The Ohme can be limited by Ohme to 16A, but with that and the Type 1 plug it isn't exactly future proofed so you need to realise any benefits now.

Reactions: 1

Neilew

· #11 · Dec 23, 2020

You don't say what your make your charger is, but adding a new tethered cable to a Chargemaster box couldn't be easier. Takes around half an hour. Done it twice. (removed type 2 from daughter's box, replaced with type 1 (Zoe to 30 kWh Leaf), disconnected untethered arrangement in mine and replaced with her type 2 cable. Only down side was having to wait for the resistor for mine (to tell box it's now a tethered cable).

Reactions: 1

Johnny Read

· #12 · Dec 24, 2020

How about sell the pod point as a working base unit, but requiring a new cable. Buy the ohme for 150quid. Are you making an assessment based purely on the cost to replace the existing cable vs ohme? If so how much is a replacement cable.

The ohme can be used as a dumb unit and disconnected from the SIM( I read that on here, but you could always ask them), but not sure why you'd want to do that?

Neilew

· #13 · Dec 24, 2020

Johnny Read said:
If so how much is a replacement cable.

Just done a quick search and was surprised, that considering there's only one plug on the end, they cost roughly the same as untethered. Best I could find was this one:

ecoharmony.co.uk

5 Metre Tethered Cable Type 2 32A Female EV Plug + Lead (1-Phase)

IEC62196 (Type 2) EV Plug with cable Electric Vehicle plug supplied with 5 metre length cable attached. Useful as a replacement part for a tethered Charge Point or to those wishing to build their own EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment). Available with 100mm of outer sheath removed (if...

ecoharmony.co.uk

With VAT included it's £90. I thought it would be much cheaper.

freddym

· #14 · Dec 24, 2020

Neilew said:
Just done a quick search and was surprised, that considering there's only one plug on the end, they cost roughly the same as untethered. Best I could find was this one:

5 Metre Tethered Cable Type 2 32A Female EV Plug + Lead (1-Phase)

IEC62196 (Type 2) EV Plug with cable Electric Vehicle plug supplied with 5 metre length cable attached. Useful as a replacement part for a tethered Charge Point or to those wishing to build their own EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment). Available with 100mm of outer sheath removed (if...

ecoharmony.co.uk

With VAT included it's £90. I thought it would be much cheaper.

That's the lowest cost and least labour solution to the damaged cable problem.

Reactions: 1

Neilew

· #15 · Dec 24, 2020

freddym said:
That's the lowest cost and least labour solution to the damaged cable problem.

Yeah, we've done that to our Chargemaster. Just seemed cheaper than that when we did it in April this year. IIRC correctly it was about £70.

HandyAndy

· #16 · Dec 24, 2020

Neilew said:
Just done a quick search and was surprised, that considering there's only one plug on the end, they cost roughly the same as untethered. ..

With VAT included it's £90. I thought it would be much cheaper.

That's only 3m long! Be very sure it'll reach your car, in all possible parking permutations, and what if you swap car for one with socket on the opposite side/end? I'd want the 8m one, myself...

Have you looked on evbitz.uk to see what's available there?

Reactions: 1

Neilew

· #17 · Dec 24, 2020

HandyAndy said:
That's only 3m long!

HandyAndy said:
Have you looked on evbitz.uk to see what's available there?

It was a only a quick look. That it's only 3m makes it worse. It looks like it's cheaper to buy an untethered cable and that makes no sense to me.

dk6780

· #18 · Dec 24, 2020

Or try this, people are changing from Type 1 to Type 2 often.

Type 1 EV Charging Plug J1772 with 5m 32A Tethered Lead. Used. Podpoint, Rolec.. | eBay

Reactions: 2

dkelly84

Discussion Starter · #19 · Dec 26, 2020

Hey everyone,

Thanks for all the replies. I've decided not to rush ahead with the Ohme cable just because it's on offer. Octopus have pushed back my smart meter install again, so I'm not going to be on Agile anywhen soon anyway.

I knew that one day I'd have to replace the tethered cable, but I was hoping it would be a Type 1 -> Type 2 conversion rather than from damage.

The initial damage was from something (Rat / Mouse / Hedgehog etc), chewing the cable right through to exposing one of the copper cores. I initially covered it in duct tape just to make it a bit safer even though I wasn't planning on using it.... and it has now been chewed again. Twice.

So I need to solve the chewing issue before I do anything else. Luckily these days, and especially now I'm in Tier 4, I'm rarely using the car more than once every 2-3 days and even then the trips are usually no more than 10-15 miles for shopping etc. Until I can solve the chewing issue, I'm just going to use the granny charger during daylight hours to keep it topped up. I don't actually need too long a lead, so I might investigate cutting the lead shorted and re-attaching the plug.... but again, until I can find a way to either get some poison down or keep the lead off the floor, it's not worth putting the effort in going any further, just to end up back at square one.

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dk6780

· #20 · Dec 26, 2020

Good luck. I keep our charge point leads off of the ground with a large gate hinge which swings approx halfway out to the car. It makes it much easier to use and I suppose as a side effect it keeps it away from rodents.

1 - 20 of 36 Posts

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