Before you go any further, I want to give you fair warning this blog posts is nigh on 1700 words – if you don’t have the patience or intention to read its entirety before reacting, or making your mind up about the content within, then I’d suggest you don’t go any further as I wouldn’t want you to waste your time.
You may be wondering why I have written this blog post:
1) SEO purposes first and foremost.
2) Content – for the curious casual observer who wants to learn and is willing to read rather than watching a YouTube video or asking random people on Facebook for the answer they want to hear.
3) Public warning – anyone with a smartphone and internet access can share their opinion around the world within a few clicks. With little moderation on social media platforms there are a vast number of people offering opinions on EV charging – though well intended the vast majority would do well to stay in their lane and leave it to folks who know what they’re talking about.
The purpose of this blog isn’t to talk about me, or to convince you I’m the most intelligent person in this industry.
I’m not.
And here’s why I don’t need to be for you to take me seriously.
Under BS7671 (British Wiring Regulations – Non-statutory) I am qualified to Design, Construct, Test & Inspect an electrical installation in Domestic, Commercial, and Industrial environments.
As a result, I take legal responsibility for signing an Installation off when I bring it into service – as do other reputable qualified installers across the country.
Therefore, if an installation is called into disrepute when somebody is injured, maimed, or killed, then I (and others) can be hauled in front of a judge and face a possible prison sentence if found negligible.
Notwithstanding the fact I don’t have a degree, I didn’t spend £165 to put MIET after my name, and I don’t have an edgy job title…
…I’m seeing a metric ton of folks online giving opinions about granny chargers when photos of failed/thermally damaged socket outlets are posted with warnings which concerns me, greatly.
These people are no doubt, pure in their intentions but there is little to no critical thinking – instead most only want to be seen as ‘being right’. It’s a by-product of social media.
The common theme is to vehemently defend the use of granny chargers and blame;
All whilst claiming the message given that granny chargers are dangerous is ‘mis-selling’ or whatever the latest term by outraged left wing know-it-all types is.
It’s not a huge stretch to believe these points may be true contributing factors.
As electricians who take legal responsibility for our work, when we advise granny chargers carry an increased risk of harm to you and your vehicle – we do so from a place of expertise and experience.
It isn’t because we’re desperate to flog you a charger, far from it.
In my experience folks who need to be wrestled to the floor and given chapter and verse of the wiring regulations (by someone who can go to prison for their work) don’t make good clients and usually go with the lowest price (which brings its own dangers).
When Electrical installations are designed ‘External influences’ are a key consideration.
With that in mind I’d surmise there are very few specifically designed and dedicated compliant 3-pin sockets for granny charging across UK homes.
So, what does the average homeowner do with their Granny charger?
The same thing they do with anything with a plug on it.
Likely use the nearest socket without a single thought, and if this requires an extension lead then they’ll go buy one of those or dig an ancient one out of the garage.
Maybe they’ll contact an Electrician who advises them it’s best practice to install a dedicated EV charger, so they’d be better off going down that route.
Some won’t agree with that so will seek second, third and fourth opinions until they find someone who agrees with them – it’s just a socket, right?
If they’re on an off-peak tariff they may use a mechanical rotary timer to take advantage of the lower prices, which is another point of failure and ironically a reason why they should install a dedicated EV charger – a wider choice of competitive energy tariffs.
If it wasn’t clear – trying to mitigate the dangers that homeowner behaviour and naivety places them in, is a minefield and near on impossible to control/enforce.
It’s why I believe the message around them should be ‘only for occasional emergency use’ and/or a phase out of supplying them with new cars free of charge.
But I would say that wouldn’t I?
Whilst the folks chiming in on LinkedIn/Facebook/Owners forums posts about ‘failure mechanisms’ ‘fault analysis’ and ‘BS1362’ have sincere intentions they usually aren’t willing (or able) to install sockets and sign them off for granny charging use.
So take their advice with the value at which it offers.
As Electricians and EV charger installers we have a duty of care and obligation to ensure homeowners don’t place themselves at risk of harm – especially when it’s so easily avoidable and relatively affordable (relative to the cost of purchasing a new car, relative to the savings made against fuelling an ICE car and so on)
Let me highlight why Granny chargers are dangerous, even under ideal conditions.
I know some will demand chapter and verse of the regulations to even consider taking what I’ve said as credible, and that’s fine.
Whilst we’ll never work together, it would be clickbait of me not to explain considering the title of the blog post. It would also be negligent, because if 1 person is willing to listen and accept what I’ve written over what random fucknozzles online have told them – then I’m doing the work of God.
I’ve covered PEN faults on a previous blog in April 2023 so I won’t go over that again in detail.
In the event of a PEN fault, anything metal within an installation will become live. Should you make contact with these metallic surfaces you become the return path to earth through the mass of the ground you stand on.
PEN faults occur on our aging energy networks for several reasons such as cable faults, cable thefts, failure of network assets and so on – all beyond the control of electricians and homeowners and they happen without warning.
Most modern dedicated EV chargers have PEN fault detection built-in.
Your granny charger almost certainly does not have PEN fault protection.
So if you make contact with your car bodywork during a PEN fault – the flow of electricity pass through you as you make the return path –
PEN faults (detected) are increasing year on year as the way we use our energy network is changing rapidly.
Now, whilst PEN faults are said to only occur on TNCS (PME) earthing arrangements, TNS should also be treated as if it is a TNCS unless…
…you can get a written confirmation from your Network Operator that it hasn’t been changed to TNCS – and that it won’t be in the future.
To save your time, in a domestic environment it’s more likely you’ll win the lottery (without a ticket) than get this confirmation.
The saftest way to charge with regards to PEN faults is with a dedicated EV charger that has built-in PEN fault protection.
Whilst not mandated by BS7671 (yet) it is recommended, and I don’t know if any reputable installers who will install without it.
The cost difference is negligible and offers in-line protection against transient voltage spikes and surges on the energy grid.
Your EV has an onboard AC to DC charger which contains electronics which may be susceptible to overvoltage’s and spikes from the grid.
If your car gets a zap from a voltage spike and the onboard charger is obviously fried. What do you think the dealership will say about replacing it? £1500? £2000? A day off the road? 3 weeks of having to use rapid public chargers.
Your granny charger will most almost certainly not have surge protection.
I know some well-intended people will suggest using an extension lead with built-in surge protection. This adds another potential failure point, and they don’t generally have an indicator to their status – so you’ll never know if its operational or failed.
The government have no reason to ban or regulate their usage – we’re unaware of any fatalities to date thus there’s no motive.
When the government have said no new ICE cars to be sold in the UK from 2035 – they want the uptake of EV charging to be as quick as possible, not just for environmental targets but also growth of the renewables sector and wider economy.
Mandating homeowners have to invest in a dedicated charging system – will not be popular with the general public and opposition governments will be outraged and using it as leverage as far as possible (likely suggesting everyone would get one for free if they got into power and other such political nonsense).
There are already best practices around sockets for granny chargers – but people are either unaware of them, or when educated choose to ignore this advice as they don’t believe it applies to them/it’s overzealousness to extract their money.
The reality is that if dedicated chargers were £100 nobody (except the most parsimonious people on this planet) would even attempt to justify it or argue points they really know nothing about.
The government won’t intervene until they are forced to, and that will only be when someone or multiple people die in a fire related to a granny charger.
The ‘self-appointed’ ‘self-governing’ ‘self-formed’ governing bodies have little clout to action change, the IET can only do so much.
So, until such time we have a serious, or multiple serious accidents it’ll be business as usual.
We cannot control what people do we can only guide and advise in their best interests until regulation catches up with best practice.
