I've got an electrician coming back to do more wiring in the garage (mk 2). Among a couple of other things, I need a 15 amp circuit for a new table saw motor.
We don't have an EV, but it seems very likely our next car (whenever that is) will be an EV. In the spirit of over-planning, I will run the wiring for charging that now while the walls are un-clad.
Power tools (welders, motors etc.) talk about 15 amp circuits, while EV threads (like this one) all refer to 16 (or even 32) amp circuits.
I think I've managed to figure out that a 15 amp socket is like a "normal" socket, but with a chunkier earth pin. A 16 amp socket seems to have a special connector of some description. Is that right?
Is there a difference in the wiring for a 15 vs 16 amp circuit? Given I've got no use for a caravan/other special connector right now, could I (say) put a 15 amp socket on the "EV circuit" and change it over to the necessary EV connector or even hard-wired wallbox if/when an EV arrives?
Having both a 15 and 16 amp circuit assumes of course that the wiring to the garage is capable of handling two 15/16 amp circuits at the same time (unfortunately wiring is street --> house --> garage). If it can only handle one, is there some kind of socket/adapter that would let me alternate between EV charging and power tool usage? I'm comfortable that I wouldn't be able to charge a car at high wattage while welding simultaneously .
While my electrician is really good and I expect him to advise accordingly, I've found having a little knowledge myself can help a lot.