Charging regime advice

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PSLog

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#3255650 2-Jul-2024 19:30

Mehrts:
Speaking of which, what mains plug end did you select? I ask because none of those are the Aus/NZ standard ones. The one that looks similar but it upside down is for the Chinese market.

Thanks for the explanation.

I bought the charger with just a random plug attached which I replaced with a 20A NZ plug.

johno1234

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#3255651 2-Jul-2024 19:35

Did anyone mention battery chemistry? NMC vs LiFePO4? I understand the latter aren’t so concerned with how they are charged and discharged.

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#3255658 2-Jul-2024 20:54

Hmm hold on.

You bought a charger from AliExpress, a site known to sell some rather unsafe goods you wouldn’t want to plug in normally and you’re trusting it for up-to 20a?

Seriously. If a fire were to start as a result from your actions I can tell you it’s highly unlikely you’ll actually be covered by insurance. It doesn’t matter about ratings, I wouldn’t trust a USB power supply from AliExpress and would never trust a car charger or anything that passes considerable current.

I’m surprised that a sparky has not told you off yet…

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#3255659 2-Jul-2024 20:58

Let me understand. Someone buys an EV and then cheap out buying a dodgy charger from AliExpress?

Holy crap.

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#3255708 2-Jul-2024 21:08

I do hope this thread is just one of those "hypothetical situation" threads...

You didn't really carry out prescribed electrical work as mentioned without being a registered electrician or inspector?

You didn't really buy an item from AliExpress and connect to your car?

PSLog

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#3255709 2-Jul-2024 21:08

There used to be a saying in the computer industry.
"No-one ever got fired for recommending IBM"

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#3255712 2-Jul-2024 21:17

PSLog: There used to be a saying in the computer industry.
"No-one ever got fired for recommending IBM"

???

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PSLog

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#3256009 3-Jul-2024 16:26

Well, I've been caned a bit there!

Let me sort a few things out:

1. I undertook NO Prescribed Electrical Work. I engaged an electrician to replace a 20A circuit-breaker with a 20A RCBO in the switchboard.
He was perfectly happy with my plans to charge an EV using a 16A charging cable, replacing the 10A socket with one rated at 20A which the electrical regulations allow me to do. This circuit is now better protected than it was.

2. [i] "Someone buys an EV and then cheap out buying a dodgy charger from AliExpress?"[\i]
Really disappointed to see Maurice come up with this: I've been a fan for almost 20 years.
No, I did not "buy a dodgy charger from Aliexpress" - I bought a charging cable from AliExpress.
It may turn out to be dodgy - but probably not. The manufacturer has been in business for years: about since charging cables were first needed at the advent of EVs. They sell over 50 products: from my single phase 3.5kW model through to 3 phase 22kW wall mounted jobs as well as Car-to-Load cables etc.
The one I bought is housed in an alloy case, has protection for over and under voltage, overload, over heating, lightning etc.
I'm pretty confident that the country that produces more EVs than the next five biggest producers combined probably knows a thing or two about EV charging.

The thing that you all know about Aliexpress is that it is not a shop, it is a huge marketplace (a bit like Auckland?) hosting(tens of?) thousands of shops selling products from thousands of producers. So saying "buying a dodgy charger from AliExpress" makes as much sense as saying "buying a dodgy charger from Auckland"

My comment about IBM was to criticise the excessively risk averse.
"dodgy .... Aliexpress" sounds like jingoism. I recall the expression in the 1970's referring to "jap crap" Those using it at the time would have us continuing to buy Austins, Garrard turntables and Kodak cameras avoiding the likes of Honda, Pioneer and Canon.

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#3256010 3-Jul-2024 16:27

freitasm:
PSLog: There used to be a saying in the computer industry.
"No-one ever got fired for recommending IBM"

???

I well remember it. These days I keep running into "Nobody ever got fired for recommending SAP". Except several have once the project was many tens of millions over budget and years behind schedule.

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#3256014 3-Jul-2024 16:41

PSLog:

2. [i] "Someone buys an EV and then cheap out buying a dodgy charger from AliExpress?"[\i]

Really disappointed to see Maurice come up with this: I've been a fan for almost 20 years.

I expressed my opinion based on what I read. Thanks for being a fan.

PSLog:

"dodgy .... Aliexpress" sounds like jingoism. I recall the expression in the 1970's referring to "jap crap" Those using it at the time would have us continuing to buy Austins, Garrard turntables and Kodak cameras avoiding the likes of Honda, Pioneer and Canon.

Come on. Did you want to say "racism" perhaps?

Nothing of sorts. It's the possibility of things coming with low quality, no local support and, in case of a fire, your insurance company trying to find any excuse not to pay. So why risk it? Are the savings worth the risk?

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richms

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#3256277 4-Jul-2024 16:27

Mehrts:

PSLog:

I note that the voltage displayed in the cable box drops from 240V, with no load, to 228V when the car is charging.
Is this what I should expect?

This is normal. As current increases, voltage will decrease. The amount of voltage drop is determined by the cable conductor size (the thicker, the better), and the termination tightness & quality along the run.

This applies to all runs of cable, from your switchboard to the EVSE itself. Speaking of which, what mains plug end did you select? I ask because none of those are the Aus/NZ standard ones. The one that looks similar but it upside down is for the Chinese market.

The 16A chinese one is not compatible with any of the AS3112 plugs. The 10A is the one that will fit fine in most things, but can have a lower pin thickness which some powerstrips will not grip onto which is where they arc and burn. Most seem to have the higher thickness pins on cables, its only the travel adapters that have the thinner pins that cause issues.

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Mehrts

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#3256330 4-Jul-2024 19:32

PSLog:

I bought the charger with just a random plug attached which I replaced with a 20A NZ plug.

Which 20A plug did you use? Does it look like a standard 3-pin plug but larger, or is it more of an industrial looking one?

PSLog

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#3256335 4-Jul-2024 19:42

Hi Mertz
Thanks for your interest ;-)
This is the plug I used (but not from this source). Yeah, it looks like a standard 3 pin plug but each of the oins is a bit more substantial than normal.
https://haymans.mmem.com.au/fortitude-valley/hpm106-2f-4gy
Obviously HPM also do a socket to match.
I bought them both from Ideal (Rotorua).

michaelmurfy

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#3293956 7-Oct-2024 13:20

Just unlocking this to add a teardown on an el-cheapo EV charger as I would consider this to be somewhat dangerous:

If that Aliexpress charger is anything like then you could be putting you, or your property at risk. Yes, it'll work, but they're built so cheaply without NZ safety standards I don't think your insurance will cover you if anything were to go wrong.

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