Returning customers seem to keep me pretty busy these days.
This particular customer in Leeds got back in touch after around three or four years because he had a damaged RCD double socket that needed replacing.
When we started chatting about what had happened, he casually mentioned that he’d been using the socket to charge his electric car with a portable EV charger, commonly known as a granny charger.
Naughty, naughty.
I gave him a telling off and he promised never to do it again.
Only joking, of course. But it did lead to a conversation about EV charging and why I’d strongly recommend looking at having a proper EV charger installed.
The RCD socket itself had suffered heat damage and, looking at the condition of the plug, we suspect a problem with the plug had contributed to the damage.
Either way, it needed replacing.
Portable EV chargers can be useful, but charging an electric car places a substantial load on a socket for a long period of time.
Your kettle might draw plenty of power, but it only does it for a few minutes. An electric car can be pulling a significant load for hours at a time.
That prolonged load is one of the reasons the condition of the socket, plug and electrical installation is so important.
A standard socket might charge the car, but that doesn't automatically make it the best long term solution.
A properly installed EV charger is designed specifically for charging an electric vehicle and can incorporate the appropriate electrical protection required for the installation. It also avoids relying on a standard socket outlet night after night to charge the vehicle.
For this visit, the immediate job was relatively straightforward.
We removed the damaged RCD double socket, checked everything over and installed a replacement so the socket was back in a safe and usable condition.
While I was there, we also had a chat about the rest of the electrical installation.
The property has older electrics, including an older fuse board, so I strongly recommended that the customer considers having those looked at properly along with installing a dedicated EV car charger.
If you’ve made the move to an electric vehicle, it makes sense to look at the electrical installation supplying it as well.
An EV charger installation isn't simply about charging the car faster or making things more convenient. The electrical protection and how the charger is supplied are important parts of the installation too.
It’s something I’d much rather discuss with a customer before a problem develops than after we’re looking at another burnt socket.
Thankfully, in this case, the customer spotted the problem and got back in touch.
A replacement RCD socket, a bit of advice and another small electrical job in Leeds completed for a returning customer.
If you’re regularly charging an electric car from a socket using a granny charger and you're unsure about the condition of your electrics, it’s worth getting some advice.
Likewise, if you’re searching for an electrician near me in Leeds for a damaged socket, socket replacement, electrical safety check or one of those smaller electrical jobs that needs sorting, feel free to get in touch.
Your Local Electrician and Extractor Fan Specialist in Leeds.
