A Cable Long Enough to Get Around ICEing

[jgpev]

Behold, I would like to share my new 24+ metre cable!

Supplies:

• 25 metres 4-core 2.5 mm H07RN-F (I used Rapid Tables calculator for voltage drop)
• Resistor for Proximity Pin (Wikipedia lists correct values under J1772 page)
• 10 ton hydraulic crimper (turns out some of the pins for communications and proximity pilot are too small, so I put a screw into the press to make it tinier)
• Type-2 Cable ends, unwired. (Sourced via aliexpress, usually £30-45 each)
• Soldering Iron
• Heat Gun
• Heat Shrink Insulation
• Wire cutter/stripper
• Screw drivers
• Yellow electrical tape for cosmetic purposes

Raw materials:

Wiring pins:

After the first plug was wired, I tested to make sure the resistor had the right effect on the charging station:

The other end prior to adding resistor:

After confirming the car end also detected 'Plugged in uncharged' on MG5, I was satisfied both ends of the cable were correctly wired.

View in the car of it charging:

The main issue with this cable, is it's highly prone to tangling. I am going to need to find a better way of carrying it and keeping it neat.

Obviously, I will only be using this lead when the 5m lead doesn't reach, but it's nice to have on hand.

Finally, I have the parts ready for my next extreme cable, which will be nearly 80 metres long. Fingers crossed this one also works!

 

[Ozzie1989]

Brilliant, if you can make one that's 500 miles long range anxiety will be a thing of the past

 

[deviousrich]

Very interesting. looks very neat.
Out of interest do you mind sharing how much those materials ended up costing?

 

[JohnInFrance]

The main issue with this cable, is it's highly prone to tangling. I am going to need to find a better way of carrying it and keeping it neat.

May I suggest one of these? I use one to coil up the cable for our campingcar which is 3 core 2,5mm and 25m long with 16a commando ends, so a very similar cable.

Towsure Cable Keeper - Caravan Cable Reel

The Towsure Cable Keeper is an easy to use cable tidy storage reel for your campsite mains cable. With moulded cable grip to clip the cable in place, simply hold the central hand grip and wind the reel around with the handle, to neatly store your electric hookup cable without tangling and kinks...

www.towsure.com

 

[jgpev]

Very interesting. looks very neat.
Out of interest do you mind sharing how much those materials ended up costing?

All prices including VAT:

• 25 metres 4 core 2.5 mm H07RN-F
  • £61.20
• Type 2 Cable Ends
  • Male £32.51
  • Female £45.53
  • Shipping 6.72
• Resistor 19p

It's a bit hard to price the cost of solder and shrink insulation, tbh.

This comes out to about £146.15.

Including the the yellow PVC electrical tape for cosmetics brings it up less than £2 as I used 1.5 rolls and each was about £1.

The only tool I didn't already have on hand before starting was the hydraulic crimper, but it's not a consumable. (£36.99)

 

[deviousrich]

All prices including VAT:

• 25 metres 4 core 2.5 mm H07RN-F
  • £61.20
• Type 2 Cable Ends
  • Male £32.51
  • Female £45.53
  • Shipping 6.72
• Resistor 19p

It's a bit hard to price the cost of solder and shrink insulation, tbh.

This comes out to about £146.15.

Including the the yellow PVC electrical tape for cosmetics brings it up less than £2 as I used 1.5 rolls and each was about £1.

The only tool I didn't already have on hand before starting was the hydraulic crimper, but it's not a consumable. (£36.99)

wow, a to the penny response! good work Sir.

i'm amazed how much the cable ends cost at the moment, they seem a ludicrous price (everywhere) - i hope that as time goes on these drop considerably

 

[jgpev]

May I suggest one of these? I use one to coil up the cable for our campingcar which is 2,5mm and 25m long with 16a commando ends, so a very similar cable.

Towsure Cable Keeper - Caravan Cable Reel

The Towsure Cable Keeper is an easy to use cable tidy storage reel for your campsite mains cable. With moulded cable grip to clip the cable in place, simply hold the central hand grip and wind the reel around with the handle, to neatly store your electric hookup cable without tangling and kinks...

www.towsure.com

that's a potentially good shout! I would think the caravan CEE connectors are a bit smaller than Type 2 EV Plugs, but this might work. Only question is if you are rating the sizing based on 3 core arctic flex... as 4 core H07RN-F is a good bit thicker...

 

[jgpev]

wow, a to the penny response! good work Sir.

i'm amazed how much the cable ends cost at the moment, they seem a ludicrous price (everywhere) - i hope that as time goes on these drop considerably

My understanding is the female ends are in high demand, probably due to building lots of tethered cables... that said, if you look at local UK suppliers, I'm used to seeing the cable ends easily over £60, so I think this is overall decent value.

 

[jgpev]

wow, a to the penny response! good work Sir.

i'm amazed how much the cable ends cost at the moment, they seem a ludicrous price (everywhere) - i hope that as time goes on these drop considerably

Another point is that the overall price of this cable isn't massively more than your average 5 metre cable... which suggests someone is making considerable profit somewhere. Also, most people making EV cables use special EV cabling with a thinner communications wire, but I concluded buying standard 4 core cables with equal size conductors would reduce my costs by using more commoditized components.

 

[Lovemyev]

Great job !.
Now that IS one long cable to be sure.
I guess there is a lot of weight In that cable ?.
Would it coil around the spare wheel ( assuming you have one ).
With the even longer lead, you could plug in the car at you house, then plug the other end into the free post at the super market around the corner .

 

[smokie]

" someone is making considerable profit somewhere."

They are running a business with all the overheads. They have safety and other regulatory stuff to consider. They have technical know-how, presumably support and also a returns policy. They have to ship the item out. And make a bit to pay the wages.

I doubt their margins are that huge really. I wonder how many a day they sell? And they have to deal with the general public!

That is a vastly impressive cable though!!

 

[jgpev]

Great job !.
Now that IS one long cable to be sure.
I guess there is a lot of weight In that cable ?.
Would it coil around the spare wheel ( assuming you have one ).
With the even longer lead, you could plug in the car at you house, then plug the other end into the free post at the super market around the corner .

As a bit of a teaser... I also have this reel of 80 metres 4mm 4-core H07RN-F as well...

 

[Lguk]

Out of interest, why 25m? - I'm planning an off the shelf 10m which will suit my needs (reversed on drive, ports in the front) and will combat being 1 bay over due to iceing or silly installs that have the double point ot one side of one of 2 bays.

 

[jgpev]

Out of interest, why 25m? - I'm planning an off the shelf 10m which will suit my needs (reversed on drive, ports in the front) and will combat being 1 bay over due to iceing or silly installs that have the double point ot one side of one of 2 bays.

For lamp post charging on Ubitricity... each car in the way is roughly 5m extra, so I can now be 5 cars away from lamp post.

 

[ASRtichy]

For lamp post charging on Ubitricity... each car in the way is roughly 5m extra, so I can now be 5 cars away from lamp post.

That makes sense, although that still sounds a bit extreme and a massive trip hazard
What's the 80m cable for? you're not gonna park 16 cars away from the lamp post.

 

[jgpev]

That makes sense, although that still sounds a bit extreme and a massive trip hazard
What's the 80m cable for? you're not gonna park 16 cars away from the lamp post.

shhhhhhhhh I might! Will mean I can charge on at least 75% of my street, once you include granny charger options (I have 2x 30m Masterplug reels of 1.25mm arctic flex from Costco, which while not ideal, do the job at 10 amps). On facebook people were (per usual) panicking about fire risks, but both of these extreme (and I know they are extreme) cables actually have less voltage drop than what I've already been using.

But tbh, the 80 metres will be reserved for desperate times when I absolutely need a charge. The cable reel was so heavy I could barely carry it up the stairs when 2 Fedex guys delivered it!

I will also be wrapping it in yellow tape like this one to make it more visible, for the whole 'due care' aspect.

 

[JohnInFrance]

that's a potentially good shout! I would think the caravan CEE connectors are a bit smaller than Type 2 EV Plugs, but this might work. Only question is if you are rating the sizing based on 3 core arctic flex... as 4 core H07RN-F is a good bit thicker...

It's thicker than Arctic cable as each core is double insulated then there is the outer insulation, but I would guess a little smaller diameter than H07RN-F (it's raining cats, dogs and elephants here at the moment, so I'm not wandering out to the camper to dig it out and measure it - lol)

Perhaps something like this may also be an option?

Case4Life Heavy Duty Cable Storage Bag Case Caravans Hook up Motorhome Gardening for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Case4Life Heavy Duty Cable Storage Bag Case Caravans Hook up Motorhome Gardening at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[jgpev]

It's thicker than Arctic cable as each core is double insulated then there is the outer insulation, but I would guess a little smaller diameter than H07RN-F (it's raining cats, dogs and elephants here at the moment, so I'm not wandering out to the camper to dig it out and measure it - lol)

Perhaps something like this may also be an option?

Case4Life Heavy Duty Cable Storage Bag Case Caravans Hook up Motorhome Gardening for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Case4Life Heavy Duty Cable Storage Bag Case Caravans Hook up Motorhome Gardening at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

Using one of these cable carry bags was my initial idea, actually... but the problem is the moment you take the cable out it starts to have a mind of its own!

 

[JohnInFrance]

Using one of these cable carry bags was my initial idea, actually... but the problem is the moment you take the cable out it starts to have a mind of its own!

Perhaps instead of Arctic you could market this as the "Anaconda" cable then?

 

[JohnInFrance]

Being a little serious for a moment, IKEA probably have some of the cheapest 'try and see if it works' options:

Starting of course, with the world's best value multi-purpose do anything bag - FRAKTA blue, Carrier bag, large, 71 l - IKEA

This version adds a zip up capability - FRAKTA blue, Trunk for trolley - IKEA

and finally the Dimpa (you can fit a Brompton bike into one of these, let alone an errant charging cable) - DIMPA transparent, Storage bag, 65x22x65 cm - IKEA

I can vouch for all of these, we use them all in various storage and transport purposes and they are unbeatable at the price.