Is it ok to use a home 7kw charger with the charge cable not completely unwound?

[Cocijo]

I know that this might be an obvious thing but my home 7kw charger has a very long tethered charging cable and I sometimes use it with a couple of windings still on the holder if the car that I’m charging is really close to it. Is this ok or is it like an extension lead and bad practice?

 

[John G]

Its certainly not good practice to have a cable wound up in any way whilst using it. It will build up heat and may damage the insulation causing it to short out or cause a fire . This is particularly due to the extended times that it is use whilst charging. Just leave it unwound on the floor (without loops of course).

 

[Cocijo]

Thanks. I know it sounds silly but I’ve never really given it a thought. The installer and supplier also have never made any recommendations on use to my knowledge - which I think they should as many will not be aware.

 

[Iain]

Glad you posted this. I would not have thought of it

 

[BillyWhizz]

Every EV I have seen on public chargers has had the cable looped it’s not easy to lay the cable flat without loops plus it makes it a trip hazard in fact some YouTube channels tell you to use Velcro straps to keep your cable out of the gutter

 

[Coady]

I phoned myenergi and asked this question. I was informed that I could leave part of the cable wound in my Zappi!

 

[Lovemyev]

My tethered dumb wall box has been installed for almost 5 years now.
The cable is able to reach the front of charge port by unwinding about 2.5 loose coils from the wall box.
This leaves about another 2 loosely wound coils still wound around the wall box.
The first 2.5 coils of the tethered cable has become a little "Twisted" in a few places over that 5 years.
Only about three weeks ago, I decided it was about time to replace the tethered cable while switching out the RCBO to a Garo unit.
The length of cable closest to the wall box was like brand new and had never been uncoiled from the unit.
It is important to state that the cable was NOT tightly wound around the wall box.
After installing the new tethered cable, I decided to splice open the old cable to judge the damage if any.
There was some tight kinks in the individual cores, but not sign of any breaks to the conductors or the signal wires.
I have come to conclusion, it is important to take a little more time when it comes to storing your charging cable after use, and not to wind it in tight loops around the wall box.
I have chosen to upgrade to the longer tethered cable now as a bit of future proofing.
The wall box is mounted on the wall of my integral garage, so when storing the charging cable after use, I make really loose coils over the wall box bracket.
The coils are so big and loose, then no excess heat is allowed to build up.
Small tight coils ( like on an extension lead ) are going to build up heat for sure.
You just have to apply a bit of common sense when coiling up the charging lead in tight loops around the box.
Fully unwound is always the best policy.

 

[ARealHuman]

I've got a 10m cable on my home charging box, always fully unwind it.

 

[kiltox]

Andersen chargers have a retractable cable which will be wound tighter than any other tethered charger yet they say you don’t need to fully unwind it to use it.

 

[Cocijo]

That’s a very good point. Maybe it’s ok to use in this way then?

 

[Cocijo]

Andersen chargers have a retractable cable which will be wound tighter than any other tethered charger yet they say you don’t need to fully unwind it to use it.

Do they specifically say this in the instructions that it can be used partially unwound?

 

[kiltox]

Do they specifically say this in the instructions that it can be used partially unwound?

I’m pretty sure they do - I was considering one for a bit and wouldn’t have been willing to unwind the whole 8.5m of the longer cable.