Home Automotive What Automobile? exposes risks of aftermarket EV charging cables

What Automobile? exposes risks of aftermarket EV charging cables

0
What Automobile? exposes risks of aftermarket EV charging cables

[ad_1]

Some aftermarket electrical car (EV) charging cables pose a threat of overheating and electrical shocks for customers, an investigation by shopper champion and new automotive shopping for platform What Automobile? has discovered.

What Automobile? purchased three ‘Mode 2’ chargers, which permit EV homeowners to cost their car utilizing a three-pin home socket. They had been examined in {an electrical} laboratory and assessed for conformity with British and European security requirements.

Every cable was subjected to 5 completely different Residual Present Gadget (RCD) checks. Two cables failed all 5 RCD checks, and one cable handed solely one of many checks. The RCD’s job is to modify off the electrical energy robotically if a fault is detected. If the system doesn’t react rapidly sufficient or appropriately, there’s a severe threat of electrical shock to anybody utilizing it. 

The lab additionally examined every cable’s plug to make sure it fitted correctly right into a socket. If the connection isn’t adequate there’s a threat of it overheating, particularly if the cable is left plugged in for a lot of hours. Not one of the three plugs fitted into the socket securely. 

As well as, it was famous that every one three cables had been designed to run at greater than 13 amps, whereas the plugs had been solely rated as much as 13 amps. Whereas this extra present is unlikely to blow a fuse, it’s going to generate additional warmth and, over extended durations, might make the plug get scorching sufficient to burn somebody. 

Visible checks had been carried out to evaluate the security labelling and resistance to tampering. All three cables featured knowledge panels on their management items, however the info was poorly worded and didn’t clearly state the security laws that every system adhered to. All additionally had unclear labelling regarding their degree of water resistance. As these items are seemingly for use outdoors, water resistance is a necessary security characteristic. 

The cables had been purchased from two on-line marketplaces: Amazon and componentauthority.com. On-line third-party websites will not be legally obliged to examine the security of the merchandise they promote in the identical method as excessive avenue retailers, so it may be straightforward for sellers to supply sub-standard merchandise through them. What Automobile? believes there needs to be stricter laws on the sale {of electrical} items, corresponding to EV charging cables, through on-line marketplaces.

What Automobile? knowledgeable the net retailers of its investigation. Amazon mentioned it had eliminated the charging cables from sale whereas it investigated What Automobile?’s findings, however componentauthority.com didn’t provide to take action.

What Automobile? shopper editor Claire Evans mentioned: “Our checks present how straightforward it’s to purchase unsafe EV charging cables on-line. Our investigation highlights the significance of selecting electrical merchandise with care and we suggest shopping for from respected excessive avenue or on-line retailers. We consider stricter laws for third-party sellers are wanted. They need to examine that merchandise meet the related requirements up entrance, quite than retrospectively, following a grievance or investigation.”

[ad_2]

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here