What cable to extend a Tesla mobile charger?

[SUNRAY]

Heaters should not be used with extension leads either.

Another incorrect blanket statement!

Do the job with good condition good quality components and it will not be a problem.

Providing temporary power for such applications quickly brings the solutions and I've been doing that for decades.

Classic example follows

Example of why not appeared earlier today: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/overheated-plug.623110/

 

[Why Not Indeed]

Another incorrect blanket statement!

In absolute terms, yeah it probably is. But if you know better, your electrics are well maintained and you carefully with quality parts, you can do it safely.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Why, for a given heater (i.e. a given current), should the plug of an extension lead be more likely to overheat than the plug of the heater itself? Are you perhaps suggesting that extension leads have 'inferior plugs'?

My own experience suggests that many extensions, are fitted with inferior sockets, I also believe many modern plugs are simply not adequate to work at a sustained full load. Even if those are adequate, I've quite often found their fuses over heating, due to poor contact - as in the other thread, linked to above.

 

[JohnW2]

Another incorrect blanket statement!

Quite, as I often observe, he is (very justifiably) highly respected because of his knowledge and communication skills but, given that, it somewhat worries me that he often makes very strong, unqualified and often 'blanket', assertions, quite often based on his own opinions and/or interpretation - which, because of his reputation, many may may take to be absolute/'gospel' truths.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

My own experience suggests that many extensions, are fitted with inferior sockets,

That may well be true (and undoubtedly is true of a good few extension leads) but it was the issue of plugs that people have been discussing ....

I also believe many modern plugs are simply not adequate to work at a sustained full load. Even if those are adequate, I've quite often found their fuses over heating, due to poor contact - as in the other thread, linked to above.

Again, undoubtedly true, but is there a reason for that to be more of a potential issue with the plug on an extension lead than a plug on an appliance or piece of equipment?

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

My own experience suggests that many extensions, are fitted with inferior sockets, I also believe many modern plugs are simply not adequate to work at a sustained full load. Even if those are adequate, I've quite often found their fuses over heating, due to poor contact - as in the other thread, linked to above.

All of that is absolutely true and I've often commented in this forum that I think the design of our 13A plugs and to a lesser extent sockets are very poor, compare with BS546 connectors for example and straight away the difference in performance is apparent, in public entertainment the majority of lighting kit has never adopted BS1363 due to the unreliability of being constantly re-plugged and moved about. Look at the mainland European Shuko, rated at 16A and doesn't have the overheating problem and the pins don't wobble.

I do understand the requirement for a fuse but I have never been able to understand that any designer could possibly consider a loose pin and a loose contact can ever make proper stable contact as a fuse holder.

However we have it and we have to put up with it and as mentioned before if it's done to a decent standard and looked after we cope. For the professional work, people in similar situation to myself will generally use BS4343/EN 60309 connectors with adapter cables for the delicate male and female ends which are easy to change when (Note not IF) a problem occurs. This doesn't mean I don't have BS1363 extension leads but they certainly require more maintenance and many cold hiring won't accept the better products with funny plugs.

 

[SUNRAY]

My own experience suggests that many extensions, are fitted with inferior sockets, I also believe many modern plugs are simply not adequate to work at a sustained full load. Even if those are adequate, I've quite often found their fuses over heating, due to poor contact - as in the other thread, linked to above.

All of that is absolutely true and I've often commented in this forum that I think the design of our 13A plugs and to a lesser extent sockets are very poor, compare with BS546 connectors for example and straight away the difference in performance is apparent, in public entertainment the majority of lighting kit has never adopted BS1363 due to the unreliability of being constantly re-plugged and moved about. Look at the mainland European Shuko, rated at 16A and doesn't have the overheating problem and the pins don't wobble.

I do understand the requirement for a fuse but I have never been able to understand that any designer could possibly consider a loose pin and a loose contact can ever make proper stable contact as a fuse holder.

However we have it and we have to put up with it and as mentioned before if it's done to a decent standard and looked after we cope. For the professional work, people in similar situation to myself will generally use BS4343/EN 60309 connectors with adapter cables for the delicate male and female ends which are easy to change when (Note not IF) a problem occurs. This doesn't mean I don't have BS1363 extension leads but they certainly require more maintenance and many people cold hiring won't accept the better products with funny plugs.

 

[ebee]

Quite, as I often observe, he is (very justifiably) highly respected because of his knowledge and communication skills but, given that, it somewhat worries me that he often makes very strong, unqualified and often 'blanket', assertions, quite often based on his own opinions and/or interpretation - which, because of his reputation, many may may take to be absolute/'gospel' truths.

Well I am not totally in disagreement with your statement John.
However, blanket statements do have their use too.
A blanket statement such as a rule that that should be followed 99% of the time (for example) can be a very good thing indeed.
Without crossing all the I`s and Tee`s of a stiuation a good rule of thumb can be made without caveats, otherwise these statements can go on and on and on to cover every eventualatity and becomes quite a ramble ("Oh Ebee, do you not ramble?" I hear some say.)
In fact I think I suggested a blanket statement sort of approach regarding extensions thru letterboxes.
I think that it pretty much holds true because of the seen/unseen potential for danger. That does not mean that I categorically think that they are always potentially dangerous for all persons in all situations, including one or two members of this forum who could well successfully mitigate such potential risks to a very acceptable level. However the easy answerwas a blanket statement.

"Quite, as I often observe, he is (very justifiably) highly respected because of his knowledge and communication skills"

Yep I agree with that. Even though I think that he strongly disagrees with me on some aspects regarding the Ring Final Circuit.

In this forum we have some highly skilled Electricians amongst others highly skilled in their own trades/occupations etc etc instead of or as well of too.
We have some DIYers of various ability and some "ordinary" members of the public too.
I think we should be very mindful of our audiance and the blanket statement/ rule of thumb can serve very very well at most times.

Example - "What Voltage is Dangerous" along with answers like "It`s not volts but amps that kill you!" (I think that is a very stupid statement actually!
Well my answer would be "Zero volts (or very near it)" as a blanket statement.
Then I might further add that 70v or thereabouts might be when it often becomes dangerous (in normal dry conditions), Therefore 50v and less might be relatively safe in normal dry conditions but it all depends on the person and on the day and whether electric shock becomes electrocution in some cases and whether or not an involuntary rapid, high magnitude, twitch on a ladder at the top of the stairway becomes lethal or not.

I think the blanket statement is the most useful in this context.
A blanket statement often has its place and I commend it to the forum.

(Phew! Did I mention that I sometimes have been known to ramble on a bit? )

 

[JohnW2]

However, blanket statements do have their use too. A blanket statement such as a rule that that should be followed 99% of the time (for example) can be a very good thing indeed.

I don't disagree with that. If a 'blanket statement' is nearly always (99% or whatever) correct/appropriate, then it serves a very useful purpose, although, even then, it would be nice/help to qualify the blanket statement with something like "There are very occasional exceptions but .... "

However, in some of the cases we aree talking about, at least in my opinion, we are talking about 'blanket assertions' which, at least in my opinion, are by no means "nearly always correct/appropriate", and may well not correspond with the opinions of others.

(and/or

Quite, as I often observe, he is (very justifiably) highly respected because of his knowledge and communication skills

Yep I agree with that. Even though I think that he strongly disagrees with me on some aspects regarding the Ring Final Circuit.

As I said, that's my concern. If, for good reason, someone's statements come to be very high regarded, then it becomes important that they carefully consider what they say/write - in particularly not confusing 'facts' with their own opinions/interpretations (which may well not be shared by all).

With trust and 'being highly regarded') comes responsibility.

[ It even extends to 'trust and high regard' for a fictional character, and we have seen the ASA express concerns (and maybe 'intervene') about this. The first I recall was when the actor who played 'Hudson' in 'Upstairs Downstairs' was used to advertise (if I recall. probably 'financial') products. The ASA were concerned that the fictional character he played was so highly respected for his 'decency, objectiveness and trustworthiness' etc. that it was potentially misleading for him to be promoting a commercial product! ]

Kind Regards, John

 

[flameport]

Another incorrect blanket statement!

Do the job with good condition good quality components and it will not be a problem.

The problem with that is most people will not know what 'quality components' are - they just want to buy an extension lead and use it.

While some extension leads are suitable for high current loads over a long period, plenty of them are not.
Plenty of socket outlets are not either. An example from today: https://x.com/sparkypete_/status/1746464916679127109

For most people, using extension leads with EV charging, heaters on for hours and similar is a very bad idea.

 

[andy_nufc]

As long as the cable is safe against damage by the letterbox and it doesn't create a trip hazard or get damaged as the door opens and closes I don't see any issues and is something I have been doing for many years at a multitude of different venues. It isoften the only way of hooking up to power at customers premises without breeching their security.

I guess another issue with the letterbox: if it is dark and there's a fire in your house due to some overheating electrical component, can you still safely open the door while a cable is running through it and escape?

 

[JohnW2]

I guess another issue with the letterbox: if it is dark and there's a fire in your house due to some overheating electrical component, can you still safely open the door while a cable is running through it and escape?

Well, that's obviously an incredibly improbable happening during a particular period of a couple of weeks or so - but, that aside, if I were the one in a house which was on fire, then yes, I reckon I'd manage to get out through the door even if there were a cable running through the letterbox

Kind Regards,John

 

[StephenStephen]

Well, that's obviously an incredibly improbable happening during a particular period of a couple of weeks or so - but, that aside, if I were the one in a house which was on fire, then yes, I reckon I'd manage to get out through the door even if there were a cable running through the letterbox

Kind Regards,John

...and the letterbox joiners on the toughleads leads are, I believe, not a difficult task to separate.

 

[SUNRAY]

...and the letterbox joiners on the toughleads leads are, I believe, not a difficult task to separate.

Neither is it difficult to position/suspend/etc a cable with a service loop to allow the door to open normally and unhindered.

 

[ebee]

Well I must admit that running the cable thru the letterboxes would make me feel very uneasy to say the least even if disasters could easily put as risks on a parr with the "Monkeys on Typewriters" theory of things.