Charging my Electric Vehicle with a Granny Charger

The term "Granny Charger" may conjure various comical notions. Nevertheless, despite its unconventional name, this device serves a crucial function for EV owners in Ireland and, in emergencies, stands as the sole solution bridging the gap between an empty charge and a full one.

In recent years, Ireland has experienced a significant surge in the prevalence of EV charging infrastructure. With over 2,100 public charge points and a rapidly increasing number of private chargers, operating an EV has never been more seamless.

The "Granny Charger" is an informal designation for an In Cable Control Box (ICCB). While ICCBs may be the least efficient and most rudimentary means of charging your vehicle, they can sometimes be the only viable option. Consider a scenario where you're spending the evening at Granny's house—how else would you charge your EV?

The manufacturer designed the Granny Charger intending to offer an EV charging alternative when a conventional charging point is out of reach, akin to using a spare tire to ensure you can reach home in the event of a flat tire—an emergency measure.

The Granny Charging cable incorporates a box capable of handling safety and communication tasks typically managed by a more advanced charging station. This cable can be plugged into a traditional three-pin socket via an extension lead, proving invaluable when more standard charging infrastructure is not immediately available in the vicinity.

Role of Granny Chargers

Congratulations on your electric vehicle purchase! Now, you need to charge your new EV. Your electric car may have come with a 13A charging cable, commonly known as a 'Granny Charger' or ‘Granny Cable’(portable charger). But, is it safe and reliable to charge your electric vehicle with a Granny Charger?

It might seem easy to assume that you can plug it into an outlet in your home, extend the cable outside, and voila, you're powering up your EV for the roads. Unfortunately, the Granny Charger (GC) is not designed for that purpose.

The term earns its rather humorous nickname for two main reasons. First, a Granny Charger serves as a last-resort insurance against an empty battery in places that might lack more high-tech charging options, like your granny’s house. Second, it's not very fast—no offense to all the grannies out there!

Granny chargers typically come with the purchase of your electric vehicle, providing a built-in insurance mechanism when no other options exist. These EV charging cables usually deliver a power output of 2.3 kW, significantly less than the 22 kW power output provided by industry-standard charge points such as the Zappi.

For example, using the Granny Charger (GC) to charge a Volkswagen ID3 or the BMW i5 to its full battery capacity would take an astonishing 40-60 hours! Not to mention, you'll be paying peak-time electricity rates to optimally charge your EV.

This means obtaining a full charge is considerably slower. However, whatever drawbacks the Granny Charger has in terms of reduced charging power, it compensates for convenience. The Granny Leads can connect to any home power outlet, allowing you to charge your vehicle virtually anywhere.

Nevertheless, Granny Chargers should be used as an exception rather than a rule. Running a 10A (ICCB rating) through a 13A socket for hours is generally not advisable, as it can lead to damage and even fires. Furthermore, running a Granny Charger cable through an open window poses an obvious security risk. Even if you have an outside plug socket, it can still be dangerous, as the outlet is not immune to harsh Irish weather conditions and may disrupt the entire home circuitry.

Components and Features

In general, Granny Chargers typically require about a day to achieve a full charge. In contrast, a standard 50kW public charger takes approximately 64 minutes to fully charge an average 54 kWh car battery. Combined with the inherent risks that ICCBs pose to home electrical transmission infrastructure, it becomes evident why these should be considered a last resort rather than an everyday charging strategy.

Furthermore, since Granny Chargers rely on compatibility with home charging sockets, using them internationally presents an additional challenge. For instance, Granny Chargers included with EVs purchased in the UK and Ireland will only be compatible with the three-point charge pin plug. When abroad and confronted with different socket types, your Granny Charger becomes as useful to your vehicle as an incompatible phone charger. It's also worth noting that adapters should never be used with Granny Chargers, as they often alter the charge rate.

Therefore, if you decide to make the switch to an electric car, it is highly recommended to install a home EV charging unit. Here at WattCharger, we offer the optimal solution – the 7KW ZAPPI EV (2H07TB) home charger. The ZAPPI can fully charge the VW ID3 or Audi Q8 e-tron overnight in 7-8 hours, ensuring you are ready to hit the road in the morning. Additionally, you benefit from lower electricity rates by charging your EV overnight. For context, if you fully charge your EV once a week with the ZAPPI instead of the Granny Charger, you could save an estimated 150 Euros per month in electricity bills. Taking it one step further, if you power your ZAPPI with solar energy, the savings on electricity will increase and compound month over month.

Home Charging Setup

In Ireland, EV owners can anticipate paying between €0.50 and €0.70 at public charging points, with the exact figures contingent on ESB membership status, charge speed, and the power of individual charge points. Notably, this cost significantly diminishes when you opt for home charging systems.

Although Granny Chargers provide a modest 2kW output, they are theoretically free. Operating like charging a phone or computer at home, there are no additional costs involved. However, due to inherent inefficiency and safety concerns, using Granny Chargers excessively is not advisable.

As mentioned earlier, 13A sockets are simply not designed to sustain the power draw of an EV for extended periods. This is particularly true if your home has outdated wiring, as it can easily lead to the entire system overheating, posing a genuine risk of fire or other significant damage to your property.

Furthermore, most EV chargers are engineered to be weatherproof, unlike Granny Chargers. This necessitates extra vigilant monitoring, and it is not advisable to leave this basic electrical current exposed to the elements. This underscores another reason why Granny Chargers should never take center stage in your EV charging strategy.

Safety Measures

Charging times with Granny Chargers vary based on the model of your vehicle, ranging from 23 hours and 28 minutes for the Tesla 3 to a slightly shorter time of 19 hours and 20 minutes for a model like the MG ZS EV. However, more crucially, the latest technology integrated into designated chargers enables owners to regulate energy consumption in a much more comprehensive manner. With Zappi, owners can control both the output and the source of electricity. Predictably, none of these functionalities exist for the Granny Charger, leaving you more exposed to potential errors or malfunctions.

One of these limited functionalities is the Granny Charger’s insufficient electrical protection against shock hazards. While using a Granny Charger can offer a short-term solution, it significantly increases the risk of overheating and system degradation if In Cable Control Box (ICCB) Granny Chargers are utilized frequently and for extended periods, such as overnight.

Public Charging and Adapters

Granny Charger outputs range from 2kW to 3.6 kW, figures significantly lower than the 7kW to 22kW outputs found in fast chargers, both public and private. This not only leads to much longer charging times for your vehicle but also results in a transmission that is far less suitable for the power demands of EV batteries.

Moreover, rapid charging options are far superior to Granny Chargers, boasting output capabilities of up to 50kW. This ensures that the impressive power of EVs is matched, something Granny Chargers are simply not capable of providing.

To mitigate risks when using Granny Chargers, the following rules of thumb should be followed:

• Ensure that electrical wiring is not outdated, as this could put additional strain on the system, increasing the risk of overload. Ask your electrician.
• Always check the selected socket for signs of damage.
• Ensure that the extension lead, cable, or socket is not exposed to the elements.
• Use Granny Chargers as insurance and avoid regular use.
• Look for exposed wires or any other signs of possible degradation.

In conclusion, Granny Chargers play an important role. Despite the rapid expansion of the electric car charging infrastructure, both public and domestic, Granny Chargers cannot simply serve as the primary source of power.

By maintaining your In Cable Control Box (ICCB) as an insurance mechanism, you uphold the highest standards of EV ownership. However, WattCharger can provide you with a range of superior options, which can be explored by reaching out using our link below.

Please contact us at WattCharger (rpe@wattcharger.com) to discuss your home charging solution or check out our online cost calculator now.