Copper wire thieves

[GPowers]

Are more and more public charging stations starting to look like this? where the cable have been cut and the connectors and wire have been stolen?

 

[mwalsh]

Are more and more public charging stations starting to look like this? where the cable have been cut and the connectors and wire have been stolen?

That sucks! Hope it's just a one-off. I certainly haven't seen any like that in my travels. Broken ones, sure. No power, sure. But never with the charging cable gone.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

With copper at $4 a pound get used to it, this is the fly in the EVSE standards ointment. Version 2.0 needs to be a "bring your own cable" solution.

 

[GPowers]

With copper at $4 a pound get used to it, this is the fly in the EVSE standards ointment. Version 2.0 needs to be a "bring your own cable" solution.

Ether bring your own cable or require a key card to get access to the cable. Maybe use your drivers license with the mag stripe on the back?

 

[mitch672]

With copper at $4 a pound get used to it, this is the fly in the EVSE standards ointment. Version 2.0 needs to be a "bring your own cable" solution.

It already exists, and is what is used in the REST of the world, "mennekes"
it also supports 3 phase power as well

the EVSE has a socket, you supply your own cable from the "charging post" to the vehicle

here is a nice picture showing a Tesla connected via a Mennekes cable to a charging post
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/5287-EV-Box-Mennekes-to-CEE-(60309" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false-Group-Buy/page2

more about EV standards here, as you can see the US is the deficient stadard, the others can all handle single and 3 phase, J-1772 cannot (single phase only). This issue has been solved, but it was "NIH" (Not Invented Here), so we can't use Mennekes, which is a far superior standard and solves the wire theft problem by moving the wire to the EV owners responseability, and not part of the charging station (EVSE)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_62196" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


pictures on it on this link: http://visforvoltage.org/forum/9101-mennekes-plug" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[davewill]

With copper at $4 a pound get used to it, this is the fly in the EVSE standards ointment. Version 2.0 needs to be a "bring your own cable" solution.

That just means that I have to take the risk instead of the provider...not any kind of improvement from where I sit.

 

[mitch672]

With copper at $4 a pound get used to it, this is the fly in the EVSE standards ointment. Version 2.0 needs to be a "bring your own cable" solution.

That just means that I have to take the risk instead of the provider...not any kind of improvement from where I sit.

the point is, when the EVSE is not in use, there is no cable to steal, it does lower the risk since there are fewer hours in the day the cable is exposed with no one around. Its doubtful a thief would be so brazen as to steal a charging cable from an activly charging car, if that becomes an issue, we are doomed anyway.

 

[Boomer23]

Obvious thought, I know, but could the cable be "armored", clad in some kind of cut-resistant sheath, or is this unrealistic, too heavy and expensive? I know that any deterrent to vandalism or theft can be defeated, given enough time and desire on the part of the vandal, but perhaps an armored cable could provide enough of an inconvenience to slow the vandal down to the point that they'd give up or leave because it's taking too much time to cut through the cable.

 

[GPowers]

Most gas stations LOCK their nozzles to the gas pump at night to deter theft.

 

[jkirkebo]

Most gas stations LOCK their nozzles to the gas pump at night to deter theft.

You can't fill up at night ?!? All the pumps here (Norway) are operational 24/7 even when the rest of the station is closed. Payment by card (mostly used this way at daytime too). We also have many unmanned petrol stations.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Aluminum conductors in the cable might help but I don't know if that would be safe/durable enough.

 

[surfingslovak]

You can't fill up at night ?!? All the pumps here (Norway) are operational 24/7 even when the rest of the station is closed. Payment by card (mostly used this way at daytime too). We also have many unmanned petrol stations.

Yes, sadly the US and Norway are worlds apart. Literally and metaphorically.

 

[JohnnySebring]

EVSEs could detect cutting attempt and energize the cable. This should cause a bright flash, ruin the cutting tool, and possibly electrocute the ahole thief! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[mwalsh]

Cords could be on a retractable reel (think filling station tire pump hose) that takes the cable back into the body of the unit. That would at least make theft more difficult.

 

[adric22]

The best way to deal with the problem is some sort of system that electrocutes or shoots the jerk stealing the cable. But since that would never fly legally, the next best thing would be a combination of two things. 1) an alarm that would sound if the cable were cut. Shouldn't be too hard to rig an extra wire in there, just a small sensor wire that travels from one end of the cable to the other. If it cuts, an alarm sounds. 2) security cameras watching the charging station or perhaps inside the station like ATM's have. That way if it is vandalized, we can find and prosecute the person.

One more extra step might be finding a way to identify the cable. For example, if a metal recycler has some guy come up and wants to see 4 or 5 cables with J1772 connectors on the end, then he needs to notify police. But even if the thief cuts off the J1772 connector before taking the remaining copper in, if there was some way to identify the cable as coming from a charging station, that would be great. You'd have to make it so the thief would have to take the time to strip the rubber off of all of the wires in order to hide what was inside.

I also like the idea of aluminum. I know it doesn't conduct as well, so you'd probably need more of it to do the same job. But in the long run it might be cheaper than having to constantly replace the copper.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

... That way if it is vandalized, we can find and prosecute the person...

You mean "rehabilitate" :lol:

Isn't the problem with AL that it gets brittle easier as it flexes? As you pointed out though if they're cheap (and getting stolen frequently) maybe you just replace them frequently.

Here's another idea for the hopper: How about a step up transformer in the EVSE to say 600 volts and a step down transformer in the connector so the wire can be much thinner, and hence not worth as much?

 

[smkettner]

I believe old non maintained equipment is more prone to this activity. The thief thinks noone gets hurt because the thing will be scapped anyway.

 

[rainnw]

This is really the fault of J1772 being too safe. They should have used that 3000VAC 500A "car detection voltage" that I suggested.

 

[TNleaf]

With copper at $4 a pound get used to it, this is the fly in the EVSE standards ointment. Version 2.0 needs to be a "bring your own cable" solution.

I remember seeing a video that showed this (but didn't really mention it) "bring your own cable" solution.

After searching a little bit, I found it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6WJjL2_Hbc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

At about 40-45 seconds, you see the cord being plugged into the EVSE. And then again at about 2:30-2:40 you get a much better view of this type of cord. I believe this was recorded in France (I could be mistaken).

 

[rainnw]

Aluminum conductors in the cable might help but I don't know if that would be safe/durable enough.

It doesn't matter... copper thieves steal non-copper metals all the time in hopes of it being copper. If it not, they just throw it aside. More profitable to cut now, look later, especially when you are funding your meth habit.