Secure the stock EVSE under hood for public 110V charging

Secure the stock EVSE under hood for public 110V charging. Frustrating that 99.5% of available public charge-points are 110V only, with no J-Plug, yet we must risk having our EVSE interfaces stolen if we charge publicly.

VeloV said:

Secure the stock EVSE under hood for public 110V charging. Frustrating that 99.5% of available public charge-points are 110V only, with no J-Plug, yet we must risk having our EVSE interfaces stolen if we charge publicly.

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I read in the manual that a paddle lock can be used to make the connector so it can't be removed from the vehicle.

That's why these "AC adapters" need to drop to commodity pricing soon to avoid theft issues.

If the distance from the receptacle to the car allows I make the cable run under the front wheel (drive over it). No way it can be pulled out from under that heavy baby. The cable is re-enforced and can handle this. Aside from a few scratches on the plastic mine is handling this okay.

My idea is that the charge port is : small , not much larger than the socket.
Hard plastic or aluminum and hinged very strong.

opens via the smart key fob or an internal release.

when you open the port lid and push the J1772 handle in, it latches to the lid somehow

you cant remove the evse handle without a smart fob or pushing a button in the car

it would be like a quick fuel cap on some cars

QC port would be a seperate larger lid and work the same way

VeloV said:

Secure the stock EVSE under hood for public 110V charging. Frustrating that 99.5% of available public charge-points are 110V only, with no J-Plug, yet we must risk having our EVSE interfaces stolen if we charge publicly.

Click to expand...

I use a simple Master Lock for this exact reason. Lock up the J1772 nozzle and nobody can steal it.

A lock will just discourage the honest people.

I like the Volt's approach in that the alarm will sound if the charge cord is removed and the car has been locked/armed. Of course I'd also like to see that function made selectable as there are instances where you may want to allow people to unplug your car (i.e. public charging where your car is done and someone else needs the electricity) but don't want to leave the car unlocked to accommodate that.

kmp647 said:

My idea is that the charge port is : small , not much larger than the socket.
Hard plastic or aluminum and hinged very strong.

opens via the smart key fob or an internal release.

when you open the port lid and push the J1772 handle in, it latches to the lid somehow

you cant remove the evse handle without a smart fob or pushing a button in the car

it would be like a quick fuel cap on some cars
...

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The Chargepoint stations lock the handle when not in use. They seem to have a solenoid type mechanism that slides a bar over the handle release to prevent anyone unauthorized from pulling out the handle. It seems like a similar mechanism could be put in the car port to lock the handle while charging.
Perhaps it could auto-unlock when the charge cycle is done and light an indicator to let others know they could take the cord for another vehicle to start charging.

smkettner said:

A lock will just discourage the honest people.

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And the opportunists. Do you leave your car and house unlocked to discourage the honest people? :lol:

The EVSE cable seems pretty sturdy, but will parking a tire on top of the cable decrease it's lifespan and eventually ruin it?

DarkStar said:

VeloV said:

Secure the stock EVSE under hood for public 110V charging. Frustrating that 99.5% of available public charge-points are 110V only, with no J-Plug, yet we must risk having our EVSE interfaces stolen if we charge publicly.

Click to expand...

I use a simple Master Lock for this exact reason. Lock up the J1772 nozzle and nobody can steal it.

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Exactly. And plug sharing is not and should not be used here to confuse the issue. This is 120v, so the EVSE can be unplugged at the other end, and it's my personal EVSE that no one should be using without my explicit permission.

As for smkettner's concern -- Hire an armed guard to stand watch over your car if you really care about it that much. Nothing short of that is going to stop a determined thief.

Ray

Electric4Me said:

smkettner said:

A lock will just discourage the honest people.

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And the opportunists. Do you leave your car and house unlocked to discourage the honest people? :lol:

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I lock my doors to keep the honest people out. If a criminal wants inside then the lock on the door will not stop them. :|

There's another thread where somebody puts their EVSE under the hood and keeps it closed as a way to lock it. He just has the J1772 sticking out and connected to the port, and also the other end of the extension cord, of course.

smkettner said:

A lock will just discourage the honest people.

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Yes, but your clever way for Securing Nissan brick for airport or other public charging will make it tough on the rest of them. Thanks for posting it!

Great idea, and while your at it, why not a auto retracting reel for the power cord?

I thought about opening my unused L3 knockout to pull a cord or reel through but I really do not want any permanent mods to the vehicle.

smkettner said:

I lock my doors to keep the honest people out. If a criminal wants inside then the lock on the door will not stop them. :|

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If they're honest people, why would they be stealing my EVSE, or things from inside my house?

Locks keep out the lazy criminals, not honest people. Most criminals are lazy - they're in it because it is the easiest way for them to get money.

Just a figure of speech. Try not to interpret everything so literally

smkettner said:

Just a figure of speech. Try not to interpret everything so literally

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Try not to repeat sound bites without thinking about them first. Some really don't make any sense