Type 1 to 3 Pin Charging Cable, Granny Charger

Built for the cars the wall boxes forgot

Type 1 cars are now second and third owner cars, and they often arrive with no cable at all. A first generation Leaf, an Outlander PHEV, an Ampera or a Soul EV bought privately frequently comes with an empty boot, and the dealer lead is long gone.

This is the replacement that needs nothing installed: a three pin plug at one end, the five pin Type 1 connector at the other, and a control box in between doing the protection and the handshake.

What a socket gives a Type 1 car

Around 2.3 kW, which on the smaller batteries these cars carry is a more useful proposition than it sounds. A 24 kWh Leaf takes an overnight charge from fairly low to full, and a 12 kWh plug in hybrid battery fills in a few hours.

Each figure is the pack size divided by the power actually drawn, with 13 per cent added for charging losses and the result rounded to the quarter hour. Battery sizes here are the ones these cars actually use rather than the 60 to 80 kWh packs of newer models.

Getting the current setting right

The current is adjustable and that matters more on an older house than a new one. Start low if the socket is on a circuit you do not know, or if it is shared with a kettle and a freezer. Check the plug by hand after half an hour: warm is expected, hot means turn it down and get the socket looked at.

Use a single wall socket rather than an extension reel, and keep the plug end dry. The cable is sealed to IP67 but a domestic socket is not built for weather.

How it is built

On the three pin side the standard is IEC 62752, with CE marking, IP67 sealing and a -30C to +60C range. Backed by a two year manufacturer's warranty, with free next working day delivery and a 30 day return window.

See also: 3 pin charging cables and Type 1 to Type 2 cable.

Type 1 granny charger questions

Which cars use a Type 1 three pin charger?

Cars with the five pin Type 1 inlet, which means most plug in models sold up to about 2015: the first generation Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Vauxhall Ampera, Kia Soul EV and similar. Count the pins on your inlet if you are unsure.

How much range does it add overnight?

At roughly 2.3 kW you are looking at about eight miles an hour, so a thirteen hour evening puts back around a hundred miles. On a 24 kWh Leaf that is most of a full charge, which is why this cable suits these cars better than it suits a big modern battery.

Can I plug it into an extension lead?

Not a coiled reel, no. Sustained current through a coiled extension is how they overheat. Use a single wall socket on a known circuit, and if the only socket available is awkward, turn the current down on the control box rather than improvising.

Do I still need this if I have a home charger?

Probably not for daily use, but it is the cable that gets you home from somewhere with no charge point. Owners of older cars tend to keep one in the boot for exactly that.