Vectrix and the 3-Phase Supply!

Thanks Norman,

The city is Glasgow - I was aware of the phase shift, but I assumed in view of the differing types of connections to the 3Phase sockets, adding kit to ensure only all legs are active would add to the cost, and create issues furter down the line (pun intended). I think I'll invest in a 5-pin plug and make up a lead with a local-style socket that will allow the Vectrix to plug to it. I'll let you know how it goes - I'm assuming the connections will be L1 + N + E...? (to the Vectrix)

To be fair - there's Government money in this too - Glasgow I believe is one of 9 cities earmarked for this initiative, and it ties in local interest groups. There's a major input from Peugeot who have quite a range of vehicles available from box-van to LWB transit-type models, all with a battery pack installed in the engine compartment, which means the rear of the vehicle can take a standard payload and not worrying about the cargo space being filled with cells!

Whilst I was initially impressed with the Elektromotive product, it is too clever by half, and overengineered = making each 'point' cost somewhere in the reagion of £2000, all for a 13a socket with an LCD display and pretty colour-changing lights. For the Pergeot vans, the requirement is for a 3 phase connection as a minimum and as the Elektrobay pillars cannot physically cope with these dimensions of plug, I seriouly doubt whether these will ever be a contender to supply.

I'm keeping my ear close to the ground and will keep the forum updated on how the urban charging points will be managed and run. The first 2 points, within the grounds of the Pergeot dealership are already available for use, and are complete open. Due to my enquiries, and visiting them on the Vectrix, got their unpromptes suggestion that should I ever need a 'hit', just to announce to Security that I was on site and I was free to use the facilities. (Which I have to admit, was better than I had hoped).

Currently, they are working out with Scottish Power the best places to distribute the sockets, and this will be done with due reference to the road network and the ability to access (initially) off-street but accessible locations where two vehicles at a time can access the point which will be double-sided. The impression I got that there will be an inner and outer circle of points to ensure nobody would be more than 10 Km from a recharging point, wherever they were within the greater Glasgow conurbation.

As you noted - having access to charging points in Camden when you're in Richmond and running to a halt is no laughing matter, although Tesco's initiative on this may do something to wrest the initiative from the councils. I'd much rather have a coffee and use the loo in Tesco whilst my vextrix is recharging - than looking through a bunch of Electrobay RF keys for one to open the box I'm at.

Well, I've just won my first 5pin 415v plug on eBay - for £1.20 plus post - and the guy claims to have 200 of them available for listing later. It might be a useful investment for other Vectrix owners when confrinted with a free 3phase hook-up and a 13amp Vectrix plug!

duplicate

If you really want to do it by the book, you should also put a fuse on the converting cable. Most likely the 3-phase connector is fused to 25A or more, but the Vectrix is made for 16A (or is it perhaps up to 20A in UK). The fuse should match the capacity of the consumer cable, otherwise you risk burning the cable (or the Vectrix) without the fuse releasing. Likelyhood of this event is small especially with this small difference (16A vs 25A), but still.

I had thought of this - but unlike the European 2-pin plug, the UK plug variant is already fused (at 13 amps) and is one of the unusual nature of the UK-style power plugs, without exception, they are ALL fused to whichever is the most appropriate; 1, 3, 5 or 13a.

My eBay purchase of a 3-phase (RED 415v) plug arrived a few days ago and I was anxious to try it out! I had a 2m mains cable so I wired this up to the red plug as E-N-L1, and connected the other end to a standard UK 13amp trailing socket, wired conventionally.

On of Glasgow's electric car dealerships as a 4-vehicle bay with a 3-phase round sockets spaces 3 metres apart. So (with prior permission) rode up and hooked up with no problems at all. The VX1 behaved normally, with the fans starting and the speedo showing the inbound charging current - but og course, I was only using 1 of the 3 available phases. There were no additional protection devices prepared to susped the supply because only a signle phase was being drawn, so that problem did not manifest itself.

To all intents and purposes, the hook-up looked the same as the adjacent electric vehicles, only that thwy would be recharged considerably quicker than me (in around 22 minutes). The wire from the red wall plug snaked ubder the main seat through the gap for the cable, presenting a socket to match the plug on the end of the Vectrix lead. As it was juat starting to rain, this meant the soxket was fully contained within the seat void, so no issues over rain falling on to the cabling. The cable running from the seat to the 3-phase socket was of course weatherproof.

After my 2 hours top-up, I just un hooked and off I wnt. Success!

I'd suggest to all Vectrix owners the fact a 3-phase supply looks unfamiliar should not bar you from obraining a recharge if a standard outlet is not available. I'm keeping my new jumper cable with me for those times when I really need a quick top-up, and of course, until Glasgow's network of 40 public 3P recharging points goes live!

Taking one phase will work fine but you should use a main fuse for safety purposes....

Unless you have the UK Vectrix lead, which is already fused at 13 amps.

The finished article.

And at my first use, it all went pear shaped as my RED plug failed to connect. The problem? The socket I came across had an additional TWO 'dimples' on the internal edge of the socket that prevented my plug connecting.

EVERYTHING else was correct - same pins, orientation and spacing, but the additional contouring within the socket prevented the plug sliding into the socket, and I'm absolutely bereft and the stupidity of such a change. Does anyone know why this is - or can identify whether this is a new 'standard' that nobody else is aware of?

Didn't appear to be a security feature - and I asked at the Garage and they were quite distresssed, saying they had oped the socket could be used by anyone to charge their EV (as they do with their electric van). THey simply got an electrician to fit a socket that matched the plug on their vehicle, and assumed it was 'universal' (well, for 3-phase, anyway!). THe box is marked with an MK logo and declares it is 32amps - nothing else to go on!

I've emailled MK Customer services (the socket manufacturer) for their advise - I'll lewt the forum know whast their response is!

Mystery solved! (But you're not going to believe the answer!)

We're used to our standard domestic plugs being 'universal' - with much of continental europe havig the standard two pins. whilst UK & Ireland went with a 3-pin (square) design. Since a 3-phase socket can comprise of 4 (3L+1N) or 5 (3L+2N) pins, the assumption would mean to take a feed from a 3 phase supply, you would need ONE of the two 2-phase plug options...?

Wrong! MK advised that they supply 3-phase sockets/plug for different situations, a SPLASHPROOF and WATERPROOF versions. The plugs that fit into these sockets cannot be interchangeable even if they have the same number of pins, and maximum amperage. So, making use of a three phase supply to charge your Vextrix will NOT be straightforward, as you will have a minimum of FOUR different socket types to contend with;

4 pin - Splash
4 pin - Waterproof
5 pin - Splash (plug pictured)
5 pin - Waterproof (socket pictured)

So an EV rider would have to carry 4 different jumper leads to made with all eventualities of a 32amp connection.

On balnce, it would appear to be safer to IGNORE the ability to use 3phase 'on spec' and be prepared to use it only where you know the precise plug type and connection required.