13amp charging for Hybrid

[Marek]

Hi Folks, I've been using my outdoor water proof 13A sockets to charge the vehicle, and yesterday it burnt out one side of the two socket array.

It's been fine for a year. Any ideas why all of a sudden it cooks the socket (black around earth pin etc). The other side of the socket is fine and the cars charging cable / systems work ok from the other socket. I must admit I'm slightly alarmed as it did not trip the sockets breaker or the house hold fuse box!

 

[andylong]

The plug and socket get hot and the pins and socket contacts get oxidised making the connection worse until the heat build up kills the socket as either the plastic melts or the socker prongs lose their spring.
For high currents I'd suggest a commando socket rated at a higher current than 13A, it won't get hot and then wont fail.
There no trip because the currents aren't higher than they are supposed to be.