Are you taking your electric car out to the cottage in the countryside this summer? There are a few things to consider. Lightning strikes and overheating can turn your holiday into a disaster.
If you need to charge your car at, for example, a summer cottage or other private residence, a charging box is recommended, according to Mikael Carlson, technical expert at the Swedish Electrical Safety Agency.
We do not recommend using ordinary wall sockets to charge electric cars regularly. But if you must use a socket temporarily to charge, for example, a rental car, the first thing to think about is to reduce the power and let the charging take a bit longer, he says.
In that case, you should try to keep an eye on the car. You must also ensure you have a cable with a plug on one end and the car's connector on the other, which is not always included in the rental. They can be purchased as an optional extra or sold for a few thousand kronor at many places.
You should "absolutely not" use any extension cables, according to Carlson.
The risk is that the socket becomes very hot and starts to burn. Therefore, the placement of the socket is crucial. The risk of fire is, for example, greater if the socket is located on a wooden facade compared to if it is placed on a concrete wall or a separate pole.
If you live far out in the countryside with weaker networks and overhead lines, you should also keep an eye on the weather.
If the weather is bad and there is a storm, you should really not have your electric car plugged in for charging if you live out in the countryside, says Mikael Carlson.
