Mennekes type 2 Charging Outlet

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esbro
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:21 pm

Mennekes type 2 Charging Outlet

Postby esbro » Mon May 01, 2017 9:17 pm

Hi everyone, This may have been covered here, but I can't find it, and I'm sorry if this sounds a really dumb question, but......
About 3 years ago I had one of the governments free Rolec charging outlets fitted to my wall. It has a Mennekes type 2 socket.
What I want to know is: 1) do UK public charging points (eg. at motorway services) use this socket too ? 2) as the type 2 system has 3 Line and 1 Neutral pins, are the public chargers 3 phase ? 240v ac or 440v ac per Line pin ? or, just 3 single phase 240v ac lines ?

Any knowledge about this would be welcome.

Thanks in advance ..... Steve

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timpootle
Posts: 1362
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:13 pm
Location: Chorlton-cum-Hardy, UK

Re: Mennekes type 2 Charging Outlet

Postby timpootle » Tue May 02, 2017 8:11 pm

Hello Steve

The 7-pin Mennekes type 2 socket is the standard used most widely in public charging points at the roadside and in car parks. Some are 3-phase, some are only single phase. Some allow 7kW (x3 = 22 kW 3-phase) while others are limited to 3.3kW by the supply to the post.

Motorway 'rapid' chargers are all tethered cable, not sockets. (There were some 7kW charge posts installed by Ecotricity, but they have mostly been removed now to make way for more rapid chargers). There is a 7-pin rapid cable to suit the Renault Zoe etc, as well as the ChaDeMo for LEAF, CCS for BMW.

Notice my choice of words - a 'charging point' or 'post' is simply a mains supply for the on-board battery charger, with the car dealing with giving the battery what it needs. A rapid charger is a big, heavy, expensive thing which feeds DC to the ChaDeMo and CCS cables, at a voltage and current requested by the car. The Zoe confuses things a bit by taking AC from the 'rapid' charger and sorting itself out, albeit at a very high rate.

So yes, what did you want to know? You chose the right socket for your house. You almost certainly have a single phase supply to it, and it will either be 32 Amp or 16 Amp (7kW or 3.3kW). If you go and buy any plug-in car today it will come with a type-2 lead you can plug into your house.

What are you planning to be driving? Factory made or conversion?
Tim Crumpton

esbro
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:21 pm

Re: Mennekes type 2 Charging Outlet

Postby esbro » Wed May 03, 2017 6:51 am

Thanks Tim, for that comprehensive answer. Just what I need to know. I'm only 'planning' and collecting 'bits' atm, but the project will be to convert my ageing (but still good) MB B200 CDI. I needed the information so that I can work out my charging method - 1, or 3 on-board chargers ( Possibly DIY, open source ) . I have to plan well, as there is a very tight budget. My next posts are likely to be concerning how to hook-up to, or trick the CAN system into submission ! Thanks again ..... Steve


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