Rain and EV charging go together like Milligan, Secombe and Sellers

As Spike Milligan once, rather charmingly, said, “There are holes in the sky where the rain gets in, but they’re ever so small that’s why rain is thin.”

And – hopefully – we’ll start to see a lot more of it after a long, dry drought-y summer…although, there’s no doubt we’ll be moaning about the mud underfoot before too long.

Depending on where you charge your EV, the winter months can bring some challenges and questions, particularly for open-air home or public charging points.

Namely; can my EV charging cable still be plugged in while it’s raining?

The short answer is yes.

Across all BEV and PHEV makes and models, it is perfectly safe to charge up outside in wet conditions.

That’s because it also rains in the towns and cities where the people who design these cars live and they also want to be able to leave their EVs on the driveway, plug it into an outdoor point and go inside for a cuppa and a sit down.

In fact, as Wikipedia helpfully points out, “The J1772 standard includes several levels of shock protection, ensuring the safety of charging even in wet conditions. Physically, the connection pins are isolated on the interior of the connector when mated, ensuring no physical access to those pins.”

(And no, we don’t always believe everything we read on the Wiki, but our own knowledge and experience means we know this one is ridgy-didge accurate.)

More officially, IF YOU ARE USING THE MANUFACTURER SUPPLIED CABLE, OR A CHARGING CABLE OR WALL UNIT FROM A REPUTABLE SUPPLIER, it will be fully sealed and tested to comply with all relevant Australian and New Zealand electrical safety standards.

(Please excuse us shouting at you in the above sentence, but we get a few calls asking why the crappy EV charging cable someone bought online from Hong Kong isn’t really working…and frankly, we’re sick of saying it; these unregulated cables not only don’t work, they put your car and property at greater risk of fire and less risk of your insurance company covering you for damage caused.)

Look for the RCM.

To check this, always look for the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) tick (right), which is a sign that your cable is safe and serviceable for use Down Under and in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

Of course, it’s always best for the longevity and efficiency of your charging cable or wall unit if it’s not left to splash in a puddle – at least not without a pair of yellow gumboots and rain mac – as exposure to the elements will eventually result in your cable kicking the bucket.

And, just because we can, and even though it’s a bit weird on an electric vehicle website, but we’re hoping it will bring a smile to your day, let’s end with another little pithy comment from the brilliant Spike;