Is it safe to charge an EV from a normal power point?

1. Check the RCM mark on the charger or its label. How to check a charger is legal.
2. Pick an outlet near where you park so the charger's own cable reaches without strain.
3. Ask what else is on that circuit. Avoid outlets shared with a fridge, heater, pool pump or other heavy load.
4. Inspect the outlet. It should hold the plug firmly with no cracks, scorching or looseness.
5. Plug straight into the wall. No extension leads, powerboards, double adapters or travel adapters.
6. Lay the cable out. Don't leave it tightly coiled while charging, and keep it where it won't be driven over.
7. Feel the plug after the first long session. Warm is normal; hot is not. If it's hot, stop and have the outlet checked.

• The plug, outlet or wall plate is hot to touch, or the plastic is discoloured or soft.
• You smell burning plastic or hear buzzing or crackling from the outlet.
• The safety switch (RCD) or circuit breaker trips repeatedly.
• The charger shows a fault light you can't clear by unplugging and restarting.

Any of these means the outlet or circuit needs a licensed electrician before you charge again. Using a lower current setting is not a fix for a damaged outlet.

A kettle draws 10 A for three minutes. An EV draws close to 10 A for ten hours. That sustained load heats every connection in the circuit, so a worn outlet or a loose terminal that would never show up with a kettle can overheat with a car.

That's why the rules are simple: a quality charger, a sound outlet, no extension leads. If you'll charge every night, a dedicated outlet installed by an electrician is the most reliable setup.