Ensuring Reliable Electric Vehicle Charging in Rainy Weather: Best Practices and Solutions

One of the common fears most people have about electric cars is whether they can safely drive or charge them in heavy rain.

Charging an EV in the rain or almost any other kind of weather is perfectly safe. In monsoon season, especially in flood like situation ,it becomes more vital to know what you can do to make sure it remains in its best condition.Lets take a closer look at best practices and solution ensuring reliable Electric Vehicle Charging in Rainy Weather.

EV ingress protection

The Ingress Protection rating—or IP for short.Engineers design EVs to manage water, rain, dust, and other particles that could interfere with the electrical system.Most common site during monsoon in India is waterlogged roads.Often vehicles gets stuck in this situation where water level reaching halfway up the body.EV's important components like the battery and drive motors are tested to be waterproof up to a certain level using the Ingress Protection (IP) Rating system.Electric Vehicles are typically rated at IP67 which means your EV can be submerged under water for 30 minutes and up to a depth of 1 meter without any water leakages occurring inside the battery or the motor.

Main battery pack has the ability to electrically isolate from the rest of the car. They have multiple layers of protective cutoffs.

Short circuits

While the EV is being charged, the surge in the electrical current due to a wet charging port/plug can cause short-circuit in the charging point and impact internal circuits this could result damage in internal circuits and risk of fire.This can be avoided by installing charging points covered under shed.Charging stations come with shelters or canopies is very much needed to prevent electrical short circuit.

Battery

EV batteries are made up of lithium-ion cells.These batteries are temperature sensitive.Battery should not overheat. Avoid charging within an hour of use, thus allowing the battery to cool down.Always OEM charger that comes with your EV,to prevent any short circuit,sparks,current loss.If possible avoid using fast charging frequently.Excessive current in fast charging can affect battery life.

Safety tips which EV user should follow in Rainy season

Use dedicated charging points – Whether you’re charging at home or at a public charger, professionally installed EV charging ports are the safest way to charge your electric car.

Charge in dry areas-The lightning and thunderstorms can cause a current surge while the electric car is being charged. This, in turn, could result in damage to the charging point as well as the internal circuits.To prevent this always charge your EV in dry areas.

Keep check on the battery-The humidity in this season may result in corrosion of mechanical bits such as battery connections and this can take a toll on the battery's life and strength.

Use certified charger-electric cars that are built with proper covering shields and protective layers that prevent any kind of short-circuit, sparks, current loss, etc. So, it is recommended that you always use an OEM-issued charger to charge your EV.

Park at dry area-To prevent corrosion and rusting park your ev at dry place.

To minimise the risk of water-related issues, make sure to wipe off the charging ports and connectors with a clean cloth or towel before connecting the charger.

Ensure that the charging port and the charging gun can always be in a dry state, and keep your hands dry to avoid electric shock when plugging and unplugging the stun gun and closing the charging cover of the vehicle. In the event of severe weather

Extra covers

Own damage cover -It is legally mandated to have third-party liability cover for your EV.A comprehensive policy with an Own-Damage cover ensures financial protection against damages to own vehicle caused by fire,road accidents,flooding,riots,theft etc.

NIL depreciation cover-NIL depreciation cover to ensure that the value of the EV is protected from depreciation as it ages and policyholders receive the maximum reimbursement of repair cost irrespective of car age .

Conclusion It’s very safe to charge an electric car in the rain as every step of the charging process has been designed to protect drivers and EV users.EV follows strict rules set by safety organisations, such as the International Electrotechnical Commission. Small steps of safety tips and precautions can add years to your car-life and help it perform well for longer.It is vital to protect your vehicle with EV insurance from any damage that might occur in a situation beyond your control.