The Impact of Water on EV Chargers: What Happens When They Get Wet?

Electricity is notorious for reacting badly with water. This is because water, when filled with minerals, salts and other particulates – as rainfall can be when passing through the atmosphere – conducts electricity. Rather than being useful, however, this creates unintended pathways for an electrical current to travel, which damages electrical circuits and devices, leading to malfunctions or complete failure.

This concerns a lot of electric vehicle owners, who depend on functioning EV chargers to make the most out of their cars and trucks. One question often on their lips is whether their EV chargers are waterproof. 

The short answer is yes, your EV chargers are waterproof! Not much will happen when they get wet. But, how are they waterproof, and how effective is this waterproofing? Read on for more. 

How are EV Chargers waterproofed?

In New Zealand, as in many countries, EV chargers must be designed to withstand outdoor use, including a range of taxing weather conditions such as rain, sleet and snow. 

For this reason, all EV chargers are fitted with waterproof cables, and are recommended to be used with outdoor-rated plug sockets. We also advise fitting a protective cover of your charger if the conditions outside are wet, as this shields the entire device. These covers are inexpensive for how effective they are!

How effective is this waterproofing?

It depends. Some waterproofing measures are more effective than others. For example, an IP54 charging cable is less resistant to water than an IP66+ cable, which can handle high pressure water flows. Indeed, this IP (Ingress Protection) rating determines how waterproof your EV charger is, and also how dust resistant it is. This rating can change because different chargers are made of different materials and cable arrangements.  

Ultimately, the higher the IP rating, the less likely it is to suffer from water ingress into critical components. This means that your EV charger is more weather resistant, and thus can be used outdoors no matter how rainy or wet it is.

To purchase your own EV charger in NZ, look to Scott Electrical. We provide a wide range of AutoStart and RFID chargers for domestic and commercial use, able to withstand the wet outdoor weather that New Zealand often faces. For more information about our products, find your nearest branch or contact us today!