Copper Thieves Stole Our EV Charging Cables

Lionus Media Group, which offers free electric vehicle charging to its employees, recently fell victim to copper thieves who cut the cables from their chargers. The police offered moral support, but the cost of repairs fell to the company. Initially, the company considered simply repairing the damaged chargers. EV chargers, especially level two chargers, have relatively simple wiring. Power runs from a 240-volt breaker to terminals, connecting to the charger's electronics. These electronics communicate with EVs when plugged in, activating a contactor that sends current through the charging gun to the car. The thieves were able to cut the copper cables without being electrocuted because no car was plugged in at the time. Both cables could theoretically be replaced by an end-user. However, when they contacted Grizzly, the manufacturer of their old chargers, they were instructed to detach the hardwired chargers, send them in at their own expense, and purchase a replacement cable and charging gun for $200 Canadian, plus labor costs. While Grizzly reportedly used to offer user-installable replacement charging guns, and other third parties and OEMs still sell standard replacement plug heads (a requirement for their local rebate program), these still cost around $200. Sourcing the specific four-core EV cable proved difficult, with local electrician supply stores directing them back to the charger manufacturer. The estimated repair cost was almost half the price of a new $500 charger. With government rebates covering a portion of new equipment costs, repairing the old chargers was not deemed worthwhile. Fortunately, a silver lining emerged. When they initially purchased the Grizzly chargers, they wanted to go with Ubiquiti's UniFi EV Station Light, but these were not covered by British Columbia's rebate program at the time. Now, they are. At $700, the Ubiquiti chargers are slightly more expensive than the Grizzly ones, but Ubiquiti provided all the necessary replacements. The new Ubiquiti chargers offer several advantages. They integrate better into the company's existing UniFi network. The old Grizzly scheduling system, handled through Charge Lab, was problematic. It was impossible to completely turn off the chargers on weekends, requiring a workaround of setting a minimal charging time at an odd hour. The new Ubiquiti chargers integrate with their building access system, allowing employees to tap in to charge, which also prevents neighbors from using the chargers. The Ubiquiti chargers also have a stock power output that is 10 amps higher than the Grizzly chargers, potentially leading to 20% faster charging if their breakers were 70 amps instead of 40. The installation was straightforward, though professional contractors were hired. Ubiquiti sent seven UniFi EV Station Light chargers, allowing them to replace all six Grizzly chargers, including two that were undamaged. They also had an older Tesla charger that came with the building, which they decided to leave in place, leaving one extra Ubiquiti charger. This extra charger will be installed at the studio building, addressing a previous EV charging bottleneck. A new transformer from recent shop equipment upgrades now provides the capacity for additional chargers. The older Siemens charger at the studio will be replaced with one of the undamaged Grizzly chargers. The new systems were easy to install, and the company is pleased with the upgrade.