Type 1 to 3 Pin Charging Cable
Quick recommendation
A Type 1 to 3 Pin charging cable plugs your car straight into an ordinary household socket, with no wallbox and no installation. It draws 2.3 kW, and on a Type 1 car that is a far more useful number than it sounds.
Here is why. Every Type 1 car sold in Britain is an older one with a small battery, between about 12 and 33 kWh. A modern 80 kWh electric car would need three days on a household socket, which is why we describe the Type 2 granny cable as a backup. On a 24 kWh Nissan Leaf the same socket delivers a full charge in about 11 hours 45 minutes, and on an Outlander PHEV in about six. That is an overnight charge, not an emergency measure, and for a second car covering short local runs it can be the only charging you ever need.
It is also the answer when there is no charge point: a relative's driveway, a holiday cottage, a workplace with a socket in the wall but nothing on it. Ours is sealed to IP67, so it can sit outside in the rain while it works, and the current is adjustable from 6A to 12A if the socket or the wiring is old.
Check the inlet before you order. A Type 1 socket has five pins and a Type 2 has seven. The Nissan Leaf changed from Type 1 to Type 2 in 2018 and the Kia Soul in 2019, so the year matters as much as the badge. If yours is Type 2, you need the Type 2 to 3-Pin cable instead. If you want to use a wallbox or a public post rather than a socket, that is the Type 1 to Type 2 cable.
Charging Times from a Household Socket
At 2.3 kW, from empty, based on each car's nominal battery size
| Car | Battery | Full charge at 2.3 kW | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV | 12 kWh | 6 hours | Comfortably overnight |
| Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Peugeot iOn, Citroen C-Zero | 16 kWh | 7 hours 45 mins | Comfortably overnight |
| Nissan Leaf, 24 kWh | 24 kWh | 11 hours 45 mins | Overnight, plugged in early |
| Nissan Leaf, 30 kWh | 30 kWh | 14 hours 45 mins | Overnight plus part of a day |
| Ford Focus Electric | 33.5 kWh | 16 hours 30 mins | Better on a wallbox |
Real times run a little shorter, because a car's usable capacity is always below its nominal figure. Cold weather lengthens them again.
Type 1 to 3 Pin Cable Options
| Length | Rating | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5m | 6A to 12A adjustable, 2.3 kW | A socket in the garage or on the wall beside where you park | £243.99 |
| 10m | 6A to 12A adjustable, 2.3 kW | Reaching from indoors, or parking away from the house | £293.99 |
IP67 sealed, CE certified, rated from -30C to +50C, with a two year warranty, same-day dispatch on working-day orders placed before 2pm and our price match on any UK retailer.
Type 1 to 3 Pin Charging Cable FAQs
Can I charge a Type 1 car from a normal plug socket?
Yes, that is exactly what this cable is for. A Type 1 to 3 Pin cable plugs into any standard UK socket and draws 2.3 kW, with no wallbox and no installation needed. On the small batteries Type 1 cars carry, that is a genuine overnight charge rather than a top-up.
How long does it take to charge a Nissan Leaf from a 3 pin socket?
About 11 hours 45 minutes from empty for a 24 kWh Nissan Leaf, and around 14 hours 45 minutes for the 30 kWh car. Most owners never charge from empty, so a normal overnight plug-in replaces a day's driving comfortably.
Is it safe to leave this cable outside?
The cable is sealed to IP67, so rain is not a problem while it is working. The socket it plugs into is the thing to think about: use an outdoor rated socket, do not run it through a part open window or door, and set the cable to 6A or 10A rather than 12A if the wiring is old.
Does my car have a Type 1 socket?
Count the pins. A Type 1 inlet has five, a Type 2 has seven with a flat top edge. Type 1 cars in Britain are all pre-2019 and include the Nissan Leaf up to 2017, the e-NV200, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and i-MiEV, the Peugeot iOn, the Citroen C-Zero, the Vauxhall Ampera and the Ford Focus Electric.
Should I buy this or a Type 1 to Type 2 cable?
This one plugs into a household socket. The Type 1 to Type 2 cable plugs into a wallbox or a public charge point and charges two to three times faster. If you have a wallbox, buy that one and keep this as the cable that gets you charged anywhere there is a plug.