The CEE17 heavy-duty socket: an alternative to the Green’up socket

Being equipped with a charging socket for electric vehicles presents a number of advantages. It is less expensive than installing a home charging station and easier to install when you are a tenant. This solution has everything going for it – especially as it allows you to charge your EV faster than with an ordinary power outlet! Although Legrand has developed a patented charging socket for EVs called “Green’up”, many EV drivers have a hard time finding a compatible charging cable and question whether the power delivered (3.7kW) justifies the high purchasing price. Is there an alternative solution to charge your EV up faster from a power outlet?

An equivalent to the Green’up socket

An alternative to the Green’up socket well and truly exists on the market, but it is contested in some countries for not coming up to national standards (although this doesn’t necessarily mean it is illegal): the CEE P17 heavy-duty socket. Usually destined for industrial usage, CEE17 sockets are heavy-duty, which means that electrical equipment can be plugged in without the risk of overheating - a common hazard for normal domestic sockets.

The charging capacity of a single-phase CEE17 16A socket is equivalent to that of the famous Green’up socket. The only difference is its lack of child-proofing. To make a CEE17 socket safe, you need to take into account specific safety measures when installing it so that it can be switched off when not in use, and it should be placed out of children’s reach (installation at height).

When you use a single-phase CEE17 16A socket as a charging point for your EV, you can charge your vehicle at a power rating of 3.7kW for several hours with a 16A current supply - unlike the Green’up socket which is just a heavy-duty version of a domestic socket.

A CEE17 heavy-duty socket exceeding a power rating of 3.7kW must be installed by a qualified electrician. It can also be used to replace a Green’up socket that has already been installed by a professional electrician without modifying the electrical installation.

Fast charging on CEE17 sockets

A great asset with the CEE17 heavy-duty socket is that in comes in several variations and can go up to 32 Amps in three-phase, i.e. a charging capacity of up to 22kW. However, these more powerful models require a dedicated electrical circuit and cut-out devices in addition to the usual safety devices.

To enjoy fast charging from a power outlet, it is therefore recommended to opt for a CEE17 heavy-duty socket adapted to your needs depending on your electrical installation and your EV.

Greater versatility than the Green’up socket

If you go for the Green’up socket, you also need to purchase a compatible cable that is hard to find on the market. On the other hand, CEE17 sockets can be used with more versatile smart charging cables such as the mobile charger for electric vehicles. Tesla has made the P17 socket popular with its mobile charger for Tesla models and the carmaker was no doubt right to push ahead with this charging solution, since it is faster than a domestic power outlet and far more accessible to all e-drivers compared to the Green’up socket.

You now know all the pros and cons of these two types of charging socket for EVs. You’ve got it – the CEE17 (P17) socket remains the best option for charging your EV at home, despite the fact that it isn’t entirely approved for home usage in France, for example – unlike the rest of Europe.