The rise of electric driving has brought many benefits, but of course there are still more than enough stumbling blocks and challenges to overcome. One of these stumbling blocks is the secret charging that happens very often at campsites, holiday parks and other accommodations. Although this is dismissed as something harmless (just tapping a little bit of power), it is a serious problem in terms of costs and dangers.

What exactly is stealth charging?

Secret charging is exactly what you would suspect when you see it. It involves people who secretly plug a mobile charger into a socket during their holiday or a stay somewhere where they have access to the socket. It is especially important that the person who is charging has not asked permission and the owner of the property has not given permission to charge.

In the case of secret charging, the owner of the land, accommodation or campsite in most cases does not know that charging is taking place. Secret charging is therefore without permission and without the owner being aware of it.

What are the dangers behind secretly charging at the campsite with a mobile charger?

Secret charging has received a lot of attention in 2023 and there is a reason for that. Secret charging brings with it great dangers. Two factors are important here. First of all, the risks of charging with mobile chargers at points that are (probably) not suitable for this. Secondly, there is the enormous electricity costs that cannot be settled with the person who charges.

Let's start with the first point: the mobile charger cannot simply be pushed into any socket and then start a charging session. On the contrary, because in order to be able to charge safely and optimally, you need a modern, secured and undamaged socket. If you push the mobile charger into a damaged or outdated socket and start the charging session, and then flop back into your camping chair, there is a good chance that at some point you will notice that everything behind you is on fire.

In addition, secret charging can cause a short circuit and put the entire campsite in the dark, and charging cables and extension cables on the ground (and through the air) can cause dangerous situations. Many campsite owners have been able to catch secret chargers by simply following the extension cables from the sanitary buildings to the EV that was secretly being charged. Every cable (this also applies to regular charging cables ) that is lying unattended on the ground poses a risk and you also have a great chance of damaging the cable itself.

What about the costs for secret charging? In most cases, these cannot be recovered from the power user, so they end up on the doormat of the landlord or campsite owner themselves. An undesirable and unfair situation, which in many places now has to be solved by passing on power costs or increasing the costs for the stay. The latter solution means that every holidaymaker becomes the victim of secret chargers, all the more reason to put an end to this.

Do people with electric cars only secretly charge at campsites?

If you now have the idea that secret charging only happens at campsites: that is not the case. Secret charging also happens at holiday homes and nowadays even at most places where a power outlet can be found at a (reasonably) unattended point. When the electric car itself can block the charging cable and the power outlet so that they can no longer be seen, this is a point that can be used for secret charging.

The very fact that this can and does happen in many places is a reason to pay extra attention to this. Also for us as sellers of mobile chargers and great advocates of safe, reliable and fair charging.

Can you charge in a safe and fair way with a mobile charger?

Of course, it is possible to use mobile chargers in the right way. This includes charging your electric car with a mobile charger at home or at work when your employer has given permission for this and has assigned a socket. The same applies to charging during your holiday. More and more campsite owners and holiday home landlords have a special contact that can be used to charge an electric car with a mobile charger. Especially in places where there is no charging station , it is not unusual for there to be special contacts that can be used to connect a mobile charger.

Now it is good to keep the following in mind. Ask permission before you leave. If you ask now whether you can charge at a charging station or with a mobile charger, then you also know which charging cable you need or which connection your mobile charger must have in order to be able to use the contact. We expect that in the future, CEE connections will be used a lot on campsites and at accommodations, which are placed behind a separate meter. In this way, the landlord can offer a 22 kW connection on an empty group, where the electricity costs can simply be settled with the people who charge their electric car.

So always look carefully at the mobile chargers before ordering a model. Especially the plugs (for both the source and car side) and the charging capacity are important if you want to be sure that you can charge optimally during your holiday.

The Power and Benefits of Mobile Chargers While on Vacation

Not all campsites and accommodations have charging stations on their premises. Although the number of charging stations at these locations seems to be increasing by the week, it is far from standard and the question is whether all governments will be as eager for obligations as the Dutch government. Good connections for mobile chargers are therefore not only ideal for people who have an electric car, but also for campsite owners and accommodation landlords themselves. Especially when they are located in a region with fewer charging points, this is a great way to get extra bookings. Are you a campsite owner or landlord and do you want to work on this? Then make sure that you clearly indicate on your website that people with an EV can charge at your place and let them know which socket is suitable for the mobile charger. That is also the best way to prevent sneaky charging.

Order the mobile charger you need to charge your EV now

Are you going on holiday with your electric car soon and do you want to charge optimally and safely in addition to fair charging? Then order your mobile home charger from us today. With us you will find numerous models with overheating protection and of course all charging products are provided with a CE quality mark, so that you can always use them safely and reliably. This applies not only to our mobile chargers, but also to the charging stations and charging cables that you will find on the page.

If you order before 5:00 PM, we will ensure that your products are shipped the same day, so that you can soon put the mobile charger in the trunk for your holiday trip.