Dangerous original chargers! Fire hazard Warning!

[RPrin-jetguy]

I spent 40+ years in wire cable and electrical connector business as an engineer and business owner. I just bought a 2016 Fiat 500e with 60K miles. I noticed that the wall plug on the original charger included with the car looked like it had been overheated. The flat male pins and round ground pin were discolored. I cut off the old plug to install a new industrial grade plug and to my horror discovered that the rubber insulation on the white, black and green internal wires of the power cord was crumbling off. There was evidence that the copper conductors in the 3 internal wires had been arcing because the insulation rubber was crumbling away! The maker of this charger picked a bad supplier for this power cable wire! (maybe China?) This wire is very very dangerous and could burn down your house! Everyone with an original stage 1 Fiat labeled charger should carefully inspect the internal wires in the short power cord that plugs into your wall power outlet. Carefully cut the outer black rubber jacket, being careful not to cut into the internal wires. Look at the white, black and green rubber insulation on the 3 internal wires. If it is crumbly and not soft and flexible it is defective. If you are not qualified to do this please take it to someone who knows how to work on electrical items. I took a Dremel tool and cut open the black plastic box at the ultrasonically welded seam for the 2 halves, that houses the charger electronics and replaced the power input cable with fresh 3 conductor #12 wire from Home Depot. Other hardware or electrical supply stores sell this heavy duty power cord wire. Also install an industrial grade plug - not some cheap Chinese junk. Get a plug made by reputable manufacturer - Hubbel, Marinco, Pass&Seymore, etc, made in USA for heavy duty 15-20 amp 125 Volt AC applications. Marinco makes excellent plugs that are waterproof and corrosion resistant if you plan to use an outdoor power source and especially if you live near the ocean where salt air can cause the pins to corrode. Do not use silicone RTV sealer/caulk to reseal the black plastic charger box. Silicone sealer outgasses Acetic acid fumes as it cures. The acid fumes will get trapped inside the box and cause corrosion and over time destroy the electronic components in the charger box. Use strong wide black plastic non-silicone tape ( not Flexseal Tape - it is silicone), or non-silicone black caulk to reseal the box. This is a serious safety issue and Fiat should do a recall to address this problem. If the internal wire insulation crumbles away and allows the internal wires to short together it can easily cause a fire due to arcing in the power cord. Someone could die when their house is set on fire by this!

 

[flowershem]

Wow that's rough, but I appreciate the detailed advice! Fortunately, your expertise came in handy, and you were able to fix it. How is it now?

 

[RPrin-jetguy]

Wow that's rough, but I appreciate the detailed advice! Fortunately, your expertise came in handy, and you were able to fix it. How is it now?

Mine is ok since I replaced the entire AC power input cable on the charger. My concern is that there are lots of other Fiat supplied Level 1 chargers with the same crappy wire inside that is a big fire hazard for 500e owners. It will burn down your house! Every owner with an original charger should cut open the black wire that plugs into the wall and look at the black, white and green insulated wires under the outer black rubber cover jacket. Only way to check for this dangerous defective wire insulation is to carefully cut away some of the black outer power cable and look inside. If yours is ok then use 3M electricians tape from Home Depot to repair the outer jacket that was cut open for inspecting the inner wire's insulation. There should be a big recall of these chargers by Fiat. It is a very dangerous defect! Their supplier who made those chargers got at least one very bad batch of power wire from their wire supplier. This is the same level of danger, or more since it is hidden from view, as having an old cracked extension cord running an appliance in your home. Someone is going to die because of this when their house catches fire while they are asleep at night!