The not-quite-a-boom-arm charging cable management

[Firn]

I was tired of rolling the dirty cable up every day so I figured I would fix that. Unfortunately parking does vary in the garage so a simple "curtain rod" style system was less than desired. Instead using Home Depot I hacked together a 14 foot, almost a boom arm, system instead.

It's 80% finished, ugly, dirty, and still in need of paint, but here it is. Sadly the pvc and pivots are not quite strong enough to prevent bowing, so instead of a fully articulated free standing arm you have a handle that you hook to pre-arrainged spots on the ceiling. It will hold it's own weight, it's just not as strong as you want. I still need to add a guide wire to the first segment too, just for some extra support.

I'm probably less than $100 into it, and there is a fair bit of extra bits laying around.

Lessons learned and I would try a few things different in the future so I'll try and put up a video later.

 

[Jseis]

Pretty clever. I use a bungee cord !

 

[GDN]

We have 2 EV's and the WC is on the left side of the garage. I used simple screw hooks to hold the cable about 8' across the ceiling. Then I bought a "Tool retractor" to hang the end of the cable from. Reach up and pull it down to plug in, or unplug and let it retract up.

Good Tool retractors are expensive. I went with a cheaper one from Amazon. It works for what it is needed for.

Found a picture - there is a lot going on behind the cable, but you can follow it across from the wall and where it hangs.

 

[John Becker]

I'm intrigued and now thinking up some ideas of my own.

 

[Firn]

We have 2 EV's and the WC is on the left side of the garage. I used simple screw hooks to hold the cable about 8' across the ceiling. Then I bought a "Tool retractor" to hang the end of the cable from. Reach up and pull it down to plug in, or unplug and let it retract up.

Good Tool retractors are expensive. I went with a cheaper one from Amazon. It works for what it is needed for.

Found a picture - there is a lot going on behind the cable, but you can follow it across from the wall and where it hangs.

Nice!

I looked at something similar, it would have been a lot easier. However my truck is not always in the same spot or orientation and I wanted the ability to move the cable around. This way I can pull in or back in, or pack in the other spot.

 

[Firn]

I'm intrigued and now thinking up some ideas of my own.

This is 2" pvc with a gate hinge at the base and door hinges in the middle. 2 1/4 exhaust clamps to hold it at the base. There is a 1x3 board trimmed and shoved down the center of the pipe to give it more rigidity.

It is really close to being free floating and 3" pvc might be enough to give it the torsional rigidity needed. Unfortunatly the hinges let in a lot of flex, especially the "heavy duty" gate hinge with the plastic bushings. I was going to try commercial hinges with bearings but instead decided just to put hooks on the ceiling and "hang" the end where I need it. I'll 3d print a hook for the J1772 and put it on the end so you can stow it all with one hand.

 

[AZT9]

Great ideas! Reminds me of our shore power on our Engines. Wish I could but my old girl lives outside unfortunately. With modern cars the size they are, you would think a home built in the last 15 years would have a garage big enough to fit a 1/2 Ton pickup! Oh well

 

[topofsuperior]

I was tired of rolling the dirty cable up every day so I figured I would fix that. Unfortunately parking does vary in the garage so a simple "curtain rod" style system was less than desired. Instead using Home Depot I hacked together a 14 foot, almost a boom arm, system instead.

It's 80% finished, ugly, dirty, and still in need of paint, but here it is. Sadly the pvc and pivots are not quite strong enough to prevent bowing, so instead of a fully articulated free standing arm you have a handle that you hook to pre-arrainged spots on the ceiling. It will hold it's own weight, it's just not as strong as you want. I still need to add a guide wire to the first segment too, just for some extra support.

I'm probably less than $100 into it, and there is a fair bit of extra bits laying around.

Lessons learned and I would try a few things different in the future so I'll try and put up a video later.

I am inspired! Thank you for sharing! Mine will be outdoors. Will send pics too.

 

[roddiaz1]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Great job.

 

[StevenC56]

I envy you people with deep garages. I had to notch into my front garage wall 1.875" and get creative with a couple garage door hinges to park my 2024 Lariat in my garage.

 

[Firn]

I envy you people with deep garages. I had to notch into my front garage wall 1.875" and get creative with a couple garage door hinges to park my 2024 Lariat in my garage.

We purchased this house because there was shiplap in the living room, which sold my wife. And the garage is technically a six car garage, which sold me. It also has an attached 20x15 storage room.

Semi underground, six car, 60 foot long garage with its own wood stove? I would sleep in here if it wasn't for the wife being in the bedroom

 

[Firn]

I am inspired! Thank you for sharing! Mine will be outdoors. Will send pics too.

As I said, this technically hangs from the ceiling. If doing it outdoors (and doing an articulated boom arm) it will need some adjustment to work. I do think some 3" pvc and better hinges would work though.

 

[broncoaz]

We purchased this house because there was shiplap in the living room, which sold my wife. And the garage is technically a six car garage, which sold me. It also has an attached 20x15 storage room.

Semi underground, six car, 60 foot long garage with its own wood stove? I would sleep in here if it wasn't for the wife being in the bedroom

Sounds like a good setup. The kitchen in our house sold the wife, the 34’x21‘ garage and matching 34’x21’ shop with mini split sold me.

I should do something similar, we are using one Tesla charger for the Y and Lightning. I was thinking about using a pair of weldable hinges and 1x2” square tubing. Right now plugging in the Tesla means the cable goes on the floor behind the car, the Lightning runs on the floor in a similar position to how yours was. I have Racedeck flooring in the garage, so the cable doesn’t get dirty. I snapped this pic Last night after washing the Bronco, the charger is on the wall to the right between the two garage doors.

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