{"video_id":"Ww8XkiOFWIQ","title":"Copper Thieves Stole Our EV Charging Cables","channel":"Linus Tech Tips","show":"Linus Tech Tips","published_at":"2026-04-13T14:53:29Z","duration_s":524,"segments":[{"start_s":0.0,"end_s":5.96,"text":"Here at Linus Media Group, we believe that offering free electric vehicle","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":3.92,"end_s":11.16,"text":"charging not only helps to save our employees' wallets, but also helps to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":8.12,"end_s":13.36,"text":"save our planet. Unfortunately, we were","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":11.16,"end_s":18.84,"text":"the victims of copper thieves who cut the cables from our chargers. Oh, hey","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":15.88,"end_s":22.2,"text":"Linus. Okay, two questions. One, when did this happen?","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":20.28,"end_s":26.4,"text":"And two, how long have you been in my trunk? Longer than I care to share. And","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":24.84,"end_s":29.88,"text":"in response to your first question, about a week ago. The police were able","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":28.24,"end_s":32.8,"text":"to offer their moral support, but when it comes to the costs of the repair,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":31.76,"end_s":37.4,"text":"that basically falls on you, buddy.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":35.76,"end_s":42.4,"text":"You know what? My car's not the only thing that needs a recharge.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":39.44,"end_s":42.4,"text":"I'm going on vacation.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":42.52,"end_s":48.8,"text":"What am I supposed to do? You're a smart guy.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":45.88,"end_s":54.08,"text":"You'll figure it out. But what about our sponsor? That's no","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":50.24,"end_s":54.08,"text":"problem. Here's a free Segway.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":58.12,"end_s":64.16,"text":"DeleteMe. Did you know that it is totally legal for data brokers to take","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":61.96,"end_s":67.76,"text":"your personal information and just sell it as they see fit? So, take back","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":65.96,"end_s":74.88,"text":"control of your personal information by going to joindeleteme.com/ltt20","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":71.0,"end_s":74.88,"text":"or click the link down below.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":82.16,"end_s":90.72,"text":"And just like that, we've got all new chargers from Ubiquiti, Mahika. But","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":87.88,"end_s":94.84,"text":"wait. Why did we have to get new stuff? Couldn't I just go and buy some cables","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":92.72,"end_s":98.88,"text":"from an electrician supply store and fix the chargers? Where's the DIY? Where's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":97.72,"end_s":103.4,"text":"the tech tips? >> I totally agree and I'm going to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":100.92,"end_s":107.36,"text":"explain. Because EV chargers really should be easily repairable. [music]","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":105.32,"end_s":111.72,"text":"After all, this isn't an isolated incident. EV chargers are increasingly","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":109.68,"end_s":117.72,"text":"targeted whether it's for copper thief or ideological reasons. And if you just","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":115.64,"end_s":122.04,"text":"open up the panel, you can see the wiring on our level two charger is","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":119.76,"end_s":125.48,"text":"actually really simple. From a 240-V breaker, we run power to these terminals","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":124.48,"end_s":130.24,"text":"which connect to the charger's electronics that talk to EVs when","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":127.6,"end_s":134.64,"text":"plugged in. That communication activates the big switch called a contactor and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":132.72,"end_s":138.72,"text":"sends current through the charging gun and the car. Or doesn't when nothing's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":136.92,"end_s":142.92,"text":"plugged in, which is why the thieves were able to cut that hunk of copper","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":140.48,"end_s":147.4,"text":"without being electrocuted. Both cables could be replaced by an end user really","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":145.24,"end_s":152.88,"text":"easily, but when we called Grizzl-E to ask about getting new charging guns, we","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":149.84,"end_s":155.8,"text":"were told to detach the hardwired","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":152.88,"end_s":160.92,"text":"chargers, send them in at our expense, and buy a replacement cable and charging","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":158.08,"end_s":165.36,"text":"gun for 200 Canadian dollars plus the cost of their labor. Now, it seems","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":163.16,"end_s":168.92,"text":"Grizzl-E used to offer replacement charging guns that end users could","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":167.24,"end_s":173.64,"text":"install themselves. And other third parties and OEMs still do sell these","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":171.52,"end_s":179.32,"text":"standard replacement plug heads in our region because the use of standard parts","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":176.32,"end_s":181.28,"text":"like this J1772 charging gun is a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":179.32,"end_s":184.96,"text":"requirement for our local rebate program. But, they're still around 200","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":183.28,"end_s":190.4,"text":"dollars, so we'd just be saving on the labor and shipping costs if, of course,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":187.68,"end_s":195.32,"text":"we value our time at zero. sourcing the odd four-core EV cable","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":193.28,"end_s":198.04,"text":"isn't easy either. At our local electrician supply store, they told us","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":197.08,"end_s":204.36,"text":"to just talk to the charger manufacturer. >> [music] >> Guess it isn't as easy as wiring up a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":201.28,"end_s":208.12,"text":"few LTT True Spec cables.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":204.36,"end_s":210.24,"text":"They're 240-W cables, guys, not volts.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":208.12,"end_s":214.64,"text":"Who wrote this? So, fixing this is almost half the cost of these 500-dollar","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":213.0,"end_s":218.04,"text":"boxes. And with government rebates already covering some of the cost if we","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":216.16,"end_s":220.72,"text":"buy new stuff, it's just not really worth it.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":221.16,"end_s":229.24,"text":"Time to break the news. I beg your pardon. It costs how much?","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":227.0,"end_s":234.84,"text":"Insurance isn't covering it. All out of pocket?","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":231.6,"end_s":238.64,"text":"And we're replacing every charger?","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":234.84,"end_s":240.88,"text":"Uh, no, I don't think I want it anymore.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":238.64,"end_s":244.88,"text":"Shh. Fortunately, there is a silver lining to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":243.12,"end_s":250.28,"text":"all this. When we first bought our Grizzl-E chargers, we wanted to go with","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":247.12,"end_s":252.2,"text":"Ubiquiti's UniFi EV Station Light. But","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":250.28,"end_s":257.519,"text":"they weren't covered under BC's rebate program at the time. Now, they are. At","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":255.4,"end_s":261.48,"text":"700 dollars, they cost a little more than our Grizzl-E chargers, but Ubiquiti","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":259.28,"end_s":265.8,"text":"was good enough to send over all the replacements we need. Even if we'd had","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":263.76,"end_s":270.36,"text":"to pay for them, they do integrate better into our larger UniFi network.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":268.0,"end_s":275.52,"text":"And they solve a few of the gripes we had with the old system. So,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":273.4,"end_s":279.2,"text":"what were those gripes? Well, the scheduling system for the Grizzl-Es went","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":277.72,"end_s":282.963,"text":"through ChargePoint and it was not the greatest. The only way to prevent people","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":281.24,"end_s":287.4,"text":"from using the chargers on the weekend [music] was to set the lowest possible","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":285.0,"end_s":293.28,"text":"charging time at a random time during the day. So, I believe I had it set for","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":289.36,"end_s":294.68,"text":"15 minutes at like 5:45 to 6:00 a.m. And","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":293.28,"end_s":298.16,"text":"that's because you can't turn it off completely. These new Ubiquiti ones,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":296.44,"end_s":302.0,"text":"because we're already on the Ubiquiti ecosystem, everybody uses Ubiquiti to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":300.6,"end_s":305.72,"text":"get into the building. You just tap in when you want to charge and it keeps our","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":303.6,"end_s":308.4,"text":"neighbors from using the chargers while they're waiting for the children.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":306.68,"end_s":312.12,"text":">> The Ubiquiti chargers also have a stock power output that's 10 amps higher than","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":310.76,"end_s":319.12,"text":"the Grizzl-E chargers, which should translate into 20% faster charging if","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":314.44,"end_s":319.12,"text":"our breakers were 70 amps instead of 40.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":322.918,"end_s":324.938,"text":">> [music]","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":327.28,"end_s":331.76,"text":">> We've said this is a really simple install, and it is. >> [music]","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":330.4,"end_s":337.52,"text":">> But we're not electricians, so we brought in some professional contractors","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":334.32,"end_s":337.52,"text":"to help with the install.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":358.96,"end_s":364.96,"text":"We've also discovered another opportunity here. Ubiquiti sent over","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":362.64,"end_s":368.88,"text":"seven of their UniFi EV Station Light chargers, so we're going to replace all","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":366.96,"end_s":372.6,"text":"six of the Grizzl-E chargers including two that weren't cut. I guess there's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":371.12,"end_s":377.32,"text":"just a limit to what a grown man can carry on his BMX bike. And finally, we","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":375.36,"end_s":381.64,"text":"have this Tesla charger here, came with the building. We're going to leave it in","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":379.08,"end_s":386.32,"text":"place, meaning we have one extra Ubiquiti charger. Hallelujah. So, we're","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":384.48,"end_s":389.72,"text":"here at the studio building where we're going to put in a new [music] charger,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":388.24,"end_s":393.08,"text":"which is so awesome because we've had a crazy EV charging bottleneck over here.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":392.04,"end_s":398.56,"text":"People have to move their cars [music] around, sucks. We didn't have the capacity to install more chargers here","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":396.36,"end_s":403.76,"text":"before, but there's a new transformer here now from a round of shop equipment","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":400.44,"end_s":405.08,"text":"upgrades. So, now we can. The actual","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":403.76,"end_s":409.48,"text":"charger we have over here is this older Siemens one which is getting kind of dated, so we're going to take [music]","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":407.68,"end_s":412.04,"text":"the Grizzl-E ones that weren't damaged that are now available cuz we put","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":410.8,"end_s":415.8,"text":"Ubiquiti's there over here to replace [music] it.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":424.04,"end_s":431.68,"text":"Aside from the new install, these new systems were really easy to put in.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":427.84,"end_s":431.68,"text":">> Wow, thanks. This is great.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":432.76,"end_s":440.4,"text":"Oh, it's not working. Maybe a sensual massage?","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":437.56,"end_s":443.64,"text":"Oh, thanks. I knew you could do it, James.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":444.36,"end_s":449.96,"text":"And you know what else I knew? Our sponsor. DeleteMe. Personally","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":447.68,"end_s":453.96,"text":"identifiable information like your name, email, home address, and even phone","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":451.88,"end_s":458.0,"text":"number, they're all out there somewhere whether you like it or not. And data","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":456.0,"end_s":461.76,"text":"brokers are able to just swoop in and buy and sell this stuff for their own","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":459.8,"end_s":465.24,"text":"personal gain, which puts honest folks at risks of scams like fishing attempts","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":463.64,"end_s":468.36,"text":"or even doxing. There is a way though that you can scrub a ton of that","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":466.84,"end_s":472.04,"text":"information from data brokers and personal search sites though. DeleteMe","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":470.28,"end_s":476.84,"text":"is a hands-free subscription service that does exactly that. It gets rid of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":474.4,"end_s":480.56,"text":"your personal information online so you can stay protected from these kinds of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":478.52,"end_s":484.36,"text":"scams. They've been the leading face in the industry for over 15 years now and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":482.76,"end_s":489.52,"text":"the tech that they have been using is built in-house so your data stays safe.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":487.28,"end_s":494.2,"text":"DeleteMe even verifies your data is on a data broker sites before submitting","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":491.68,"end_s":499.04,"text":"removal requests, reducing the risk of unnecessary data exposure. And now you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":496.6,"end_s":505.12,"text":"can get 20% off DeleteMe consumer plans when you go to joindeleteme.com/ltt20","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":502.2,"end_s":508.6,"text":"and use promo code LTT20 at checkout or you can use the QR code on the screen.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":507.8,"end_s":512.87,"text":"Thanks for watching, [music] guys. If you liked this video, maybe check out the one where Linus installed an EV","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":512.0,"end_s":519.52,"text":"charger >> [music] >> at his house, in his garage.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":516.36,"end_s":522.56,"text":"That was a good one and for now,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":519.52,"end_s":522.56,"text":"my work here is done.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0}],"full_text":"Here at Linus Media Group, we believe that offering free electric vehicle charging not only helps to save our employees' wallets, but also helps to save our planet. Unfortunately, we were the victims of copper thieves who cut the cables from our chargers. Oh, hey Linus. Okay, two questions. One, when did this happen? And two, how long have you been in my trunk? Longer than I care to share. And in response to your first question, about a week ago. The police were able to offer their moral support, but when it comes to the costs of the repair, that basically falls on you, buddy. You know what? My car's not the only thing that needs a recharge. I'm going on vacation. What am I supposed to do? You're a smart guy. You'll figure it out. But what about our sponsor? That's no problem. Here's a free Segway. DeleteMe. Did you know that it is totally legal for data brokers to take your personal information and just sell it as they see fit? So, take back control of your personal information by going to joindeleteme.com/ltt20 or click the link down below. And just like that, we've got all new chargers from Ubiquiti, Mahika. But wait. Why did we have to get new stuff? Couldn't I just go and buy some cables from an electrician supply store and fix the chargers? Where's the DIY? Where's the tech tips? >> I totally agree and I'm going to explain. Because EV chargers really should be easily repairable. [music] After all, this isn't an isolated incident. EV chargers are increasingly targeted whether it's for copper thief or ideological reasons. And if you just open up the panel, you can see the wiring on our level two charger is actually really simple. From a 240-V breaker, we run power to these terminals which connect to the charger's electronics that talk to EVs when plugged in. That communication activates the big switch called a contactor and sends current through the charging gun and the car. Or doesn't when nothing's plugged in, which is why the thieves were able to cut that hunk of copper without being electrocuted. Both cables could be replaced by an end user really easily, but when we called Grizzl-E to ask about getting new charging guns, we were told to detach the hardwired chargers, send them in at our expense, and buy a replacement cable and charging gun for 200 Canadian dollars plus the cost of their labor. Now, it seems Grizzl-E used to offer replacement charging guns that end users could install themselves. And other third parties and OEMs still do sell these standard replacement plug heads in our region because the use of standard parts like this J1772 charging gun is a requirement for our local rebate program. But, they're still around 200 dollars, so we'd just be saving on the labor and shipping costs if, of course, we value our time at zero. sourcing the odd four-core EV cable isn't easy either. At our local electrician supply store, they told us to just talk to the charger manufacturer. >> [music] >> Guess it isn't as easy as wiring up a few LTT True Spec cables. They're 240-W cables, guys, not volts. Who wrote this? So, fixing this is almost half the cost of these 500-dollar boxes. And with government rebates already covering some of the cost if we buy new stuff, it's just not really worth it. Time to break the news. I beg your pardon. It costs how much? Insurance isn't covering it. All out of pocket? And we're replacing every charger? Uh, no, I don't think I want it anymore. Shh. Fortunately, there is a silver lining to all this. When we first bought our Grizzl-E chargers, we wanted to go with Ubiquiti's UniFi EV Station Light. But they weren't covered under BC's rebate program at the time. Now, they are. At 700 dollars, they cost a little more than our Grizzl-E chargers, but Ubiquiti was good enough to send over all the replacements we need. Even if we'd had to pay for them, they do integrate better into our larger UniFi network. And they solve a few of the gripes we had with the old system. So, what were those gripes? Well, the scheduling system for the Grizzl-Es went through ChargePoint and it was not the greatest. The only way to prevent people from using the chargers on the weekend [music] was to set the lowest possible charging time at a random time during the day. So, I believe I had it set for 15 minutes at like 5:45 to 6:00 a.m. And that's because you can't turn it off completely. These new Ubiquiti ones, because we're already on the Ubiquiti ecosystem, everybody uses Ubiquiti to get into the building. You just tap in when you want to charge and it keeps our neighbors from using the chargers while they're waiting for the children. >> The Ubiquiti chargers also have a stock power output that's 10 amps higher than the Grizzl-E chargers, which should translate into 20% faster charging if our breakers were 70 amps instead of 40. >> [music] >> We've said this is a really simple install, and it is. >> [music] >> But we're not electricians, so we brought in some professional contractors to help with the install. We've also discovered another opportunity here. Ubiquiti sent over seven of their UniFi EV Station Light chargers, so we're going to replace all six of the Grizzl-E chargers including two that weren't cut. I guess there's just a limit to what a grown man can carry on his BMX bike. And finally, we have this Tesla charger here, came with the building. We're going to leave it in place, meaning we have one extra Ubiquiti charger. Hallelujah. So, we're here at the studio building where we're going to put in a new [music] charger, which is so awesome because we've had a crazy EV charging bottleneck over here. People have to move their cars [music] around, sucks. We didn't have the capacity to install more chargers here before, but there's a new transformer here now from a round of shop equipment upgrades. So, now we can. The actual charger we have over here is this older Siemens one which is getting kind of dated, so we're going to take [music] the Grizzl-E ones that weren't damaged that are now available cuz we put Ubiquiti's there over here to replace [music] it. Aside from the new install, these new systems were really easy to put in. >> Wow, thanks. This is great. Oh, it's not working. Maybe a sensual massage? Oh, thanks. I knew you could do it, James. And you know what else I knew? Our sponsor. DeleteMe. Personally identifiable information like your name, email, home address, and even phone number, they're all out there somewhere whether you like it or not. And data brokers are able to just swoop in and buy and sell this stuff for their own personal gain, which puts honest folks at risks of scams like fishing attempts or even doxing. There is a way though that you can scrub a ton of that information from data brokers and personal search sites though. DeleteMe is a hands-free subscription service that does exactly that. It gets rid of your personal information online so you can stay protected from these kinds of scams. They've been the leading face in the industry for over 15 years now and the tech that they have been using is built in-house so your data stays safe. DeleteMe even verifies your data is on a data broker sites before submitting removal requests, reducing the risk of unnecessary data exposure. And now you can get 20% off DeleteMe consumer plans when you go to joindeleteme.com/ltt20 and use promo code LTT20 at checkout or you can use the QR code on the screen. Thanks for watching, [music] guys. If you liked this video, maybe check out the one where Linus installed an EV charger >> [music] >> at his house, in his garage. That was a good one and for now, my work here is done."}