EVC maintenance - minor works cert?

[AlphaPapa]

Hi all,

I'm doing some work for a small company that produces electric vehicle charging points designed for on-street use, nothing domestic/dwelling/building related. Couple of questions if you could spare the time!

1. They are hiring some maintenance people to carry out basic repairs. They will essentially just be swapping out the main board inside the charge point (like-for-like) in the event of a failure. Would they need to have anything beyond a safe isolation course to do this?

2. In the future there will be an option to upgrade the charge points which would involve altering the circuit (adding a device in series between the 32A MCB and the contactor, protective devices unchanged). Would this require a minor works certificate and retesting?

All the information I've found so far is all related to homes/buildings/dwellings which doesn't apply here so I'd be grateful for any advice you might have.


Thanks.

 

[Wilko]

My thought is the BS7671 certificates relate to installation cabling and the EV charger is a manufactured appliance with its own certifications. Changing the circuit would need a minor works cert but it’s not clear to me whether the future upgrade will change the installed circuit or the EV charger. If they do maintenance or upgrades without EV test gear and understanding what they’ve done then that probably won’t end well.

 

[snowhead]

The paperwork / certification required would be specified by the Small Company, as they are both the customer and the manufacturer.
They should also be providing the test gear needed if the Hired maintenance people are to be employees and if they're subbies the Small company should be ensuring that the subbies have access to whatever test gear is required.

I believe there are additional regulations for powered Street furniture that require test results to be recorded, but the Small company will know that.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I service some EV chargers for a few companies in the area as they are in car parks for staff and visitors to use so the owners need them serviced to check all is safe.
In the absence of a formal IET form. I test the circuit much like an EICR , check Continuity of CPC, IR test, Zs test and RCD test the supply circuit if it has an RCD.
I carry out functional tests, check the condition of leads, plugs etc, check the enclosure if metal is earthed. I will check all terminations inside for tightness and no over heating etc.
I have been using the EICR forms for the time being
WIthin the charger itself I will where present test the RCD, check the CP link and record this in the notes.
any other things replaced and condition of the socket if present.
to test a range of functions on a charger you need one of the evse test adaptors as it simulates a range of charge conditions.

 

[AlphaPapa]

Thank you all for your responses.

Changing the circuit would need a minor works cert but it’s not clear to me whether the future upgrade will change the installed circuit or the EV charger.

Understood for the minor works cert, thanks. The work will only take place inside the EV charger, the installed circuit within the feeder point will be maintained by a qualified electrician.

They should also be providing the test gear needed if the Hired maintenance people are to be employees

One further question, can this kind of testing be carried out by a 'competent', trained person or does it need to be a qualified electrician? The thinking being that for a relatively simple task of changing the main board within the charge point, i.e disconnecting the live, neutral and earth, swapping the part and reconnecting the live, neutral and earth, employing a qualified electrician would be a little overkill.

 

[AlphaPapa]

I service some EV chargers for a few companies in the area as they are in car parks for staff and visitors to use so the owners need them serviced to check all is safe.
In the absence of a formal IET form. I test the circuit much like an EICR , check Continuity of CPC, IR test, Zs test and RCD test the supply circuit if it has an RCD.
I carry out functional tests, check the condition of leads, plugs etc, check the enclosure if metal is earthed. I will check all terminations inside for tightness and no over heating etc.
I have been using the EICR forms for the time being
WIthin the charger itself I will where present test the RCD, check the CP link and record this in the notes.
any other things replaced and condition of the socket if present.
to test a range of functions on a charger you need one of the evse test adaptors as it simulates a range of charge conditions.

Thanks for this info Gavin.

In your opinion, can this range of tests be carried out and by an unqualified but trained and competent person? Obviously in the event of a fault or problem a qualified person would come to retest/fix.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Thanks for this info Gavin.

In your opinion, can this range of tests be carried out and by an unqualified but trained and competent person? Obviously in the event of a fault or problem a qualified person would come to retest/fix.

Anybody can be taught to safely test an EV charger, safe isolation. The skill and expertise comes in being able to interpret the results and understanding the implications of say a high zs etc..

 

[AlphaPapa]

Anybody can be taught to safely test an EV charger, safe isolation. The skill and expertise comes in being able to interpret the results and understanding the implications of say a high zs etc..

Cheers, understood.