Installation of home charging point for electric car.

[Midwest]

Reg 722.312.2.1 TN Systems.
For a TN system, the final circuit supplying a charging point for electric vehicles shall not include a PEN conductor. Except where i), ii), iii) applies, and I'm not typing that lot out!

 

[Kamikaze]

Thats a good point! The regs (722) actually say you can use a designated standard BS1363-2 socket. Like you said, how does the client know if they have a PME or TT??

Plus, could anyone shed light on why the installation would need its own seperate RCD? Apart from the nuisance value with an RCD that protects more than one circuit are there any other reasons why the reg would state this?

I seem to vaguely remember that it had something to do with if the vehicle develops a d.c. fault to earth or high levels of harmonic distortions. Something like that but I can’t remember the ins and outs.

 

[davesparks]

Like some solar PV inverters the charger can produce a DC residual current in normal operation which would saturate the coil of a normal RCD and prevent it from tripping.
(The same principle is used for a no-trip loop test)

 

[Richard Burns]

I am thinking similarly, the RCD needs to be type A or type B but is not allowed to be the usual type AC.
Because it is possible for the DC charging to introduce DC faults (in some cases) on the incoming supply it needs its own RCD that will then trip before DC faults become present in the main installation. If a common RCD were allowed this would encourage the use of AC RCDs because they are likely to be already present and this would be dangerous.
Just hypothesis on the unexplained regulations.

Oh yes and I have the first edition of the car charging COP and it does not help much!

 

[Kamikaze]

Except where i), ii), iii) applies, and I'm not typing that lot out!

Don’t be a rebel without a Claus. Where is your Christmas spirit? Type it out for us, so we don’t have to wait until the new year. I’m not making a special journey to the yard just to get the regs book out of the van.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Well i'll try and get a definitive answer about the use of PME from the IET. I have written to them and also written to the HSL to find out what their report found.

I also found this thread which some of you may remember which states that the report found that you could use PME?! http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk...orum/88166-electric-vehicle-charging-pme.html

Unfortunately the link in that thread to the report doesn't work and I still cant find the report on the net.

 

[Richard Burns]

The regulations clearly state that where in a domestic residence it is not practicable to provide a TT system with all exposed and extraneous parts of the other earthing system >10m away from the point of charging the regulation requiring no PME earth is not applicable.

 

[Midwest]

Don’t be a rebel without a Claus. Where is your Christmas spirit? Type it out for us, so we don’t have to wait until the new year. I’m not making a special journey to the yard just to get the regs book out of the van.

I just can't be arsed. Me Xmas spirit is going down quite nicely, thanks :54:

 

[Midwest]

I also found this thread which some of you may remember which states that the report found that you could use PME?! http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk...orum/88166-electric-vehicle-charging-pme.html.

I'm gutted HHD, you don't read my posts. :bigcry:

 

[Kamikaze]

Anyways, I’m gonna wait until the technology comes out, whereby I can charge up a car by plugging it into the cigarette lighter.

 

[Midwest]

Have to say, with all the Big Leg-ends being deployed on this thread, no one seems to have the definite answer. Shows none of us know everything. Or are they just to tipsy to post. Merry Xmas.

 

[Kamikaze]

Range anxiety will be the biggest hold back to weaning the general public off gasoline cars onto electric, without the added ball-ache of having to carry different charge leads for every eventuality. Then there is the deliberate sabotage by some organisations to destroy the idea altogether by over complicating the system. You would have thought that with “Harmonization” being the big IET buzzword, that they could agree on a single method of installation. It would be interesting to hear from any electricians that actually have an electric car or hybrid, to see how they are getting on?

 

[Kamikaze]

Lets assume you are in the Matrix and tried to download ninja skills like Neo. But you’ve got too drunk and can’t focus properly. What did you download instead? I’ve now got “An Illustrated Explanation of Electric Car Charging Stations” by D. W. Cockburn.:grinningelf:

 

[Guest77]

I'm guessing it must be Dave. The client is very articulate and knows what he wants but I'd like some more info.

He has asked for a 32 amp supply with a commmando socket connected to it on the outside of a building, job done, get on with it.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

He has asked for a 32 amp supply with a commmando socket connected to it on the outside of a building, job done, get on with it.

Oh I know that Mike but I like all this other chit chat around the subject. Pulling it apart etc

 

[davesparks]

He has asked for a 32 amp supply with a commmando socket connected to it on the outside of a building, job done, get on with it.

Normally I'd agree wholeheartedly, but the customer has specified exactly what it is for so its worth at least a casual nod in the direction of the regs covering it.

 

[Lagentium]

I can't remember what make of car it is, but it's called a PHEV, they have a slow charge option, which is a 13A plug in, or a quick charge option, which is a 32A commando socket. The company we do a bit of work for must have a grant because these points and PHEVs have sprung up all over, they do realise the power is generated from coal fired power stations don't they? RIP Kellingley, although it's busy with decommissioning at the minute!!

 

[Harni]

PHEV is Mitsubishi