Handheld instruments
As the number of electric vehicles rises, so too will the importance of testing the charging stations to make sure that they are ready and able to be used. Here Hans-Dieter Schuessele, application and technology expert at Fluke, gives the five easy steps that should be undertaken to test EV charging stations.
T
he growth in popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) has seen a
corresponding increase in the number of EV charging stations, especially across Europe. According to the latest European Environment Agency figures almost 90 per cent of registered vehicles in Norway are electric; while the percentage of registered vehicles may be much lower (around 30 per cent), the total number of electric vehicles in Germany – the European country with the most EVs – is close to 700,000. However, buying the EV is not enough. To ensure the electric revolution for vehicles happens in the way that politicians, environmentalists and anyone that has already bought an electric vehicle hopes, they have to be used and to become a part of daily life. For that to happen then even more EV charging stations are needed. To ensure that the charging stations are safe, fully functional and can be used to their maximum capacity by EV drivers, they will be required to be tested and maintained. Testing will become a vital component of the electric revolution.
How do we make sure that we keep EV charging stations up and running, safely and reliably? And how do we make sure that we keep ourselves safe and secure while testing them? There are five key steps to follow.
PREPARE YOURSELF
The most important thing for any installer to do is to make sure that they are fully prepared and have the proper equipment. Wearing proper Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) is essential.
EV charging uses both AC and DC currents, and as such there are different PPE requirements for both. Additionally, newcomers to this sector may not have worked on such high voltages before and may not be familiar with the requirements, while those who are experienced with EV charging may not be up to date on the constantly changing rules and regulations regarding voltages. As part
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HOW TO ACHIEVE SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE EV CHARGING IN FIVE EASY STEPS
of the preparation process, installers and testers need to ensure that their safety training is fully up to date.
HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS Always use the right tools for the job. Ensure tools that are safety rated and designed for the tests being performed are used. For these tests, an EV test adapter is needed (so there is no need to have an actual electric vehicle), a digital multimeter, a clamp meter and an installation or insulation tester plus an oscilloscope. The FEV300 Electric Vehicle Charging Station Adapter from Fluke is a perfect tool for this situation. The FEV300 is designed to simulate an electric vehicle for AC charging Mode 3 with connector types 1 and 2, allowing the output of an Electric Vehicle Charging Station to be efficiently and safely tested. It also includes significant safety features, including a touch electrode function, which quickly displays if there is a high-risk earth fault, as well as improved safety sockets which are covered by plastic lids to protect the connectors in wet weather conditions.
PREPARE THE ENVIRONMENT As well as ensuring their own safety, installers and testers must also check the safety of those
around them and anyone that might be around the charging station. There should always be consideration for those in the surrounding area to ensure they also remain safe. To ensure that the charging station and the immediate vicinity is safe, the following tests should be undertaken:
1. Pre-test protective earth. This is done to check for the presence of hazardous voltage at the protective earth conductor. If voltage is present, all testing should be stopped until the source of that voltage is found. If there is no voltage detected, the system is functioning properly, and the user can proceed.
2. Test the trip time of the residual current device (RCD). This ensures that the RCD which protects the EV charger is functioning correctly.
3. After successful safety tests, voltage verification of the EV charging point outputs ensures that the expected voltages are present when the system is otherwise functioning properly.
May 2023 Instrumentation Monthly
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