Home charge points (purchase/problems/questions) (See mod note post#1)

The installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Points and the specific wiring rules that apply to this work are outlined in part 722 (Supplies for Electric Vehicles) of the wiring rules. This ensures that by law, this work can only be carried out by Registered Electrical Contractors (RECs).

All electrical work in Domestic Premises and all work contained in Part 7 of the wiring rules is restricted by law to Registered Electrical Contractors. According to the CRU Electrical Criteria Document and also the Safe Electric Rules of Registration, RECs can only certify works which they have carried out themselves.

It is a clear breach of these rules for RECs to provide certification for EV Chargers installed by non-RECs.

In order to avail of the SEAI EV Charger grant applicants can provide a Safe Electric completion certificate which of course only be issued by a REC. To avoid confusion in the Industry regarding the requirement to install Local Isolation for Domestic and Similar EV Chargers. Safe Electric have requested that the NSAI at Electrical Technical Committee TC 002 provide clarification on this issue.

NSAI/ETC/TC 002 has confirmed that an Electrical Vehicle Charger is more than a Socket Outlet and in fact an EV Charger falls under the definition of an appliance in the definition’s section of I.S. 10101 (Page 46).

According to a number of rules, particularly Rule 555.1 an isolator is required to be installed within 2 meters of an appliance. Safe Electric welcome this clarification, and RECs should note that if EV installations are being inspected and if an isolator is not installed an inspection non-conformance will be issued. This will mean that the REC will be given 10 days to install an isolator and provide a signed non-conformance confirming that the issue has been rectified

Following representations from ESBN, NSAI/ETC/TC 002 has also agreed that in existing installations, it is now permissible to connect an EV charger at the customers meter cabinet or at the customers Main overcurrent device in a multi-metering arrangement. While the ideal connection point for these chargers will always be the main internal distribution board, this development will provide a solution in situations where it is difficult or impossible to run cables back to the customers distribution board. In situations where this solution is utilised and in order to comply with rule 134.1.7 it is critical to create an awareness that switching off the main isolator at the customers distribution board will not isolate the EV Charger.

This can be achieved by placing a warning notice in a prominent location on the main distribution board. It is important that all RECs be aware that connections at the meter cabinet are only to be utilised for providing a solution in existing installations and are not to be used in new installations where it will always be possible to run cables to the distribution board. It is also recommended that only EV chargers are connected at meter locations and connections to garden sheds etc. are not to be encouraged. The customer equipment, including any overcurrent devices for the EV charging equipment are to be confined to the contractor area of the bottom right hand corner of the cabinet.