EV Charging Point Installation

Purpose

This document covers the installation of a home EV charging point — from survey through to commissioning and certification.

Qualifications Required

EV charging point installation requires City & Guilds 2919 (Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation) or equivalent, in addition to standard electrical qualifications. An electrician without this qualification should not carry out EV charger installations.

EV charger installations are notifiable under Part P for domestic premises.

Types of EV Charger

Mode 3 — Dedicated Home Charger (Standard)

A dedicated wall-mounted charge point connected to a dedicated circuit from the consumer unit.

• Power: 7kW single phase (32A, 230V) or 22kW three-phase
• Connector: Type 2 (standard UK/Europe)
• Charge time (typical 60kWh battery): ~8–9 hours at 7kW
• Smart features: WiFi connectivity, app control, scheduled charging, load balancing

Brands Wilsons typically installs: Zappi (myenergi), Ohme, Hypervolt, Pod Point.

Survey — What to Assess

1. Consumer unit capacity: Is there space for a new 32A circuit? Check main fuse rating and spare ways.
2. Earthing arrangement (critical):
   • TN-C-S (PME): Most common in the UK. Special precautions required — PME earthing protection must be provided (see below)
   • TN-S: Simpler installation
   • TT: Requires earth electrode
3. Cable route: How does the 6mm² or 10mm² cable run from consumer unit to charger? Buried cables require SWA or conduit.
4. Charger location: Usually on house wall, in garage, or adjacent to parking space.
5. Volt-drop calculation: Cable run length determines cable size needed.

Materials

• EV charger unit
• 6mm² twin & earth (surface runs up to ~30m) or 10mm² (longer runs) — or SWA for buried
• 32A or 40A Type A RCBO (Type A mandatory — Type AC is not acceptable for EV circuits)
• 16mm² earthing conductor
• Conduit or SWA for outdoor/buried sections
• Earth rod (if TT earthing)

Procedure

Step 1 — Calculate the Circuit

Confirm volt-drop is within limits for the cable size and run length:

• 6mm²: up to ~25–30m at 32A
• 10mm²: up to ~50m at 32A

Step 2 — Install the Cable

Indoor surface run: 6mm² T&E in surface trunking.

External/buried run: SWA at minimum 500mm depth under unprotected ground (or 150mm under concrete slabs with additional protection). Mark buried routes.

Step 3 — Connect at the Consumer Unit

Install Type A RCBO:

• Brown (Live) → RCBO
• Blue (Neutral) → neutral bar
• Green/yellow (Earth) → earth bar

Torque all terminals to specification.

Step 4 — Mount the Charger

Fix back plate to wall, feed cable through entry point, connect to charger terminals per manufacturer's wiring diagram. Complete manufacturer's commissioning procedure (WiFi setup, account registration for smart chargers).

Step 5 — PME Earthing Protection (TN-C-S Supplies)

This is mandatory on every PME supply install. A lost neutral on a PME supply can make the vehicle body live — a lethal hazard.

Options:

1. Charger with built-in PME protection: Most modern chargers have automatic earth monitoring — they will not supply power if the earth is lost. Confirm this feature is present and active.
2. External PME monitoring device: Where the charger does not have built-in protection, a separate device is required.

Step 6 — Test and Commission

Electrical tests:

• Continuity of earth conductor
• Insulation resistance on new circuit
• Polarity confirmation
• Earth fault loop impedance (Zs) at charger outlet
• RCD trip time

Charger commissioning:

• Confirm charging begins via test connection
• Confirm EVSE status LEDs are correct
• For smart chargers: confirm app connectivity

Step 7 — Certification

EIC: Required for the new circuit — include all test results.

Notify via NICEIC for Part P self-certification.

Common Issues

Related Documents

• Getting Started — Electrical
• Consumer Unit Replacement