Interesting. It sounds like it's boiling down to a difference of opinion on how to interpret the words in a standard (which not uncommon - as the existence of the Wiring Regs forum demonstrates). It does sound like they're relying on the main relay to disconnect for the RCD/RDC-DD functions - which I must confess I would be thinking twice about - earth faults aren't necessarily in the mA range - kA are quite possible (especially on UK systems) - as must be everything in between - so I'd be worried about the relay's ability to break the fault current. Maybe it's co-ordinated with the upstream protective device - maybe that's unlikely for a low few hundred amps which are just below the MCBs instantaneous trip level, but the RCD is still required to open within 40ms.

  - Andy.

It appears that at least in one country inspections of kit to see it meets standards as declared are actually taking place. not much hope of that in the UK I fear.

Do note that far worse than any  ban, would be a recall of all existing product sold, and repair or financial restitution.

 I presume that the makers will be looking at the test results and other documentation that they provide to back up  their declaration of conformity.

I'd like to think that no company would  have the nerve to claim their kit included an RCD function but not be able to demonstrate it when asked to do so.

Mike.

Earth fault relay only has to break the maximum fault current that will not operate the upstream fuse or breaker.

for that matter our ordinary RCDs in CUs etc also do not have the same arc traps as you would find an MCB that may be asked to open against 6kW or more,  - they are not needed - something else does the opening , the RCD just has to fail in a non-welded way.

I'd expect there to be a technical construction file or similar and some 'bang test' results as part of the CE marking document bundle.

Mike.

There's some more detail buried a bit deeper - although as it comes from a member of the IEC committee who is also the head of an Easee competitor, there may or may not be a pinch of salt involved...

Regarding the RCD, Erni does not fundamentally contradicts Easee and its integrated circuit instead of a separate RCD, but he does point out a technical detail. As a Mode 3 charging station permanently connected to the mains, the Easee Home falls into overvoltage category 3. “This requires a contact gap of at least 3 mm for the switching relays,” says Erni. “However, the relays used have a contact gap of only 2.3 mm. They may be smaller and cheaper than correct components, but they clearly do not meet the regulations.”

Devices certified according to EN 61008-1 and IEC 62955 must also safely separate short-circuit currents. “The relays installed cannot do exactly this reliably. If the contacts weld, there is no separation, and the RCD can no longer function. There is a danger to life,” says the executive.

there also seems to be some dispute about the control/pilot circuit..

“The 61851-1 standard prescribes extra low voltage (SELV or PELV) for the CP circuit. A defined insulation voltage test must be fulfilled for this,” says Erni. “The indication that the CP pin cannot be touched does not cancel this requirement under any circumstances.”

   - Andy..

Odd!  When we use relays to switch mains, or more generally power to safety critical things, we use force guided ones and monitor the auxiliary contacts. If the main contact were somehow to jam in the wrong state, in this case 'on' then the aux contact would also be jammed on, and then the control system should refuse to start.

In things that really matter, where a fault could endanger life, rather than just remove one layer of protection,  you use two - one to open the supply, and the other to short (or really near- short with a low resistance ) the load - if the supply is still on when the load short is applied then either supply-side ADS or an internal weak link lets go and puts the kit irrevocably beyond use.  This has been standard practice on microwave ovens for years. I'd expect the techniques to be familiar to any product designer as an acceptable way of achieving automatic fault detection and lock off.

See this patent

or this one from 1977.

Mike.

is anyone able to find the detailed report of the swedish authorities on the Easee ban? 

It may be worth contacting the folk named as contacts at the end of today's newsflash.

https://www.elsakerhetsverket.se/om-oss/press/nyheter/uppdatering-om-forsaljningsforbud-av-laddbox/

(electrical safety regulator/ press/news/ updates new for charger boxes roughly translated.)

I suspect you will need to brush up your Svenska though, as the breaking news is not yet in English.

They may not wish to release it yet if evidence is being sought.

Mike

With regards to the relay breaking a fault current, the instructions state that a maximum of 10kA is allowable at the at the unit. 

With regards to the relay breaking a fault current, the instructions state that a maximum of 10kA is allowable at the at the unit. 

That's a heck of a fault current for relay/contactor contacts to break - there are many MCBs with full arc chutes that can't manage half of that. There must be some reliance on upstream protective device if there's nothing built-in. Despite a lot of searching I've still to find any relay/contactor manufacturer's information about breaking fault currents - which is perhaps not surprising as using a contactor as part of a ADS protective device isn't that common - in most circumstances relays are only required to close onto a fault, and that's a lot less demanding in arc quenching terms. I still have concerns about mid-level fault currents where the relay attempting to open in <<40ms will attempt be faster than an upstream MCB -- or indeed cartridge fuse.

   - Andy.

Indeed - breaking high currents with moving contacts alone can be surprisingly problematic - usually the contacts move apart alright, but the arc that is drawn between them means that the current is not interrupted. Then if nothing else opens the fault loop in short order the contacts will be heated by the rapidly expanding volume of plasma - to destruction probably in one operation of a fraction of a second. Contactors to break in such conditions are built with arc traps like an MCB- and cost accordingly.
Equally - in a well designed system, who needs an RCD to break a 10kA fault ? That is the work of an upstream  fuse or MCB.