Rules and Guidelines
Want to participate in the discussions? Please read our Community Rules and Guidelines. Need some help? Visit Support and Answers.

  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 15 replies
  • Subscribers 43 subscribers
  • Views 2399 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
You may also be interested in
This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

Electrician understanding of Electrical Vehicle Charging installations

Jaymack

I note from my future assessment visit under notes, that the NiCEIC reserve the right to visit the location where an EVC installation has been installed. Methinks there may be concern on the quality of installations by their members whether future or not. I have enrolled on their onsite course which includes a copy of the IET Code of Practice - Edition 4. I did enrol since I was aware of the knowledge and other standards required by the installer. I have not carried out any of these such installations but I was asked to quote for one, so having seen what was involved w.r.t. earthing requirements and consultation with the supplier etc. I gave an initial quote of £50 for an initial survey etc. to this domestic property. I didn't get any response so I assume that the eventual contractor simply gave a quote. I am now concerned on the quality of such installations. Should it be made compulsory to inspect such installations by a competent authority before energisation?'

Jaymack        

Parents

  • No I dont think so. If someone is going to make a mess of an EV install, they are going to make a mess of anything they do. I presume the earthing requirements are the main concerns of competency and safety?

    I do think there should be more rigorous inspections, but that is like turkeys voting for christmas. The NIC/Napit do not want to upset their Members, and, I think, they make it difficult to report any below standard work to them. That the NIC allow any one in a Company to work on the electrical installation, then have one person signing off that work shows that they care little about the quality of the workers doing the work. I'm sure you've seen the pictures online and in the magazines of some of the shocking new build work happening. Yet, NIC/Napit never respond by saying the 'member involved has been suspended' etc.

    It has all changed in the last year with EV chargers, in that there are now EV chargers available that do not require to be TT'd, so they can be installed by pretty much anyone , with no regard to earthing requirements. That the OZEV grant is also ending next month, again allows anyone to install them, as during the life of the OZEV/OLEV Grant, you needed to be a member of the OZEV gang, and have attended at least one training course, even though that course may be truly useless (as my C&G 2919 course was). Once the Grant has gone, there is no incentive to be a OZEV Member, so the standards will drop, maybe only slightly, but less oversight will mean fewer standards to keep to. I've been told by a few Distributors that all new installs will have the open PEN protection within a year. Of course, that doesnt help the ones that have been installed badly in the last few years, but does mitigate the lack of competence for current and future installs, in that the earthing arrangements have been made safe for any numptie to install.

    Hot tubs are another similar install that goes by pretty much unregulated, in fact I'd say there is far more of a risk with them, yet people still put them in with a commando plug on a PME system.

Reply

  • No I dont think so. If someone is going to make a mess of an EV install, they are going to make a mess of anything they do. I presume the earthing requirements are the main concerns of competency and safety?

    I do think there should be more rigorous inspections, but that is like turkeys voting for christmas. The NIC/Napit do not want to upset their Members, and, I think, they make it difficult to report any below standard work to them. That the NIC allow any one in a Company to work on the electrical installation, then have one person signing off that work shows that they care little about the quality of the workers doing the work. I'm sure you've seen the pictures online and in the magazines of some of the shocking new build work happening. Yet, NIC/Napit never respond by saying the 'member involved has been suspended' etc.

    It has all changed in the last year with EV chargers, in that there are now EV chargers available that do not require to be TT'd, so they can be installed by pretty much anyone , with no regard to earthing requirements. That the OZEV grant is also ending next month, again allows anyone to install them, as during the life of the OZEV/OLEV Grant, you needed to be a member of the OZEV gang, and have attended at least one training course, even though that course may be truly useless (as my C&G 2919 course was). Once the Grant has gone, there is no incentive to be a OZEV Member, so the standards will drop, maybe only slightly, but less oversight will mean fewer standards to keep to. I've been told by a few Distributors that all new installs will have the open PEN protection within a year. Of course, that doesnt help the ones that have been installed badly in the last few years, but does mitigate the lack of competence for current and future installs, in that the earthing arrangements have been made safe for any numptie to install.

    Hot tubs are another similar install that goes by pretty much unregulated, in fact I'd say there is far more of a risk with them, yet people still put them in with a commando plug on a PME system.

Children
  • in reply to alanblaby

    Wow, I saw your comment of the C and G2919 Course, as being ‘truly useless’. I teach this course and I might suggest not all training providers will leave you feeling the Course was useless. I try to explain all of the Solutions to O-PEN, RCD types,as well as diversity issues, contact with the DNO, impact protection and IP protection to name a few. Thanks

Community Rules & Guidelines