Know Some Technical Aspects of Electrical Vehicles Charging Stations

Posted by SemaConnect on November 21st, 2017

Deploying electric vehicle charging stations is a big decision that requires careful consideration of their features, efficiency, and reliability for your customers. Some of the things you should consider are the technical specifications of the stations, as these factors can reveal a lot about their efficiency and dependability. Here are some of the things you should identify:

• Power specification – Check the AC power source, power to electric vehicle, and standby power. Consider 208/240V electrical vehicles charging stations that are center grounded, with 60Hz supply of AC power, and make sure it can deliver a maximum of 30A, 7.2kW@240VAC of power to the vehicle. When on standby, make sure that the station runs on low power, preferably at 5 mW typical. You may need to consider the vehicle-to-charger connection, too. Ideally, it must be an SAE J1772 EV connector with a cable that is 18ft long to ensure compatibility with most electric vehicles. Moreover, take note of the energy metering accuracy. Some stations can provide a percentage of charge at 5-minute intervals, but are capable of providing 0.5 percent, too.

• Safety – Check the personnel protection system by making sure that there is a charging circuit interrupting device (CCID) trip threshold of 5mA, and auto reset with a 15-minute delay. An electric vehicle charging station may come with an automotive unplug detection feature, which terminates the charger output’s voltage. Make sure the station is UL2594, UL 2231-1, 2231-2, and NEC Article 624 compliant, and that it is EMC compliant (FCC Part 15 Class A, IC RSS-210).

• Status display – Ideally, an electric vehicle charging station should have an LCD screen that can clearly display the status of the charger. Look for a two-line, 16-character backlit LCD screen and a LED array that provides 270-degree visibility, with a multicolor visual status indicator.

• Network specification – Consider electric vehicles charging stations that can easily be managed and monitored over a network. A high-quality station can support a wide area network through GPRS cellular or commercial CDMA, while ensuring 128-bit AES encryption. A smart card reader is compliant to ISO 15693 (iCLASS) and ISO 14443 (MIFARE, DESFIRE).

• Environmental aspects – A good EV charging station is NEMA 3R rated and guaranteed to be capable of operating under humid conditions and extreme temperatures.

About the Company:
SemaConnect is the leading provider of electric vehicle amenities to the North American commercial and residential property market. We also provide electric vehicle charging solutions to universities, corporations, municipalities, healthcare, retailers, hotels, and resorts. We deliver a truly modern property experience through innovative, elegantly designed charging stations and a robust and open network.