EV Charging Safety
BEFORE YOU CHARGE
Please ask a Registered Electrician with a current certificate to check the wiring of your property before plugging in any EV to charge for the first time.
Please read your User Manual carefully.
The information needs to be read and if you do not understand any point please call us. EV Charging products transfer significant amounts of electrical energy and therefore EV charging has a significant risk associated with it. We have seen cables damaged by improper use.
Unwind your charging cable fully before use.
Do not charge your vehicle using a multi-board or extension lead, even if comments made on social media say otherwise.
EV Portable Charging cables should not be left in standing water, exposed to water pressure or consistent rain. Why? Even though EV Power cables meet IEC 60529 and IEC 62196 common sense tells you that any electrical product requires shelter from bad weather. This explanation does not conflict with the IP rating achieved by any EV Power product and we are happy to discuss the IEC reports and IP rating test criteria.
Also please take care when storing to ensure that the cable is dry and up off the floor.
Please call us if you have any concerns or questions we are here to help.
All suppliers and manufacturers of electrical products in New Zealand have to ensure those products are safe. Please see WorkSafe NZ for more information about who should be selling EVSE in New Zealand, and what EVSE can be sold.
Unfortunately, unsafe EVSE is available in NZ. Usually, illegal products have been bought online either privately or by a wholesaler unaware of NZ regulations. The use of dangerous products can result in fire or electrical shock.
- OEM cables and Wall Chargers feature all the technology to protect against shock and fire hazards.
- Wall Chargers come with a 5-year warranty when fitted by a qualified registered electrician.
- Charger cables come with a 2-year warranty when used correctly as per Electrical (Safety) Regulations 2010 (ESR).
- Full Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) is available for EV Power products.
Please note: Not all charging cables are created equal. OEM Audio only sell EVSE which has safety features to help protect your car and property from, for example, fluctuations in the supply. All instructions must be followed for safe use. All EVSE should be purchased from a supplier who has met all the accreditation requirements as set out by WorkSafe.
We reckon the first step before buying EVSE is to determine which option suits your needs best. Take a look at our EV Charging Guide, call us or pop in. Our reception staff will greet you in our showroom and our Technical Manager will help you choose the right product for your car. We’ve been selling EV charging products since 2016 and stand by our products and reputation.
We recommend that you engage a registered and licensed electrician to check your household wiring. We can also suggest a sparky in the main centres.
We don’t charge for a phone call and welcome your call for advice.
SAFETY FEATURES
Temperature sensor at CEE plug
Detection and ‘auto turn off’ function
Over-current protection – Auto turn off
Overvoltage protection – Auto turn off
Auto charge recovery – Auto reset when supply interrupted, 3 min snooze then charging continues
SAE J1772 Standard and IEC 62196 for Type 2 products.
Insulated Terminal Design
Cable strain relief feature
Lightning protection
Electric leakage protection
Earth leakage protection
Short circuit protection
NZ compliant and tested
IP 65 rating on charging cables and IP 54 on leads – please shelter your EVSE from the rain
ALL components fully compliant with IEC 62752
Earth Leakage protection
CARAVAN PLUG / CEE PLUG
New Zealand defaulted to the Caravan plug commonly referred to as Commando/CEE early on in the EV revolution. These plugs can carry a higher amp rating than the three-pin plug. Advice from WorkSafe and Master Electricians is that these devices should be fitted with an RCD Type B (for detection of DC current) in case of a car side charging fault. DC current going back into a switchboard could be an issue with potential fire risk in the extreme.
DC detection stops that; traditionally we have used an external RCD Type B to mitigate this threat, the issue has been the cost of supply and lack of definitive legal ruling about them. The cost of the device has often been a deterrent (often $600+). We offer 16 Amp portable device with DC detection built-in. Call us for friendly advice if you are not sure. No question is a stupid one.
Please make sure that you fully insert the plug into the 16 Amp wall socket. Failure to ensure a complete connection may result in arcing. Read our article here.
RESOURCES
Further reading and information is available at these websites:
