“Hardwired” means the EV-ACT3204PE has no plug: a licensed installer connects it permanently to a dedicated three-phase circuit in your consumer unit. This guide explains what that job involves — the checks before it, the decisions that are yours, and the parts that belong to the installer — so you know what you are booking. It is deliberately not a wiring manual: no cable sizes, no breaker figures, and no step-by-step electrical work, because all of that follows from your supply and your local rules, and it is the installer’s to size and sign off.
Key Takeaways
- Hardwired means permanently connected to a dedicated three-phase circuit by a licensed installer — there is no plug and no DIY version.
- Confirm the three-phase supply and the wall position before the install day, not during it.
- Your decisions are the variant, the position and who can use it; every electrical sizing decision is the installer’s.
- The job ends with testing, commissioning and the local certification paperwork.
The Two Checks Before You Book
- Three-phase power must actually reach your home. A 22 kW wallbox draws on three phases; on a single-phase supply it can never deliver its rating. The signs to look for are set out in our single-phase vs three-phase explainer, and your network operator or installer can confirm for your address. If the supply is single-phase, upgrading it is the network operator’s job, quoted and scheduled by them — a separate project that comes before this one.
- The position must work for the cars. Where the unit sits decides whether the cable reaches the car’s inlet in the way you actually park. Walk the installer through your real parking pattern at the survey, not the tidy version of it.
The Decisions That Are Yours
- Cable or socket. The EV-ACT3204PE is supplied with a fitted Type 2 cable or as a socket unit, and you choose when you order — the installer fits the version you bought. Our tethered vs socketed guide covers the choice; in short, tethered is the fastest daily routine, socket suits cars that each keep their own cable.
- Where on the wall. Between the cars it serves, at a height that makes the daily unhook-and-plug routine effortless. The installer confirms the fixing and the cable run are practical there.
- Indoors or outdoors. The unit is rated IP65/IP66, so an outdoor wall is a legitimate option to discuss with the installer, not a compromise.
- Who can use it. The wallbox offers RFID and app control. Decide whose cards and phones should start a session; the installer sets that up with you at commissioning.
What the Installer Does
At job level — not step by step — a three-phase hardwired installation looks like this. The installer runs a dedicated three-phase circuit from your consumer unit to the wallbox position, fits the protection and earthing your local rules require for that circuit, and fixes and connects the unit. They then test the installation, commission the wallbox, set up the RFID and app access with you, and show you a first session. The visit ends with the certification paperwork your local rules require for new electrical work. Cable sizes and protective-device ratings appear nowhere in this guide on purpose: they are calculated from your supply, your cable run and your local rules, and they are the installer’s professional responsibility, not a number to copy from a web page.
| Decision or task | Whose it is |
|---|---|
| Cable or socket version | Yours, at order |
| Wall position | Yours, confirmed by the installer at survey |
| Confirming the three-phase supply | Network operator or installer |
| Circuit design, cable and protection sizing | The installer |
| Earthing and compliance with local rules | The installer |
| Testing, commissioning and sign-off paperwork | The installer |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install the EV-ACT3204PE myself?
No. It is a hardwired unit on a dedicated three-phase circuit — fixed electrical work that belongs to a licensed installer under the local rules, both for safety and for the certification the installation needs.
How long does the installation take?
It depends on the property: the length of the cable run, the state of the consumer unit and the wall position all move the figure. Any honest timescale comes from the installer after the survey, not from a product page.
What if my home turns out to be single-phase?
Then this wallbox cannot deliver 22 kW, and there are two honest routes: upgrade the supply with your network operator first, or choose a charger sized for the supply you have. Your installer can price both; what you should not do is hardwire a 22 kW unit and hope the question goes away.
Related Reading
- Tethered vs Socketed Wallbox Chargers: Which Should You Install?
- Single-Phase vs Three-Phase EV Charging: 7kW, 11kW and 22kW Explained
- CEE Plugs Explained: Choosing 16A or 32A for a Three-Phase Portable EV Charger
- How Long Does It Take to Charge an EV at 7 kW, 11 kW and 22 kW?
