Three technical questions decide most UK EV charger installations. How does the property’s earthing arrangement shape the design? What protects the installation if the supply’s combined protective-earth-and-neutral (PEN) conductor fails? And does the charge point itself meet the smart charge points rules? None is answered from memory or from a product listing: the first two live in the wiring standard and the IET Code of Practice, and the third lives in the text of the regulations — as of October 2026, those are the documents to open.
Key Takeaways
- Earthing, PEN protection and the smart rules are three separate questions, each with its own authoritative source and record.
- A charge point answers the PEN question only if its specification says so — EVDANCE pages make no such claim, so confirm the UK version and the site’s arrangement in writing.
- An RCD and PEN protection solve different faults; they are never interchangeable.
Question One: The Earthing Arrangement Found on Site
The earthing arrangement is a design input, not a detail to discover mid-install. The question asks how the property is earthed, and what that means for a vehicle charged outdoors on that earth. The answer is built from three sources: what the survey finds at the intake, confirmation from the distribution network operator where the arrangement is unclear, and the treatment of EV charging in the current wiring standard and the IET Code of Practice. Record the arrangement found, who confirmed it, and the design decision it produced.
Question Two: A Broken PEN Conductor
On supplies where earth and neutral arrive combined on one PEN conductor, a break upstream can leave earthed metalwork — including a car body on charge — at a dangerous potential while everything appears to work normally. That is why EV installations are asked a specific protective question that ordinary socket circuits are not. The answer lives in the same pair of documents: the wiring standard’s treatment of EV charging and the IET Code of Practice. The installer’s discipline is evidence: a charge point answers this question only if its own specification says so. EVDANCE’s product pages do not claim built-in PEN fault protection for any model, so for a UK installation the honest route is to confirm the UK version of the unit, and the site’s protective arrangement, with EVDANCE in writing before fitting.
Question Three: The Smart Rules on the Unit
The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 set the position for private charge points sold in Great Britain, and the installer’s check is documentary: the supplier’s compliance position for the exact model, in writing, before the unit is on the wall. Record the model and version fitted, the statement relied on, and the settings as left.
| Question | Where the answer lives | What the installer records |
|---|---|---|
| Earthing arrangement | Site survey; DNO confirmation where unclear; wiring standard and IET Code of Practice | Arrangement found, who confirmed it, design decision taken |
| Broken PEN conductor | Wiring standard and IET Code treatment of EV charging; the unit’s own specification, where it claims a function | Protective arrangement adopted, and the evidence behind it |
| Smart rules | The Smart Charge Points Regulations 2021 text; the supplier’s per-model position | Model and version fitted, statement relied on, settings as left |
Specifying the EVDANCE Unit Against the Three Questions
Put the three questions to the product before it goes on the wall. For UK work the models installers raise most are the EV-ACT3204PE 22 kW three-phase wallbox (tethered Type 2 cable, RFID and app, IP66, CE) and the EV-ACS3210E 32 A Type 2 portable (single-phase, about 7 kW, IP66, app and energy monitoring). Neither page claims PEN fault protection or a UK-specific installation approval — so request, through the reseller and distributor programme or contact us, written confirmation of the UK version, its position under the smart regulations, and any protective functions the specification does state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an RCD protect against a broken PEN conductor?
No — they address different faults. An RCD responds to current leaking where it should not; a PEN failure raises the earthed metalwork itself towards mains potential without that leakage. Answer and record them separately.
Do EVDANCE chargers have built-in PEN fault protection?
The product pages do not claim it for any model. For a UK installation, confirm the UK version of the unit and the site’s protective arrangement with EVDANCE in writing before fitting, and let the installation design — not the listing — carry the protective answer.
Can I rely on the earthing arrangement being what the last job’s was?
No. The arrangement is a per-property input: survey it, confirm it with the network operator where unclear, and record what this job found. A neighbouring property is not evidence.
Related Reading
- How to Become an Approved EV Charger Installer in the UK (OZEV)
- Smart vs Non-Smart EV Chargers: What Installers Actually Want
- UKCA vs CE for EV Chargers Sold in Great Britain
- What Is a Standard EV Charger Installation?
