• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

F

FyrBldgGuy

Silver Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
356
The big new push is to install Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in as many locations as possible. To cut down on the time it takes to charge a vehicle it is necessary to install a large capacitor or battery bank. So will the codes be written before or after the first accident? Will this be part of the Electrical Code or the Fire Code or both?

Edison%20charger%20505.jpg
 
FyrBldgGuy,

See Art. 625 - Electric Vehicle Charging System & Art. 626 - Electrified Truck Parking Spaces,

...from the 2008 NEC.

.
 
FyrBldgGuy,

Because these type of fueling stations would be designed as a "new, stand alone" type, or incorporated

in to an existing [ typical ] petroleum type fueling station, more of the adopted codes and standards

would need to be addressed: Zoning, Building, manufacturers requirements', as well as, the

Electrical and Fire Codes. Also, there are numerous references in the NFPA codes.

.
 
If the point of sale is owned by an electric utility does the exemption for electric utilities in the NEC still apply?
 
FyrBldgGuy,

I would say No! The exemption for the POCO does not apply, UNLESS, the POCO

electrical requirements are more restrictive than the AHJ. ;) There are other

variables at play ( i.e. - the Zoning, parking, any adopted ordinances, site

ingress / egress, etc. ).

.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The point of sale is just like your meter on your house. From the meter in the NEC applies. But from the transformer to the meter, including the meter that is not part of the NEC. The electric vehicle charging station is a meter with a credit card slot. The electric utility can now replace the big oil companies. The California PUC has determined that EV charging stations are not within the scope of the CPUC. So theres the crack in the floor.
 
FyrBldgGuy,

Are you saying that the POCO has governance over all aspects of these charging

stations? Suppose emergency personnel have to respond to one of these

stations and the egress / ingress is too narrow or otherwise bottle necked?

What about fire extinguishing requirements, E-911 adressing, parking,

Zoning setback distances, etc. ? :confused:

.
 
What I am saying is that if the NEC exemption applies to EV Charging stations because it is owned by the Utility then how do we ensure the safety of the people who access the EV Charging station. The station could be in front of a store, in a mall parking lot, it could be in front of a restaurant. The EV Charging station takes about 20 minutes to recharge a car. So the idea is to put them in locations where people will be doing other things. But to make the charger effective they may need a large capacitor or battery bank. That could be located in a vault adjacent to the charger or underground. The equipment could be lead-acid based, lithium-ion, nickel-metal hydryde, or number of new technologies.
 
had a station installed here recently by a motel. i believe it was a 90 amp breaker located in dedicated a parking space to charge the vehicle. the install was paid for from a grant from some corporation. these stations will be installed up and down the west coast for the anticipated purchases of teslas and voltas, etc..the receptacles and units are supposedly a universal design that will accomodate all makes and models. looks like the future is here and now!
 
FyrBldgGuy,

How is the AHJ going to make any money off of the "installed charging stations"?

Who is designing / applying the ADA guidelines, ...what about the zoning of

these stations? If an EV Station is installed in to a parking space, who actually

checks the parking space count for compliance now that one / some have been

removed? An electrical fire is occurring at one of these stations, who

responds, ...the POCO? Who verifies compliance of the storage amounts

of the batteries / other hazardous materials? ...And on and on and on.

Seems to me like the AHJ ought to have their collective fingers in this type

of fueling operation. Are you saying that the AHJ's won't have any input?

.
 
What I am saying is the codes, regulations, etc. will be developed after many stations are installed. This is cutting edge at high speed. DOE is dumping hundreds of millions into these projects.
 
For about ten years, our city inspection vehicles were electric and we had a row of charging stations, we still have some charging stations for the public. There are also charging stations at our mall....... I have never seen a battery bank or capacitor used at a charging station and I can't think of a reason why you would need them. The charging station is basically an appliance connected to a 220v circuit......

Of course, now we drive gas guzzleing SUVs....... after the gasoline UST's were removed
 
FyrBldgGuy,

What I am saying is the codes, regulations, etc. will be developed after many stations are installed.This is cutting edge at high speed. DOE is dumping hundreds of millions into these projects.
Click to expand...
Isn't this putting the "cart before the horse"? :confused:

.
 
The new type of charging station will be designed to fully charge a vehicle in 20 minutes or less. The station will be 480 volt. That is a big difference.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top