With the increase in the number of electric vehicles in every city of our country, the need for performance testing of charging stations is becoming very important. Manufacturers and governments are investing a lot in the development and expansion of testing infrastructure. This is a very important aspect of the electric vehicle in the longer run.
In recent times, Charging Station Performance Testing has created a fragmented market with different standards which may apply to the testing and certifying of the charging stations.
Benefits of Charging Station Performance Testing
- This testing ensures electrical safety for the users, types of equipment, and infrastructure.
- This testing verifies that all the products at the station comply with the standards.
- This is done to evaluate the conformance and interoperability of chargers and other products at the station.
- It is also done to ensure the electromagnetic compatibility of the charging station.
- This testing allows us to market our products across multiple cities and markets.
Charging Station Performance Testing Infrastructure
There are many leading companies right now that offer testing and certificate services. These companies offer end-to-end testing services for different types of electric vehicle supply equipment. Their services include testing at home and industrial charging solutions, fast chargers, vehicle chargers, and also for inductive charging systems.
Different Types of Tests
There are different types of tests that need to be done in order to get the certificate for a charging station.
- Electromagnetic Compatibility Test– This test is done to ensure that the electronics within the charging station do not emit interference and are functioning in the presence of different electromagnetic phenomena such as power supply or radiated electric fields.
- Open Charge Point Protocol Test– This is another very important test that is used to establish and exchange information between the charging station and charging station management. Communication protocols are very important with the smart charging applications being installed at the charging stations.
Important Tests for Every Charging Station
- Safety and functional testing (IEC 61851, SAE J1772, UL 2202, UL 2594)
- EMC testing (IEC 61851-21-2)
- Interoperability & conformance testing (CHAdeMO, CharIN-CCS, OCPP, ISO 15118, DIN 70121, GB/T 27930)
- Electrical safety (IEC 61851, IEC 62752, UL 2231)
- Functional safety (IEC 61508
- Market-specific requirements (EV READY)
- Performance testing (IEC 62116)
- Wireless testing (IECEE 802.11p/Wi-Fi, 3G/4G/5G)
- Development testing
- Validation testing
- Environmental testing
- EV charging cables (IEC 62893, IEC 62752)
- Grid (IEC 60364-7-722, IEC 62909-1/2)
- Connectors/ inlets/ plugs (IEC 62196)
Services Offered by Leading Testing Companies
The leading testing companies in the market work side by side with the local authorities. They are experts in testing and certifying conventional charging stations.
These companies have multi-disciplinary experts who deal in automotive infrastructure batteries and alternative energy. They help station owners and providers to develop and test their mobility technology. They have experts who provide a full range of services for charging infrastructure and systems. Their services include site assessment, selection of the initial testing, certification of charging units, on-site commissioning, inspection after installation, and many more.
Tests included in Charging Station Performance Testing
- Test before powering on.
- Power on test.
- Control conductive test.
- Open or closed test with loads.
- Input-output performance test.
- Measured data compliance test.
- Display function test.
- Communication test.
- Overcurrent protection test.
- Leakage current protection test.
- Input over-voltage protection test.
- Input under voltage protection test.
- Ab normal connection test.
- Emergency stop function test.
Conclusion
All the charging stations must comply with all the norms given by the Ministry of Power. They must get their stations and pieces of equipment tested by certified testers. All these tests must be done from time to time. This will ensure the safety of all the equipment, vehicles as well as people. A safe and secure charging station will boost the confidence of the customers which will help in growing the business and increasing profit.
