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Tester for Electric Vehicle Charging Systems

12 January 2021 - Saelig Company announced the availability of the HT Instruments MacroEVtest, a portable device for verifying the operation of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and for safety tests in private and industrial environments. The MacroEVtest, in combination with the EV-Test100 EV adapter, connects to the charging station to allow the verification of the EVSE's complete functionality and electrical safety in compliance with standards IEC/EN 61851-1 and IEC/EN60364-7-722. EV-Test100 can test charging stations with charging modes 2 and 3 with a Type 2 or other standard connector.

The MacroEVtest controller is attached through a C100EV cable to the EV-Test100 unit, which is connected via a built-in cable with a Type2 plug to a recharging station. The handheld MacroEVtest with its touch screen display simplifies communication with the EV-Test100 unit to simulate the presence of a car being recharged. All tests can be performed correctly by simply following a guided procedure. Before each test, the MacroEVtest display shows precisely how to connect the cables and after the measurement it reports the recharging station's safety verdict as shown by a green or red thumb symbol.

Built-in tests for charging stations include continuity test of the protection conductor, insulation test, status verification, overall ground resistance, and verification of the RCD's tripping point for type A, B, and B 6ma. Verification tests and simulations include vehicle not present, vehicle present/not charging, and vehicle present/charging. Detectable events and anomalies during the recharging phase include simulation of a fault on the protection conductor, the presence of voltages on the EVSE output connector, and verification of the mechanical lock in the charging station connection (if this function is present). The MacroEVTest can also simulate various fault conditions, including the interruption of the protective conductor (PE) or an error of the CP signal (E). It can also verify the recharging mode and the encoding of the recharge current by monitoring the PWM signal. Rated currents of charging cables can be simulated to 63 amps.

Tests are provided for RCDs type A, type AC up to 1000 mA and type B. By using the RCDX10 accessory with external jaws provided with the instrument, 10A RCDs may be tested. Insulation tests can be made at up to 1000V as well as continuity tests and total ground resistance. With appropriate programming, guided by the touch-screen system, this device can test power interruption, tripping currents, I2t for magneto-thermal switches (MCB) with curves B, C, D, K, and fuses type gG and aM. Other tests include Loop/Line impedance measurements and assumed short-circuit current with high resolution (0.1mOhm) in TN systems using the optional accessory IMP57. By using optional external probes the MacroEVtest can also measure environmental parameters such as air temperature, humidity, and illuminance (Lux). By using an optional HT transducer, it is also possible to perform measurements of leakage currents, cosphi power factor, power, and harmonics. The rechargeable NiMH battery is supplied with an external charger.

The MacroEVtest TFT color display with its touch-screen allows for rapid setting and use of the instrument, showing on its display all alternatives for performance measurements. The system prompts the most suitable connections to certify correct and reliable test results. All tests can be saved and the data can be transferred via WiFi or optical USB to an external PC.

Made by the Italian test equipment manufacturer HT Instruments, the MacroEVtest is compact (8.9" x 6.5" x 3") and lightweight ((2.7lb). It is available now from Saelig Co. Inc., HT Instrument's authorized North American distributor.

www.saelig.com/