Charging station safety devices
For user safety, all charging stations are equipped with a ground fault detector to
reduce the risk of electrocution. Users are never exposed to dangerous voltages or
currents, since connector pins are not energized until the connector is inserted
properly in the E V charging socket and communication has been established between the vehicle and the charging station.
In addition, the connector is sealed to protect the live components from the weather. Lastly, a locking mechanism (latch) (see Figure 3, Section 3.4.2) prevents accidental disconnection resulting from a tug on the cable. Some charging stations are equipped with an emergency shut-off, but this is not required by the Code since it cannot replace a disconnect switch, which can also serve as a reset in the case of a problem. The output power of the charging station dictates whether a disconnect switch is required. Siting and the selection of associated electrical equipment for different types of stations