Fluke eMobility and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Solutions

As the electric vehicle (EV) market accelerates, so does the need for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) - from installation, to critical infrastructure, to ongoing maintenance needs, there are plenty of opportunities to become a part of the EV revolution.

Electrical professionals remain at the forefront of the national electric vehicle infrastructure buildout. To support this growing industry and trend, Fluke offers a range of eMobility solutions including electrical testers, insulation testers, thermal cameras and EVSE testers. This equipment helps electical professionals perform fast, accurate measurements for efficient routine checks and troubleshooting, all while providing the highest level of safety and quality.

Exactly what future EV charging stations will look like is yet to be seen, as the infrastructure is built out. The more ports a station has, the more electrical design and installation work it requires.

According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, a resource of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office, there are three main charging types. Level 1 uses 120VAC. Each hour of charging provides two to five miles of range, depending on the vehicle. Level 2 typically uses 240VAC in residential installations and 208VAC for commercial, with about 10 to 20 miles per hour of charging. Level 3, also known as "DC fast charging," typically uses 208/480VAC 3-phase input with about 60 to 80 miles per 20 minutes of charging.

Most new public charging stations would use DC fast chargers so drivers can get in and get out, right? Well, not necessarily.

For example, the Electrify America network uses only DC chargers ranging from 150kW to 350kW. But other operators prefer to provide a mix of charging types. One reason is because the AC equipment is less expensive to buy, install, and operate. Also, people shopping at a mall might be fine using a Level 2 AC charger if they are going to be there a few hours anyway. But other customers are willing to pay a premium for a DC fast charger because their shopping trip is a quick in and out.

The evolution of high-power charging for electric vehicles (EVs) is pushing power and voltage requirements higher. Businesses planning to capitalize on consumer desire for faster EV charging need to know those requirements to plan their best EV strategy. In addition, fleet managers will need to adequately plan a new power infrastructure, while electrical contractors must be ready to advise on safe installation and efficient project plans.

Faster power to the vehicle means more power through (and to) the charger. Therefore, those involved with operations and training will have to adapt to the rising power requirements of new, high-power charging technologies. It has been common to see a charger with more residential specifications, such as 240V, 20A. Now, 100A circuits are needed for AC charging. For DC, fast charging 50kW and 400V to 500V has been the norm, now poised to increase to 800V and 900V at 350kW of charging — the market is already looking ahead to 1,000kW (1MW) and 1,500V.

Many commercial electricians are not required to work with voltages higher than 480V phase-to-phase, and many work mostly with AC power. DC fast charging means more technicians will need to be trained to work on DC at the 1,000V (soon to be 1,500V) level. This means a change in the required insulation rating of the wiring, a change to the personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, and a big change to professional training plans. Going forward, a variety of employees will need training across the board, not just electrical technicians. Estimators, designers, and project managers will also need to know about the different equipment and PPE needed, according to the evolving EVSE industry.

Some projections suggest EV sales could exceed 3.5 million units by 2030.

"Charge!" might be the rallying cry for more electrical designers and contractors as they witness the slow unfolding of an electrical vehicle (EV) revolution that will ultimately demand a highly reliable, responsive, and accessible vehicle battery-charging infrastructure.

From private residences, workplaces, and storefronts to shopping center parking lots, interstate highways, and public transportation/truck terminals, EV charging stations are on track to become, much like gas stations perhaps, part of the nation's thoroughfare landscape. And, to the benefit of designs and construction professionals, they will all require application-specific design, configuration, connection, installation, maintenance, and servicing.

Various entities will be involved in that multi-layered effort, but the basic task of activating the charging units will fall to electrical services professionals. Some electrical contractors have been modestly cashing in for several years as EVs have become more popular. Now, they are joined by others drawn to nascent opportunity in the space as the EV fleet expands and modernizes — and the need for a denser and more capable network of battery-charging port hubs becomes more obvious.

Electrical contractors, often more national in scope and usually hired from a list of pre-qualified firms that bid for the jobs, provide the critical expertise and experience needed to handle work that does not always go by the book.

But the challenge is not framed by sheer numbers. The need for a massive infusion of more charging locations, carefully sited to serve expected EV ownership concentrations and traffic patterns and a public and commercial transit infrastructure certain to integrate more EVs, is plainly evident. What is more vexing is the need for an increasingly sophisticated and capable infrastructure that is aligned with coming generations of more powerful batteries, the demand for faster charging, the likely adaptation of solar-powered charging and an electric grid that could be stressed by the load implications of a fast-growing web of power-thirsty battery chargers. Future design and installation work must reflect those considerations, and the skills of companies working in the space as it evolves will be tested.

There is enormous demand for reliable infrastructure to power the growing number of electric vehicles on the road today.

The drive toward electromobility (also known as "eMobility," the use of electric powered vehicles) has been a long time coming. The first successful electric car was introduced in the U.S. by William Morrison, in Des Moines, Iowa in 1890. Electric vehicles caught on in a big way during the first few decades of the 20th century before taking a back seat to the internal combustion engine.

Gas shortages in the 1970s and growing environmental concerns in the 1990s renewed interest and innovation in electric cars. By 2000, the launch of successful hybrid vehicles sparked a consistent and growing demand for electric-powered vehicles.

In the U.S., 2020 marked the fifth consecutive year of sales growth for electric vehicles (EVs), with a record 761,000 EVs sold. In 2020, there were almost 1.8 million EVs registered in the U.S.—a three-fold increase from 2016. That number is projected to grow to 18.7 million electric vehicles roaming American roads by 2030.

By the end of 2020, more than 25,000 public EVSE charging stations were available — and more are coming online.

One of the biggest barriers to EV adoption is "range anxiety"—the worry that an EV battery will run down before drivers reach their destination or the next charging station. Expanding the number and geographic coverage of public charging stations is critical to alleviating this anxiety and fueling widespread adoption of EVs.

The good news is that the number of public EVSE charging stations is growing rapidly. In 2014 there were 7,300 EVSE units in the U.S. At the end of 2020 there were more than 25,300 EVSE units, and that growth is accelerating.

With more EVs on the road, more technicians are needed to keep EVSE charging stations operating safely.

With more EVs on the road, it is important to increase the reliability (uptime) and availability of EVSE charging stations. There’s nothing worse for an EV driver than to pull up to a charging station and find it offline. More skilled technicians will be needed to install, commission, troubleshoot, and maintain EVSE station operability.

Maintenance is a key priority for Rue Phillips, a 30-year veteran and recognized leader in the solar, EV, and renewable technologies industries.

Because the basic rules of electricity still apply, licensed electricians can easily move into installing and testing EVSE equipment. Both online and in-person programs are available to provide EVSE-specific training and certification. Thousands of electricians have already gained certification, and many more are needed.

System safety and functionality are paramount for EVSE charging stations. Until recently, the only way technicians could test EVSE charging functionality was to connect an EV and run a pass/fail test. The problem was that many EVSE technicians didn’t have access to an EV for testing. This limited them to testing only the electrical components of the charging station. If those checked out, it still didn’t ensure that the charging station was ready to charge a vehicle. As a result, technicians often had to make multiple trips to troubleshoot the same units.

The Fluke FEV100 EVSE Test Adapter simulates the presence of an electric vehicle so technicians can run safety and functionality tests on charging stations without having to connect an EV.

To make testing faster, more thorough, and safer, Fluke has introduced an EV simulator that streamlines testing and troubleshooting for Level 1 and Level 2 EVSE AC charging stations. The Fluke FEV100 EV Charging Station Test Adapter simulates the control pilot charging state of an electric vehicle so technicians can run safety and functionality tests on EVSE equipment without having to connect an EV. The FEV100 can be used for new installations, troubleshooting, or preventive maintenance.

The technician first connects the FEV100 EVSE test adapter to the charging station and runs a protective earth (PE) pre-test grounding safety check to make sure the station is wired correctly and that the PE is functioning correctly. The test adapter also includes a GFCI test function to ensure the GFCI will trip when necessary.

After the safety tests, the technician can attach a digital multimeter, portable oscilloscope, or other standard test tools to verify output voltage, simulate PE errors, test wire insulation, and much more. And they can run those tests while simulating various charging states.

Because the FEV100 simulates a functioning EV, technicians can isolate problems to the charging station rather than wonder whether the problem is with unit or the EV. Technicians can use the FEV100 to quickly troubleshoot non-functional stations and set up periodic maintenance routes to run safety and reliability tests in just minutes per unit. EVSE operators and owners will benefit from increased station reliability and revenue, and customers will enjoy much more reliable charging.

Fluke FEV100: Introducing the EVSE Test Adapter

Fluke FEV-100: Overview with Adam Wysor

Fluke FEV100: How to Test Perform EVSE Tests

Fluke Introducting the FLUKE FEV150 Charging Station Analyzer with Curt Geeting

• Provides critical protective ground testing of stations
• Comprehensive EVSE test tool with UI to support all critical performance and safety tests of AC EV Charging stations
• Advanced functionality with Auto CP waveform analysis
• Supports all available AC EVSE connectors
• SAE J1772 Compliance
• Pass/Fail indications on all measurement results
• GFCI testing for 6 mA and 20 mA GFCI circuits

• Easily and reliably test functionality and safety of electrical vehicle charging stations
• Vehicle simulation - CP Control Pilot state simulation tests different charging states
• Grounding protection - PE Pre-Test for dangerous voltage
• GFCI testing - Stay protected from and check risk of electric shock

• Quickly test for voltage in environments with both AC and DC or ghost voltages
• Monitor nominal voltage of EVSE
• Find maximum charging current
• Suitable for combiner box and inverter installation and troubleshooting

• Verify presence of AC/DC load current, voltage, and continuity
• Measure up to 1500 Volts DC in combiner boxes, inverters, breakers, and disconnects
• Measure loads and line frequency in circuits

• Tests insulation resistance
• Perform spot checks, timed tests, and breakdown tests
• Use with switchgear, conductors, and cables

• Pocked sized, simple point and shoot technology empowers teams to quickly scan equipment
• Rugged portable thermal camera for industrial inspection
• Automatically organize and file thermal images with Fluke Connect® Asset Tagging

• Measure all three phases and neutral with included 4 flexible current probes (1738/EUS Units, only)
• More than 20, separate logging sessions can be stored
• All measured values automatically logged to avoid losing measurement trends
• Review measurements during logging sessions for real-time analysis

• Wireless, stakeless earth ground loop and leakage tester
• Delivers fast, indoor/outdoor measurements
• Identify AC leakage currents without disconnecting earth ground stake from grounding system
• Heavy-duty clamp jaw stays calibrated and in alignment, even in on-the-job industrial environments

• Designed for measurement on stationary batteries of all types
• Quick, guided setup ensures correct data capture
• Combined visual and audio feedback cues reduce risk of measurement confusion
• Configure multiple reference values and thresholds for resistance and voltage

• Quickly and efficiently test to all local regulations
• Protect appliances that may be inadvertently connected to system under test
• Easy to share test results over smartphone/smart device
• Perform 8 key tests with one button, reducing test time by up to 40%

• Connect-and-View™ trigger simplicity for hands-off operation
• IntellaSet™ technology to automatically and intelligently adjust numerical readouts based on measured signals
• Provides dual-input waveform and meter reading recorder for trending data over extended periods

• True RMS AC voltage and current for accurate measurements on complex signals or non linear loads
• TrendCapture quickly and graphically displays logged data sessions
• Zoom on trend provides ability to view and analyze TrendCapture data; zoom in up to 14x

• Precise laser technology for more accurate and repeatable measurements
• Temperature accuracy of up to ≥ 0 °C: ± 1 °C or ± 1% of reading (whichever is greater) with 20:1 distance to spot ratio
• Flashlight and large, easy-to-read backlit LCD display for easy viewing
• IP54 rated for extra protection against airborne contaminants

• Reduces risk of shock and arc flash
• Sources both AC and DC steady-state voltage
• Output voltage: 240V AC/DC
• Single LED indicates functionality

Download Fluke eMobility Brochure (pdf)

Download Fluke EVSE eBook (pdf)

Download Fluke How EV charging station maintenance reduces costs and increases reliability Application Note (pdf)