Wallboxes must function reliably so that an electric car is really charged when it starts. The IP protection class indicates which external influences the wallbox can withstand.
Protection against water and dirt are important features of a wallbox. The IP protection class, a two-digit code that indicates which environmental influences your wallbox can withstand, shows how pronounced these are. Other features, such as access protection and mounting on a stand or pedestal, are also important for using a wallbox outdoors. You can also conveniently control and monitor the charging process with an app. This ensures that charging always works the way you want it to.
What environmental conditions must a wallbox be protected from?
Wallboxes are used to charge electrically powered vehicles. They must function under all normal operating conditions when used outdoors and in the garage. These operating conditions include water, dust, dirt and low and high temperatures. They must be kept away from the sensitive electronics inside the wallbox. The operator must also be protected from electric shocks when these operating conditions occur. This is particularly important in the case of wallboxes because the charging currents are high and can endanger people. AC and DC residual current protection or RCD-A and RCD-B protection ensure safety for the user and the environment.
The IP protection class indicates which wallboxes have sufficient protection against water and dirt outdoors:
Which IP protection class is the right one for your parking space?
The requirements for the IP protection class usually depend on the parking space. Splashing water is not normally to be expected in a garage. However, moisture may well settle as condensation on the wallbox housing. This can occur on days with high humidity or fog, for example. When the vehicle dries out in the garage after driving in the rain, the moisture is distributed in the air and may reach the wallbox. Moisture can also reach a wallbox that is installed in a rain-protected location under a carport. However, because only a small amount of moisture reaches the wallbox in this case, a high IP protection rating is not required. If, on the other hand, the wallbox is mounted on a pedestal or stand, a wallbox that can withstand severe weather conditions should be selected. This includes heavy rain, wind, icing, snow and dirt. Especially if you have a free parking space, you should consider protection against moisture from car washing, lawn sprinkling and heavy rainfall.
Below we present two wallboxes that are suitable for use in different parking spaces thanks to their IP protection class. You can also understand the IP protection class as a two-part code. Each digit in this code has a meaning that is defined in an industry standard. The following device descriptions will give you a few examples.
An example of a dustproof wallbox: myenergi zappi V2
The myenergi zappi V2 is protected against splash water and dust with IP protection class IP65 and is therefore well suited for outdoor use. The 6 as the first digit of the IP code means that the wallbox is dustproof. It is therefore particularly suitable for use in a dusty environment. This can be an advantage if your electric car is parked near a busy road. The second digit of the IP code here is 5. This means that the wallbox is protected against water jets from a nozzle. It can hit the housing at any angle. The device can be used in a temperature range from -25 °C to +40 °C and is therefore suitable for typical European weather conditions.
It is important that it is not exposed to direct sunlight during charging. The temperatures in the immediate vicinity of the device will then quickly exceed the permissible limits. The zappi V2 is also optimally protected against unauthorized access: Thanks to access protection via PIN, unauthorized persons have no access to the wallbox. If the planned installation location for the wallbox is a free parking space or a carport, you are therefore well served with this device.
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