Installing a charging point is the easy part. The infrastructure behind it determines whether your charging facility still works in ten years.
Two layers: backbone and charging points
Charging infrastructure has two layers. The backbone is the fixed foundation: the cabling, the meter cabinet, the data connection and the ring conductor or busbar running through the garage. The backbone is installed once - and the choices made then are hard to reverse.
The charging points are the endpoints. These can be added, replaced or expanded later - as long as the backbone has been properly prepared. The biggest risk is a charging facility that is left to develop without a plan. Our Quick Scan already answers most questions free of charge.
What belongs in the backbone?
Ring conductor or busbar - the power distribution cable running from the meter cabinet to all charging points. This is the backbone of the system and determines maximum capacity.
Data and connectivity - charging points need to communicate with each other and with the management system. This can be done via a data cable, but WiFi also works well and has the added benefit of allowing cars to connect directly for Plug and Charge applications.
Circuit and loop layout - for larger installations, a well-considered circuit and loop design is essential. Plan this so that future expansion is possible without redoing the entire installation.
Load balancing module - almost always a P1 meter connected to the smart meter of the main connection. This continuously measures how much power is still available and controls the charging points so that the maximum connection capacity is never exceeded.
What belongs with the charging point?
The charging points themselves must meet several minimum requirements. A MID-certified meter (for accurate billing and claiming Renewable Fuel Credits), OCPP communication protocol (for brand independence) and ISO 15118-2 readiness (Plug and Charge, mandatory for new charging points from 2027) are the most important. More on this in the article Choosing charging points.
Brand choice
In theory, charging points from different brands can be combined via OCPP. In practice, it is better to choose the same brand for direct local communication. Zaptec is often chosen because of a patented 3-phase load balancing method - this extracts the maximum from a tight connection. We work with all brands but frequently see Zaptec chosen for this specific feature.