If you have not yet confirmed the supply type, dedicated circuit and RCD requirement, start with Part 1: Supply, Dedicated Circuit & RCD.

Part 1 covered what to confirm before ordering. This part covers what to confirm before installation day: cable sizing, mounting position, and what dynamic load management (DLM) actually does on site.

4. Cable size and route: distance changes the answer

Cable selection for EV charging is not a fixed number. It depends on current, voltage drop over the run, and installation method.

As a practical reference point: a 7 kW single-phase charger on a run within roughly 30 metres is commonly installed with 6 mm² copper cable. Longer runs of more than 50 meters, or higher continuous current, may call for 10 mm² to keep voltage drop within acceptable limits. Three-phase 11 kW installations use multi-core cable with the appropriate cross-section for the current and distance.

Two things often get overlooked.

Voltage drop matters more for EV charging than for intermittent loads, because the charger runs at high current for hours. A cable that looks adequate on a short run can push voltage drop past acceptable limits on a longer one.

The cable route itself may require mechanical protection, conduit, or a different installation method depending on whether it runs through a wall, underground, or along an exterior surface.

What to confirm before ordering: the one-way cable distance from the consumer unit to the charger position, and whether the route is indoor, outdoor, buried, or surface-mounted. The installer should size the cable from those inputs, not from a stock assumption.

5. Location and environment: IP rating and mounting height

A charger in a garage and a charger on an exposed exterior wall face different conditions. The charger's IP rating and mounting position need to match the site.

For outdoor installations, guidance commonly calls for at least IP44 protection, with IP65 appearing on many residential wallboxes intended for exposed locations. Mounting height varies by market and by whether the installation is indoor or outdoor, but a common practical range for the charging point is roughly 0.8 m to 1.3 m above floor level, so the cable can reach the vehicle inlet without strain and the controls remain accessible.

Also check clearance around the unit for ventilation, cable management, and safe isolation. A charger squeezed into a tight corner may pass inspection and still be awkward to use every day.

What to confirm before ordering: indoor or outdoor position, exposure to direct rain or sunlight, and the intended mounting surface. Then match the charger's IP rating and cable entry direction to that reality.

6. DLM: what it does, and what it does not replace

Some residential and commercial AC chargers — including ours — support dynamic load management. DLM reads the home's total consumption through a compatible energy meter and adjusts the charger's output so the main supply is not overloaded.

This is useful for homes where available capacity is tight, or where the charger shares a supply with other high-load appliances. But it is worth being precise about what DLM is and is not.

DLM is an energy management function. It reduces charging power when the meter signals that the supply is near its limit. It is not a substitute for the dedicated circuit, the correctly selected circuit breaker, or the RCD. And unless a product has been separately certified as a protective device for a specific grid-connection purpose, DLM should not be treated as one. DLM throttling depends on the CT reading being accurate, the charger's firmware doing its job, and the communication link staying up. That is a different category of assurance from a certified protective device.

That is not a reason to avoid DLM. It is a reason to install it with the right expectations: DLM manages load; it does not replace electrical protection, and its availability does not mean the site's wiring and protection requirements can be skipped.

To be clear about our own products: our residential and commercial OCPP AC chargers support DLM, but the DLM function has not been separately certified as a grid-connection or protective function. The CE/TÜV certification for our residential models is based on household charging functions. If a project requires certified DLM or grid-connection functionality, that falls outside the current product scope and would need to be discussed as a custom requirement.

If your project needs DLM, the right question to ask a supplier is not just "do you support DLM," but "what does your installation documentation require for the RCD, circuit, and meter compatibility when DLM is used." A supplier who can answer that clearly is more useful than one who simply lists DLM as a feature.

Bring the site conditions to the conversation

The purpose of this checklist is to move the questions earlier, where changing a decision costs nothing instead of requiring a return or a rewire.

If you are selecting a residential AC charger and want to confirm the installation fit before ordering, send us the basics: supply type, main breaker rating, cable distance and route, indoor or outdoor position, and whether DLM is part of the plan. We will tell you which of our models match those conditions — and, just as importantly, where a site requirement falls outside the product's documented installation scope and needs the installer's input first.

Talk to us about your installation conditions.