What did we do
We visited site to witness the system working before we started to take it apart. Unfortunately the demonstration didn’t go well, we later discovered there was a problem with the GPRS communications with the cloud server.
Being aware of Fabrikat’s time pressures, we pressed on with the project. Photographs of the installation were taken, we identified some of the required connectivity (using a multi-meter) and noted the modules that the demonstrator was using.
A Loud Bang!
We borrowed a lamp post door and a set of modules and set about wiring up a prototype that could be mounted within the door. A prototype was duly wired up, documented and powered up via an isolation transformer in our lab. The first time it powered up there was clearly something wrong as a loud bang was heard from the Mode 3 controller! A further visit to site revealed a power resistor was hidden in one of the live mains cables to the controller.
With this identified, the prototype was updated, together with its documentation. This time when powered on there was no loud bang (obviously we were using a spare controller), the output from the mains to dc power supply was on, the MID electricity meter was operating, and all looked good.
Communications with Fabrikat confirmed their GPRS modem had failed, so we identified sources to purchase a replacement. When the replacement arrived, we visited a final time to connect up the demonstrator to mains power and to an electric vehicle.
The final piece of the puzzle was to confirm that the identification of the charging point came from a serial number within the Mode 3 controller and the charger sprang into life.
The charger modules had been reconfigured from their standard DIN rail mounts to an arrangement requiring a custom DIN rail to fit within the lamp post door. To ensure that this was appropriate we used our thermal camera to verify that the temperature rise of the modules was acceptable. All was fine. Project documentation was then finalised, with the test results and communications knowledge, and sent to Fabrikat.