As electric cars become more widely used, the network of e-charging stations is continuously expanding. Currently just short of 60,000 public charging points have been reported to the German Federal Network Agency – a landscape of housings that require a reliable latching solution to reliably protect the power connections of the charging poles to the associated equipment.
Protection against the Weather and Vandalism
Charging stations for electric cars are located largely in publicly accessible outdoor areas where they are exposed not only to the effects of weather, but also to vandalism. To protect these housings which are so important for the infrastructure against this kind of damage, the switch cabinets should be securely locked. Handles have been developed for this purpose that meet the requirements of resistance class RC2 similar to DIN 1630 and are thus able to withstand vandalism damage by opportunists.
However, there is no requirement that e-charging poles in line with RC2 have to be locked. Thus many other swinghandles and latches are also suitable. It is important to use a latch with a profile cylinder to make certain it is not too easy to break into the charging station. If several groups of persons need to have access, for example two different service providers, we recommend a double cylinder swinghandle with pivotable operating lever.
Sturdy Material
In regard to the material, latching solutions made of powder-coated zinc die or stainless steel have proven to be effective. These materials offer protection against the weather and are so sturdy that it is difficult for opportunistic vandals to break open or saw through the latches.
The same applies to hinges in this application. We also recommend using concealed hinges. They are not visible from the outside because they are seated inside the housing. That means opportunistic vandals are unable to see where the hinges are screwed in.
