Prepare for Installation

This section describes how to prepare for the installation.

Check Site Readiness 

Power Block can be installed on either a newly poured pad or an existing concrete surface. Power Block also supports wiring run above ground for locations where no underground wiring access exists (such as parking garages) or where underground junction boxes are not permitted.

Before beginning work, check that the site meets these civil and mechanical requirements:

Power Block Pre-Installation Checklist

Express Plus Power Block Pre-Installation Checklist
1.	Each Power Block concrete pad has either a site drawing approved by a structural engineer for this specific site, or an existing concrete pad that has been approved by a structural engineer for the Power Block’s dimensions and weight.	☐
2.	Each concrete pad must be fully cured and smooth, and must not exceed a slope of approximately 20 mm per meter (0.25 in per ft).	☐
3.	Each Power Block pad must conform to the design requirements listed in the Express Plus Site Design Guide.
4.	Wires and conduits meet the requirements given in the site drawings.	☐
5.	Walls, fences, or slopes must not prevent water from draining from the pad.	☐
6.	You have sufficient space around the installation pad to use a forklift and other lifting equipment, unpack crates, remove packing materials, and allow two people to freely move throughout the area.	☐

Electrical Readiness

If the site does not meet these basic requirements, contact ChargePoint before continuing.

• The appropriate circuit protection and metering is in place at the installation site.

• A grounding conductor that complies with local codes is properly grounded to earth at the service equipment or, when supplied by a separate system, at the supply transformer.

• A correctly rated, dedicated breaker is installed for each Power Block:

Power Block Breaker Table

Nominal Voltage	Input Current Rating	Branch Circuit Capacity and Breaker	Breaker Size
Europe: 400 V	315 A	350 A or 400 A	400 A
North America: 480 V	260 A		350 A or 400 A

• Breakers have shunt trip capability (if specified) to each Power Block.

• All necessary electrical infrastructure has been completed per local codes and ChargePoint specifications for 3-phase power plus ground, with properly sized wire at the station.
  Neutral is not required for system operation, however Neutral-to-ground bonding is required at the Main Distribution Panel (MDP) supplying the charging station.

  This requirement is applicable to installations carried out within the province of Québec, Canada. Whether using a step-up or step-down autotransformer, refer to the 'Hydro-Québec bulletin - Choosing the right one 600/480 V transformer', that is publicly available, for specific guidance.

• All High Voltage wires (AC and DC) are required to go through Insulation Resistance Testing. The completed test report with measurements is to be available for review (upon request) prior to Commissioning of the Charger.

  Refer to the Express Plus High Voltage Wire Insulation Resistance Test Field Guide to find out about the steps to be taken and the Insulation Resistance Test Measurements that are required for the AC and DC wires.
  

• Wi-Fi Wireless Fidelity and cellular signal strength meet the requirements stated in the Express Plus Power Block and Power Link Site Design Guide.

For questions about site specifications, refer to the Express Plus Datasheet andExpress Plus Power Block and Power Link Site Design Guide.

Pedestal-Mount Specifications

Power Block must be installed on either a newly poured concrete pad embedded with the Concrete Mounting Template (CMT) or on an existing concrete surface using the Surface Conduit Entry (SCE Surface Conduit Entry) kit.

Concrete Pad Specifications

The concrete pad for the Power Block must either be designed to be site-specific or must meet the specifications provided below. In some extreme conditions, a larger pad may be required. For sites with less stringent seismic, soil, or wind conditions, a smaller pad might be possible.

Conservative stability specifications for the Power Block are listed below for the following design scenarios:

1. 170 mph wind, high seismic, Class 3 Soil

2. 170 mph wind, high seismic, Class 4 Soil

3. 170 mph wind, high seismic, Class 5 Soil

4. 140 mph wind, lower seismic, Class 3 Soil

5. 140 mph wind, lower seismic, Class 4 Soil

6. 140 mph wind, lower seismic, Class 5 Soil

All scenarios assume:

• Minimum concrete rating of 2500 PSI.

• All-threaded M16 anchor bolts are embedded 229 mm (9 in) into the concrete pad, and are made of ASTM F1554 Grade 55 carbon steel and hot dip galvanized (HDG Hot Dipped Galvanized).

• The anchor bolts placement is centered within the designed stability area.

Power Block Concrete Pad Specifications

Design Scenarios	Pad Width		Pad Thickness	#N1 @ S1” O.C. Top Rebar	#N2 @ S2” O.C. Bottom Rebar
1	1753 mm (69 in)	1753 mm (69 in)	457 mm (18 in)	#4 @ 305 mm (12 in) O.C.	#4 @ 305 mm (12 in) O.C.
2	1753 mm (69 in)	1753 mm (69 in)	686 mm (27 in)	#4 @ 152 mm (6 in) O.C.	#4 @ 152 mm (6 in) O.C.
3	1524 mm (60 in)	1524 mm (60 in)	457 mm (18 in)	#4 @ 305 mm (12 in) O.C.	#4 @ 305 mm (12 in) O.C.
4	1524 mm (60 in)	1524 mm (60 in)	457 mm (18 in)	#4 @ 305 mm (12 in) O.C.	#4 @ 305 mm (12 in) O.C.
5	1524 mm (60 in)	1524 mm (60 in)	457 mm (18 in)	#4 @ 305 mm (12 in) O.C.	#4 @ 305 mm (12 in) O.C.
6	1524 mm (60 in)	1524 mm (60 in)	457 mm (18 in)	#4 @ 305 mm (12 in) O.C.	#4 @ 305 mm (12 in) O.C.

Wires Entry - Stub up

For stub-up wiring:

• The Power Block must mount onto four M16 anchor bolts exposed 76 mm (3 in) above the concrete pad.

• The Concrete Mounting Template (CMT) of Power Block must be embedded into a newly poured concrete pad to align anchor bolts and underground run stub up wiring conduits or armored cables.

  The CMT of Power Block

  is shipped separately, and

  must be assembled onsite before pouring the concrete pad.

• In regions that use conduits, the conduits must not have bell ends. Conduits with bell ends may interfere with tolerances inside the Power Block and Power Link.

• Conduits must be stub-up to the following height from the concrete pad surface.

  • Power Block: 559 – 914 mm (22 – 36 in)

  • Power Link: 102 – 160 mm (4 – 6-1/4 in)

Concrete Mounting Template

The Power Block Concrete Mounting Template (CMT) facilitates wires entry or exit (through conduits or armored cables), and anchor bolt locations.

1. M16 anchor bolt (x2) locations for mounting SCE Surface Conduit Entry gland plate (applicable only for >surface entry of wires).

2. M16 anchor bolt (x4) locations 76 mm (3 in) above concrete for mounting Power Block.

3. HV DC High Voltage Direct Current output B wires exit.

4. HV DC High Voltage Direct Current output A wires exit.

   The DC output of Power Block is the DC input for the Power Link.

5. AC input wires entry.

6. LV DC Low Voltage Direct Current output, shunt trip wires, and Ethernet cable exit.

   • One for shunt trip (if used).

   • Three for LV Low Voltage wires and Ethernet cable.

The CMT should already be embedded in the concrete pad, unless the site is using surface-conduit entry. Verify the AC and DC conduits are positioned correctly.

The following table provides the maximum size and quantity of conduits that can be installed on Power Block:

Power Block Stub-up Conduit Specifications

Conduits For	Conduit Quantity x Trade Size
	North America	Europe
HV DC High Voltage Direct Current output wires	2 x 4 inch max.	2 x 110 mm max.
AC input wires	1 x 4 inch max.	1 x 110 mm max.
LV Low Voltage DC, shunt trip, and Ethernet output wires	4 x 1 inch max.	4 x 25 mm max.

Required Tools and Materials

Installing the Power Block requires at least two people. Additionally, the installer must bring the following tools and materials. These are not provided by ChargePoint.

	Forklift Rated for ≥ 680 kg (1500 lb) Maximum size of forklift tines: Width = 102–127 mm (4–5 in) Maximum thickness ≤ 57 mm (2.25 in) If your site has height constraints, use alternative equipment
	Stepladder		Lock out/tag out equipment
	Hard hat		Cut-resistant gloves
	Safety glasses		Head lamp
	Measuring tape or other tool to measure height, length, and distance		Level
	Use hand to tighten		Box cutter
	Phillips screwdriver set #2 Phillips screwdriver with long handle #3 Phillips screwdriver #5 Phillips screwdriver Right angle (90°) #5 Phillips screwdriver		Flat head screwdriver
	Torx wrench set T20 (only for tool balancer) T25 T30		Torx security wrench T25
	Torque wrenches for 4 to 95 Nm (3 to 70 ft-lb)		Adjustable wrench
	Socket wrench set including deep sockets, up to 25 mm		Cable puller or fish tape
	Hydraulic hole punch tool (to cut 4 inch holes in gland plate)		Conduit cutters (to cut up to 4 inch conduits)
	Multimeter with Cat III 1000 V ratings, such as Fluke 87V or similar		Ethernet tester such as a Klein Tools VDV526-052 VDV LAN Local Area Network Scout Jr. Tester or similar
	Wire strippers, including Ethernet (Cat6 STP Shielded Twisted Pair) cable		Ethernet (RJ45) connector crimping tool
	Wire cutters, including Ethernet (Cat6 STP Shielded Twisted Pair) cable		Lug crimping tool
	Dielectric grease		Torque paint pen
	Cable ties		Permanent marker
	Isopropyl wipes and towel roll		Duct seal compound
	Coolant funnel Two gallon coolant		Padlock provided by station owner if required (for security panel on Power Block)
	Wire brush (to remove concrete from bolts)		Broom and vacuum
	Smartphone with: Internet connectivity		ChargePoint installer login credentials
	QR Quick Response code scanner (usually built into the camera app)		Exact location of stations or units, including parking space
	Ferrule crimp tool (for 16 mm2 or 6 AWG American Wire Gauge wire)

 

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Tightening Torque

Tightening Torques

Component (x Fastener Quantity)	Component Material	Fastener	Tool	Torque
Anchor bolt base nuts (x4)	Metal	M16	24 mm deep socket	54 Nm (40 ft-lb)
Anchor bolt top nuts (x4)	Metal	M16	24 mm deep socket	95 Nm (70 ft-lb)
Power Block enclosure mounting nuts (x14)	Metal	M10	15 mm socket	19 Nm (168 in-lb)
HV DC output wire lug nuts (x16)	Metal	M12	18 mm socket	21 Nm (15.5 ft-lb)
DC fuse mounting nuts (x8)	Metal	M10	15 mm socket	19 Nm (14 ft-lb)
AC input wire lug nuts (x12)	Metal	M12	19 mm socket	21 Nm (15.5 ft-lb)
Power Module rack retention bolts (x8)	Metal	M10	15 mm socket	19 Nm (14 ft-lb)
Pedestal rear and front upper cover screws (x10) Pedestal rear and front lower cover screws (x4) Pedestal side cover screws (x10)	Metal	M6	T30 Torx	7.0 Nm (62 in-lb)
Enclosure top cover screw (x4) Enclosure upper side cover screws (x16) Enclosure lower side cover screws (x12)	Metal	M6	T30 Torx	7.0 Nm (62 in-lb)

Materials

AC and ground conductors as required by site drawings

DC conductors as required by site drawings

48 V DC wiring as required by site drawings

Shunt trip wiring (if on site drawings)

Power Block DC and AC lugs: Plated copper compression lugs (not mechanical) Must fit M12 stud size Must fit 44.5 mm (1.75 in) hole spacing 2-hole specified for North America only Single hole is only permitted in Europe Maximum tongue width ≤ 50.8 mm (2 in) Check site drawings for quantity of lugs.

Cat6 Shielded Twisted Pair (STP Shielded Twisted Pair) Ethernet wiring FTP File Transport Protocol, UTP, and lesser grades of cable do not have the required noise immunity

RJ45 shielded connectors

Check Express Plus Shipping Crates

Express Plus ships in multiple crates. Ensure you have all components at the installation site.

Shipping Crate Contents

Components	Contents in Boxes and Pallets
Power Block	Power Block unit(s) Enclosure (upper and lower cabinets pre-assembled together) Lower heat exchanger (dry box hex) This ships in a box inside the lower cabinet of the enclosure. Fuses Doors and covers Lower door preinstalled
Power Block Pedestal	Power Block Pedestal Bolts and nuts Gland plates (x2) Upper covers - Front and Rear Pedestal
Power Block Pallet	Power Block Pallet: The following ships in 6 Boxes:   Box 1: DC Fuse Kits Make sure to install the PB amperage sticker that is included in this box Fuses either (x4) or (x2) See the DC Fuse Kits section for Images and details on two types of configuration Box 2: T-25 screws for Pedestal Covers Coolant Box 3: 4 Side Covers Top Cover Box 4: Front and Back Upper Covers Box 5: Front Lower and Middle Covers Box 6: Back Lower and Middle Covers
Power Module	Up to five per Power Block
Installation Kit	Duct seal compound Propylene glycol coolant The coolant label references its Material Safety Datasheet. T25 Torx security screwdriver Coolant funnel
Power Block Surface Conduit Entry (SCE Surface Conduit Entry) (Optional)	PB-SCE Surface Conduit Entry kit Covers Fasteners
Concrete Mounting Template (CMT) (Optional)	CMT Bolts and fasteners

General Estimates for Lifting

Estimates for Lifting

Component	Dimensions (L x W x H)	Max. Weight
Power Block Crate	1.18 x 1.14 x 2.04 m (46.5 x 45 x 80.25 in)	475 kg (1048 lbs)
Power Block Pedestal Box	1.12 x 0.978 x 0.762 m (44 x 38.5 x 30 in)	57 kg (125 lbs)
Power Block Pallet	1.22 x 1.22 x 1.36 m (48 x 48 x 53.5 in)	163 kg (360 lbs)
Power Module Box NOTE: A Power Block can use up to five Power Modules, which ship in separate pallets.	0.902 x 0.572 x 0.375 m (35.5 x 22.5 x 14.75 in)	41.28 kg (91 lbs)
Power Block Surface Conduit Entry Kit (Option) Box	1.05 x 0.245 x 0.524 m (41.38 x 9.63 x 20.63 in)	13.88 kg (30.6 lbs)
Concrete Mounting Template (CMT) (Option) Box	1.08 x 0.127 x 0.873 m (42.63 x 5.00 x 34.38 in	26 kg (57 lbs)
CMT (Option) Pallet NOTE: 8 cartons per pallet Single unit can be stacked onto one of the System-PB1000-PDK for shipping.	1.22 x 1.02 x 1.22 m (48 x 40 x 48 in)	227 kg (500 lbs)

Disconnect Power

To disconnect power, complete the following steps:

1. Disconnect power at the site electrical panel.

   Follow standard practice and local code to de-energize the applicable circuit and lock out/tag out the disconnect before proceeding.

   

2. Use a multimeter to test that the unit is de-energized.