Regular price
£96.00
Regular price
Sale price
£96.00
PEN Fault Detection – Frequently Asked Questions
A PEN (Protective Earth and Neutral) fault occurs when the combined neutral and earth conductor in a TN-C-S (PME) system becomes disconnected or unstable. This can cause exposed metal parts, including EV chargers and vehicles, to become live and create a serious electric shock risk.
Yes. BS 7671:2018 (18th Edition Wiring Regulations), Section 722.411.4.1 requires EV chargers on PME supplies to have protection against open PEN conductor faults unless an approved alternative earthing method is used.
It constantly monitors voltage between line, neutral, and earth. If abnormal conditions are detected that indicate a broken PEN conductor, the device disconnects the EV charging supply within seconds to eliminate shock risk.
PEN fault protection prevents electric shock caused by loss of neutral/earth integrity. Surge protection devices protect against voltage spikes caused by lightning or grid switching. They are separate safety systems that often work together.
Not always. If the EV charger has certified built-in PEN fault protection compliant with BS 7671, an external device may not be required. However, many chargers do not include this, so verification is essential.
Not necessarily. An earth rod is part of a TT system. PEN fault detection allows safe operation on PME supplies without needing a separate earth electrode in many installations.
Only if a compliant alternative earthing system is used, such as TT. On PME supplies, PEN fault protection is required unless the charger already includes approved protection.
Yes. External PEN fault detection devices are commonly installed to upgrade existing EV charging systems to meet current BS 7671 requirements.