Helpful video reference. We use the Electrician Life channel's installation walkthrough "HOW TO INSTALL ANDERSEN A2 ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINT" as the video reference here. It covers the full A2 installation process and the principles apply directly to the A3. The channel gets the UK-specific parts right: dedicated circuit, correct MCB rating and proper earth arrangements.
1. Assess the consumer unit
A 7.4 kW Andersen charger draws up to 32A. Before anything else, the electrician checks the consumer unit for a free 32A slot (or the ability to add one), confirms the incoming supply fuse rating is at least 60A, and looks at what else is likely to be running simultaneously. If load balancing via a CT clamp is fitted, a modest main fuse is not a problem — the charger steps its output down automatically when the house draws heavily.
If the board is a rewireable fuse box, this is the point where upgrading to a modern board usually makes sense. It will be needed anyway to accommodate the extra circuit correctly.
2. Plan the cable route and size the cable
Most Andersen installations in east Kent are on integral or attached garages, keeping the cable run short. For a run of up to around 10m in a clipped or surface-run route, 6mm² twin and earth cable is the standard choice for a 32A circuit. Longer runs, cables buried in insulation or cables enclosed in conduit where heat cannot escape need 10mm² to avoid de-rating dropping below the required current carrying capacity.
External cable runs, or runs under suspended floors to a driveway, need to be protected by armoured cable (SWA) or by conduit, and must be clearly documented on the installation certificate for future reference.
3. Run the circuit cable
The cable is run from the consumer unit to the charger position, fixed at appropriate intervals with cable clips or saddle clips, and protected at all wall penetrations. Where the cable passes through an external wall, a core-drilled hole is sealed on the outside to prevent water ingress and air movement into the building fabric.
At this stage the cable is left long at both ends — final cuts and terminations come after the mounting work is complete.
4. Fit the Andersen mounting pod
The Andersen A3 mounts on a metal pod fixed directly to the wall. The pod needs to be truly level (Andersen supply a template), and fixings must be into solid masonry or into appropriate noggins in timber-framed buildings. The circuit cable feeds through the back of the pod. At this stage the cable tails are left unconnected inside the enclosure.
Andersen recommends a mounting height of 1.2m to the centre of the unit. If the car is parked on a slope, position the unit so the cable reaches the charge port without stretching.
5. Connect at the consumer unit
The circuit tails are terminated into a 32A MCB or RCBO at the consumer unit. For standard PME (TN-C-S) supplies, BS 7671 Regulation 722.411.4.1 requires a means of protection against open PEN fault — typically a Type B RCD, a built-in PEN fault detection device within the charger itself, or an earth electrode of no more than 200 ohms. Most modern Andersen units include PEN fault detection built in, so a separate device at the board is usually not needed. Check the model specification.
6. Wire the charger and fit the CT clamp
With the consumer unit isolated, the circuit tails are connected to the Andersen charger's terminal block following the wiring diagram in the installation manual. Line, neutral and earth are secured firmly — conductor pull-out tests confirm the connections are tight.
The CT clamp is clipped around one of the meter tails (live only, not both). This tells the charger how much current the house is already drawing, so it can throttle back the charge rate automatically and prevent tripping the main fuse. The clamp communicates wirelessly with the charger base unit — it needs to be positioned within a few metres of the meter.
7. Commission and test
Before restoring power, the electrician runs insulation resistance tests on the new circuit conductors and checks the earth fault loop impedance. Once satisfied, power is restored and the charger is paired with the Andersen Home app. The app guides through initial configuration: setting the maximum charge rate, setting any scheduled charging windows to take advantage of off-peak tariffs, and confirming the CT clamp is communicating correctly.
A test charging session confirms the unit ramps up and down cleanly. The electrician then completes the Electrical Installation Certificate, provides a copy to the homeowner, and submits DNO notification.
When to call us
EV charger installations in Sandwich and east Kent are quoted work — Richard will assess the consumer unit, measure the cable run, and give a fixed price before starting. Andersen and any other OZEV-approved unit can be supplied and fitted. Prices start from around £850 fitted for a straightforward garage installation.
Ready for an Andersen charger in Sandwich?
Send a photo of your consumer unit and the proposed charger position and Richard will come back with a fixed quote, usually the same day.
Contact Richard