How-to · UK domestic

How to install an Easee One EV charger

The Easee One is a compact, OZEV-approved 7.4 kW smart charger with built-in PEN fault detection, which suits the PME earthing arrangement found on most modern east Kent homes. This guide explains what a correct installation involves, from consumer unit assessment through to app commissioning. Running a new circuit is notifiable under Part P, so certification must follow the installation.

Helpful video reference. Bumblebee EV's Easee One install and review is the video reference here. The channel covers UK residential charger installations and gets the practical details right, including PEN fault detection, supply earthing checks and the Easee Charge app commissioning sequence. "Easee One Charger Install & Review | Bumblebee EV Chargers" is worth watching in full before picking up a screwdriver.

Before you start. Running a new circuit from the consumer unit is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations in England and Wales. Either use a registered electrician (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or similar) or, if you hold the relevant Part P registration, arrange third-party sign-off before the charger goes live. An EV charger must never be connected to an existing ring or radial circuit — it requires a dedicated circuit of its own.

1. Assess the consumer unit and earthing arrangement

Open the consumer unit and check whether there is a spare way for a 32A RCBO. If the board is full, the options are to upgrade the consumer unit, fit a piggyback RCBO alongside an existing breaker, or install a separate enclosure for the charger circuit.

Confirm the earthing arrangement. Most modern houses in Kent are TN-C-S (PME), where the neutral and earth are combined on the DNO's distribution cable. The Easee One includes built-in PEN fault detection for exactly this situation, so a separate earth rod is not required. If the property is on a TT supply with a private earth electrode, the earthing resistance must be verified before commissioning.

2. Size the supply cable

A 7.4 kW charger draws 32A continuously at full output. For a cable clipped directly to the surface with a run under about 15m, 6mm² twin and earth is the standard choice. If the cable is buried in insulation, runs through a warm roof space, or the total run is significantly longer, 10mm² may be needed. Always calculate volt drop to BS 7671 Appendix 4 — the permitted drop for a charger circuit must stay within 3% of the supply voltage.

3. Fit a 32A RCBO at the consumer unit

The Easee One has built-in Type A RCD protection, but you still need overcurrent protection at the board. Fit a 32A B-curve MCB or, ideally, a 32A B-curve Type A RCBO in a spare way. The RCBO gives a second layer of RCD protection and keeps the charger circuit isolated from the rest of the board if a fault develops. Switch off the main switch, confirm dead at the busbar with a voltage tester before working inside, and do not touch the meter tails above the main switch — they remain live at all times.

4. Run the cable to the charger position

Route the cable from the consumer unit to the charger using mini-trunking, surface conduit, or a chased channel in masonry. Where the cable passes outside — down an external wall or across a garage apron — use armoured SWA cable, or run twin and earth through UV-resistant conduit. If the cable goes underground, bury it at the depth specified in BS 7671 and use appropriate mechanical protection. Label the cable at both ends before making any connections.

5. Mount the Easee bracket and connect the cable

The Easee One mounts on a single bracket fixed to the wall with the supplied fixings — use wall plugs rated for masonry if fixing to brick. Pass the cable through the inlet gland at the bottom of the bracket. Strip the outer sheath and individual insulation, leave enough conductor length to reach the terminals without strain, then connect: brown to L, blue to N, and green/yellow to the earth terminal. Tighten to the torque specified in the Easee installation guide. Fit the cover before restoring power.

6. Commission with the Easee Charge app

Restore power at the consumer unit. The Easee One's LED ring will cycle through a start-up sequence. Download the Easee Charge app (iOS or Android), create an account and tap "Add charger". Scan the QR code printed inside the charger cover, or enter the serial number manually. The commissioning wizard asks for the circuit breaker rating (32A), the earthing type, and whether you want to enable load balancing. If you have fitted a CT clamp on the meter tails for load management, enable this setting — the charger will step back automatically when heavy household loads are running rather than tripping the main fuse.

7. Issue certification and notify your DNO

Once the charger is operating correctly, an Electrical Installation Certificate must be issued for the new circuit. A registered electrician self-certifies this; an unregistered competent person needs a third-party registered building control body to inspect and issue the certificate. Notify UK Power Networks (the DNO for east Kent) within 28 days of the installation. Keep a copy of the EIC with the property documents — it will be needed if you sell the house.

Stop and call an electrician if: the consumer unit has no spare ways and needs upgrading, the earthing conductor is missing or corroded, the property is on a TT supply and the earth rod resistance is unknown, the cable run is long and volt drop has not been calculated, or the car manufacturer specifies a Type B RCD (uncommon on single-phase supplies but specified by some vehicles).

When to call us

Richard fits Easee One chargers and other OZEV-approved units across east Kent, including Sandwich, Deal, Dover and Folkestone. Send photos of the consumer unit and proposed charger position on WhatsApp for a same-day fixed-price quote. Small local jobs in Sandwich are charged at £10 per 10 minutes.

EV charger in east Kent?

Richard fits 7.4 kW Easee and other OZEV-approved chargers with load balancing, correct earthing and DNO notification handled. Fixed price before any work starts.

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