Electric bus charging station protection

Protect public transit infrastructure with tailored solutions from DEHN

As the electric vehicle industry continues to expand, an increasing number of city governments and municipalities are developing new electric mobility concepts as a part of their public transit.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, transit battery electric buses (BEBs) saw an increase of 112% from 2018 to 2021. From electric school buses to electric buses run by local governments for commuters, these vehicles require accessible, reliable charging infrastructure to function properly.

Your EV charging operation has stepped up to meet this demand – producing high-quality electric vehicle supply equipment, such as DCFC and bus charging stations. These charging parks have a higher capacity than a typical private charger, such as a single or one-port charger in a parking space or a residential wall box charger. The parks are mostly outdoors and located near other important city and public transit facilities.

These innovative EV stations present new challenges as their span and position leave them highly susceptible to transient voltage. Transient voltage refers to a group of common electrical events that pose the threat of damage to the diverse electrical components that make up electric bus chargers.

DEHN is a longstanding global partner of the EV industry dedicated to helping you protect your most vulnerable systems and equipment. Transient voltage happens, but the negative side effects of a transient event don’t have to. Give us a call today and we’ll help you determine what tailored solutions can safeguard your systems.

Request a risk assessment from DEHN.

Transient voltage: What is it and how does it damage bus charging stations?

The world around us is full of electrical threats. In a space like a bus charging station that houses electrical equipment and DCFC functions, the likelihood of a dangerous electrical event is even greater. That’s why effective protection is a necessity.

Transient voltage presents in two different forms: internal transient voltage and external transient voltage.

Internal transient voltage refers to the natural electrical noise produced by your own component. Small surges and overvoltage can seem harmless but left unchecked, they could wreak havoc on your electric bus fleet chargers, bringing the system down from the inside. While slightly less common, external transients have more visibility. These include lightning strikes and surges from outside systems connected to your equipment, such as the power grid.

When a transient surge occurs, no matter the source, it can disrupt your charging operation beyond repair. Not only is physical damage to electrical systems a likely outcome, but overvoltage also could travel through an ungrounded or unprotected charger and into a connected bus fleet.

In a scenario where the city’s property is damaged, your company could be held liable for expensive repairs or vehicle replacements. Harm to your employees, bus fleet operators, and commuters in the vicinity is another possible outcome that you should avoid at all costs.

Beyond financial losses and unforeseen operational costs, your company’s reputation and ability to meet contractual obligations also could be compromised. The transporters that rely on your chargers run on tight schedules to meet public travel demands. 

If buses are out of order due to transient voltage damage resulting from your unprotected chargers, or scheduled are set back due to a lack of working chargers after a lightning storm, local governments may choose to work with other entities instead.

The possible negative outcomes seem endless, especially because when it comes to transient voltage – it’s a matter of “when,” not “if.” However, with an experienced partner like DEHN on your side, you guarantee that when a surge happens, your DCFC chargers will remain safe, reliable, and operational.

DEHN’s transient voltage protection solutions aim to protect your installations, transit employees, and all the vehicles at the station, all while maintaining customer satisfaction with your innovative EV systems. 

Contact us today to take the first step toward proper protection – a thorough assessment of the risks currently present in your charging infrastructure.

Contact DEHN today to schedule your risk assessment.

Keep the wheels on the bus going ‘round with our protective solutions

As an international engineering firm, DEHN has been in the power quality business for more than 100 years. When we moved into the North American market in 2003, we began tailoring our proven solutions to the diverse needs of an increasingly electric-reliant world.

Now, we have a range of solutions specific to the EV industry, including products developed for the holistic protection of bus charging depots. Our team believes that effective protection for all types of EV chargers is comprehensive, minimizing threats with a combination of external lightning protection, surge protection, and grounding and equipotential bonding.

As a proud LPI member, all our products comply with industry standards, including the NFPA 780. We offer the following solutions for electric bus chargers and public mobility charging stations:

  • DEHNguard
  • DEHNmid
  • DEHNgate
  • DEHNbloc
  • DEHNcombo
  • DEHNpatch
  • BLITZDUCTOR
  • Equipotential bonding gear
  • Grounding systems

What product is right for your charging station? Unsure where you should start implementing protection? Our team are experts in transient voltage so you don’t have to be.

With our risk assessment, we’ll do a complete analysis of your systems to gauge the effectiveness of any existing protection, identify threats to your station, and outline opportunities for improved protection including a comprehensive surge protection system tailored to your specific application.

Schedule an assessment with DEHN today.

Contact DEHN to request an assessment today.

929161 

DEHNpatch Class EA

Universal, space-saving combined arrester of 19 mm in width and RJ45 connection system with status indication for simple maintenance.

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Equipotential bonding bar PAS EX

Non-sparking equipotential bonding bars for zones 1/21 and 2/22 Also suitable for applications with hydrogen.

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909710 

DEHNgate

Space-saving surge arrester with BNC socket can be mounted on DIN rails for protecting video and camera systems.

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908314 

DEHNguard MU 3PY 480 3W+G

DIN rail mount, pluggable surge arrester consisting of a base part and plug-in protection modules for application in 3-Phase Wye electrical systems.

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927244 

BLITZDUCTORconnect ML2 BD24

Lightning current and surge arrester for universal use.

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953206 

DEHNrail M 2P 30

Two-pole surge arrester consisting of a base part and a plug-in protection module.

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Request a risk assessment of your bus charging stations today

It only takes one voltage fluctuation or lightning strike to damage your smart charging systems and professional reputation beyond repair. Implementing proper protection after the fact won’t undo any financial or equipment losses that have already occurred.

When you partner with DEHN, you can be a proactive participant in your own protection. We keep you informed every step of the way as we do the heavy lifting, designing a tailored protective concept for your unique electric bus charging station setup. That way you can focus on securing new charging contracts and meeting increasing charging infrastructure needs.

Drive your business forward with confidence – Contact DEHN to schedule a risk assessment today.

Request your risk assessment