What are the fire safety requirements for charging sheds?
3 Answers
The fire safety requirements for vehicle charging sheds are as follows: Location: The installation site of the charging station should maintain a certain distance from residential buildings, but not too far, otherwise it would inconvenience residents. This location choice can avoid many unnecessary troubles. Even if an electric vehicle catches fire due to its own malfunction, it will not pose a threat to residents' personal safety. Style: If the community already has a shed, it’s ideal to install the charging pile inside the shed, providing shelter from wind, rain, and sun. If there is no shed in the community, rain shields can be installed on the equipment or sockets to prevent them from getting wet. Of course, charging piles can also be installed in places like underground garages or the ground floor of unit buildings. There are various styles of charging piles, such as pole-mounted, streetlight-style, wall-mounted, etc. There are no specific requirements for this, as long as they are functional.
From my experience of installing an electric vehicle shed myself, fire safety requirements are really something to take seriously. The shed materials should be fire-resistant metal or concrete, not wood, as it is prone to catching fire. Ventilation is particularly important—charging generates hydrogen and similar substances, so you need to open windows or have fans to extract them, otherwise even a small spark could cause an explosion. Fire extinguishers are also a must; I use an ABC dry powder type, specifically designed for electrical fires. Fireproof partition walls should be built too—I used a concrete wall to separate the charging area to prevent fire from spreading. Emergency exits must be kept clear so you can escape quickly in case of an incident. I also regularly check the waterproof casings of the wires to ensure there’s no leakage. In short, these are the basic requirements—safety comes first. I recommend consulting a professional installation company to save a lot of hassle.
In my daily maintenance of charging equipment, I believe the core of fire safety requirements lies in prevention. The location of the carport should be kept at least 3 meters away from buildings to reduce risks. Equipping an automatic sprinkler system is crucial, as electrical fires can spread quickly and become uncontrollable. Ventilation openings must be sufficiently large, with air exchange calculated several times per hour—I've encountered cases where overheating batteries during charging caused ignition. Electrical wiring should include leakage protection devices and be wrapped in fire-resistant conduits. For fire extinguishers, choose Class D or CO2 types for better effectiveness, avoiding water-based ones. I inspect wiring connections weekly for looseness and replace any aging components promptly. Alarm devices like smoke detectors are essential and should be connected to a mobile app for real-time alerts. Following these standards can prevent major issues, as safety is always the top priority.
