Overcurrent protection is a safety mechanism designed to prevent excessive electrical current from damaging charging equipment, cables, or your vehicle. It activates when the current flowing through a circuit exceeds a safe level, typically due to a short circuit or an overload. In the context of electric vehicle (EV) charging, overcurrent protection ensures that both the charging station and your EV are shielded from potentially dangerous electrical surges.
Built-in safety for EV chargers and cables
At Voldt®, all charging solutions are equipped with integrated overcurrent protection. This includes mobile chargers that plug into a standard socket as well as fixed wall chargers. The internal control box (ICCB) of a mobile charger, for example, constantly monitors the current flow and interrupts charging immediately if the current surpasses a safe threshold—typically 10A, 16A, 32A or 3x32A depending on the product. This protects the EV, the grid connection, and the user. Similarly, all Type 2 charging cables used with public or home charging stations rely on the charging station's internal overcurrent mechanisms, often governed by circuit breakers or fuses rated to match the cable’s capacity.
Protection standards and certifications
Overcurrent protection in EV charging is not just a feature—it’s a legal requirement under European safety standards. All Voldt® charging cables and adapters are CE and TÜV certified and meet IEC 62752 and IEC 61851 standards. These define the test conditions, response time, and reliability of protective functions, including automatic shutoff in the event of overcurrent. Additionally, our products include temperature sensors in the plug heads to pre-emptively reduce current if overheating is detected, which can be an indirect symptom of overcurrent.
How it benefits daily use
Reliable overcurrent protection gives peace of mind when charging in different environments. For instance, if you’re using a mobile EV charger at a campsite or an older household socket, the built-in protection prevents damage even if the socket wiring isn’t ideal. In high-powered installations—like three-phase 22kW charging—overcurrent protection becomes even more critical, as the energy flow is significantly higher and faults can escalate quickly without fast intervention.
In summary, overcurrent protection is a core safety feature in all Voldt® charging equipment. It’s built to safeguard your vehicle, your home or workplace installation, and most importantly—your safety.
