AgeVolt SmartBase

SmartBase is an underground chamber for preparing a charging location. Cabling is installed in advance and the station can be added later as needed. We select the installation method for the surface, station and project.

SmartBase provides space for incoming cables and looped cabling. Advance preparation allows stations to be added gradually without repeating the entire cable route.

Technical description: 

Our cabling preparation solution includes several key components that make charging station installation straightforward and quick:

Cabling — we create loops starting at the charging station distribution board, protected by a conventional 100 A circuit breaker. One loop can serve multiple parking spaces/stations. Exact cable types, protection and routing must be discussed with the electrical designer. The following is a common larger-car-park example and may not apply to every situation.

Within one loop, three cables are run underground: power, data and earthing. Together they meet the needs of the whole charging station loop. For loops serving more parking spaces, a total divisible by both 3 and 2 is ideal: many electric vehicles use single-phase charging, allowing even distribution across a three-phase system, and an underground chamber ideally serves two parking spaces.   

• Power — for preparation for AC stations or DC stations up to 60 kW, we use AYKY or NAYY aluminium cables with cross-sections up to 50 mm².
• Data — alongside the power cable, we install one data cable in the loop, ideally outdoor-rated Cat5e.
• Earthing — installation of a 30 × 3.5 mm FeZn earthing strip

Underground chamber in the illustrated example: A PVC pipe with an outside diameter of 400 mm and inside diameter of 380 mm. Height and cable openings are determined by the installation drawing and prepared positioning.

Cover — plastic or cast iron, depending on required load capacity. It can be incorporated into paving and rated to support passing vehicles.

Steel structure — a structure installed in the pipe to which the charging station is secured.

No concrete foundation or other complex installation is therefore required. The steel structure is secured horizontally inside the pipe even if the pipe itself is not level. Holes are drilled through the cover for cables and bolts, securing the station directly to the structure inside the pipe.

 

SmartBase underground chamber

Steel structure

Preparation procedure:

• excavate a trench from the distribution board to all parking spaces where stations are planned
• lay cabling on a sand bed or inside conduit, leaving sufficient spare length for station connection
• install underground chambers (DN400 pipes) vertically
• backfill the trench and compact it using a rammer

• trim the pipe top to ground level and fit the cover.

Cross-section: 

SmartBase chamber dimensions

Examples of SmartBase in practice: 

 

Prepared cabling

Cover with installed station

Installed station near Avion