Statement regarding the installation of upstream RCDs for zappis

As a responsible manufacturer, myenergi will always honour the warranty of our products when the product is at fault. As a manufacturer, myenergi is responsible for complying with product regulations, while installers are responsible for complying with regulations relating to electrical installation, including BS 7671 (The Wiring Regulations). We advise that installations of our products should be completed by qualified electricians and accordingly, we expect that suitably qualified installers will comply with any necessary regulations.

While zappi features a built-in 30mA Type A RCD, given the complexity and changeability of wiring regulations and that zappi is sold in more than 20 international markets, we updated the manual accordingly in February 2021 to state that local wiring regulations should be consulted to confirm whether an additional RCD is also required.

Although our operation and installation manual has been clear since February 2021 that local wiring regulations should be consulted as to whether an upstream RCD is required, we have previously communicated that an external RCD was not required, because the internal RCD meets the safety and protection requirements within the relevant standard, and in some ways exceeds them, for example by automatically self-testing the internal RCD before each charge cycle, rather than relying on a user pressing a physical test button.

As section 134.1.1 of BS 7671 states that ‘The installation of electrical equipment shall take account of manufacturers’ instructions’, it is our view that any zappi installed according to our instructions and installation guidelines should be compliant with the regulations. Importantly, the zappi remains safe to use, even for installations without an additional RCD installed, provided it is installed in accordance with the manual.

We have put measures in place to ensure that any future communications continue to reflect that it is the installer’s role to ensure that installations are safe and compliant.

We will continue to honour any valid warranty claims on zappi chargers installed, subject to the standard warranty terms and conditions.