In July 2020, I decided to take a course to get myself qualified to fit Electric Vehicle Charging Points (EVCP’s), given that I believe this to be a new and exciting growth area.
Therefore, I purchased an additional, necessary piece of electrical test equipment to be able to test the EVCP’s (at a cost of £500.00), completed the course, received my certification and so set about registering as an approved installer for several charging point manufacturers including one I believe to be one of the most well known, Rolec.
After filling out their rather lengthy form and submitting different requested documentation to them, I was surprised to hear back from them requesting proof of purchase of one of their OWN testing units. I had already explained that I owned a test meter to be able to test all EVCP’s but they still came back to me with the request.
So then I obtained the MD of Rolecs’ email address and sent him an email querying the request to which another member of staff replied confirming that I do indeed need to purchase one of their testers to be on their list of approved installers. The person admitted to me that the tester I already own would more that do the job but stated that I still had to buy one of theirs at a cost of another £400.00 plus as it was company policy for all approved installers.
If this isn’t blatent greed from this company then I don’t know what is?
Here we can see the Beha Amprobe EVA-500-UK EVCP tester that I own. This unit is used in conjunction with a multi-function tester to allow EVCP’s to be tested.
It is manufactured by a dedicated electrical test instrument company that has been making test instruments since 1948 so I think they might just know what they are doing in terms of building such pieces of equipment.
Here we can see the Rolec EVTU0018
It looks to me like something that has been knocked together in somebody’s garden shed rather than a piece of professional test equipment.
I asked Rolec exactly what their unit actually does that other “proper units” don’t do but never got a reply to that one.
I have since completed training with another manufacturer who, although also make their own test units, don’t insist on installers purchasing one instead stating that any test unit has to conform to certain standards.
If it was really necessary to have to test Rolec points with a Rolec tester only, it would make great business sense for them to give them away to their approved installers. I wouldn’t exactly think it costs much to produce one and I’m sure sales of their charging points would surge.
So Rolec, I for one won’t be installing your products. I just wonder exactly how many other potential installers there are that won’t be installing your products either because of your greed?