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Charger Integration Test

Updated

The test involves connecting a charger to a controlled environment within Spirii backend and starting several charging transactions while the charger’s behavior and OCPP communication are observed.
A charger and an EV is needed to do the test.

 

If the test does not require OCPP Smart Charging functionality review, an EV Simulator (with attached load) can be used instead of a vehicle.

 

Before the test, we need to understand the charger’s capabilities to prepare a test protocol accordingly. This requires the following documents from the manufacturer:

  • Datasheet (technical specification) for the charger model;
  • OCPP implementation specification, which includes:
    • Supported OCPP commands;
    • Available OCPP configuration keys and their accepted values;
    • Custom error codes;
  • Installation/configuration/commissioning guides (Optional, not relevant for testing but nice to have).

 

Test protocol

Test protocol consists of the following but can be adjusted according to charger capabilities and supported commands:

  1. OCPP Messages (Charger-initiated):

    • BootNotification.
    • StatusNotification: Functional states.
    • StatusNotification: Fault states.
    • Authorize.
    • StartTransaction.
    • StopTransaction.
    • MeterValues.

  2. OCPP Messages (Backend-initiated):

    • Reset (soft/hard).
    • GetConfiguration.
    • ChangeConfiguration.
    • GetDiagnostics.
    • UpdateFirmware.
    • RemoteStartTransaction.
    • RemoteStopTransaction.
    • UnlockConnector.

  3. Charging sessions test:

    For this part of the test, we need to confirm that the charging sessions can be started and stopped in different scenarios, and the transaction information (StartTransaction, StopTransaction, MeterValues, etc.) is sent correctly and are not lost:
    • Regular start (local or remote) -> regular stop;
    • Regular start -> SuspendedEV/EVSE;
    • Regular start -> UnlockConnector;
    • Regular start -> Reset (Soft/Hard);
    • Regular start -> Power Loss;
    • Regular start -> Communication Loss + Stop;
    • Regular start -> Fault (vehicle-triggered fault, internal fault, emergency stop etc.).

  4. Security Profiles test:
    Charger’s capability of changing Security Profiles is tested according to the test cases from Security Whitepaper:

    • Relevant OCPP configuration availability (SecurityProfile, AuthorizationKey);

    • Support for Security Profiles 0,1,2;

    • Correct handling of Security Profile changes (disconnect/reconnect initiated by the charger);

    • Correct handling of Authorization Key change (disconnect/reconnect initiated by the charger);

     

     

  5. OCPP Smart Charging test. The charger is tested for:

    • Being able to handle different profile purposes as described in the §7.10 ChargingProfilePurposeType of OCPP 1.6;
    • Respecting stackLevel properties of charging profiles;
    • Correctly adjusting power consumption in reaction to applied limitations;
    • Suspending charging sessions at receipt of a 0A/0W limit;
    • Correct handling of startSchedule and startPeriod properties in charging schedules;
    • Ability to send consistent high frequency MeterValues updates;
    • Reaction time in applying power limits after receiving SetChargingProfile command.

  6. Scheduled charging test:

    Charger’s capability to enable/disable power delivery based on 24-hour schedules sent from the backend as a TxDefaultProfile charging profiles.

When the integration test has been completed, and the charger has been whitelisted, you can follow this guide to configure and activate the charger: How to onboard / create / activate a new chargebox on a location.

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