- An EV charging install is a chain: main switchboard, EV panel, load manager, disconnect, charger. Every link needs an engraved plate with its name and what feeds it.
- Charger pedestals live outdoors, in parkades and in road salt. Engraved lamacoids stay readable there because the letters are cut into the plate, not printed on it.
- Number every charger to match its circuit, so the person at the panel and the person at the stall are talking about the same unit.
- Send the charger schedule as a spreadsheet. We engrave the whole site in Burlington, the same day, and ship Canada-wide.
Condo parkades, workplace lots, fleet yards and retail plazas across Ontario are adding chargers by the dozen. Each one adds circuits to a panel, a load manager to the electrical room and a pedestal or wall unit out in the parking area. When a charger trips at 7 a.m., someone has to find its breaker fast, and the person who installed it is long gone. This post covers where engraved lamacoid labels go on an EV charging install, when to use them, and what to engrave so the stall, the charger and the breaker all agree.
01Why EV chargers need proper labels
An EV charger is a large continuous load on a dedicated circuit. A Level 2 unit is typically fed at 208 V or 240 V, and a DC fast charger often takes three-phase power straight from the main switchboard. Many sites also run a load manager that shares one supply across a row of chargers, so a charger that seems "dead" may simply be waiting its turn.
That adds up to three questions every service call starts with: which charger is it, which breaker feeds it, and is it on a load manager? Engraved lamacoids answer all three on the equipment itself. Section 86 of the Canadian Electrical Code covers electric vehicle charging systems, and the code's general marking rules apply to the panels and disconnects behind them: marking has to be permanent, legible and clear about what the equipment does. Your drawings and the inspector set the exact wording.
02Where lamacoids go on an EV charging install
Walk a parkade install from the electrical room to the farthest stall and you pass the same handful of places. Each one gets a plate.
EV panel
Panel ID on the door with its name, voltage and source, plus a matching directory. Engraved breaker tags make each charger circuit easy to find.
Load manager
Name the energy management system, the panel it controls and its current limit, so a service tech knows the chargers share a supply.
Disconnects
Every disconnect says what it serves. A fast charger fed from the switchboard gets a disconnect plate with the charger's name on it.
Charger pedestals and wall units
A charger ID that matches the panel schedule, the stall and the network app. Screw-mounted so it stays on through winters and car-wash spray.
Junction and pull boxes
Long conduit runs across a parkade pass through boxes overhead. A small plate listing the circuits inside saves a lot of ladder work.
Emergency stops
Where a fast charger has an emergency stop, a red plate with white letters makes it obvious from across the lot.
03When to use engraved labels on chargers
Choose an engraved lamacoid for any label on an EV install that has to last as long as the equipment. That covers more than most people expect:
- Outdoors and in parkades. Sun, road salt, slush and pressure washers are hard on printed labels. Engraved letters are cut into the plate and stay readable.
- New installs before inspection and turnover. Label the panel, disconnects and chargers as part of the job, so the drawings, the directory and the equipment agree on day one.
- Adding chargers to an existing building. Every new circuit changes a panel. Engraved breaker tags and an updated panel plate keep the old and new circuits clear.
- Condo and multi-unit parkades. When each charger is tied to a unit or a stall, the plate carries that number, so the property manager, the electrician and the resident all point at the same charger.
- Fleet depots and workplaces. Rows of identical chargers need IDs that match the charging network software, so a fault report names one unit.
- Load-managed circuits. A short caution plate saying the chargers share a load manager answers the most common "it's not charging" call before anyone opens a panel.
04Numbering chargers so everyone agrees
The single most useful thing on an EV install is a charger name that ties the stall to the circuit. A good scheme carries the level, the charger number and, on the plate, the panel and breaker that feed it. Pick one format and use it on the drawings, the panel directory, the plates and the charging network app.
For colour, Black/White is the everyday choice for the EV panel, load manager and chargers. Many sites reserve Red/White for emergency stops and DANGER plates, and Yellow/Black for caution notes such as load-managed circuits. If the owner, the condo board or the charging network has a standard, we match it. Our colour guide covers the common pairs.
05What goes on an EV charger plate
Keep each plate short. The charger plate needs the ID big enough to read from the driving aisle, then the electrical details in smaller text for the person servicing it.
| Plate · size | Typical wording |
|---|---|
| EV panel 4" × 2" | EVP-1 / 208Y/120V 3PH 4W 400A / FED FROM MDP-1 |
| Load manager 4" × 1.5" | EVEMS-1 / CONTROLS EVP-1 / LIMIT 160A |
| DCFC disconnect 3" × 1.5" | DISC-EV3 / FEEDS EV-DC1 / 600V 3PH |
| Charger 3" × 1.5" | EV-P1-07 / LEVEL 2 208V 1PH 40A / FED FROM EVP-1 CCT 13/15 |
| Breaker tag to fit | EV-P1-07 |
| Caution note 4" × 1.5" | CAUTION / CHARGERS SHARE LOAD MANAGER EVEMS-1 (Yellow/Black) |
Not sure about letter size? Our post on lamacoid sizes matches letter height to reading distance.
06EV charging label facts worth knowing
- Section 86 is the EV section of the CEC. It covers electric vehicle charging systems. Each province adopts the code, in Ontario through the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, so check the edition in force where you work.
- Chargers are continuous loads. That is why a charger that draws 32 A typically sits on a 40 A circuit. Put the circuit rating on the plate, not just the charger's output.
- Load management changes the story. When an energy management system shares one supply across many chargers, the plates should say so. It explains slow charging before anyone suspects a fault.
- Fast chargers have their own source. DC fast chargers are often fed at three-phase from the main switchboard through a dedicated disconnect. Name the disconnect after the charger it feeds.
- Outdoor plates need screws. Adhesive alone can let go on cold, wet or textured pedestals. Screw holes or rivets keep the plate where it belongs.
- Engraving outlives print. The letters are cut through the top layer to the core colour, so UV and road salt do not wipe the name off.
07What to send when you order
| Detail | Example |
|---|---|
| Wording | One row per plate, from the panel schedule or charger list on the drawings |
| Charger IDs | EV-P1-07, or the format your network app already uses |
| Colours | Black/White for ID, Red/White for emergency stops, or the owner's standard |
| Size | 3" × 1.5" for chargers, 4" × 2" for panels, or match existing |
| Mounting | Screw holes for outdoor pedestals, adhesive or both indoors |
| Quantity | Breaker tag plus charger plate for each circuit |
A parkade with dozens of chargers is a spreadsheet job. Export the charger schedule and send it; our post on ordering from a spreadsheet shows how. For a handful of plates, design and price them in the Lamacoid Builder, or email lists to sales@llamacoids.ca. We engrave in Burlington, Ontario, the same day, and ship Canada-wide.
08Common questions
What labels does an EV charger install need?
The EV panel needs an ID plate and a circuit directory, each disconnect needs a plate saying what it serves, and each charger needs an ID that matches its circuit. Load managers, junction boxes and emergency stops should be labelled too. Your drawings and the inspector set the exact wording.
Which part of the electrical code covers EV chargers?
Section 86 of the Canadian Electrical Code covers electric vehicle charging systems. In Ontario the code is adopted as the Ontario Electrical Safety Code. The general marking rules for panels and disconnects apply as well.
How should EV chargers be numbered?
Use one format everywhere, such as system, parking level and stall: EV-P1-07. Put that ID on the charger, the breaker tag and the panel directory, and use the same ID in the charging network app.
What should an EV charger label say?
The charger ID, its type and circuit rating, and the panel and breaker that feed it, for example EV-P1-07 / LEVEL 2 208V 1PH 40A / FED FROM EVP-1 CCT 13/15.
Do engraved lamacoids work outdoors on charger pedestals?
Yes. The letters are engraved into the plate, so sun, road salt and pressure washing do not wipe them off. Order screw holes for outdoor pedestals so the plate stays mounted through winter.
Can you label a whole parkade of chargers at once?
Yes. Send the charger schedule as a spreadsheet with the wording, colour and size for each plate. We engrave it in Burlington the same day and ship Canada-wide.