Glossary
Terms starting with C
Terms starting with C
C13 circuit (circuito C13)
The dedicated circuit for an electric car charging point that ITC-BT-25 added to the wiring of Spanish homes. It starts at the main board, feeds no other load and has its own protective devices.
Cable size (sección del cable)
The cross-sectional area of the copper conductor in a cable, measured in square millimetres (mm²). It sets how much current the cable can carry without overheating and how much voltage is lost along the way.
Cable tray (bandeja portacables)
A metal or PVC support, shaped as an open channel or a wire mesh basket, that carries many cables in view along ceilings and walls. It is the typical cable route in garages, warehouses, shops and plant rooms.
CCS Combo 1 (CCS1)
A DC rapid charging connector used in North America that combines the Type 1 plug with two large power pins. The European equivalent is CCS Combo 2, based on Type 2.
CCS Combo 2
The European connector for rapid DC charging (mode 4). It combines the Type 2 plug on top with two power pins below and handles from 50 up to 350 or 400 kW depending on the charger and the car.
CGP (caja general de protección)
The main protection box with fuses, on the façade or in the entrance hall, that marks the start of the building's installation and protects the main supply line. It is the point where the distributor's network ends.
CHAdeMO
The Japanese connector for rapid DC charging used by the Nissan Leaf, some Mitsubishi and some Lexus models. It charges at 50 to 100 kW and is disappearing in Europe in favour of CCS Combo 2.
Collective self-consumption (autoconsumo colectivo)
A form of solar self-consumption in which several consumers, such as the neighbours in a block of flats or the units on an industrial estate, share one installation and split its energy using allocation coefficients (Royal Decree 244/2019).
Connection fees (derechos de alta)
Regulated amounts the distributor charges to connect a new supply or increase the power of an existing one. They are paid separately from the electrician's invoice and depend on the kW requested and the network that has to be built.
Consumer unit (cuadro eléctrico)
The box in your home, officially the cuadro general de mando y protección, that houses the main switch (IGA), the RCDs, an MCB for each circuit and, if fitted, the surge protector. Most expats call it the fuse box; in the US it is the breaker panel.
Contracted power (potencia contratada)
The maximum power, in kW, you can draw at once under your electricity contract. If you exceed it, the ICP in the meter cuts the supply. On the 2.0TD tariff it can be different in the peak and off-peak periods.
Corrugated conduit (tubo corrugado)
A flexible plastic tube with a ribbed surface that is buried in walls, floors and ceilings to carry the cables, so they can be replaced without breaking anything. Its diameter is chosen according to the number and size of the wires.
CTE (Spanish Technical Building Code)
Código Técnico de la Edificación: the regulatory framework approved by Royal Decree 314/2006 that sets the basic safety and habitability requirements for buildings. It is organised into basic documents such as DB-HE on energy saving, DB-SI on fire and DB-SUA on safe use.
CTE HE 6 (EV charging in new buildings)
The section of the Spanish Technical Building Code, created by Royal Decree 450/2022, that sets the minimum EV charging infrastructure in car parks of new or renovated buildings licensed from 16 December 2022.
Energy saving certificate (CAE)
Certificado de Ahorro Energético: a document that certifies the energy saved by an efficiency measure, such as installing an EV charger. Regulated by Royal Decree 36/2023, it lets you sell that saving in exchange for a discount or a payment.
EV charging power (potencia de carga)
The kilowatts at which an electric car takes in energy while charging. It is set by the weakest of three links: the charging point, the onboard charger of the car and the power available in the installation.
Reference supplier (comercializadora de referencia, COR)
An electricity supplier designated by the authorities that must offer the PVPC, the regulated tariff, to consumers entitled to it. It is also the only kind of supplier that can apply the bono social discount.
Supply point code (CUPS)
Código Universal de Punto de Suministro: the unique identifier of each electricity supply in Spain, about 20 characters starting with ES. It belongs to the home or premises, not to the person, and appears on every bill.
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