vSECC.InPlug is a hardware controller board installed inside the DC charging connector, moving Supply Equipment Communication Controller (SECC) functionality from the charging station into the connector itself. This enables cable runs of up to 100 meters between power electronics and charging point, compared to the standard 7.5 meter limit, making it practical to position charging points at distance from off-site power electronics. Supports ISO 15118-20, IEC 61851 and OCPP. Designed for depot operators and charging infrastructure manufacturers building overhead dispensers, large-area charging zones and installations where power electronics and charging points cannot be co-located.
Communication in the Connector. Control in the Cabinet.
vSECC.InPlug resolves the cable distance limitation by relocating the communication hardware into the connector while keeping the control architecture in one place.
Board Position
The vSECC.InPlug board mounts at the front end of the charging cable, inside the connector. It handles the connector-side communication for DC charging. No additional hardware is required along the cable run. The communication logic is placed at the cable termination point, maintaining signal quality independently of the distance to the power electronics cabinet.
Central Control
vSECC.InPlug does not replace vSECC. Session management, protocol handling, power electronics control, and OCPP backend communication all remain with vSECC. vSECC.InPlug is responsible solely for the connector-side communication layer. This separation keeps the control architecture in one place while enabling the physical separation of connector and power electronics. vSECC enables scalable architectures by supporting multiple vSECC.InPlug units.
Cable Reach
With vSECC.InPlug handling communication in the connector, the power electronics and vSECC can be installed wherever site infrastructure requires. Cable lengths of up to 100 meter connect the central system to each connector, removing the constraint of co-locating power electronics with the connector in conventional DC charging architectures.
Where Classical DC Charging Architecture Reaches its Limits
Standard DC fast charging architectures place the controller, power electronics, and connector within a single enclosure. This approach works well for standalone roadside chargers. However, in heavy-duty applications and shared-PE charging infrastructures, the underlying assumptions of this architecture no longer hold.
PLC Signal Attenuation on Long Cable Runs
DC charging uses Power Line Communication (PLC) over the charging cable for vehicle communication. In a station-mounted architecture, this signal runs from the controller through the full cable length to the connector. Signal attenuation limits how far the controller can be placed from the charging point. In heavy-duty installations and shared-PE architectures, the distances involved regularly exceed what station-mounted communication can handle without signal degradation.
Power Electronics at Every Individual Charging Point
High-power DC charging requires substantial power electronics hardware. Placing a full power electronics unit at each parking bay multiplies footprint, cooling infrastructure, and installation cost per position. In large depots, space-critical facilities, or architectures with containerized power electronics, this is not a viable approach.
Typical Deployment Scenarios
vSECC.InPlug is relevant for any charging installation where the charging point and the power electronics cannot or should not be co-located.
Heavy-Duty Depots
Electric bus and truck depots charge many vehicles simultaneously across distributed parking bays. Depot layout is determined by vehicle dimensions and operational logistics, not by cable routing possibilities. With vSECC.InPlug, power electronics and vSECC sit at one location while charging connectors are placed at each parking bay through cable runs up to 100 meters. The depot layout drives the infrastructure design.
Containerized Charging Infrastructure
Power modules for large charging installations can be consolidated in a central container. vSECC.InPlug provides the connector-side communication for each charging point served by the container. Combined with Smart Power Distribution and matrix-switched power modules, this architecture pools all power hardware while distributing charging points across the site. Power modules are dynamically assigned to active sessions.
Shared-PE Charging Parks
Charging installations in industrial facilities, parking structures, or sites with constrained cable routing often cannot accommodate power electronics at each individual charging point. vSECC.InPlug makes this architecture viable by handling connector-side communication independently of the power electronics location. Site designers route cable to the connector positions that operational requirements define, with power hardware placed where infrastructure permits.
Extended Cable Reach for Oversized Vehicles
In applications such as aircraft ground charging or marine vessel charging, the physical size of the vehicle prevents positioning the charging inlet close to the charging station. vSECC.InPlug enables extended cable runs while maintaining reliable communication, even in otherwise conventional standalone charging architectures. This allows flexible placement of the connector relative to the vehicle, independent of the charging station location.
How vSECC.InPlug Integrates with vSECC
vSECC.InPlug operates exclusively in combination with vSECC. The architecture is defined by the communication interface between the two components and the mapping between controller instances and vSECC.InPlug units.
1 : 1
The current supported configuration is a 1:1 mapping between vSECC and vSECC.InPlug. Each charging point with a vSECC.InPlug requires one dedicated vSECC instance. Session management, protocol handling, and power electronics control are handled entirely by vSECC. vSECC.InPlug handles the connector-side communication for that single charging point.
1 : 4
A 1:4 architecture is planned for a future release. One vSECC will manage up to four vSECC.InPlug units. This reduces the number of controller instances required for multi-connector installations and lowers per-point hardware cost in depot deployments with many charging positions. The central controller handles session and protocol management for all four connectors.
Smart Power Distribution
OPTIONAL EXTENSION
vSECC.InPlug can be combined with Smart Power Distribution. In this configuration, power modules are connected via a matrix switching architecture and dynamically assigned to active charging sessions. Power modules can be installed centrally in a container and shared across all distributed charging points. vSECC.InPlug provides the connector-side communication bridge at each position.
vSECC as the Required Central Component
ARCHITECTURE PREREQUISITE
vSECC.InPlug cannot be deployed without vSECC. vSECC remains the authoritative controller for each charging session: it manages the protocol stack, controls the power electronics, handles OCPP communication, and orchestrates the overall charging process. vSECC.InPlug extends the physical reach of that architecture without replacing any of the control logic.
Who Builds with vSECC.InPlug?
vSECC.InPlug addresses two distinct integration paths: connector manufacturers embedding communication hardware in their products, and infrastructure operators building shared-PE charging installations.
Connector Manufacturers
Vector does not manufacture charging connectors. Connector manufacturers can integrate the vSECC.InPlug board directly into their connector housing to develop intelligent DC charging connectors with onboard communication capability. The communication hardware is provided as a board-level component. Connector design, mechanical integration, and thermal management remain with the manufacturer.
Infrastructure Operators and System Integrators
Infrastructure operators and system integrators building shared-PE charging installations can use vSECC.InPlug as the connector-side communication component within a vSECC system. Working with connector manufacturers who have integrated the board, they can design charging sites where power electronics placement is independent of charging point placement.
The Software Layer for vSECC.InPlug
The functions of vSECC.InPlug are implemented via the vSECC Software. vSECC Software handles all communication necessary for electrical charging: vehicle communication, backend management, power electronics control and peripheral device integration. The Linux-based system supports remote software updates via OCPP, enabling standard compliance and function extensions over the lifetime of the product.
Charging Standards
All relevant DC charging communication standards supported, including ISO 15118-2/-3, ISO 15118-20 with Plug & Charge and DIN SPEC 70121.
Remote Updates
Software updates via OCPP allow standard compliance to be maintained over the product lifetime without hardware changes. A web interface supports device configuration, log file analysis and PLC tracing.
Backend and Fleet
OCPP 1.6, OCPP 2.0.1 (IEC 63584) and OCPP 2.1 (in development) for charging station management. VDV 261 support for fleet bus preconditioning. MQTT for status information delivery to local displays and monitoring.
How Does vSECC.InPlug Fit into the Product Family?
CHARGING STATION CONTROLLER
vSECC
Required central controller for all vSECC.InPlug deployments. Handles the full session and protocol stack for DC charging. In shared-PE architectures, vSECC manages power electronics and charging sessions while vSECC.InPlug handles communication in the connector.
CONNECTOR COMMUNICATION CONTROLLER
vSECC.InPlug
Communication controller board for DC charging connectors. Mounts inside the connector housing, enabling cable runs up to 100 meters from off-site power electronics to the charging point. Works exclusively with vSECC. Designed for heavy-duty depot charging and shared-PE architectures.
CURRENT SELECTION
CHARGING, LOAD AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT
vCharM
Charging, load, and energy management for sites of any scale. Operates above the hardware layer defined by vSECC and vSECC.InPlug. Manages which vehicles charge, at what power level, and when, based on operational requirements and site power capacity.
For compact AC and DC charging points and wallboxes, vSECC.single and vSECC.single Board provide the same charging communication stack in form factors designed for single-connector applications. For high‑power applications, vSECC.MCS supports megawatt charging. vSECClib provides the charging protocol stack for manufacturers using their own controller hardware.
Related Products and Topics
vSECC
The required central controller for all vSECC.InPlug deployments. Handles DC charging session management, the full protocol stack, power electronics control, and OCPP backend communication. The base of every shared-PE architecture with vSECC.InPlug.
Scale Charging Infrastructure
Coverage of shared-PE DC charging architectures, Smart Power Distribution, and site-level power management for fleet depots and high-density charging installations. The application context for vSECC.InPlug deployments.
Develop Charging Infrastructure
Controllers and software for developing AC wallboxes, AC and DC charging stations, HPC systems and MCS charging. Covers the full vSECC product family, vSECClib and EVSE integration paths alongside selected validation tools.
