Owners planning an EMV upgrade at the pump usually start with the card readers. The cost that surprises them is often underground: the cable between the pumps and the store. Here is why cabling comes up, what the options are, and how to find out what your station needs.
Why EMV at the pump can mean new cable
Chip and contactless readers send more data than the old magnetic-stripe readers, and they send it over a network connection. Many older forecourts were wired only for the older, slower pump communication, not for Ethernet.
So an upgrade can involve two kinds of cable:
- Data cable (Cat5 or Cat6 Ethernet) between the dispensers and the store
- Low-voltage power for the new readers
What makes forecourt cable different
Cable at a gas station lives in a harsh place. Cable suppliers recommend products that are:
- Resistant to fuel and oil, because ordinary jackets break down when exposed to them
- Shielded, because vehicle engines and station equipment cause electrical interference
- Rated for weather and fire
This is licensed-installer work. Wiring around dispensers falls under electrical and fire codes for hazardous locations, so it is not a job for a general handyman.
Four ways stations handle it
- Pull new cable. The cleanest result, and the most expensive if the existing conduit is full or damaged: it can mean permits, breaking concrete and laying new conduit.
- Send Ethernet over the existing wire. Some equipment carries network data over the cable already in the ground, which avoids trenching.
- Go wireless. Some stations link the pumps to the store by a secure wireless bridge instead of cable.
- Use a retrofit that avoids the dig. Some retrofit kits are designed to fit inside existing pumps with little or no forecourt work.
Which one applies depends on your dispenser models, your controller and the condition of your conduit.
Where NRS fits
NRS offers two paths for gas stations:
- The EMV EZ Pump retrofit, which upgrades supported Gilbarco and Wayne dispensers to chip and contactless while you keep your pumps. NRS says the retrofit installs within hours, without replacing pumps and without downtime.
- The full NRS Petro platform, which connects the Cheetah POS to your dispensers so fuel and store sales run on one screen.
For scale, NRS compares full pump replacement at $140,000+ and manufacturer retrofit kits at $60,000+. Its own retrofit is quoted per site.
Start with the free site survey
Nobody can tell you what cable you need from a phone call. NRS offers a free site survey that identifies your dispensers, controller and network, and then recommends a path. Ask whoever surveys your site three questions:
- Does this option need new cable or conduit, and who installs it?
- Is the cabling cost included in the quote?
- How long will each pump be out of service?
Dipendra can arrange the survey and go through the answers with you before you commit to anything.
Next step
Read EMV at the pump for the liability side, see NRS Petro, or ask for the free site survey.
