It’s frustrating that you have to go outside to a charging station to charge your vehicle. You might even have to spend hours there until your vehicle gets fully charged. But what if you install an EV charger at your home?
This article is for all of you who own an EV or planning to buy one in the future. This article will give you some essential tips that you must consider before installing an EV charger at your home.
1. Decide on the source of power for the charger.
The charger needs the power to recharge your vehicle. There are mainly two sources you can use to power the charger at home.
Solar power
If you are a green person or trying to save on energy, you can use solar energy to power up your charger. You can connect a solar panel to the charger to get power during the day. If you already have installed solar panels in your home, you can get power from them too.
Electrical power
You can also get power directly from the grid itself. This can be costly and can result in carbon emissions. However, you can charge your vehicle both day and night.
2. Check the phase of power.
Check whether your home is connected to the grid via single-phase or three-phase power. So how can the phase affect EV charging?
Single-phase
Most homes in Australia are connected to the grid by single-phase. It is not bad, but the single-phase has a low voltage of 230V, which could take a bit longer to charge your vehicle. Further single-phase connections can get overloaded quickly.
Three-phase
If you have a large house, you might have a three-phase connection. The plus point with the three-phase is that it has more power which will help to charge the vehicle faster. Three-phase connections also have higher capacity, so we can add more connections without overloading the system.
If you are applying for a new connection and planning to install an EV charger, try to get a three-phase connection.
The type of phase will not have much of a difference if you plan to recharge the vehicle overnight.
3. Calculate the load
An EV charger is similar to another electrical appliance, but it can draw more power from the grid and increase the load. So you must calculate the load of the current appliances in the house. Then decide whether you can add a charger without overloading the system.
A single-phase connection would have less capacity and could get overloaded quickly. Therefore you must pay more attention if you have a single-phase connection.
It is better to hire a licensed electrician to calculate the load and decide whether the new addition is suitable.
4. Check whether you have space in the electrical panel.
You must need space in your electrical panel to connect the new EV charger to the electrical system. If your panel is an old model or full, then it is better to replace a new board that can support new additions to the system.
Get the professional help of an electrician to decide whether the current switchboard is suitable to add the new EV charger.
5. Decide on the charger location.
Most people assume that they can install the charger anywhere they want. Well, they can. But it may not be the most suitable, cost-effective location.
If you are using a separate solar panel to power up the charger, you must install it where you get direct sunlight.
However, if you are drawing power directly from the grid, you must make sure that it is not far away from the closest power outlet. If there is much gap between the charger and the power outlet connecting to the grid, you must spend extra on wiring.
6. Choose the type of charger and learn the levels of charging.
Before choosing a type of charger and level of charging, you must know one small detail. The electric vehicles use DC (Direct Current), but the power from the grid comes as AC (Alternating Current).
Therefore, a converter is built inside the car to convert the AC into DC. This slows down the charging process.
Types of chargers: Physical plug connectors
The EV market has evolved all around the world. Different companies have different types of charges dedicated to their vehicles. However, Australia has standardized the plugs for EVs.
The most common type of plugs used in Australia are:
- Type 2 (Mennekes) for AC charging and
- Both CCS and CHAdeMo are used for DC charging.
Levels of Charging: Power bands
There are mainly three levels of charging in Australia. However, there are two levels of charging which can be commonly seen in Australian homes.
- Level 1: This has a lower power range since it uses an existing power slot (10-15 Amp single phase). Therefore it takes time to re-charge the vehicle using this method. It would add 10 to 20Km on average per hour plugged in.
- Level 2: Has a dedicated AC charger at up to 22Kw (32 Amp three-phase). This method would add 40 to 100Km on average per hour plugged in.
Choose the ideal combination of type of charger and level of charging per the available phase of power and the spare time you can spend charging the vehicle.
7. Pick the right brand.
When you invest money in a project, make sure that your investment doesn’t go to waste. Therefore when picking an EV infrastructure provider, pick a renowned brand.
Their products are up to the quality standards. They will also provide warranties and after-sale services. Check some of the recommended companies from here.
8. Choose an experienced electrician.
Don’t try to install an EV by yourself. The Australian Law states that licensed electricians must do all permanently wired electrical installations.
Therefore hire a licensed electrician with years of experience in the industry. A professional electrician will take most of the hassle away by providing advice and possible solutions to overcome the problems.
If you are looking for a licensed electrician, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We have been in the industry for a little more than three decades. We have the experience and expertise to provide total electrical solutions and ensure your safety.
