9 Must-Read FAQs About EV Charger Installations
When you drive an electric vehicle, you know it’s a hassle relying on public charging stations or a regular wall socket at home (too slow!). Installing a powerful home EV charger is the solution that makes the most sense.
But what does the installation process involve, exactly? To find out, read our answers to the top 9 frequently asked questions about installing an EV charger.
1. What’s the process of installing an EV Charger?
Get a Quote. If you, the customer, are looking for ballpark pricing, we may be able to give you a general idea of cost over the phone. However, we will need to come to your home to provide a firm quote before we go ahead with the charging system installation. (See FAQ#3 for brief overview of relative costs)
Confirm Location. Next, we confirm where we’ll be installing the charger, which is usually in your garage. It’s important for us to find out whether you have an attached or detached garage so we’ll know where to install the wire or conduit.
Choose Charger Type. After that, we discuss what kind of charger you want — Stage 1, or Stage 2. Most homeowners are looking for Stage 2.
Make a Decision about Charger/Receptacle. Finally, you will need to decide whether you want just the 14-50R receptacle installed to give you the option to plug in your corded stage 2 charger yourself or you want the actual EV charger installed as well, whether it’s hardwired or corded.
2. What is the difference between Level 1, and Level 2 charging?
Stage 1 is a small 15-amp charger (usually included with the purchase of your electric vehicle), Stage 2 is a 40-amp charger that requires a 50-amp circuit. A higher amperage allows for more current to flow faster to your electric car. This will reduce charging times significantly (See FAQ#6 for approximate charge times).
3. How much does it cost to buy and install an EV charger?
Costs vary quite a bit. For an attached garage, the EV charger installation cost will run about $800 to $2,200 for the charger itself, plus another $800-$1200 for installation. If you have a detached garage with no electrical panel inside, you will most likely need to have a trench dug to get more power out to the garage. That will obviously add to the cost of the install. Another unexpected cost might be upgrading your electrical panel/service to accommodate the increased load safely. If you have an outdated and dangerous and dangerous panel you’ll have to upgrade your panel before having an electric vehicle charger installed.
4. Can I install my own EV charger?
We’d advise against it. Someone without electrical knowledge could really get into trouble attempting a do-it-yourself installation. We’ve seen customers make the following dangerous mistakes:
Unknowingly working on a live circuit or live panel and getting injured
Pulling the wrong wire
Hooking the charger up improperly, which can damage the unit
Not protecting the charger against power surges
Besides all these potential electrical hazards, installing the charger yourself could void the manufacturer’s warranty.
If you really want to save money, we recommend non-electrical work that you can help with, such as digging a trench for a new power line (after having underground service locates done of course!), preparing the area where the charger will be installed or any other tasks that will minimize the amount of time an electrician spends at your house.
5. Are all EV plugs the same?
Most plugs (or nozzles) which are inserted into EV vehicles are the same. All EVs sold in North America use the same standard Level 2 charging plug called a SAE J1772 (IEC Type 1), also known as a J plug . This means that you can charge any electric vehicle at any standard Level 2 charging station in North America.
6. How long does it take to charge an electric car at home?
That depends on the type of charging system.
Stage 1 takes about 16 hours
Stage 2, the most popular residential system, takes about 6-8 hours for a full charge, which will give you approximately 250 miles of driving range (depending upon the vehicle of course – batteries last depending on how big the battery bank is, how powerful your vehicle is and how you’re driving).
7. How long do EV chargers last?
Like all electrical equipment, they don’t last forever. Currently, their lifespan is projected to be 20-30 years.
8. What are some common issues that I can have with my EV charger?
If the load calculation for the house isn’t done correctly, you may find that you continuously trip your main breaker. A Stage 2 charger requires 240 Volts (50 Amps), similar to a stove circuit. The load calculation is based upon the number of large electrical appliances you could possibly have running all at once as well as the square footage of your home.
It’s not hard to see that when using an electric hot water heater, dryer, dishwasher, fridge/freezer, hot tub, electric stove and home electronics and attempting to charge up your car will put a significant demand on your electrical system.
If you install the charger incorrectly, you might have all kinds of hard to diagnose problems with charging malfunctions, or worst case – fire hazards.
9. Does my EV Charger need annual maintenancing?
In general, the charging cord should be stored securely so it is not damaged. Any accessible EVSE parts should be checked periodically for wear and tear, and the overall system should be kept clean. You can clean the units with a damp cloth and some light detergent. Always make sure the equipment is de-energized before performing service on electrical components.
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