How to install an EV Charging Station at home
How to install an EV Charging Station at home
Posted on December 8, 2021
No matter how widespread commercial charging facilities become, and no matter how quickly modern batteries can be juiced up, charging your EV at home is still the most reliable and convenient method. Simply by plugging your vehicle into the supply overnight, you can be sure you'll have plenty of range available whenever you need it.
But effectively charging an EV isn't quite as straightforward as plugging it into a regular wall outlet. For quick and efficient charging, a dedicated charging station is required, and there are three main types. Here's what to look for when you decide to install an EV charging station at home.
Install a Level 1 EV Charger
A Level 1 charger is the simplest and easiest type of station, and is supplied with every new EV on sale. Unfortunately, it's also the slowest way to push juice into your EV, taking up to 12 hours to fully charge a typical battery. However, considering that the charger simply plugs into a regular 120V wall outlet, it takes no special installation work or extra cost. If your electric vehicle is often stationary overnight, then a Level 1 charger may be a workable option.
Level 2 Chargers
However, moving up to a Level 2 charger brings an immediate benefit in charging time, taking it down to between four and six hours. It does this by doubling up the working voltage to 240V, and in most cases this requires some specialist installation work. Specifically, two 120V busses in your electrical panel need to be joined together with a double pole circuit breaker, and a four-strand wire taken out to your charging location. Although nothing about this installation is particularly difficult, it's wise to hire a professional to do the work considering the dangers of the higher voltages involved.
Level 3 Charging Stations
A Level 3 charger is also known as a DC Fast Charger, and it's the kind of device you'll often find in commercial charging stations. And while they can charge a battery to 80% in just a few minutes, the cost of the technology involved means they're not really suitable for home installation and would require major rewiring work to accommodate them in a domestic circuit.
So bearing all this in mind, installing a Level 2 charging station at home is the best option for most people. It delivers charging times that suit most situations, it doesn't require much work to install, and is relatively future proof for whatever EV tech is coming down the line.