Electric Vehicle Charger: 4 Things You Should Know About Installation

The electric car market is rising. As of 2019, there are over 1.18 million electric vehicles in the United States. For all of the people buying electric cars the first step is to install an electric vehicle charger. If you’re looking into installing an electric car charger in your home, it is super convenient and way simpler than most people think. Our expert electricians have put together 4 things you need to know about installing an EV charger in your home.

#1 How An Electric Vehicle Charger Works

Before you install this advanced technology in your home, it is important to understand how it works. In reality, a home charging station doesn’t actually charge your car. How it works is that it provides your home’s alternating current to your car’s onboard charger, then it converts it to direct current and stores it in the battery.

There are different charging stations available that support different speeds of charging. It’s important to see the options to make sure you have the power needed at home.

#2 Different Types Of Level Chargers

As of now, there are three different level chargers in the market. Level 1 and Level 2 chargers are the best for residential installations. On the other hand, level 3 chargers are very high-voltage and very fast-charging stations. They can be very expensive and are not really well-suited to be used at home. Additionally, the use of a level 3 charger can damage the electric vehicle’s battery.

The best option to install at home is a level 1 charger. It plugs into a traditional 120-volt outlet, making it really easy to just plug in your car and charge it at home. However, if the voltage level is low your charging can take much longer, up to 20 hours for a full charge. This charger is best for just adding a charge to your battery and not necessarily a full charge.

On the other hand, a level 2 charger requires a 240-volt outlet and it provides up to 32 amps. This means that it can provide a full charge 5 times faster than a level 1 charger.

When you choose a charger you need to consider the type of car you have, how often you drive it, and how quickly you want your battery charged.

#3 The Cost Of Electric Vehicle Chargers

You should not only think about the corset of a charging station but the cost of electricity as well. The national average price of electricity is about 12.6 cents/kWh. So that would mean fully charging an electric vehicle with an empty battery would cost about the same as having your air conditioner working for six hours. 

#4 DIY VS Professional Installation

Another important thing to think about is how to go about the installation. Some people choose to DIY the installation and, depending on what type of charging station they choose, it is absolutely possible.

On the other hand, some charging stations really need professional installation. If you hire an expert electrician they will handle everything. From having all the necessary equipment to guaranteeing your new electric vehicle charger works properly after installation.

An installation from a professional electrician like East-West Electric includes:

  • Installation of the electric vehicle charger
  • A 240-volt circuit breaker
  • 30 feet of feeder
  • Full testing of the charger
  • Special training on how to use it once installed

Electric Vehicle Charging Installers in Clearwater, FL

At East-West Electric we are ready to help you install your new electric vehicle charger. East-West Electric, Inc is a full-service commercial, residential, and industrial electrical contracting company located in Clearwater, FL. We have been serving the people of Florida for 30 years. For more information, call us at (727) 771-9403.

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