Tuesday, March 26, 2024

How To Charge Electric Car At Home

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Choosing A Charging Station

How to charge an electric car at home – Which?

Popular brands of EVSEs include ClipperCreek , Siemens, JuiceBox, AeroVironment, and ChargePoint, among others. An online search can help you find a unit that comes with the features and power output that meets both your needs and budget. To make matters easier, you can purchase either of three popular ClipperCreek charging units directly from MyEV.com. Coming in both portable and hard-wired configurations, theyre priced between $379 and $565. Each of our EV for sale listings features them under a “shop for chargers” tab, or can check them out via this link.

Experts suggest buying an EVSE that can produce at least 30 amps of power. Generally speaking this type of unit would be able to add around 30 miles of operating range to a given battery pack per hour. Some EVs can get along with fewer amps, but buying more capability than you may need today makes the installation future proof should you eventually trade in the vehicle for a model that can handle the added capacity. However, if youre planning on using a 30-amp unit you may need to upgrade the lines circuit breaker to one thats rated for at least 40 amps.

Finally, only consider charging units that have been tested and certified for safety by an independent source like Underwriters Laboratory . And if youre having a charger installed outdoors, make sure its rated for that purpose.

How Do You Install A Home Electric Car Charger

The answer to this question is both straightforward and very complex. And one can use those adjectives to describe just about everything attached to EVs and the industry they have spawned.

This article aims not only to tell you how to install an electric car charging station but also to answer several associated questions. Examples include:

  • What is an electric vehicle charging station?
  • What types of electric charging stations are there?
  • How much does an electric charging station cost?
  • How long does it take to charge an electric car?
  • How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

What you’ll find is that several of these queries are the modern equivalents to the age-old question of how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

Charging From The Comforts Of Your Home

Whether the electric car is a Tesla Model 3, Nissan Leaf, or Mustang Mach-E, they all can charge at the comfort of your home. Conveniently, many EV drivers plug in when they get home and wake up to a fully charged battery just like their phone. Depending on the battery size and daily mileage, it can take anywhere from an hour to several hours to charge an electric car at home. All things considered, in order to figure out how you can do this yourself it is important to understand the differences between all three levels of charging and what you need in order to get fast charging at home. Lets dive in!

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Tethered Vs Untethered Ev Chargers

While the difference between tethered and untethered cables may be fairly self-explanatory, choosing which type is right for you is often less obvious. Tethered chargers have a charging cable attached that you plug into your vehicle. Untethered cables depend on a cable that plugs into the station at one end and the cars charging point at the other. There are pros and cons to each for example, tethered chargers are usually more convenient but more expensive, and untethered cables can be a bit of a hassle for some drivers, but offer a bit more flexibility.

Option : Use A Pair Of Chargers That Can Be Installed On One Circuit

Rightcharge: electric car price comparison site could save drivers hundreds

Toms second option was one I didnt even know existed. He recommended getting two JuiceBox Pro 32 units. These are separate chargers that can share power from one circuit. This means I could install both on the single 40-amp circuit that currently powers my single 240-volt outlet, and they would intelligently share power so they dont overload the circuit. The cost? $499 per charger, plus the cost of installing a second 240-volt outlet that splits off from the same circuit as the first, which I estimated at $200-300. So this option costs nearly the same as the first but requires more complex electrical work.

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How To Charge An Ev Without A Garage

As long as you have a power source and a place to park, you can charge your electric vehicle at home. For EV owners without a garage, outdoor-rated, weather-sealed EVSEs can be installed on the exterior of your home for home charging.For apartment dwellers, many residential complexes are starting to offer charging units in parking garages, so be sure to reach out to the property manager to find out what your options are.

First Decide Where Youll Charge Your Car And The Type Of Ev Charger Youll Need

The easiest and safest way to charge your car is to park it off-road either in your garage or your driveway. It is possible to charge your car when its parked on the road, but wed suggest you check with your council first, as running your charging cable across a pavement could be a safety issue for pedestrians. Youll also need to make sure your cable will be long enough to comfortably reach your car.

Next, decide the best place to install your charging point. Again, keep safety in mind if your charger is attached to the back wall of your house and you need to run the charging cable round the side to the front, theres more chance someone will trip over it!

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Differences Between Level 1 Level 2 & Level 3 Charging

There are three levels of charging: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 . Level 1 is the slowest while Level 3, or DC Fast Charging, is the fastest. Level 1 charging utilizes a regular household 120 volt outlet. This provides around 4 miles of range per hour of charging. Level 2 charging utilizes a 240V outlet, such as one used by an electric dryer. This level of charging provides around 25 miles of range per hour. The third level of charging, DC Fast Charging, is by far the fastest and can charge an EV from 10% to 80% in just 30 minutes or less. DC Fast Charging can only be found exclusively at public charging stations whereas level 1 and level 2 charging can be utilized at home.

The differences in speed between Level 1 and Level 2 charging for four different Tesla models. Image courtesy NeoCharge.

The Winning Option For Us

How to charge an electric car at home – simple tutorial

We decided to get the Clipper Creek HCS-D40 Dual Charging Station. While its not cheap, we were bracing for an even more expensive project had we upgraded our electric panel to accommodate another 240-volt line. Also, we thought we could get away with not hiring the electrician to install the dual charging station . Lastly, since we were going all-in on driving electric, we didnt want this solution to be a compromise, which is what sharing a single charge cord between two vehicles felt like.

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How To Install An Electric Car Charging Station

If you’ve been paying any attention to the buzz coming out of the car industry lately, that humming sound you hear is electrical. Automaker after automaker has either introduced new electric vehicles or has announced plans to do so. And many more are on the wa6y. Several car companies claim that half or more of the cars, trucks, and SUVs they sell in 2030 will be electric.

Closer to home, you probably know of several people who’ve taken the plunge and already purchased an EV. If they’re like typical EV owners, they sing the praises of their new rides. According to most, EVs are smooth, quiet, reliable, andperhaps best of allnever require their drivers to stop at a gas station to fill ‘er up.

All those attributes are definite benefits, but the last onenever stopping at a gas stationhas an implication of its own. The electricity to recharge the vehicle has to come from somewhere. Unless you plan to swap short stops at the gas station for lengthy sessions at the public charging station, you’re going to want to recharge your EV at home. And, typically, that means you’ll need a home EV charging station.

What Is A Level 2 Charging Station

Next up on the EV charging station scale is the Level 2 charger. Level 2 units use 240-volt circuitsthe kind typically used for electric clothes dryers.

Some Level 2 charging stations are portable and use the special multi-pronged plug and associated outlet used for clothes dryers. Many homes have such a circuit and outlet in their laundry rooms. But, of course, it is inconvenient to unplug your dryer so you can plug in the charger for your electric car.

For that reason, the vast majority of people who install a Level 2 charging station in their home hire an electrician to run a 240-volt circuit to their garage. Once the power is accessible in the garage, consumers can have the charging station “hard-wired” into that circuit. Or they can plug a portable Level 2 charger into that special 240-volt socket in their garage while also enjoying the ability to take the charger on the road with them.

Indeed, hiring an electrician and changing the home’s electrical system can be a costly hassle. But the big advantage is much faster recharging rates that speed recharge times. A Level 2 charging station will often recharge an EV battery in a quarter of the time it would take with a Level 1 charging unit, making it the best charging station for people who buy a purely electric car.

You can recharge the battery for an EV with 200 miles of range in about 10 hours or less. Use a Level 2 charging station with a PHEV, and you can recharge in under four hours.

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Level 1 Charging Stations Are 120

  • It can take over 24 hours to deliver an optimal battery charge of 80% at a speed of about 9 km per hour .
  • They can only charge one electric car at a time .

âA standard household outlet is what a Level 1 charging station plugs into.â

You now understand that if you want to take advantage of a faster charging speed at home, you will need to equip yourself with a more efficient charging station.

The fastest way to charge your electric car at home is with a level 2 charging station. It can be installed on the side of your house, in a garage or your private parking lot. Also, it needs to be wired directly into your domestic electricity supply and may require a certified electrician to do so.

How Do You Install An Ev Charger At Home

81% of Electric Vehicle Charging is Done at Home

Dont try and do it yourself! Charging points must be installed by a certified installer. A quote from a certified provider will include the installation cost and fitting the charger itself will generally take about three hours to complete.

Read our article to learn more about how to prepare your home for EV chargers.

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Selecting A Type Of Charger

  • 1Use a 120-volt outlet to charge a car slowly at home. The easiest way to charge an electric car is by making good use of the standard wall outlets in your home. Most cars come with an extension cord that hooks up to wall outlets. This is called level 1 charging and, although its not a very fast process, its the cheapest way to charge the battery. Its perfect for topping off the battery when youre not in the car.XResearch source
  • Through level 1 charging, an empty battery takes 16 to 20 hours on average to charge. Fuller batteries dont take as long to charge, so plug in as often as you can.
  • Level 1 charging is useful since you can find compatible outlets wherever you go. Its best for slow charging when you have time to spare, such as when youre home at night.
  • 2Find a 240-volt charger for a quicker way to charge a car. Level 2 charging is done through 240-volt outlets or machines and cuts the waiting time down by half. Its a much quicker solution to keeping your car running, but 240-volt outlets are rare, difficult to find, and different from standard 120-volt outlets. For that reason, you need to have a charging station installed on a regular outlet in order to charge your car this way at home. Commercial charging stations all run on level 2 charging as well.XTrustworthy SourceU.S. Department of EnergyOfficial site for the U.S. Department of Energy, which provides resources related to energy safety, conservation, and efficiencyGo to source
  • What Is An Untethered Ev Charger

    The only difference between a tethered and untethered charging unit is that one has a charging lead attached and the other doesnt. If youre going to use other EV points to charge your car, you might find it easier to use the detachable cable that comes with your car. An untethered charging point will also allow you to use either a type 1 or type 2 charger .

    In most cases, it will just come down to convenience: would you rather have the cable already attached to the charger and ready to go, or are you happy to use the cars cable?

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    How Often Should You Charge An Electric Car At Home

    You can charge your electric car at home as often as you need to. It can be treated the same as charging a mobile phone, fully charging overnight and topping up in the day if necessary.

    While it is not necessary for most to charge every day, many drivers plug in each time they leave their car out of habit, giving them maximum flexibility should they have to make an unexpected journey.

    • By charging overnight, electric car drivers can take advantage of cheap nighttime electricity rates and drive for as little as 2p per mile.
    • Overnight charging also ensures that the cars battery is full each morning for the day ahead. You dont need to unplug once the battery is full, charging will stop automatically with a dedicated home charger.
    • Most drivers also make use of charging facilities at their workplace or public destinations to top up charge.

    Tip: Most cars will allow you to set a top charging limit. Always follow your manufacturers advice on how full to charge your car. Some will recommend setting a limit of a 90% charge to allow the battery management system to rotate the charging of cells evenly.

    Charging Your Car At Home

    How to charge an electric car at home | Nissan Leaf | EV charging
  • 1Charge your car after each trip to keep your battery full. Partially-charged batteries fill up much quicker than drained ones. Most owners leave their electric vehicles plugged in overnight so they wake up to a full battery in the morning. Charging can take a while, so take advantage of charging stations when you have the opportunity to use them.XTrustworthy SourceU.S. Department of EnergyOfficial site for the U.S. Department of Energy, which provides resources related to energy safety, conservation, and efficiencyGo to source
  • Electricity tends to be cheaper during late-night “off-peak” hours. Fewer people use electricity then, so the rates tend to be lower.
  • Look for other opportunities to charge your car when its not in use. For instance, see if you can plug into a wall outlet at work. Try asking your boss to install a charging station.
  • 2Use a wall outlet for level 1 charging. Find a standard 120-volt outlet that isnt in use by anything else in your home. The best spot is a garage or another sheltered outlet close to where you park the car. Your car will have a loose charger cable stored in its trunk that plugs into your cars charging port and the outlet.XResearch source
  • Check the owners manual if youre unsure where your cars charging port is. It is typically on one side of the car or right underneath its hood. It will be covered by a small door just like the tank nozzle in a gas-powered car.
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    You Need To Do Some Math

    Dont sweat it. The math involved is pretty simple. For the most accurate estimate, it helps if you have a recent electric bill for reference. Thats because were kicking things off by calculating the amount consumers pay for electricity in a given month. Then well provide examples so you can determine how much you spend on each kilowatt-hour of electricity used.

    For home charging, find your electric bill, then divide the of kilowatt-hours you used into the bottom-line dollar total. Thatll give you the price you paid per kWh, Voelcker explains.

    According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average U.S. household pays nearly 14 cents per kWh as of May 2021.

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    To use a simplified example, if you used 1,400 kilowatt-hours of electricity and your monthly bill is an even $100, youre paying exactly 14 cents for each kWh. Most bills arent this nicely formulated and clear-cut, of course.

    But for the sake of this example, lets stick with this easy-to-use rate and apply it to a typical electric car.

    Using A Public Charging Station

  • 1 As electric vehicles have grown in popularity, dedicated charging stations have begun popping up. They can be tough to locate, so get a list of them before you leave home. Try looking at free apps such as PlugShare, ChargeHub, and ChargeMap. Google Maps also lists charging stations when you search for them within the app.XResearch source
  • Keep a reference sheet handy as you plan out your traveling route. Remember how many miles you can get on a full car battery so you dont get stuck between stations.
  • 2Find a charging plug compatible with your vehicle. This information will be listed on station maps, although you can also find out by calling ahead or visiting. Find one compatible with your car. Most places offer outlets that work well with most vehicles. Tesla stations are the exception and can only be used to charge Tesla cars.XResearch source
  • Contact the manufacturer or read the owners manual to find out what kind of connector your car needs. Level 2 and 3 plugs differ, so choose a station carefully.
  • Use wall outlets at stations for level 1 charging. They work for any car model, but you need to bring your own charger.
  • If you have a Tesla, buy an adapter to connect to level 2 and 3 stations not operated by Tesla. These adapters come with the vehicle, but you can buy more from the manufacturer.
  • To avoid ending up with a wallet full of membership cards, look for the most accessible stations on your route. Register with the companies you are most likely to frequent.
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