What to Know When Installing an EV Charger in Your Home

Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular as drivers look for ways to reduce their environmental impact and reliance on traditional fuel sources. With the rise of EVs, more and more people are looking to install electric vehicle (EV) chargers in their homes. Here’s what you need to know.

Considerations for your home EV charger

The first thing you should consider is your needs and preferences. Think about where you would like the charger to be located. It’s important to find a spot that is close enough to your garage, carport or driveway, but far enough away that it won’t be an eyesore. Bear in mind that the charging cable will need to reach a car parked in the driveway or garage.

Also read: The Benefits Of Installing An EV Charger At Home

Types of EV chargers

At this point, you should know which type of EV charger is best suited to your needs. There are two main types of domestic EV chargers: Mode 2 and Mode 3 ((Mode 1 is not deemed a safe charging method in New Zealand).

Mode 2 chargers are the most basic home or destination charging option, where you plug the car into a standard 230V AC (alternating current) socket using specialised charging equipment.

While convenient, this is the slowest method, offering only about 2.0kW of power through a normal 10A socket. This means it can take up to 48 hours to charge your car, depending on the battery size. While this is fine for a hybrid vehicle, it’s less convenient for a fully electric vehicle.

Mode 3: chargers are what most people are referring to when they talk about ‘dedicated EV chargers’, this is the type of charger they’re usually referring to (and the type normally installed).

These are the chargers that are typically installed in residential homes, in strata and commercial building car parks, and in some service stations. Common brands include Wallbox and Evnex. They still run off the mains AC power supply, which makes them simple to install. However, they nearly quadruple the charging power to 7.4kW.

This brings charging times down considerably, with a full charge taking between six and twelve hours (depending on your vehicle’s battery size).

Power requirements

Once you’ve decided which type of EV charger is right for you, you will need to make sure that your home electrical panel can handle the power requirements. This is especially important if you are considering a Mode 3 charger. You’ll need to find out what kind of circuit breaker your home has and make sure that the EV charger you choose is compatible. The easiest way to do this is to contact a professional EV charger installer like KC Electrics.

If your panel can’t handle the power required for a Mode 3 charger, you may need to get a dedicated circuit installed, which would require a professional EV electrician.

Installation process

When you’ve selected the right type of EV charger and determined that your home’s electrical panel is up to the task, you’ll need to hire a qualified electrician to install the charger.

KC Electrics are Auckland’s EV charging experts. We install EV chargers in homes, offices and apartment blocks and will get you set up in no time! We include free home assessment, testing and commissioning, and setting up your smartphone apps. Please get in touch.