Electric Vehicle Charging Point Installation

EV Charger installation

Electric vehicles are the future. With governments moving to ban petrol and diesel cars, electric vehicles are about to become the norm within the next decade. Before you can decide to invest in an electric vehicle, you need to look at the practicalities of installing an electric vehicle charging point at home.

80% of electric vehicle charging occurs at domestic properties, meaning you want to invest in your installation with the help of a certified electrician. With an electric vehicle, there’s no more waiting around a petrol pump or worrying about rising fuel prices. Having a dedicated charging point at your home is what every electric vehicle manufacturer recommends.

Only Trusted Electricians

Trusted Local Electrician makes finding the right electrician for the job easier. We strive to ensure we list competent and trustworthy electricians. We will only list an electrician after confirming they are accredited with a recognised and reputable government approved trade body under the Competent Person Scheme, introduced by the Government, to allow individuals and enterprises to self-certify their work that complies with the Building Regulations. This means they meet strict entry requirements, and their work is regularly assessed, to ensure their competence and that their work meets the correct standards, and have public liability insurance in place with the total level of cover displayed alongside their listing.

We check each electrician/company is listed with a government approved trade body in particular: NICEIC, NAPIT, STROMA, OFTEC, ELECSA, BSI, BESCA and Benchmark, this will be clearly visible on their listing under what trade body they are listed with. Electricians listed here are independent of us. They are not our employees, agents or partners. This means whilst making your decision on which of the electricians listed with Trusted Local Electrician is right for your project, whether it be on a domestic or commercial basis.

Charging your electric vehicle at home

You’ll be charging your electric vehicle at home when it’s parked at a home charging point. Most vehicles also use a supply cable that works through 3-pin plug socket as an emergency back-up. While this is often more convenient, the safest option for charging your electric vehicle is to install a dedicated home charging point. You can take advantage of faster charging speed and additional safety features.

 

An electric vehicle charging point is a weatherproof unit that is a compact size and mounted to a wall using a connected charging cable. Most charging points also contain a socket for plugging in your portable charging cable.

 

Electric vehicles typically have a Type 1 or 2 connector, meaning that you’ll need to install a charging point that is compatible with this connector.

 

The best way to install your electric vehicle charging point is to hire a professional electrician who is trained in installing these charging points.

Where to install your charging point installation

The main decision that you’ll need to make about your electric vehicle charging point is where to install it. There are several things that you want to consider when choosing where to place your electric vehicle charging point.

 

  • Would you prefer to have the charging point in plain view or hidden? You can choose a tethered or untethered charging point, depending on your preferences. You may decide that a hidden charging point is the best option for you if you live in an urban area.
  • Don’t forget about where the charging port is located on your electric vehicle. While most are easy to access, some are hidden to the side or further back than where a traditional fuel filler cap would sit.
  • A major factor to consider is the length of your charging cable as it can pose a trip hazard, especially if you have limited space.
  • In technical terms, the factor that will usually decide where you install your charging port is the signal of your home wifi. Your charging unit has to connect to it to utilize remote charging and off-peak energy tariffs.
  • Your certified electrician can help you decide on the best location to install your electric vehicle charging unit.

The speed of charging for electric vehicles at home

The charging speed for electric vehicles is measured in kilowatts with most home charging units charging your car at either 3.6 or 7kW. This speed offers a range of 15-30 miles for every hour of charge.

 

It’s worth noting that the maximum charging speed for your unit is limited by the onboard charger of your electric vehicle. This feature means that you could hypothetically use a 7kW charger for a vehicle with a 3.6kW charging rate without causing damage.

 

The Nissan Leaf is the cheapest and slowest home charger option on the market and operates with the 3.6kW rate. It takes between 8-9 hours to fully charge its battery, meaning that you want to account for overnight charging when installing your charging point installation.

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