Top tips for a great home EV Charging experience!
Or how to prepare for delivery of your electric car at home and have the best home EV charging experience.
Install your EV charger well before your car is due to be delivered
Having a reliable and fast home EV charging solution will impact your overall driving experience, especially in the first days of electric car ownership. We see many EV owners focus on the delivery of their car forgetting they don’t really have a practical method to charge at home. Yes, you may be able to charge using a portable charger but a full charge may take up to 40 hours. Worse still, you may not be able to charge at all if there’s not a suitable power socket or GPO where you park. Good electricians are hard to come by and even more so those who are experienced in installing smart EV chargers like the Zappi. We suggest you secure your charger, and plan and schedule your install well before your car is due to arrive!
Choose an accredited experienced electric car charger installer
While it’s true any electrician can install an electric car charger, incredibly, not all electricians are fully aware of the current standards for the installation of an EVSE. For example, some EV chargers require a Type B RCD which may cost up to $500. Without this safety device, your install may be non-compliant and unsafe. Worse still, if your installation quote is less than say $600, then it’s highly likely that your electrician hasn’t specified the correct equipment so rework and additional costs may be required down the track.
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​We’ve further seen incomplete Zappi installations where CT clamps have been left in the box and the chargers left unconfigured and untested. There’s actually a 2 part training course for the myenergi Zappi which electricians are encouraged to attend.
Choose an ev car charger installer who takes pride in their work
Some electricians only ever perform work that will be permanently hidden by plasterboard or install equipment (like hot water systems) that may never be seen so it’s imperative that you choose an electrician who has an eye for detail and aesthetics. We have seen some shocking installs where the supply cable isn’t routed neatly, concrete walls have been blown out due to holes being drilled inside out and a spirit level hasn’t been used. You will be interacting with your home EV charger at least twice a day so it’s imperative your charger looks as good as it performs. A messy or irregular install may niggle you from the start!
"You have no idea how happy I am today. Your installers Matt & Andrew, are both excellent sparkies. And the Zappi is now giving me the heaps of information & charging my car from the sun. Thank you very much!" Scott H
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Choose a smart EV charger for your home that will suit your long term needs rather than your hip pocket right now
While a basic charger (e.g. plugs in and it charges immediately) may suffice in the short term, by this we mean a charger that simply charges your car as soon as you plug-in. Smart chargers typically offer the following
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7-day timer – so you can schedule your charge any time
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Remote monitoring and control – so you can start, stop and observe charging sessions both current and historic
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Solar matched charging – how better to charge your car than directly from the sun.
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Here are some supplemental home charging tips we suggest you keep in mind:
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Choose an EV charger with built-in DC protection – see point 2.
Recent changes in compliance dictate that a home wall charger needs to have DC leakage protection and if it doesn't, then a type B Residual Current Device (or RCD) must be fitted as part of the installation. If like the Tesla HPWC This protection is required to prevent electric shocks from unbalanced currents to and from devices and your vehicle. Type B RCD is recommended the DC leakage protection when you don't have anything inbuilt, as it is sensitive to all AC and DC residual currents, so it is perfectly suited for EV chargers.
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Be wary of Dealer Offerings
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While it may be convenient to take up your dealer on a bundled 'all-inclusive' EV charger installation, there are two reasons not to go in this direction:
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The charger you are being offered may be basic
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The costs of the charger and installation may be inflated
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We recommend you do your research and think of installing a charger that right for you, not what the dealer offers, especially if that offer is both high cost but also involves a low quality charger.
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Install where it's most convenient for every day life not your wallet/purse!
We see many customers try and install their charger where it will cost the least or choose an cheap featureless charger in order to save a few bucks. Our advice is to invest in your home charging solution for the long term, buy the best charger for your car (usually a Zappi!) and install where you normally park your car and in respect of where the charge port will line up.
Conclusion
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Remember our four tips:
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1. Install your EV charger well before your car is due to arrive
2. Choose an accredited experienced installer
3. Choose an installer who takes pride in their work
4. Choose a smart EV charger that will suit your long term needs
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Really, this all really boils down to staying informed when making decisions and thinking ahead to the future. Work with people that respect EV charging, choose equipment designed for the job you need, and make sure you do this in a timely manner.