Demand for the electric cars has been on upward trend over the last few years. However, manufacturers and car owners still face a challenge due to the limited battery capacity which necessitates the need to keep on recharging after traveling a certain distance.

Despite the benefits of charging the electric cars at home, most residential installations, especially the older ones, may not support the systems. But the consumers can upgrade these to accommodate the additional load. The upgrade depends on the existing wiring, panel, capacity and charging station power requirements.

electrical wiring and capacity, and the charger voltage and level. The electric car owner must first decide on the preferred type of charger and time, and then compare its power requirements with the existing capacity at home.

Some chargers require 120V while others work on 240V and each takes different times to fully charge the batteries.  Higher voltages will require dedicated circuits and upgraded wiring, breakers, panel and service entrance.

Other upgrades include the price plan, metering, and compatible outlets or provision for hard-wiring. If you are installing a DC charging is very fast; it uses about 400-volt direct current and is capable of reaching full charge in about 15 minutes. This is a complicated method and may require significant upgrades in the home electrical system. It is also very expensive and rarely used for home charging.

upgrade your wiring or install the product if you system capacity can support it.

It is essential to ensure that the electrical panel and dedicated circuit have the capacity to handle the system. The installation of the charging station is similar to other high power equipment, such as clothes dryer, and should comply with all the electrical codes and requirements.

Each charging station should be on its own dedicated circuit with adequate capacity and protection. However, the it can still be connected to an existing 40 Amp circuit, such as the one for the kitchen, provided that there is a locking mechanism to ensure that only one load is connected at a time.

Charge stations may be hardwired or plug-equipped to connect to the electrical outlet. For the plug type charger, you will need to have an electrician to wire the compatible electrical receptacle according to the codes.

You may add ventilation to improve the cooling of the charge station if it is in a location with poor air circulation.

Charging electric cars at home is the desire of the majority of EV owners. It cuts down on the cost and time to drive and wait at a public charge station. In addition, it does not interfere with the daily activities of the electric car owners since they can charge at night.

Unfortunately, there are several homes without the provision or capacity to support the charging stations. However, the EV owners can consult the car dealers, and then engage qualified electricians in upgrading the existing electrical wiring. This will enable them to conveniently charge at home.

Image via CleanTechnica.com

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Have you made any lighting changes to your home or building this month? Or have you learned anything new about light? Please share!

You only need to type a few words into a search engine to pull up numerous DIY guides for repairing and replacing electrical lighting outlets in your home. Just grab a screwdriver, pliers, and wire cutters and you’re set.

But hold on—do you really know what you’re doing? These DIY guides can be notoriously sketchy, and some depend on you knowing far more about electrical repair than you probably do. Because of the risk of electrical shock and bad wiring that can lead to fires, you should leave the outlet repairs to trained electricians. Outlet shorts and faults are a common cause for household fires (the Electrical Safety Foundation estimates electrical troubles account for 55,000 fires a year), so you should never take such chances.