5 Steps to Prepare for an Electric Vehicle Home Charger

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular as they are environmentally friendly and have lower maintenance costs. When thinking about purchasing an EV, also consider the additional costs that are associated with an EV, like a home charger. Although chargers are becoming more accessible at various public parking lots in Greenlawn (ie: grocery store parking lots), you don’t want to solely rely on those. Having an EV charging station at your home provides the necessary convenience of being able to charge your vehicle as it will be likely that it will be your primary method of charging. For help preparing your home for an electric vehicle, read below!

1. Decide on a Charging Type/Charging Level

First, you want to research the different types of EV chargers. Most chargers are either in Level 1 and Level 2. To learn more about charging levels and the different types of chargers, read below: 

• Level 1 EV charging: these chargers typically take multiple days to fully charge an EV.
• Level 2 EV charging: these chargers typically take only a few hours to fully charge an EV. With just 20-30 minutes of Level 2 charging, you can drive between 60 and 200 miles. 

2. Prepare Your Garage

Before you get your charger, make sure to clear some space for it. Clean and organize your garage so the crew can install it efficiently and you have easy access to the charger. Remember you’ll have to park your car a certain way in your garage so the charger can reach the EV easily. 

3. Find Your Power Panel & Assess Consumption

Next, you’ll want to find your power panel in your house. The purpose of the power panel is to disperse electricity throughout the entire house, and it should be rated for a maximum amount of current flow measured in Amperes. Most new homes come with a 100 Amp power panel, but there should be an amperage rating printed on your main circuit breaker. Check to see what the rating is to make sure your home can handle the type of charger you need. To avoid overloading your power panel, check how much energy you use on a daily or monthly basis and make sure adding the charger is feasible. 

4. Hire an Electrician

The next step is to hire an electrician in Dix Hills. You can ask them any questions about power consumption so that you are clear and comfortable with installing a charger. You can also confirm with them that your power panel can handle the additional electricity. In addition, you can ask them to install a dedicated 240-volt plug or add a hardwired circuit back to the power panel so it can take on the additional electricity. This generally costs a couple of hundred dollars but could be up to $3,000 if it’s found that your power panel is not sufficient as-is and requires upgrading. 

5. Buy Your Charger & Install It

Now that you have the information and the steps to prepare for the charger, it’s time to buy one! Research and ask your electrician the necessary questions and schedule your charger to be delivered and installed. 

Contact Huntington Hyundai for More Information!

If you have additional questions, feel free to contact us! Feel free to visit us to test drive our EV selection in Halesite, including the Kona Electric and the Ioniq Electric. We hope to see you soon!