Buying Your First Home EV Charger See all Guides.It may surprise EV newbies to learn that an electric cars charger is found on board the vehicle.ElectricDoctor/2009-01-18_200910_220v_outlet_installation.JPG' alt='Install 20 Amp 120V Outlet Timer' title='Install 20 Amp 120V Outlet Timer' />Its the equipment buried in the guts of the car that takes an AC source of juice from your house, and converts it to DCso your cars battery pack can be charged.This fact doesnt stop nearly everybody from calling the wall mounted box that supplies 2.After making the decision on your RV inverter purchase, you may just need to start your DIY RV inverter install.We help you sort through the options.Hopefully you. Actually, that box, cord, and plug has a technical nameElectric Vehicle Service Equipment or EVSEand if you have an EV, youre going to want to install one at home.So, its slightly misleading to say were providing guidance about chargers because were really talking about buying an EVSEwhich is essentially no more than an electrical device allowing drivers to safely connect an electric car to a 2.Its not rocket science, and you should not overthink the selection and installation of an EVSE.That said, there are important differences between the various home chargers uh, I mean EVSEs.And there are a few best practices to keep in mind.An Aero. Vironment installer goes to work on a home unit.Aero. Vironment photoCost.The general consensus among experienced EV drivers is that a capable and durable EVSE will cost around 6.Install 20 Amp 120V Outlet Timer' title='Install 20 Amp 120V Outlet Timer' />You could spend a little bit less, or twice as much, but thats the ballpark.This does not include installation.Read on to see which key featuressuch as portability and connectivitycan send the price higher, or can be avoided to reduce the cost.Amperage Capacity.You should buy an EVSE that can handle at least 3.The rule of thumb is that 3.These range numbers are somewhat optimistic.Keep in mind that most plug in hybrids and the Nissan LEAF prior to the 2. Download Dream Aquarium Screensaver Full Crack on this page. Thats okay. Its still wise to have the capacity to charge at least at the 3.EV that has a faster onboard charger.Also, its nice to allow friends with faster charging EVs to get a full charge from your garage.Note A 3. 0 amp EVSE will need a circuit breaker rated for at least 4.Length of Charging Cable, and EVSE Location.Before you buy an EVSE, imagine where your electric car will be parked.Think about the ideal location for this piece of equipment.Now measure the distance between where the EVSE will hang on your wall, and where the charging port is on your car.Cables usually run from approximately 1.Make sure your cord can easily reach where it needs to go and think about its length for a potential second plug in car in your driveway or garage.Depending on where you locate your EVSE, an electrician might have to run just a few feet of conduitor dozens of feet.Longer copper runs will add installation cost, but because youll charge almost every night, you want it to be as convenient as possible.Portability. If its possible, dont permanently install your EVSE.In other words, have an electrician install a NEMA 1.Then put a matching plug on a pigtail mounted to your EVSE.You can then mount your EVSE right next to the outlet, and simply plug it in.If the time comes when you move or decide to relocate your EVSE, simply unplug itand plug it back into another NEMA 1.This approach costs exactly the same as a hard wire installation, and makes the device instantly moveable without additional expense.If your EVSE is outsidebecause maybe you dont have a garagethen local code might require that you hard wire the charging equipment.Otherwise, keep your options open.Connectivity. In this age of smart phones, smart grids, smart this and smart that, you might feel compelled to buy a Wi Fi enabled EVSE.That might not be so smart after all.While these fancier products sound cool because they have timers, meters, touch screens and capabilities for monitoring and changing charging events over the web, most long time EV drivers believe that connectivity adds unnecessary complexity as well as cost.In some cases, when connectivity is lost, the EVSE can shut down.Besides, many of these remote controllable features are available directly on the car, or from mobile applications.So, the smart money is on dumb but durable EVSEs.If tracking electricity usage of your EV for work or tax purposes is an absolute must, youll want to either meter your charging separately or keep your eye open for add on devices that perform this function via integration with the smart grid.These solutions are currently being evaluated in pilot projects.Popular Choices for EVSEs.Okay, were finally ready to talk about specific EVSEs.There are at least a dozen different manufacturers, but we wont cover all of them in detail.Instead, well focus on the EVSEs most highly recommended by the EV intelligentsia.Well also briefly mention a few others worth considering.Clipper. Creek HCS 4.When we reached out to experienced EV drivers, nearly all of them put Clipper.Creek equipment at the top of their list.The company has been making these units for more than 1.Their equipment doesnt necessarily get the highest marks for aesthetics, but the same words keep coming up in those recommendations durable, robust, and even indestructible.No screens, no software, no problems.Recently, Clipper.Creek came out with a more affordable unit, well suited to private garages the HCS 4.It has a compact size, a 3.Its also available with a NEMA 1.RV parks for 5. Buy at Clipper.Creek. Siemens VC3.GRYU Versicharge 3.Amp EV Charger. At 5.Siemens Versi. Charge VC3.GRYU is the most affordable full function mounted EVSE although not by much.Its a compelling option because its also very simple with easy to see indicator lights and a larger shape that makes it easy to wrap the cord in a tidy package.While not a critical function, the ability to easily delay the charging session in two hour increments with a push of the button might occasionally come in handy.We recommend using your cars dashboard controls to establish the charging scheduleto charge when the rates are low if youre on a time of use utility plan.The Siemens unit is relatively big, so its not the best choice if your space is tight.Buy on amazon. com.Juice. Box Pro 4.Juice. Box Pro 4.Wi. Fi connected 1.W Level 2 charging station.Its currently priced at 6.Electric Motor Werks, the manufacturer based in San Carlos, Calif., is offering this charging station as a pre configured 4.J1. 77. 2 cable and a six foot input cable with 1.P plug. The chief benefit is the connectivity and software upgradability of the charging station.This model comes with Wi.Fi connectivity, energy metering, scheduling, notifications, smartphone app, and its ready to adapt with ongoing enhancements, like the ability to monitor charge rates from an app or use Amazon Alexa to initiate a charge.However, some drivers complain that the cord is unwieldy to manage.Buy directly at Electric Motor Werks.Aerovironment EV Charger.As an alternative to Clipper.Creek, you could opt for the slightly less revered Aero.Vironment charging station.It has about the same specs and footprint, and a nicer cord handling system that wraps around the unit.Some reviewers feel its a bit cheaper in feel.Aerovironment offers a full service installation program, better user guides and documentation and a three year warranty.The 1. 5 foot hardwired version starts at 5.The plug In version starts at 7.Buy on amazon. com.Aerovironment Turbo.Cord. If portability is your most desired feature, then Aero.Vironments Turbo.Cord 2. 40 volt charger might be the charger for you.Its compact, light, and very portable.The 3. 89 Turbo. Cord is a compelling alternative to wall mounted boxes, especially charging a plug in hybrid.It makes its easier and cheaper to set up a home or and workplace charger.Simply install a 6 2.R socket and plug in the Turbo.Cord. The Turbocord gets generally high ratings, especially for low cost and portability, although some customers have complained about product failure over time.Buy on amazon. com.Visit the Plug. Share Store for a wide selction of top rated, best selling EV home charging stations.A Word about Electricians.Theres some debate about whether or not you should use a contractor referred by your dealership.The general view is that any qualified electrician can handle the installation, and that youll avoid premiums charged by so called EV installation specialists.The key is if you can absolutely identify a skilled electricianbecause a bad electrician can mess up the job.
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