An electric car is not an internal combustion engine. It runs from a rechargeable battery pack and an electric motor.
Many drivers are choosing to run electric cars in order to destroy the use of fossil fuels. Charging electric cars is a way to maintain them while not on the road. Charging can be performed at home or at a station.
For home charging, there are specific guidelines and ways on how to charge electric car at home, it is as simple, efficient, and relatively quicker than charging at a station.
Also, it has recently seemed to be the most affordable and readily available option for charging electric vehicles.
Safety Tips Before You Start Charging
Charging electric cars at home can be easy and productive once the correct protocols are followed.
These protocols will protect from any and all damage; they will also help maintain the E.V.s in working order for future use. Some of the more important safety guidelines can include:
- Know what kind of charger to buy before getting a charging unit. Charging units come in two varieties, a level 1 charger and a level 2 charger. Level 1 chargers give enough charging capacity for many electric cars, while level 2 chargers allows for faster charging for long drives.
- Make sure to know the electric system in the home can inhospitably handle the electric cars charging requests. This may include checking the wires which in lieu could increase the chance a home will have an electrical fire. You will want to fix all deficiencies appropriately.
- If you bought a level 2 charger it is better to know that home electric system is capable of handling the appliances. If not, you will need to add circuits for the vehicle. If you follow necessary regulations it is simple to add circuits.
- Follow the instructions for care of the unit or parts of the stations. Do not use a damaged E.V. charger as it may have hazardous qualities.
- Be aware that the charging station is sheltered, water should not be allowed to enter; water spills can cause irreversible injuries and damage. All pipes penetrating the stations need to be monitored for dripping water.
- Always ensure when buying a charging device it carries a certificate of approval from an approved laboratory in the country. It will help use the best devices possible. This will help to limit the use of obsolete devices on the electric car.
How to Charge Electric Cars At Home
Owning an electric car is beneficial because you can charge it from home. You won’t be stopping at a station for service to your car.
The charging procedure is quick and reliable. You simply have to arm yourself with information on how to perform it. Your possible solution could include:
#1. Installation of a Wall box.
A wall box is a charging point in the form of a box which is mounted on the wall. To do its job it connects to a circuit, through the electric grid, and it is best if the circuit that is supplying the wall box can take a large load of electricity.
The circuit is then converted to the type of electricity that is stored in your battery.
There are several advantages of a wall box, for example:
- They are safe – a wall box is built with many safety features to help avoid risks of electric shock, and overheating. Even the wall box has a diagnostic system and pushes high power without risking damage to the electric system.
- A wall box charges faster – less time charging your car, for the wall box will supply higher wattage than the standard plug. It can supply from 3.7Kw to 22kw potentially. There’s a lot of power, so is reliable.
- A wall box is easy – all you need to do is hook up the charging lead to the car when you want to charge. You do not need to remove the charging cable and put the cable away after use.
#2. Using a Three –Pin Plug.
There is another method of charging an electric car using a three-pin plug. They usually supply the slow charger with the vehicle.
The slow charger is only convenient for use in emergencies as it takes a long time to charge, as it charges from a domestic power supply, which you connect the three-pin plug to for your car to charge.
The three-pin plug is a portable option, easy to use and, most importantly, you do not need to install any cables or complicated devices, that is why it is best used as an emergency option. It is not as reliable as using a wall box for charging the vehicle.
A lot of people have asked how to charge the electric car at home without having a garage. You will need to have the electric service and a place to park, install a hard-wired charging station and attach it to either a standing pole or an external wall.
Make sure to choose a charging method that has a long enough cord to reach the cars charging port – wherever it is located on the car.
In terms of home charging costs, many people asked how much does it cost to charge an electric car at home.
The cost of charging a electric car at home, depends on the charging method that you are using. You can install an electric car calculator, for that can calculate the cost every time you charge the E.V.
When your using the three-pin plug, there isn’t much cost involved, as you have incurred no installation costs.
But it costs more to use a wall box, since it needs installation, it incurs costs. On the whole the home charging method of electric vehicles generally considered less expensive.
Many people ask questions like how long does it take to charge an electric car at home. At home the time will vary depending on the charging point and the battery size. For example a wallbox has a minimal time to charge than a three-pin plug.
In some cases, you may need to charge your car while on the road. This brings up the question of how can you charge an electric car on the road.
If you are looking to charge your electric car while on road, it is best to download an Electric Car charger app. The app will give you information on alternative fuel location around where you are at.
It also helps the drivers plan trips that are within available chargers. The mobile app can also connect the chargers to the drivers while they are on the roads – these apps include ChargeHub, PlugShare and in some cases, the cars have a built-in navigational system.
Home Charging Station
What is a home charging station? A home charging station includes level 1 and level 2 charging stations. All-electric vehicles come with a level 1 charger, which is portable. You can plug them into household outlets.
They do not have to be “installed”, and vehicles like Tesla provide level 1 and level 2 chargers with their purchase.
A level 2 charger charges the E.V. faster. Many people purchase a charging station that provides more power than their electric cars will accept, so they will be ready when their next electric vehicle accepts higher charging rates. Therefore, they tend to use the level 2 charging station.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Charging Station
When finding a charging station or creating a charging station at home, you need to pay close attention as your vehicle’s life depends on it. You need to pay attention to a few main factors:
Power
Level 2 charging stations have high capacity power ranges of 16-80 amps. Level 2 stations allow you to charge your electric vehicle at a higher rate and facilitate charging and avoiding the headaches of high-priced higher power charging stations later. You want a charging station that supplies at a least 32 amps power supply.
Cable length
A recommended length as a charge cable is at least 20 feet. 20 feet in length gives the cabling extra length that helps you, convenience. You may also prefer 24 or even 25 feet length. The longer the cable, the more useful it is.
Safety certified
Electric vehicle adoption is increasing so many more firms now making E.V. chargers, hence not all manufacturers are creating devices that are certified safe.
If you are not using chargers that are certified, this can cause damage to your vehicle and can be unsafe to operators. Use certified chargers.
Cost
Just because you spend more for a charging system, does not make it well constructed or quality.
The quality system is an affordable charging station, that provides a quality warranty, well constructed. When you’re looking for a charging system, look for reduction sales or any special offers.
To calculate usage charging costs, use an electric car charging calculator. You will first select the vehicle you are using then enter the power rating of your home charger, then enter the home electric cost.
This will show your cost per mile for your home charge as well as the total cost. If you want to charge your vehicle less expensive, find a free electric charge point near me.
Potential options for free charging are public parking garages, some urban street corners and some retail parking lot. You can also use mobile application like plug share to find these locations.
FAQs.
Q: Can You Plug An Electric Car Into A Regular Outlet?
It can be done but electric cars have a charging unit that you can plug the car into for any standard 110v outlet. Today’s charging units let you charge an electric car from a household outlet.
Q: Is It Expensive to Charge An Electric Car At Home?
Charging at home is cheaper than commercial charging stations. For example, a three-pin plug does not have an installation cost, because you are only utilizing an existing socket at your house.
This gives you savings on your purpose. You do have to ensure, however, that the socket in your garage will charge an E.V.
Q: Should I Charge My Electric Car Every Night?
Generally, no you do not have to charge every night. This is hazardous as it will damage the life of your car battery.
Within electric car batteries, the manufactures provide electric car batteries that keep power for a long time. Giving you the grace of not having to plug in for a few nights.
Q: How Much does It Cost To Charge An Electric Car?
While you are at public points, the cost of public charging your electric vehicle will be located depending on charge point network and Many have street charger services that are “pay-per-session.”
If you were to use the home charging method, you would get your electric bill, divide the kWh you use by the total bottom-line dollar, and however, this can vary by person’s home.
Q: How long does it take to charge your electric car at home?
On average, it can take up to half an hour to completely charge an electric car at home, but the length of time to charge an electric car can vary.
It depends on your car’s battery size and the speed of your charging point; for instance, a three pin plug charging at home would take longer than a wall box charger.
Q: Can I Charged My Electric Car With An Extension Cord?
Most manufacturers and the Electric Safety Foundation International caution against using extension cords. Most extension cords are not appropriate to use in electric vehicles, and the recommendation is not to use these cords at all increases the risk of electrical fires.
This can happen for two reasons; first, when using a long extension cord, you are plugging into a substantial power outlet, but at this point you are using a skinny extension cord.
Your second risk occurs when you use an extension cord that was not specifically designed for that car; damage could occur.
Q: Do Electric Cars Lose Charge When Parked?
Electric cars lose charge when parked, but it’s very minimal; however, it does add up over time.
The recommendation is to have an electric car charged at least 80%, and do not go up to 100% this way you are ensuring that your battery will not be damaged when it goes into storage.
Electric vehicles have a power save mode that will help minimize energy consumption while parked, it just makes sense to save power. This will also help disengage any systems that are unnecessary and drain your battery.
Q: Is it Okay to Charge Electric Car Every Day?
The recommendation is not to charge everyday as this will shorten the lifespan of the car’s battery.
The battery’s SOC should preferably be 30 to 80%. You will also find this in your car’s manual as a recommendation for charging the battery. This will ultimately help as you maintain the battery over a long period of time.
Q: How much does it cost to charge an electric car at Target?
Charging an electric car at target is free if charged for the first two hours using the right plug. Charging can be free or it could cost a premium price, and can vary by state.
Q: Where can I charge my electric car for free?
There are charging points you can charge your electric car for free. New car dealerships usually offer free charging at dealerships, retail parking and public parking garages, and some charging points have models like free to download community lists that can access the reasonable free charging area.
Final words
It’s far more efficient to charge your electric vehicle at home. You can use the three-pin plug or wallbox just make sure that you follow all the guidelines around installation and use of any device to avoid damage.
Consideration of aspects of cost, power, and safety certification when reviewing a home charger station is advised. You should also consider a mobile application that should help recharge the vehicle during emergencies.
The information above about how to charge electric car at home will make your charging decision an easier task.