Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at Home

Be it to fill up the tank of a standard car or to recharge an EV, stopping by a fuel or charging station on the road can be troublesome. So, what if you could charge the vehicle battery from the comfort of your own home? You would be glad to know that this is indeed possible by setting up a home charging station.

You can even go for an EO mini pro 2 to facilitate a charging point at home.

Need for Electric Vehicle & Charging Stations:

Vehicles fuelled by petrol or diesel release toxic emissions, causing harm to the environment. On the other hand, driving a car that runs on batteries helps to keep the pollution levels. Such electric vehicles or EVs have to be charged periodically to keep them running. You can access this service at various charging stations on the road.

Need for Home Charging Stations:

Although electric vehicles has been trendy amongst motorists recently, they are nowhere close to being the norm. Charging stations can be few and far between, especially in suburban and rural areas. Hence, having a personal charging station at home that lets you power up your car is an excellent alternative.

Types of Chargers:

Three types of EV chargers are currently available. These include:

• Slow chargers with a 3.6 kW rating taking around 6-12 hours to do a full recharge.
• Fast chargers with a 7-22 kW rating that need 3-7 hours.
• Rapid charging facilities powering the battery up to 80 percent in 20-40 minutes.

Types of Charging Cables:

Whether you are using an AC supply or a DC, you will need connectors. These are placed into charging slots of the vehicle and are made suited to them. These include:

• Type-1
• Type-2
• CCS or Combined Charging System
• CHAdeMO

Types of Charging Points:

The charging slots in which the connectors are fitted may also vary. There are two of their kind including:

Tethered slot: Linked to the cabin with a cable, these charging points require a Type-1 or Type-2 connector. Be sure to consult the user manual to check which one is fitted in your vehicle before buying.

Socketed slot: These cable-free charging points are equipped with safety tools that keep your car and your home out of danger. Also, these points work with all kinds of connectors, giving them an advantage over the tethered version.

Suitable Power Rating:

Most drivers using the home charging facility prefer to charge their cars overnight. Thus, slow chargers are commonly used putting an additional load of around 3-7 kW. That causes no issues as a single-phase supply can bear the 7-kW loading just fine. A three-phase AC supply can support up to about 22 kW, which is needed for fast charging. As for rapid chargers, use them in moderation to preserve the battery life of the vehicle.

Protective Measures:

Every house has several sockets, but these are never used to recharge a car battery. Special sockets and stations are significant. Powering the cell of a massive car or van through a standard household socket for extended periods can cause various mishaps. These can range from an overheating issue to even a cable fire.

Recharge time and corresponding distance range:

Electric vehicles have several advantages over cars with internal combustion engines. However, one aspect where an EV falls short is in the time needed to charge it. While filling up the tank with fuel merely takes minutes, recharging can take several hours. It is common practice to let the battery power up all night when the automobile is not in use. Although rapid chargers can complete the process in a short time, you should avoid using them frequently.

The range of EVs may vary between 120 to 500 miles, depending on several factors. The way you drive your vehicle along with the weather majorly influences it.

Charging your electric car at home has many advantages. If your vehicle needs regular power boosts, waiting for your chance at the public station can quickly become frustrating. Thus, it is a great idea to set up an EV charging point at your place. That way, you only have to stop by at public stations in the case of emergencies and very long road trips. Thus, your rides become completely safe and comfortable.