Charging an electric car at home: Everything you need to know

Charging an electric car at home: Everything you need to know about home charging stations

Are you planning on buying an electric car and want to charge it at home? Find out everything you need to know about home electric car charging stations.

21. June 2020

Overview of the advantages of having a home charging station for your electric car

Although the infrastructure of public charging stations for electric cars is growing and an increasing number of employers are providing charging stations on company premises for employees, having your own charging station at home still offers the greatest possible flexibility and convenience for charging your electric car. In this article, you will find a general overview of common charging systems and valuable information on the advantages of the hesotec electrify eSat series.

A charging station’s main advantage over a conventional household socket is obvious: its significantly higher charging power. But there are also many other benefits that speak in favor of a charging station in your own driveway or garage. Here is an overview of the main arguments.

Stronger charging power

The charging station for the electric car offers a significantly higher charging power. For example, with a model from the eSat series, charging can be up to ten times faster than with a normal power outlet. This makes charging much more convenient. Any electric car can be fully charged overnight.

Increased charging efficiency

The higher charging power results in an additional advantage: increased charging efficiency. Shorter charging times also reduce the amount of energy required for other functions such as battery monitoring. It also improves efficiency due to the lower energy losses at a higher charging power. This results in reduced costs in the long term.

Increased security

Charging an electric car with a conventional Schuko plug puts an enormous load on the socket. Just for safety reasons alone, it is advisable to rely on a professionally installed charging station. This reduces the risk of overheating and unwanted interruptions to the charging process to a minimum.

Availability and cheaper electricity

Another factor that should not be underestimated is that the charging station is always available compared to public charging facilities or charging stations at the workplace. It also only incurs normal household electricity costs during the charging process. Public charging is usually more expensive.

Requirements for an electric car charging station at home

Usually, a charging station for an electric car can be placed almost anywhere. Nevertheless, there are a few basic requirements that must be met.

Space

There must be a suitable space available for the installation of the electric car charging station. An eSat charging station offers extra flexibility. The charging station can be placed both indoors (for example, in your garage) and outdoors (carport) and is absolutely weatherproof because of its splash water protection.

High voltage power supply

The charging station also requires a 400-volt power connection (three-phase alternating current) located as close as possible. The installation of the system is carried out by a qualified electrician, who should check all connections and cables before operating the system to ensure that there is no risk of a cable fire due to the high load of up to 32 amperes.

Contact your electrician or utility company to determine the maximum power capacity at your location.

Are you the owner?

Another important prerequisite for installing your own electric car charging station is the consent of the owner, which in the best case is yourself. Tenants have to seek approval from their landlords, especially if the charging station involves structural changes.

Which charging station is suitable for your home?

When choosing a suitable charging station for your home, you should consider a few aspects, which we have summarized below.

Compatibility

A key factor in the decision to purchase an electric car charging station is the compatibility with the electric car in question because different manufacturers use different plug systems. The Type 2 plug is the standard in Europe, while the Type 1 plug is still used in some Asian countries and in the USA.

The eSat series is compatible with all common plug systems:

All models of the eSat series feature a Type 2 charging socket. This allows for charging vehicles with both Type 2 and Type 1 connector systems and guarantees the highest possible compatibility.

Indoor or outdoor installation?

The question of whether you want to install your charging station indoors (e.g., in a garage) or outdoors (e.g., in a driveway or parking space) can also influence the choice of the charging system. Here, too, the eSat series offers complete flexibility as it can be used in both scenarios and can withstand adverse weather conditions without any problems.

Design

While the appearance of an electric car charging station does not determine its charging performance and compatibility with specific vehicles, there may also be a cosmetic factor involved if the charging station is to be used outdoors.

The externally installed control unit gives the models of the eSat series a particularly slim appearance. It is also possible to choose from different colors & designs.

How is the charging station installed?

Preparation

Depending on the type of charging station you choose, it is important to check whether the electrical installation meets all the requirements or if any conversion work is necessary prior to installation. This may include, for example, breakthroughs or excavation work. Generally, the work involved is only minor.

Installation

Next comes the actual installation of the charging station and all the necessary elements. This is carried out by a professional. It is advisable to ensure that the installed cable corresponds to a power input of 22 kilowatts. The charging station should also be connected to its own circuit with line and fault circuit breakers.

Briefing

After the installation has been completed, all components should be tested and all measurements recorded. During this process, be sure to get final, complete instructions on how to use the charging station.

Additional information

In the final part of the article, you will find additional information that you should consider before buying a charging station for your home.

What are the costs for a charging station at home?

The question regarding the costs of a charging station for an electric car can only be answered individually because it essentially depends on the installation costs, which in turn depends on the location. Unless there is a need for major conversion work at the desired location, the costs for installation and commissioning lie in the mid-three-digit range. However, this amount can be significantly higher if it is necessary to break through walls or carry out excavation work.

For more information on the price models of the eSat series, please see our product overview.

Charging duration

The length of time an electric car needs to be connected to the charging station to be fully charged depends on several factors. Please also refer to our article “Charging duration”. It provides you with vehicle-specific information that is directly coordinated with hesotec’s eSat series.

Additional features

Charging stations for electric cars can have a whole range of additional functions and features, but they usually only offer advantages under certain circumstances. For example, you do not need an integrated load management system as a private user to charge several vehicles at once. RFID chip authorization is also unnecessary in this case. However, an electricity meter that records electricity consumption can definitely be of interest to private households as well.

You can find more information on optional features for your eSat series charging station by hesotec electrify in our product overview.

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