How to Choose Ac Ev Charging Station?

Buying a private charging station is a relatively high investment and your decision must therefore be carefully considered. First of all, it will be important to realize who the charging station is for and where it will be located. You will place different requirements on the company's charging station than on the home one. Based on this, it is then necessary to consider what performance you need, choose smart features and payment system and last but not least the type of connector and cable connection.

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Charging stationEVECUBE. Author: EVEXPERT

Charging station power

First a little quick theory - two chargers are important for electric cars:

• On-board Charger (OBC)
• Charging stations, also called Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE)

On-board chargers are built into the car's interior. Charging stations (EVSE), on the other hand, are external. Charging stations are the source of electricity, which is then sent to the on-board charger. In the case of AC charging, the on-board charger takes care of converting alternating current to direct current and then sends it to the battery. How AC and DC charging works is explained here.

Because current must pass through the on-board charger, its performance is important. EVSE charging stations cannot supply the car with more energy than can pass through the on-board charger. So the minimum required power of the home charging station is therefore the same as the power of the on-board charger.

On-board charger. Author: Toyota Motor Europe (Licence CC BY-ND 2.0)

At the same time, however, it is important to realize that technology is still moving forward. A quality home charging station has a long service life and is therefore likely to serve several cars during its life. So it is advisable to consider choosing the charging station with the highest performance.

If the charging station is to be used in companies, it is necessary to choose according to the car that has the most powerful on-board charger and at the same time it is necessary to consider that clients might come to visit. A charging station with the highest possible performance is then almost a necessity.

You can read about how on-board chargers work and how they affect charging here.

Smart computer

Of course, the electric car can be charged directly from the socket using a portable charger. An external charging station is not absolutely necessary, but in addition to simply ensuring the safety of the vehicle and crew, they have many other clever functions. It's up to you to choose the ones you need.

Portable charger EVELINE MAX II. Author: EVEXPERT

For companies with more employees, it is definitely appropriate for the charging station to have an RFID system that will allow employees, clients or friends of the company to connect to the station and start charging. At the same time, in the case of owning more charging stations and charging more cars, it is good to choose stations that will be able to communicate with each other and provide so-called "load balancing", which means that the stations charge with full power until the capacity of the electricity connection is reached and the power is distributed "fairly" among all vehicles.

It is also advantageous for households to be able to connect the charging station to the house and make it adapt to the house energy requirements. During full operation, smart charging stations use only "free" current and they start charging more when the capacity is released. Or, conversely, it will reduce charging if the need of the house increases. Alternatively, the home charging station can be programmed to charge only during the night tariff, when electricity is the cheapest.

Cable and type of connector

The last variable to consider is the type of cable and connector. There are two options, either a station with an integrated cable or a station that only has a socket, to which everyone then connects their cable that they carry in the car.

As with the development of any new technology, there are several types of connectors for electric cars. In Europe, it is currently possible to find Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is currently in decline and new cars with this connector are no longer manufactured in Europe (on the contrary, in the United States, it is the dominant type of connector). In Europe most cars already have a Type 2 connector and all new cars are equipped with it.

Connector type 1 and type 2. Author: EVEXPERT

So if there are different cars coming to the station, or if you have a car with a Type 1 connector, you could consider choosing a station only with a socket, which will make its use more versatile. If it is a home station where you are the only one who charges there, and if you already have a Type 2 connector, and so your future car will have the same connector, then the station with integrated cable is much more convenient, as there is no need to always unpack the portable charging cable.

The point is that stations with an integrated cable are more comfortable, because you only need to connect the cable and then just hang it on the station again, which can be very welcome, especially in adverse weather conditions, but at the same time stations without an integrated cable are a more universal option. You can learn more about what connectors exist and what their history was here.

Charging station EVECUBE. Author: EVEXPERT

Summary

Choosing a home charging station is a responsible decision where many variables need to be considered in addition to the price. The most important of these are the power output, which should be at least as good as the power of the on-board charger and ideally higher, so that it will be sufficient in the future.

Then you need to consider if you need a charging station with a smart system that can communicate with other stations or with the household, and for a company a payment system might come in handy. And the last decision is between the need for the charging station to be universal or enjoying more comfort and buying a station with an already integrated cable.

1)  Where do you park?

First, think about your parking space. Do you usually park your electric car outdoors or in your garage?

The main reason why this is important is that not all home charging stations are weather-proof. Among the weather-proof units, their levels of resistance will also vary depending on how extreme the climate is.

So, if you live in a region that exposes your EV to icy winter conditions, heavy rain, or strong heat for example, make sure to choose a home charging station that can handle these types of extreme weather conditions.

This information can be found in the specifications and details section of each home charging station displayed in our store.

On the topic of extreme weather, choosing a home charging station with a flexible cable is the best option to manipulate it in colder climates.

2) Where will you install your home charging station?

Speaking of cables, when choosing a home charging station; pay attention to the length of the cable that comes with it. Each level 2 charging station has a cable that varies in length from one unit to another. With your parking space in mind, think about the exact location where you plan on installing the level 2 charging station to make sure that the cable will be long enough to reach your electric car&#;s port!

For example, the home charging stations available in our online store have cables that range from 12 ft to 25 ft. Our recommendation is to choose a unit with a cable that is at least 18 feet long. If that length isn&#;t sufficient, look for home charging stations with a 25-foot cable.

Cable for two, please?

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If you have more than one EV to charge (lucky you!), there are mainly two options. First, you could get a dual charging station. These can charge two vehicles simultaneously and need to be installed somewhere where the cables can plug into both electric cars at the same time. The other option would be to purchase two smart charging stations (more on that later) and install them on a single circuit and link them. Although this gives you more flexibility with the installation, this option is generally more expensive.

Matching your home charging station to your lifestyle

1) How nomadic are you?

If you tend to head over to your cottage every week or have a career that requires you to move often, you might choose a portable charging station, rather than a unit that is hard-wired and permanently mounted. 

Here are the differences between the two:

1. Hard-wired and permanently-mounted:

   
   Here, the home charging station is connected directly to the electrical panel with a wire. The installation of these units is often considered cleaner and is best for EV drivers who have a sedentary lifestyle. They also have the advantage of being much more difficult to steal, since someone would need to cut a live 240-volt wire to remove it.
   
   

2. Portable:

   
   These simply hang on the wall and plug into a 240-volt receptacle. With these, pay attention to the plug the portable charging station comes with&#;it will usually either be a NEMA 14-50P (a common outlet for electric stoves) or a NEMA 6-50P (a common outlet for welder plugs). Make sure it&#;s compatible with the wall receptacle. Some homes already have a 240-volt receptacle where the station will be installed, which makes it easy to match! If you don&#;t already have a 240-volt outlet, you can have an electrician install whichever matches the plug you purchase.
   
   

2) Which home charging station will charge your electric car the fastest?

Finding out which home charging station offers the fastest charging speed is a popular topic among new EV drivers. Hey, we get it: Time is precious and valuable.

In short, no matter which model you choose, the selection of level 2 charging stations available on our online store and in general, can charge a full EV battery overnight.

However, EV charging time is dependent on variables such as:

• Your EV&#;s battery size: the bigger it is, the longer it will take to charge.
• Your home charging station&#;s max power capacity:

  even if the vehicle on-board charger can accept a high power,

   if the home charging station can only output less, it will not charge the electric vehicle as fast as it can.
• Your EV&#;s charging power capacity: If the charger can supply more than the EV&#;s maximum power intake, the vehicle will limit the charging power and affect the time to charge.
• Environmental factors: a very cold or very hot battery can limit the maximum power intake and thus affect charging time.

Among these variables, the charging time of an electric car comes down to the following two: the power source and the vehicle's onboard charger capacity.

1. Power source: As mentioned in our handy resource A Beginner&#;s Guide to Electric Cars
2. EV charger capacity: The cable that you plug into an electric car directs the power source of electricity to the EV charger in the car that converts the AC electricity from the wall into DC to charge the battery.

If you&#;re a numbers person, here&#;s the formula for charging time: total charging time = kWh ÷ kW.

Meaning, that if an electric car has a 10-kW onboard charger and a 100-kWh battery, you can expect it to take 10 hours to charge a fully depleted battery.

This also means that even if you equip your home with one of the most powerful level 2 charging stations&#;such as one that can provide 11 kW&#;most electric cars won&#;t charge any faster.

3) What else can a home charging station do for you?

Some level 2 charging stations are &#;smart&#; and can be controlled remotely with an app on your over WiFi or Bluetooth. These smart home charging stations don&#;t charge any faster, but they do offer perks, such as access control or data monitoring. If those interest you, check which smart features are offered by a specific home charging station before buying it.

One thing to keep in mind: Most EVs have their own smartphone app which can do some or all of these smart features, so we recommend you start by checking what your electric car already offers to make sure you don&#;t pay twice for something you might already have.

Final aspects to choose the right home charging station

1. Cable management: Certain models include a holster or a hook to hold the cable and connector. This keeps them out of harm&#;s way and avoids additional clutter in the garage.
2. Locking mechanism: If you plan on installing a portable home charging station outside, make sure you can lock both the unit and the non-EV connector cable. This will help prevent theft and children or animals playing with the 240 V outlet. A simple step that can save you a lot of trouble!
3. Size and appearance: Although this comes down to personal preference, make sure to consider the weight of the station if it&#;s portable. Keep in mind that while you may like a design, it's important not to prioritize the aesthetic appearance at the expense of key features that better match your lifestyle.

Ready to choose the right home charging station?

If you answered each question in this guide, you have everything you need to choose the right home charging station.and find your match or

Get started with EV home charging&#;it&#;s electrifying!

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*Some illustrations in this guide contain designs created by pch.vector from

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