Installing electric vehicle chargers in private residences

Let's talk about installing electric car chargers in private residences. Small buildings with yards like rural self built houses, suburban ones, or villas. This is different from residential areas, where there is no need to consult with property management or neighbors about wiring, but it does not mean that you can simply install it if you want. There are still several practical problems that may arise.

Older private residences may still have small capacity electricity meters like the old ones with 5 or 10 amps. Tram charging power is high, with several kilowatts per charge. Coupled with the use of air conditioning, water heater, and induction cooker at home, the electricity meter may not be able to withstand the incoming line. Light tripping, heavy circuit heating. It depends on how thick the meter box and the incoming line are at home. If the wire diameter is not enough, the wires will become hot during charging.

There is another distance issue. Electric car chargers are usually installed in yards or garages, but the electricity meter may be on the exterior wall of the house or even further away. If the distance of the wiring exceeds 30-40 meters, the voltage will drop slightly and the cost of the wires will also be high. In addition, whether to dig trenches and bury pipes for the wiring, or fix it along the wall, needs to be planned in advance.

Also, there are procedures from the power supply bureau. Private residential applications for electric vehicle chargers and meters usually allow for a separate application for a new energy meter, which does not affect household electricity usage and allows for peak and off peak electricity prices. But some places require proof of property ownership, proof of parking space (including parking spaces in one's own yard), or require on-site inspection. The speed of the process varies, some take a few days to complete, while others require waiting for a while.

Hongjiali(HG Power) Installing electric vehicle chargers in private residences project

How can we probably do it? The first step is to take a look at the electricity meter box at home and take a photo to check the rated current and the thickness of the incoming line. If the electricity meter says, for example, 60 amps or more and the wire has 6 square meters or 10 square meters, then installing a 7 kW pile directly is generally not a problem. If the electricity meter is small or the wires are thin, you can consider applying for capacity increase or installing a low-power electric vehicle charger with a capacity of 3.5 kilowatts. Although it may be slower, it can still cover about 200 kilometers in one night.

In terms of wiring, if the distance from the meter to the parking space exceeds 50 meters, it is recommended to use copper wire of 10 square meters or thicker to reduce voltage drop. If burying pipes, use PVC or galvanized pipes to prevent mouse bites or sun aging. If you are not sure, you can find a local electricity technician to come and give a rough quote, which is usually not too expensive.

If you want to apply for an independent electricity meter, you can bring your ID card, property certificate (or homestead certificate), and go to the local power supply business hall to ask. Some places can also apply on mobile apps, choosing the category of "electric vehicle charger installation". They will come to visit and if the conditions are met, they will install a new electricity meter without charging any fees, but they will find someone to do the wiring and construction themselves.

Overall, installing electric car chargers in private residences is much more worry free than in residential areas, as there is no need to coordinate with others. The main focus is on understanding one's own electricity and wiring. Everyone's house situation is different, so there is no standard answer. The general idea is to first check if there is enough electricity and how long the wires are, then decide how much power to install an electric car charger, and finally contact the power supply bureau and electrician. Hope it has some reference for you.