Smart charger versus socket for charging electric vehicles at home
A smart charger is a device that safely connects an electric vehicle to a high-power electric supply to charge the vehicle at fast charge speeds. Smart chargers are often more efficient than a conventional socket and can provide faster charging times, with speeds up to 7.4kW with a single-phase supply. Smart chargers are superior to […]
The best features to look for in EV home chargers
While any old EV charger will give you a boost, the best smart chargers let you schedule charge times, create price caps, and tap into smart tariffs. The EV charger market is constantly moving and there has been a marked increase in the number of home chargers you can buy over the last 24-months. Brands […]
Considering solar PV for EV charging? Don’t forget about battery storage!
Charging your EV with solar panels sound fantastic, until you remember you live in the UK and we get deprived of sunshine for weeks and months at a time. The solution to the issue of solar panels only working at maximum capacity when the sun is shining is to install a battery storage system. Battery […]
What is bi-directional charging?
Bi-directional charging is a feature of some electric vehicles that lets them send power both ways. The way it works is the vehicle has an onboard charger that can charge and discharge, so it accepts power coming in and send power out. Why would you want to send power out: Although bi-directional charging is in […]
How long does a home charger last?
Providing your home charger was installed under the OZEV scheme, your home charger has a minimum three-year warranty covering all hardware and software from the time of installation. Charger brands registered under the OZEV scheme are obligated to provide a three-year warranty, which is why installers like us offer a three-year guarantee. However, chargers outside […]
Is an EV charger better than a 3-pin socket?
A 3-pin socket will charge your electric car, but it will do so slowly. 3-pin sockets supply 2.6kW of power, which equates to 8-miles of range per hour. This means you could charge for 10 hours overnight and get 80-miles of range, which probably isn’t 50% of your vehicle’s maximum range. In comparison, a 32A […]
What happens to an EV charger if there’s a power cut?
If your EV charger was installed by us, it will be on a dedicated circuit on your distribution board. Your distribution board will have an RCD, which can sometimes trip. When this happens, the power supply to your EV charger will cut off. There is nothing to worry about when this happens. EV chargers are […]
Does My Charger Need an Earth Rod?
An earth rod is only a requirement when the charger doesn’t have O-pen / PEN protection built-in. O-pen detects if the earth is faulty/missing coming into the property. Without this protection, the charger could make the car live! You have two options when a charger needs an earth rod; you can install an earth rod […]
Do electric cars lose charge when parked?
Electric cars lose 1-2% charge parked overnight, increasing to 3-5% in cold temperatures. Cold temperatures sap power from the battery. This happens because the charged ions in the battery leak energy into the battery’s electrolyte liquid. The reality is that leaving your electric car parked overnight is not a problem even in sub-zero temperatures, so […]
Why do EV batteries charge slower when it is cold?
Batteries in electric vehicles charge slower when it’s cold because low temperatures partially solidify the liquid electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries. This slows down ion transfer, which restricts charging speeds. The simple way to remedy this problem is to pre-heat your vehicle if it has this feature. For example, Tesla’s have a battery pre-heat mode. If […]