Using an EV charger to charge your Electric Vehicle has some benefits that might not be immediately obvious to you, especially if you are a newbie.

Firstly, an EV charger is the safest means to charge your EV cells because other devices tend to take longer to charge the EV cells giving rise to overheating of the terminals, which can cause damage to the batteries or, in extreme cases, lead to an explosion.

Secondly, as hinted above, an EV charger is the fastest device to charge your EVs as it can be up to ten times the speed of charging with an ordinary cable, making it safer.

Thirdly, the EV charger is more affordable since you can use it to charge during off-peak periods when electricity tariffs are low.

Standardly, you will often find universal chargers for electric cars. However, there are generally three levels of electric car chargers, including level 1 and level 2 EV car chargers which form most EV car chargers in the market. Still, there is the third type of EV car charger, the Tesla Supercharger, and they form a minority of the car chargers in the market today. Tesla superchargers are not compatible with any other EV other than a Tesla EV.

The charging time of an EV battery from 0-100% depends on certain factors, including the charging plug type, the battery size, and the charging station capacity. A typical 60kWh EV battery can take up to 8 hours using a 7kW charging station from 0-100%. In some rare cases of a faulty charging station with a low voltage supply, charging your electric vehicles can take almost 16 hours to charge, but this is not the norm.

Electric vehicle chargers have specific design parameters to meet safety from weather-related threats like electric sparks from water contact and short-circuiting. Naturally, their waterproof and weatherproof charging devices like the plugs and the charging stations have highly protective components that shield them from water penetration. These protective elements ensure that there are no sparks or surges due to the ingress of water that can put the lives of the passengers in danger. Likewise, EVs have protection against current loss and especially lightning. They are equipped with lightning arresters that collect the electrical charges during a lightning strike, take it through the metal exterior of the body, and safely pass it to the ground.

While DLB is still the best way to avoid exceeding the power capacity of your house, there are equally effective ways that can save you the hassle and expenses while still efficiently charging your EV battery. Firstly, by using the dip switch, which is a common feature with most EV chargers, you can limit the output of your EV charger to specific power production. While this method may be inexpensive and easy to carry out, it doesn’t take care of extra appliances, and the charging time is significantly more. On the flip side, you might decide to program the charger for night charging when the electricity usage is lower, and the cost is less. This method helps you not to exceed the power capacity of your house and can be effective for additional appliances. However, charging your EV during the day becomes impossible as the charger has already been programmed for night charging.

They are quite a trunkful of tips for charging EVs, but the best tips often address proper usage, maintenance, and repair.

For starters, ensure that you minimize charging periods as this can lead to overheating and damage to your EV charger. Also, never totally run down your battery before charging it, as this might leave you stranded at some point. Always ensure the battery charge is always between 20 to 80% charged. Ensure the EV is not parked in a spot for too long. Take it for a short drive regularly. Finally, reduce rapid charging.

Generally, installing an EV charging station is not difficult for a trained technician. Installing a home charging unit will require two to four hours of installation time. Still, technicians will need to consider different installation factors that might impede their installation, including the position of the charging unit, charging unit type and the type of house.