Electric Vehicle Charger Installation

car chargers metrowestNow is a great time to buy an electric vehicle (EV) and install a car charger. The state of Massachusetts is offering rebates for customers who purchase electric vehicles! Approximately $3.72M has been allocated to the state of Massachusetts in order to increase the number of electric vehicles on the road. This financial incentive will come in the form of rebates and tax incentives. For more information, please visit the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program.

The newest generation of EVs are “plugin-ins”, also known as PEVs. These cars come with a charging cord, just like how your cell phone or computer comes with a charging cord. This is a called a Level 1 Charger. With this charger, you can charge your EV in your garage or carport by simply plugging it into an ordinary house outlet. This outlet must be 120 volts.

If using a Level 1 Charger, the outlet used must be on a dedicated circuit. This means it cannot supply electricity to any other appliances at the same time. It should also be a GFI which is a special safety outlet. Give Watts Control a call today and we will send out one of our electricians to check that your panel has the extra capacity to hold an additional circuit. We can also let you know if your panel needs upgraded. Our electricians can also give you more information about the tax breaks and rebate programs that are available to you.

While a Level 1 Charge is inexpensive to set up, it does have a downside – it is very slow. Take the Nissan Leaf as an example – it can take 20 hours to charge the car from empty to full. If you have a short commute and you can charge your car every night, this may work for you. You can avoid depleting your battery and will only need a short time to charge.

There is another option when it comes to charging you car – a Level 2 Charger. With a Level 2 Charger you can charge your car faster. Revisiting the Nissan Leaf, with a Level 2 Charger you can charge it in about 8 hours instead of 20. A Level 2 Charger is usually located in an 18″ by 18″ container and is hung on a wall in your garage or car port. There is a hose like wire that hangs in loops around or next to the container. It almost looks like you are filing up the car with gas when you are charger it. To charge the car, you stretch the charging wire to the socket in the EV and let it charge until it’s full. When the EV is completely charged the unit will shut itself off.

A Level 2 Charger needs to be installed by an electrician who is familiar with EV chargers. It runs on 240 volts, versus the 120 necessary for the Level 1 Charger, and it will need a special circuit. When the electrician arrives he will make sure your electrical panel can handle the load or determine that you need an upgrade. The electrician will determine the best location for the EV charger and give you a bid.

If you decide to use the Level 1 Charger, you may want to prepare your panel in case you wish to switch to a Level 2 later. You can ask your electrician for a cost and more advice on this.

In the end the cost of an electric vehicle is well worth it. You will not only save money but you will be helping the environment. You will be helping reduce air pollution as well as America’s dependency on oil. Gas prices rising will have no affect on you. Take advantage of these tax incentives and rebates will they last. Give Watts Control a call today to get your EV charger installed in the MetroWest area.