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Installing an electric vehicle (EV) charging station at home is becoming increasingly popular for those who own an EV, like Tesla, Rivian, electrical Ford Mustang, Audi E-Tron, Hyundai Ioniq, electric models of Kia, Volvo, BMW etc. It allows you to charge your electric vehicle in the comfort of your home, without having to worry about finding a public charging station, waiting in line, or going somewhere in the evening, tired, to have the charge to go to work tomorrow. Installation of a Level 2 EV charger (which means the EV charger working on 240V or 208V) at home doesn't have to be a daunting task. With the right EV installer like us, you can buy and install the right EV charging system that is tailored to your specific needs. You should also consider the installation process, which indeed require a professional electrician. With the right information and preparation, you can successfully install an EV charger in your home and enjoy the convenience of charging your car anytime you need. Here are the most important questions to ask before installing an EV Charger: What connector my car uses? All cars except Tesla use universal J1772 connector, Tesla uses proprietary Tesla connector. To find out which EV connector is compatible with your car, check the car manual, inspect the charging port visually, or contact the dealer from where you purchased it. Hard-wired EV charger or Nema 14-50 outlet? A lot of EV chargers come in a plug-in version with the Nema 14-50 plug, which gives 40A of charging current. They support a slight slower charge speed (approx. minus 20% in comparison with the hard-wired ones), but the trade-off is easier modification later to change the EV charger to a different model, unplugging the old one, plugging in the new one. Will my main panel support the EV load? There are several types of panels – 100A, 125A, 150A, 200A, 300A, 400A, with solar, with backup batteries, etc., all of which should be taken into consideration. The most important number is your main breaker amps, it defines the total power availability. Sometimes it is necessary to install a load balancer, which will switch off the EV charger in case of the panel overload. How to choose the best place for the EV charger? Typically the best place is closest to the garage gates, inside the garage, it will allow you to charge the EV car both inside and outside the garage, while keeping the high-power electrical device inside the house, in a temperature-controlled environment, without fog, rain, mist etc. How much does it cost? Investing in a Level 2 EV charging station or Name 14-50 EV charging outlet might cost you anywhere from several hundred to sometimes a few thousand dollars, depending on the conduit and wiring run length from the panel – the far, the more expensive, plus the cost of the charger, very often the cost of your main panel modification, cost of load balancer in case of the 100A-125A small main panel, cost of the EV charger disconnect, and other factors of your installation. Most of the above focuses on what homeowners can do with regard to EV home charging stations. What about home renters? Non-homeowners have a few different options. Home renters can install a Nema 14-50 outlet near the electrical panel, or use devices like “Split-Volt”, to use a standard Nema 10-30 30A dryer outlet for the EV charger. Anyway, the best bet is to contact us and ask how to install the Level 2 EV charging station or high quality Nema 14-50 outlet for your car.