EV charging stations are so much more popular now than they were 10 years ago. More and more people go for EV nowadays that the demand for EV charging stations increased about 80-90%, according to The US Department of Energy’s NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory). If you are planning to get an EV Charging Station installation and are wondering what you could do to speed things up for whenever your electricians come, this post if for you. Very often homeowners don’t pay attention to the preparation side of the job, and this causes delays and extra expenses because your electricians have to clear the area where the stations have to be installed, and also the area where the wiring needs to be placed. This post is more of a guide to help you prepare and keep in touch with your electricians before they come in and start the installation process.
1. Identify Where You Want the Charger Installed
As a homeowner, you should choose a place where you will want the station installed. It should be a place easy to access and efficient for your car. According to Naperville’s local Corb Services Electricians, most of the homeowners choose to install these in their garages, some want it on an exterior wall near the driveway, or even close to where the car is typically parked. The spot has to be easy to access, and it shouldn’t be blocked by other stored items or vehicles. When your electricians come in, they need to have the spot clear so that they can evaluate the area and plan the wiring route.
2. Clear the Work Area
The next step is that before the installation day, you should remove clutter around the wall where the unit will mount, around the pathways where electrical wiring may run, and also around your main electrical panel because the electricians will need direct access to it to connect your charger. This will speed things up for your electricians.
3. Check for Adequate Lighting & Accessibility
If you want your electricians to work as efficient as possible, you should make sure the workspace is well-prepared and that the garage light is working, your outdoor areas is clean, all your pets are not around, and the driveway has open access. These might sound like small things, but they are extremely important.
4. Review Your Electrical Panel Capacity
EV chargers is an additional demand of electricity in your house, so if you haven’t discussed the panel capacity this with your electricians already, EV chargers require a dedicated 40A-60A circuit. Make sure you know where the panel is located, make sure it’s not blocked by anything and see if you have any available breaker space. Your electrician will need to see it and make some calculations to see if it can handle the EV charger, so make sure it’s easily accessible.
5. Confirm Wi-Fi Signal Strength (If Your Charger Uses Smart Features)
The Wi-Fi, yes, this is also very important of you charging station has smart features. When you find a spot that you want your charger to be installed, make sure the Wi-Fi is strong enough and covers that spot too. If not, you might need to install a Wi-Fi extender or find another spot closer to your Wi-Fi router. You should do all this before your electricians come in, and make sure you know the network name and password of your Wi-Fi. This will save another half hour according to electricians who work primarily with EV charging station installations.
6. Review Permits or HOA Requirements
If your property has HOA, you might need a permit to install the charger. On installation day park vehicles away from the workspace to give your electricians a comfortable area to unload their tools and equipment. This will save time.
8. Ask for Pre-Installation Requirements
Some electricians might ask you to provide some additional information about your charger when you contact them. For example, they can ask you to email them photos of your electrical panel, the EV model, charger brand, the distance between the panel and where the charger needs to be installed, and more. When you provide this information ahead of time helps the team bring the right materials and prevents return visits.
Final Ideas
Preparation is the best thing you can do to speed things up, not just for electrical work, but in general, for any type of work. For EV chargers, these types of jobs are usually done quickly if the site is prepared and ready for your specialists to come in and just get the job done, but not clear the location for you, and then trying to find parking, also to see if your panel can handle the station. If you want it done quickly, keep in touch with your electricians, ask them what you can do to help speed things up and they will give you a few tips too.