EV Charging Station Installation in Ottawa
EV charging station installation is becoming more affordable, and the ability to quickly charge your electric car at home is an essential part of EV ownership. Understanding the terminology and capabilities of charging stations will help you make more informed purchasing decisions. Charging stations are commonly referred to as just “chargers,” but the charger for modern electric vehicles is actually built into the car. The charging station unit is technically referred to as Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment or an EVSE.
Charging stations are currently available in 3 different levels, with level 1 and 2 EV charging stations being used primarily for residential use, and level 3 EVSE’s almost exclusively used in commercial applications. Most owners will be able to charge their vehicles using a standard 120-volt household outlet, called a level 1 charging station. A unique charging cable should be provided by the manufacturer when you purchase your vehicle. It’s a simple plug and play setup, and typically no professional work is required.
Installing EV Charger Benefits
Cost-Effective
Each day you drive an EV, you’re spending less on fuel and other taxes. Residential charging stations will save you even more than public charging points.
Convenience
Eliminate trips to the charge point or gas station with your ability to charge from home. No more detours or driving out of the way. Having the ability to charge on your own time can help you save money during off-peak hours.
Go Green
Driving an EV is, of course, great for the environment. But if you charge at a public station, you’re still making a carbon footprint. If you use your charger, and a 100% green energy provider, that solves the problem.
Increase Property Value
Electric vehicles are not going away. Used car buying in some regions is already suffering because gas cars have reduced resell value. By many measures, 2018 was the peak year in combustible engine sales. 2019 might get remembered as a tipping point for EV sales. A home charger is a long-term investment that will be there for the many years that you and your family can expect to drive electric cars. Soon everyone will be driving an EV. You can expect the demand for homes with chargers to climb too.
Method of EVSE Install
Step 1: Electrical Service
Check to see if you’ve got enough electricity in your home to support an EV charger. ESA has specific calculations needed to ensure you don’t go overcapacity. If you need to upgrade your service, we will walk you through the process.
Step 2: Electrical panel
We check to see if there’s adequate space in your electrical panel to support a circuit breaker for the EV charger. If not, a sub-panel may be required.
Step 3: Install
A wire gets run from the panel to the location of the charging station. If holes in drywall are needed, we will patch on finishing.
- Direct Wired Chargers– Are typically mounted inside a garage or outside on the house.
- Charging Outlets– Are installed inside garages, recessed into the wall. A charger outlet may get installed outside with weatherproofing provisions.
The cable size for the mounted charger or outlet depends on the electrical draw of the EVSE.
- #10 wire gets used for 30amps
- #8 wire for 40amps
- #6 wire for 50amps
- #4 wire for 80amps
Required Labeling gets used to identify and provide safety for the charging equipment.
Time Span – Typical EV charger installation takes 3 – 8 hours, depending on the layout of your home and the charging unit’s location.
Step 4: Electrical permit
As your electrical contractor, we would apply for the permit through ESA.
Step 5: Inspection
Once work gets completed, installation inspection will get done by ESA. We will schedule this for a day that’s convenient for you.
New Code for EV Charging Station Installations
Newly constructed Ontario homes are now Required to Support Level 2 Charging. Detached, semi-detached, and row homes, each must be equipped with a minimum 200A panel. This is significant because, before these new requirements, most residences were equipped with the more affordable 100A panel. Homes must also have a 27mm conduit leading to 220V, 30A outlet box installed in the garage or driveway.
The changes are quite notable, affecting almost all buildings except apartments. The new requirements also do not apply to parking spaces located outside the building. However, Canadian EV lobbyists continue to push for similar rules for apartments and condominiums.
Where parking spaces are available inside the building, at least 20% of the parking spaces need EVSE access. The unused parking spaces would need to be “EV ready.”
Requirements
- The installer must take out a permit with the Electrical Safety Authority.
- Installation is required to be done by a Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC)
- Equipment must be certified for use in Canada by a nationally recognized certification agency –CSA, cUL, cETL, or display other certification marks approved by ESA.
- ESA will issue a Certificate of Inspection once the installation complies with the Code.
- Any rebates will require a copy of the Certificate of Inspection issued by ESA.
- For all the reasons above, you need to work with ESA certified experts Mike Fuller Electric. If you wish to explore your options or are ready to install an electric vehicle charging station for your business, give us a call or contact us.
Our EVSE Installation Experience
We can install charging stations for all-electric vehicles, including Tesla Model 3, Chevrolet Bolt, Tesla Model S, Nissan LEAF, BMW i3, and others! The cost of installation will depend on factors such as the age of your home, the current capacity of your electrical panel and wiring, and more. Using a professional electrical contractor who is familiar with electric vehicle charging station installations will help keep costs down.
Always seek help from a professional electrician before attempting any work yourself. Contact Mike Fuller Electric in Ottawa today for all your EV Charger Station Installation inquires.
Tel: (613) 225-3249
Email: [email protected]
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Location
Mike Fuller Electric Ltd.
1692 Ortona Avenue
Ottawa ON
K2C1W7
Working hours
Monday-Friday: 7AM-4PM
By appointment on Saturday and Sundays
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