EV charger installation in the Phoenix Valley

Most EVs come with a cord that plugs into a regular outlet. That is Level 1 charging, and for many drivers it is too slow to keep up. A Level 2 charger runs on 240 volts, the same kind of circuit as an electric dryer or range, and charges the car much faster.

A Level 2 charger usually needs its own dedicated circuit, often 40 to 60 amps depending on the charger. The right size depends on what the charger can deliver and what your car can accept. There is no point paying for a bigger circuit than the car can use, and we will tell you when a smaller one does the job.

The other half of the question is whether the panel has room for it. That is where we start.

An EV charger is one of the biggest loads in a house, and in Phoenix it shares the panel with an air conditioner that runs hard from roughly May through October. Before we quote, we look at your service size, the panel's open spaces and what else runs on it, and we do a load calculation.

Homes in newer master-planned communities usually have 200-amp service, which often leaves room for a charger. Older homes with 100-amp service, especially ones with a pool, an electric range and a large AC system, can be tight.

If your panel is a Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or Zinsco, we will recommend dealing with that before adding a large new circuit to it. If you have rooftop solar, we look at how it ties into the panel too.

A full panel or service upgrade is not always the answer. A load management device watches how much power the house is using and slows or pauses charging when the total gets close to the limit. Some chargers have this built in. Others use a separate device at the panel.

When it fits your house, the car still charges overnight, and the charger backs off on a hot evening when the AC, oven and dryer all run at once. That can sometimes avoid a service upgrade entirely.

When the load calculation says the house really does need more capacity, we can price both options side by side so you can decide.

Most chargers go in the garage, close to the panel if possible, because a shorter wire run usually costs less. If your panel is on the far side of the house, we plan the route through the attic, along the wall or underground, and show you the trade-offs.

Phoenix garages get very hot in summer, so we check the charger's installation instructions and temperature rating against where it will hang. A spot out of direct afternoon sun is worth a few extra feet of wire.

For driveway and carport installs, the charger and every connection need to be rated for outdoor use. Monsoon storms bring wind-driven rain and dust, so we mount the charger where the cable can hang clear of puddles, and we seal every outdoor wall penetration.

A new 240-volt circuit is new wiring, and building departments generally want to permit and inspect it. Rules vary by city and county, so we check with yours, pull the permit under our ROC license when it is required, and meet the inspector.

Both APS and SRP offer time-of-use and EV-friendly rate plans. Which one makes sense depends on your driving and how your household uses power, and plans change, so check with your utility before you switch. Many chargers, and most EVs, can be set to charge on a schedule, and we can help you set that up before we leave.

If you have solar, ask your solar company how daytime charging fits with your system.

The best time is before the car arrives, so you can charge at home from the first night. Book a panel check as soon as you know which car and charger you are getting. If the load calculation shows you need a load management device or a panel upgrade, that gives you time to plan it.

If you are also thinking about solar, a pool or a bigger AC unit, tell us at the first visit. It is easier, and usually cheaper, to plan for all of it at once than to add capacity twice.