Selecting a
Residential Charger
Residential & Small Commercial Users
(Single or Dual Vehicle Charging)
Many of our private residential, smaller commercial and trade customers come well informed about EVs and EV Charging and our site is designed so you can easily browse our range and select and buy your charger and accessories with just a few clicks.
If you are just starting your EV journey and need EV charging for private use at home or work, we have developed the following guide to assist our residential and smaller commercial customers make your choice of charger.
We supply high quality, reliable, value-for-money, safe, correctly certified, EV Charging products. Once you understand your vehicles charging needs, then there are several key areas that will influence your decision on which EV Charger is the best solution for your situation.
1.
AC or DC Charger?
Most residential and small commercial applications will use an AC Charger.
While the faster charging speed of a DC charger sounds appealing, they are rarely suitable for residential or small commercial applications due to cost and lack of capacity in the existing electrical infrastructure in your home or business.
Depending on the size of the charger and vehicle ability, an AC Charger may be able to provide a top-up charge in a few hours or a full charge during the workday or overnight.
1 Hour Top-up charge
NB: Charging Rate is dependent on Vehicle and its Battery Management System.
2.
Understand Your Vehicle
Your electric vehicle will have a limitation (or ceiling) for how much AC or DC that it can charge from (if unsure, consult the manufacturer). This limitation is one of the factors that determines the charging speed (time to charge).
Each of the EV chargers listed on the Tribus website includes information about charging speed. This is expressed in kilowatts (kW) in the product listing. The higher the kW number the faster it may charge your vehicle.
You need to select an EV charger with a charging speed that suits your lifestyle, vehicle, power supply etc so you are able to maintain sufficient range in your electric vehicle.
As in point 3, you also need to make sure that your EV charger is compatible your EV and other EVs that you may need to charge, for example those owned by extended family or employees at your business.
3.
Connector Type
Depending on the manufacturer, EVs have different connector types. The most common types in Australia are Type 2 and CCS2, and occasionally CHAdeMO.
When selecting a charger, please check that the correct connector is available for your vehicle.
4.
Installation Requirements
All EV Chargers should only be installed by a licenced electrician. In Australia, electrical installations should comply with AS3000. AS3000 guides an electrician on such things as cable sizing, circuit breaker/RCD/RCBO applications/usage, load determination, load balancing etc.
Installation costs can vary significantly depending on location, size of charger, complexity of the building, grid and transformer capacity, demand etc. Installations can range from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
5.
Cost
At Tribus, we have curated a range of quality EV Chargers to suit different requirements and budgets. All the EV chargers that we sell come from reputable manufacturers so you can purchase with confidence.
Please note that with different price points, features and warranty do differ – you’ll see this information clearly set out on the product information page for each charger.
6.
Wi-Fi and 4G Signal
Depending on your application, your charging station may need to be able to communicate with backend support, be able to receive regular firmware updates and give permissions to those who are allowed to charge.
To facilitate this, you will need good 4G and/or Wi-Fi signal in the location where you install your charger. Some EV chargers can also be hardwired using an ethernet cable.
You can test your signal strength using apps such as 'Network Cell Info Lite' and 'WiFiman'.
7.
Single or
Three-Phase Power
The rate at which you can charge will be governed by the amount of power you have available. Most homes have single phase power which often limits the size of the charger to approx. 7.4 kW
To check if your property has a single or three-phase supply you can check the Main Circuit Breaker in your electrical switchboard, or the writing on the front of your meter. If you are unsure, please ask your electrician to check and advise.
8.
Indoor or Outdoor Location
Some EV Chargers are weatherproof and can be installed outside in the elements.
Others need to be installed inside and are not specifically weatherproof or safe for outdoor use. Please check this information carefully on the charger that you select.
If you intend to install your charger outside or even in an open carport, please make sure that it is rated for outdoor use. Outdoor EV chargers are specifically designed with appropriate weatherproofing and safety features.
9.
Tethered Lead or Socket
When thinking about your choice of lead or socket for a residential or small commercial application the most important consideration is safety followed by utility, convenience, and security.
Make sure your cable has sufficient length to reach your EV.
A tethered lead is permanently attached to the charger and is typically easier and quicker to use. Please consider if a tethered lead will get in the way or be a tripping hazard when not in use. Chargers with tethered leads typically have fittings for storing them neatly.
With a socket connector, check what is included in the product listing as you will need to supply your own cable and connector – check if the one that came with your EV is compatible.
Often public and semi-public AC charging stations have only sockets and the cable is BYO. DC charging stations have tethered cables as they are often need to be rated for significantly more power.
10.
Smart Features
The way you interface with your EV charger depends on the design, cost and brand.
Some of the chargers we sell come with access to apps provided by the manufacturer that enable you to remotely control and monitor the charger through your phone or tablet which is very convenient. Others will have an interface physically on the charger.
Being able to schedule charging may help you reduce your EV running costs by aligning the charging times with available energy from your solar
system.
11.
Dynamic Load Management
Dynamic load management enables your EV charger to adapt to the changing demands on your electricity supply to optimise charging rate while avoiding overloading your electrical system.
This means that your EV will charge at the maximum rate when there is capacity available and reduce the rate of charge when there are multiple demands on your electricity.
Dynamic Load Management can also help you by reducing the amount of upgrading you need to do to your electrical infrastructure at your home or business when you have your electrician install your EV charger.
EV Charging & Software
Tribus
P.O. Box 7368 Toowoomba South QLD 4350, Australia
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