Charging adapters taking power from the grid are a must-have item for everyone who owns an Electric vehicle or a hybrid. These chargers remove the inconvenience of having to wait at a public station by juicing up your car at home while you are asleep.
Public and commercial charging infrastructure companies are struggling to keep up as plug-in electric vehicles become a larger part of the automobile industry. Charging stations are scarcely dispersed even in highly populated cities due to various reasons.
Why do we need home charging stations?
- Saves precious time in the morning not having to pit stop and fill your car.
- Home chargers allow owners to plug in their car in the evening and forget about it until the next morning.
- Some governments and local authorities are giving concessions for EV charging at non-peak hours.
- These facts indicate that you will have more time and money at your disposal.
Although, it should be noted that the charging time for a home charging station is much higher than an industrial charger.
Things to Look For..
In the United States, there are two types of plug-in chargers available: 120-volt “Level 1” chargers and 240-volt “Level 2” rapid chargers. Many nations already have a 240-volt power system and simply require a simple cable adaptor to charge their automobiles.
The United States, on the other hand, relies on a 120-volt grid, which means that charging a huge battery can take hundreds of hours. Voltage and prices rise in tandem as performance improves. Specific outlets with NEMA 6-20, 6-50, or 14-50 plugs are required for Level 2 charging.
Custom outlets may be required, or an electrician can hardwire the gadget to the home’s electrical line. Except for Teslas, universal mount chargers are compatible with almost any current electric car. To use Tesla’s unique charging connector, you’ll need to buy an SAE J1772 adaptor separately.
There are also 480-volt fast chargers that work similarly to Tesla’s Superchargers. The catch is that they have special power needs that necessitate the installation of a dedicated power line by skilled electricians. As a result, 480-volt chargers are far more likely to be found in business settings than in private residences.
Each charger has a certain amperage rating, or a few adjustable amp levels, in addition to voltage. A greater amperage will charge a battery faster in general. Small batteries, on the other hand, will not be able to handle as many amps as larger batteries. A Chevy Volt, for example, can only get around 15 charging amps on a 240-volt connection, but a Tesla Model S can receive 80. On an 80-amp circuit, the Tesla will charge significantly faster than on a 15-amp circuit, but the Chevy will take the same amount of time on either.
Most importantly Consult your car’s owner’s handbook or experts for proper charger specification requirements.
#1 ChargePoint Home Flex
There are a handful of reasons, the ChargePoint Home Flex is the Top Pick for Smart Chargers in many EV blogs and review pages. To begin with, it provides up to 50 amps of power, when much of the competition only provides 32 or 40 amps. That implies it can charge any EV on the market today, including Teslas, at their maximum charging rate. It’s a plug-in unit with either a NEMA 14-50 or NEMA 6-50 socket, a 23-foot wire, and a WiFi-connected app with the most smart-charging capabilities available.
You may create reminders, de-rate the power supply, and check all of your previous charging sessions. You can even ask Amazon Alexa to start or stop a charging session or find out how many miles of range your electric vehicle has gained.
If you’re looking for a smart EV charger, and the ChargePoint Home Flex fits into your budget, you should consider it.
- Price: $699.00
- Power: 50-amps (max)
#2 Grizzle-E Classic
When it comes to our Top Pick for a non-smart charger, the Grizzl-E Classic from United Chargers is hard to match for value. The Grizzle-E is a straightforward charger that can output up to 40 amps (9.6 kW), has a practically unbreakable aluminium shell, and is only $399.00, making it one of the most economical high-power Level 2 chargers on the market today.
For an extra degree of safety and code compliance, you may vary the output from 16 amps (3.8 kW) to 40 amps (9.6 kW) using internal DIP switches rather than an app. There aren’t many EV chargers that offer this kind of versatility, and none that we’re aware of cost less than $400.
- Price: $399.00
- Power: 40-amps (max)
#3 Bosch EV810 Power Xpress
Bosch, with a legacy of 135 years, knows its way around electronics and has been in the EV charger industry for a long time. The Level 2EV81o, which is outdoor-rated, blurs the boundary between a heavy-duty residential and commercial charger and can be used for both.
The EV810 Power Xpress is engineered to survive rain, sleet, snow, ice, and heat (from -30°F to 150°F) year-round outside use, exceeding NEMA 4X requirements, which means it’s not only waterproof, but corrosion-resistant, and has passed an extraordinary 800-hour salt spray test! This also makes it suitable for use in any unclean or damp interior setting.
You may either hardwire the EV810 Power Xpress in or just plug it into a NEMA 6-50 outlet if you like. You may pick between 12, 16, 24, and 32 amp charging on the 240-volt Power Xpress, depending on your needs.
#4 Enel X JuiceBox
Over the years, the Enel X JuiceBox has been one of our favorite smart EV chargers. The ChargePoint Home Flex was just edging it out for our best pick this year. The JuiceBox comes in three different power ratings: 32 amps, 40 amps, and 48 amps. The 32-amp and 40-amp JuiceBoxes can be plugged in or hardwired, however, the 48-amp JuiceBoxes must be hardwired.
The Enel X JuiceBox is also Energy Star certified and backed by a three-year guarantee.
- Price: JuiceBox 32 Plug in $589.00; JuiceBox 40 Plug In $619.00; JuiceBox 48 hardwire $659.00
- Power: 32-amp, 40-amp, or 48-amp
#5 Siemens VersiCharge 30GRYU
The Siemens VersiCharge 30GRYU charger is the cheapest on the list. It’s a simple, no-frills charger that comes in both a plug-in and a hardwired form. It, like the ChargePoint Home, has a connecting holster in the middle of the device and comes in a variety of cable lengths. It has a NEMA 4 rating and plugs into a NEMA 6-50 outlet for maximum weather protection.
It’s worth noting that the VersiCharge 30GRYU is a 30-amp charger, which means it can only supply 7.2 kW to the automobile. All of the other chargers on the list are more powerful, with some capable of delivering up to 60% more power, so keep that in mind when making your purchase.
- Price: $387.45
- Power: 30-amp
#6 ClipperCreek HCS-40P
Since its release, the ClipperCreek HCS-40P has been one of the most popular EV chargers, and for good reason. ClipperCreek has been manufacturing EV charging equipment for longer than any other firm and has earned a reputation for producing charging stations that are both robust and dependable. The HCS-40 is a charger that may be hardwired or plugged into a wall outlet. The HSC-40 can produce up to 32 amps and comes with a 25-foot cord as standard.
For harsh weather, the exterior case is NEMA-4 certified, and it comes with a remote connection holster that allows the user to place it wherever is most convenient. Many owners prefer this option since it allows them to hang the holster immediately opposite their charging port, even if the charger is further away. A dual-connector form of the HCS-40 is also available, allowing you to charge two electric vehicles at the same time.
#7 Blink HQ150 Level 2 Charger
This slim wall charger is finished in a matte black finish because of the low-profile design, there are just a few LEDs for display possibilities. The HQ-150 may connect to the internet through cable or an optional SIM card in the commercial version. The retail variant, on the other hand, is lacking this feature.
The maximum amperage is 32 amps, and it can automatically adapt for lesser batteries. The body is weather and heat resistant, working in temperatures ranging from -22 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Blink will include a one-year warranty with this purchase, as well as a $50 coupon redeemable at one of their commercial fast-charging stations.
Conclusion
The above are a few suggestions by our team and it is not the end of it. The purpose of the article is to educate the reader about home charging, things to keep in mind when considering buying one. Also, make sure to cross-check the charger in your mind with the requirements of your vehicle and get professional help while choosing and fixing the charger.