What Is the Difference Between Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Charging?

EV Charger Installation Services | Eagle Rock Residential Electricians

Considering how common EVs have become, you may be considering availing EV Charger Installation yourself. Good thing Eagle Rock Residential Electricians is offering exceptional EV charger installation. If you’re looking to purchase a new EV, you must be well-versed in EV charging. This blog will outline the key distinctions among the main charging techniques you can use to extend the range of your electric vehicle (EV) as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each technique. 

  • Level 1 Charging

Level 1 charging sounds more complicated than it really is. When you purchase your EV, it will include a charging adapter straight from the manufacturer. This adapter plugs into any conventional 120V outlet in your home. This means that contrary to popular belief, you can charge your car from day one without the need for any prior modifications to your electric system.

The only major drawback to Level 1 charging is the speed—or lack thereof. Level 1 charging will help you recover around five miles of range per hour of charging. This will help you gain about 50 miles of driving range by the time you wake up the next day. The great thing about Level 1 charging is that it’ll charge your vehicle slowly, and you won’t have to worry about battery degradation resulting from constant high states of charge.

  • Level 2 Charging

Level 2 charging will allow the vehicle to recover close to 100% of its full range, which is great if you travel more than 50 miles with your EV on a daily basis. As previously mentioned, in order to use a Level 2 charger for your EV, you must consult a professional electrician to aid in the installation process. Once the electrician installs the L2 charger and the necessary 240V outlet, you’re ready to charge your vehicle using an L2 charger.

Using an L2 charger every single day might degrade the battery because it’s reaching an almost full state of charge every time it charges. Regardless, your EV is a transportation tool at the end of the day, so don’t be afraid to charge the battery as your needs dictate.

  • Level 3 Charging

Level 3 charging, also known as DC fast charging, is the fastest method to charge your vehicle. As an example of how fast you can replenish your battery using L3 charging, take the Hyundai IONIQ 5. An L3 charger will recharge the IONIQ 5 battery from 10% to 80% in approximately 18 minutes. This is truly amazing and is perfect for long road trips where you need to hit the road as quickly as possible.

Ultra-fast charging like this is only available using public chargers, so you won’t be able to install one of these in your home. So if the need arises to use a DC fast charger go ahead and charge away without hesitation. DC fast chargers are becoming more and more commonplace, and with companies like Eagle Rock Residential Electricians investing in robust nationwide charging networks, they’ll continue to proliferate.

Are all EV plugs the same?

EV Charger Installation and Repair Services | Eagle Rock Residential Electricians

Fortunately, there isn’t a huge range of electric vehicle plugs because they have been developed to be fairly standard. However, that does not mean that they are all the same. A few businesses, including Tesla, have developed their plug shapes. It’s unclear why these businesses choose to deviate from the industry norm; perhaps they wanted to stand out more, or maybe they wanted to charge customers more by making them acquire adapters.

Different forms of electrical current, as well as varying voltage and amperage, are handled by various electric car plugs. Make sure you know the varying rates at which electric vehicles can convert AC (also known as alternating current) electricity to DC (and direct current) electricity that the car can utilize. Avoid purchasing a plug with a much greater amperage than your car can manage.

How long does it take to charge an electric car at home?

Nailing down precisely how long it takes to charge an electric car is a difficult task. It’s not a question that has one simple answer. There are many variables involved, such as which electric vehicle (EV) you own, the size of its battery, the charging rate of its onboard charger and the power source you’re using for charging.

While the above four factors are the most obvious, there are several other variables that impact EV charging time. These include, but aren’t limited to, the weather, the temperature of the car’s battery, the length of the charging cable and the battery’s State of Charge (SoC) at the time of plugging in. SoC basically means how “full” the battery is relative to its total capacity.

What are some common issues that I can have with my EV charger?

The hardest part of owning an electric vehicle is charging it in public, but not for the reason you may expect. Yes, recharging takes longer than filling a tank, but the fundamental problem with EV charging networks is their dependency on mobile apps. You may start and manage your charging session using an app that is available for almost every EV charging network. And there are a ton of issues as a result. That is not how an EV is charged. Leaving aside the time concern, which receives a lot of attention and is continually getting better, the entire app scenario makes the process of charging so much more difficult than it needs to be.

  • Brand-specific networks restrict use

Tesla is a trailblazer and a market challenger. The Tesla Model S saloon and its mind-blowing (for the time) range proved that electric cars weren’t just meant to be secondary vehicles. And a crucial way Tesla made its cars even more convenient was to establish its own supercharger network and destination charger network. Unique to Tesla, the supercharger network uses a Type 2 plug that’s capable of delivering rapid DC – it’s the only Type 2 plug to do so. Each supercharger unit also has a CCS charger, which means other electric cars could use it.

  • I asked if the firm would change that, a Tesla spokesperson told us ‘we would not make future-looking statements’. Tesla superchargers have power levels from 120kW to 250kW, and charge their owners just 26p per kWh. So one of the fastest, most prolific and affordable set of ultra-rapid chargers is locked off to one brand. You’ll find these in places such as hotels where people will spend a reasonable amount of time; hence the name.
  • Destination chargers can be unique to Tesla, or open to all with a Type 2 plug. Tesla says it advises hosts that ‘wherever two chargers are installed, we encourage one to be universal and one to be Tesla only’. All Tesla destination chargers could be open to all cars. A Tesla spokesperson told us that the destination chargers have ‘the same hardware, just a switch inside that makes it universal or Tesla only’. We’re just a switch away from opening more Tesla destination chargers to the UK public.

Does my EV Charger need annual maintenancing?

electric vehicles are still more expensive to purchase than their gasoline-powered counterparts, they are often less expensive to maintain due to the availability of economical home charging. EV charging in Glenview also saves you money in the long run by reducing maintenance costs. Your electric car is, without a doubt, a significant investment, and keeping up with its maintenance routine is critical. Whether running errands or traveling to work, you spend a lot of time in your car. Take good care of your vehicle, and it will take good care of you!  

Breakdowns may be avoided by practicing good maintenance practices, eliminating the associated risks, annoyance, and costly repairs. Keeping an electric vehicle in excellent working order might help prevent accidents caused by a significant engine or brake failure.  

Do car chargers need an isolator?

Supplying electrical current in motorized engines, the batteries used in cars are now infused with a battery isolator, devices that separate direct current into different branches while securing the delivery of the electric current in only one direction. This is typically used in large-scale vehicles such as boats, airplanes, large trucks, recreational vehicles, and utility vehicles with complicated fundamental and accessory mechanisms. Here are the various benefits of battery isolators: Additional Power Source

For some vehicles requiring multiple batteries, battery isolators are their perfect pair. Battery isolators make sure that electric current flows appropriately in different paths towards the batteries, even if one battery is not functioning properly. The malfunctioning battery will not incapacitate the whole branch of batteries, as the battery isolator ensures that it flows in only one direction, but divided branches.

A vehicle’s primary electrical power system is made up of multiple components, especially the second battery, which is usually connected to other devices. Using a battery isolator switch, you can separate the second battery from other components and guarantee that the backup battery will not be affected while starting the car’s engine.

Now that you have enough information to understand what EV chargers are and how they function, you can now make the right decision. Call me or learn more about it by visiting our blog page.