The Best Home Electric Vehicle Chargers
So your officially an electric car owner, but if choosing the right electric vehicle wasn’t hard enough, you now have to choose an home charger too! Finding the right home charger can be difficult. There are a lot of factors to consider: charging speed, manufacturer, compatibility, the list goes on. Hence why the team here at Deege Solar have put together a guide to help you understand the different types EV chargers on the market, and to showcase the best of the best!
How Do I Know Which EV Charger is the best?
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Charging Speed
The charging speed of an EV charger effects how long your Electric vehicle takes to be fully charged. The time it takes to charge an electric car depends on 3 factors:
- The size of the EV’s battery.
- The EV Charger Power.
- And the Charging Time.
Types of EV Charging Speeds
Rapid charging – Rapid charging is the fastest way of charging your EV. Especially when on the move. A rapid charger typically has an output of anywhere between 50kW and 350kW. Rapid EV chargers or DC chargers are generally used for public charging points. Public charging points are commonly found at service stations and charge parks along motorways in the UK.
Slow Charging – A slow charge is typically through a 13amp 3pin mains socket and has an output between 2.3kW and 3.5kW. Due to the uptake of 7kWh fast EV chargers, slow charging is becoming less common now.
Granny Charging – A granny charger, as the name suggests, is the slowest and eldest form of electric vehicle charging. Effectively another form of slow charging, Granny charging simply takes power from a typical 13amp 3 pin socket in the home and charges at the rate of 2.3kWh. Charging through a mains socket is 3 x slower than using a fast charger. Many EV’s provide a granny charger as a means of emergency charging.
Fast Charging – Fast EV chargers typically have an output of either 7kW or 22kW, with 7kW being the most common EV charger for the home and workplace. Most home charging points tend to be 7kWh, however it is possible to charge at 22kWh if there is a three-phase supply.
Phase
What is a KW?
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Smart Charging
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Connector Type
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Tethered or Untethered
In comparison to an untethered charger, a tethered EV charger comes with a cable attached to the home charging point. This is not only convenient but also an all in one solution.
An untethered EV charger means that the charging cable does not come hardwired to the chargepoint. This means you can use your own, allowing for custom cable lengths, and flexibility for both Type 1 and Type 2 EVs. This choice is particularly useful if there are multiple electric vehicle in your household that use different cables.
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Green Energy Ready
Some EV chargers have the ability to work hand in hand with Microgeneration technologies, such as Solar PV or other types of renewable energy resources. This means you will be able to use your surplus green energy to power your electric car more affordably. An essential if you are a homeowner with a renewable system installed!
Solar EV Chargers such as the Zappi, will allow you to charge your car solely from the green energy generated for your solar PV or wind system. Or from a mixture of both your own green energy and energy imported from the grid. By utilising what is known as ‘Load balancing’ or ‘Dynamic Load Balancing’ these smart EV chargers are able to monitor the energy demand of both your home and electric vehicle. In doing so, it can adjust the amount of charge going to your device, according to your green energy generation.
EV Charger Comparison - Home Edition
Below our green team have put together a comparison table for some of the EV Chargers available on the market. If you would like to find out more information regarding EV Chargers contact our team on 01322 479369.
| EV Charger | Price | Charging Speeds | Connector Type | Smart Charging | Solar Charging | Safety | Warranty | Load Balancing | Durability | OLEV Approved | Adjustable Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | £££ | 7kW Single Phase 22kW 3-phase. | 6.5m Type 2 Tethered or Untethered. | Yes | Yes | - Built In PEN-fault technology. - Pincode protected. | 3 Years | Yes | Ingress Protection: IP65 | Yes | Yes |
 | £££ | 7.4kW Single Phase 22kW 3-Phase | 7.3 m Type 2 Tethered | Yes | No | - Built in RCD Type A + DC 6mA protection | 3 Years | Yes | Ingress Protection: IP55 | No | Yes |
 | ££ | 3.6kW Single Phase 7.2kW Single Phase 11kW 3-Phase 22kW 3-Phase | Type 1 or Type 2 Tethered. Type 2 socket versions | Yes | Yes | - Built-in overload and fault current protection. - Certificated by the BSI. - OCPP 1.6 Compliant | 3 Years | No | Ingress Protection: IP65 | Yes | No |
 | ££ | 7.4kW Single Phase 11kW 3-Phase 22kW 3-Phase | 5m Type 1 or Type 2 Tethered (7m optional) | Yes | No | - Built In Earthing - Integrated PEN fault protection - Residual Current Detection (DC 6mA) | 3 Years But Can Extend | Optional Extra | Ingress Protection: IP55 Impact Protection: IK10 | Yes | Yes |
 | ££ | 7.4kW Single Phase | Type 1 or Type 2 Tethered. Untethered Available. | Yes | Yes | - Locking feature to prevent others from using your charger. - Conforms to International Safety Standards. | 3 Years | Yes | Ingress Protection: IP54 | Yes | Yes |
 | £ | 7.3KW Single Phase | Untethered with a Type 2 Connector Port | Yes | Yes | - Built-in Earthing. - Full Electrical Protection including over/under Temperature Protection. - System Locking | 5 years | Yes | Ingress Protection: IP65 | Yes | Yes |
 | ££ | 7.4kW Single Phase | 4m Type 2 Tethered (7m optional) | Yes | Yes | - Over current protection - Residual current protection - Ground protection - Surge protection - Over/Under voltage protection - Over/Under frequency protection - Over/Under temperature protection | 3 Years | - | Ingress Protection: IP65 Impact Protection: IK10 Flame Retardant: UL 94V-0 | Yes | - |
 | £ | 7kW Single Phase | 5m Type 2 Tethered | Yes | Yes | - Over Voltage Protection - Over Load Protection - Earth Leakage Protection - Over Temp Protection - Type B RCD Built-in - Under Voltage Protection - Short Circuit Protection - Ground Protection - Surge Protection | 3 Years | - | Ingress Protection: IP65 | No | - |
 | £££ | 4.6kW Single Phase 7.4kW Single Phase 11kW 3-Phase 22kW 3-Phase | 6m Type 2 Tethered | Yes | Yes | 3 Years | - | Ingress Protection: IP54 Impact Protection: IK10 | No | Yes |
