Just like you have with cell phones, different electric vehicles come with different charging station connectors which might not be compatible with many charging stations. However, for EVs the type of connector required is often dependent on the power rating of the charging station. Generally, charging sockets are either type 1 for slow charging or type 2 for fast charging and there is the third type for rapid DC charging. Nevertheless, most charge point come with a type 2 socket and EV drivers usually purchase a cable that is adaptable to both type 1 and type 2 socket to help them connect with both types when using a public charging station.

Identifying the type of charging station you want to install is the first step to determine if your home electric system can handle car charging. The three types include level 1 with a 120-volt supply, level 2 with a 240-volt supply, and level 3 with a 480-volt supply. The next step is to calculate the maximum power delivery that your local power supply company has allocated to your home. For this you multiply the voltage and the current supplied to your home. You must not install a charging station that will draw more than this maximum supplied power from the mains otherwise it might damage your electrical appliances. Some manufacturers now produce smart home chargers that automatically regulate the power drawn from the mains to avoid electrical overload.

Charging your EV in the rain does not cause any harm or injury whatsoever both to the car, charger, or the individual. This is because home chargers are watertight both at the point of connection to the car and the charging station. What’s more, other weather conditions like snow, sandstorms, and fog have no negative effect on the safety of anyone. 

Charging time using a public charging station is often depending on the capacity of your EV battery and the type of charging. For instance, to charge a 200-mile range EV battery will take twice the time it takes to charge a 100-mile EV battery using a 240 volt charging station. However, the type of charging station is more critical to the time taken to charge your EV battery. While there are three levels of charging stations, most charging stations offer level 2 chargers with a 240 volts power supply. Level 1 supplies 120 volts which is often found in residentials. On the other hand, level 3 comes with a 480 volts supply, and it is the fastest but also the most expensive option. So, using the level 2 chargers with 240 volts that are common with most charging stations often take between four and five hours for a 100-mile EV battery. 

Most public charging stations often make adequate provision for most EVs to charge. The common challenge most EVs have with charging in public stations is the compatibility of car charging connectors. Nonetheless, there are different adaptors available to help solve this problem. Most public charging stations provide these connector adaptors to enable almost any type of EV to seamlessly connect and charge their batteries.

There is no limit to the number of charging ports you can install as long as you do exceed the maximum power supply allocated to your property. Hence, it is important to identify the type of power station you want to install and go through the power requirement for installing the EV charging station with an experienced electrician. Estimating the maximum allocated power supply for your property often involves finding out the voltage supplied by your electric distribution company multiplied by the current multiplied by the number of phases. So, a single-phase 230-volt supply with a 40-ampere current will give you a maximum power supply of 9,200VA (1 x 230 x 40).