Are you dreaming of getting a Tesla or other EV?
Have you purchased a charger for your EV that needs to be installed?
Does your home have the wiring to support charging your EV?
When it comes to EV charging, you have many home charging options, from adding a NEMA 14-50 outlet to plug a portable charger into, to directly wiring a charger into your home. Call and let our experienced residential electricians help you make the best decision for your needs.
Here are some things to consider when adding an EV charger.
- How fast can your EV charge?
- How fast do you want to charge it?
The faster you charge, the more power you will need to have coming into your home. Most EVs are able to pull 6.6 kilowatts (30 amps). But some EVs, such as the Ford F150 Lightning, can charge at up to 20 kilowatts (85 amps). 85 amps is as much power as many homes use to operate all of their appliances and enough power to warrant a separate electrical panel and possibly a separate meter on your home. Contact us so we can assess your needs, determine what extra capacity your electrical panel has, and discuss with you how that will affect the cost of your charger installation.
Falcon Electric has installed Tesla chargers and non-Tesla chargers. We make sure we do this in a way that is safe and will not overload the wires, the circuit, or your electrical panel. Best of all, we offer you a 7-year warranty on recommended parts and labor.
The cost of installing an EV charger depends on many factors:
- Are you installing a dedicated 120v outlet for a Level 1 charger which has a maximum of 1.92 KW per hour with the right charger.
- Do you want a NEMA 14-50 outlet to plug a 240v Level 2 charger into which will have a maximum of 9.6 KW per hour, with a matching charger; provided your EV can accept 9.6 KW of A/C charging.
- Do you have a charger you want hard wired into your electrical system?
- Do you have a high power EV that will accept 10 to 20 KW per hour of A/C charging?
Each of these options may be done by just using unused space in your current electrical panel or may require a new electrical panel or even upgraded service to your home. Therefore, you need a licensed electrician to look at the requirements of the charger you wish to use, and the electrical service to your home in order to determine the actual cost of an EV charger installation. You should also look ahead if you are planning to have a second EV and how you will charge that second EV, so we can future proof your electrical system rather than buying again later.
Therefore, if you are adding capacity or replacing your home’s electrical panel, then adding an additional 100 amps of service for an EV charger is our general recommendation.
We will ensure that your installation is safe from creating an electrical fire by making sure you do not pull more electrical power through the various parts of your electrical system than the weakest component can handle. Depending on the work that needs to be done permitting and Inspections may also be required, we will handle all the paperwork, making the process hassle-free for you.
Your safety is our top priority. When installing your EV charging station, we’ll ensure that every component of your electrical system can handle the power load, preventing any risk of an electrical fire.
We have installed Tesla and other EV chargers since 2017.
You may also qualify for Oregon rebates for installing an EV charger in your home.
You may also qualify for federal tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act
Federal Tax Credit for Electric Vehicle Chargers
Installation of EV Charger
When a family moved into their beautiful mid-century home, they were excited about its upgrades and charm. However, one critical component was absent: a contemporary electrical system capable of matching their requirements. To make their new home genuinely functional, they prioritized upgrading their electrical service.
The family contacted Falcon Services to correct their electrical service. We examined the condition of their current electrical system and proposed boosting the electrical service from fewer than 100 amps, to a 100-amp electrical panel. This improvement would satisfy their existing needs.
Thinking ahead, the family mentioned their plans to purchase an electric vehicle in the coming year. With this in mind, we recommended they upgrade to 200-amp service now from PGE, this would accommodate the installation of an EV charger next year.
The electrical panel replacement was completed without any issues, and our team finished the other tasks needed to bring the home’s electrical system up to date with added capacity for their future EV. The family was relieved to have completed this crucial task, knowing that their home was now safer and capable of meeting all of their present and future electrical needs. This brought them a feeling of accomplishment and peace of mind knowing they had made a wise investment in their home’s infrastructure that will benefit them for years.
Approximately a year later, as planned, the family purchased a Volvo XC40 electric vehicle. Thanks to the foresight in upgrading their electrical service a year earlier, we were able to install a Chargepoint home charger at the front of their garage without any panel changes or upgrades.
The family was delighted with the results. Not only did they have a safe and capable electrical system for their daily needs, but they were also able to easily add the EV charger they needed for their new car.
We also service generators, panel replacement, circuit breaker replacement and more.
