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Home EV Charger Installation: What You Need to Know

By Staff4dshire Group · Margav Energy

Charging an electric car at home is convenient and usually the cheapest way to charge, but a home charger is a significant electrical installation. Here is what is involved, what gets checked and the questions worth asking before you book.

myenergi zappi EV charger

Image: myenergi zappi (myenergi.com)

Where you park decides most of it

A home charger has to be on your own property, so you need off-street parking such as a drive or a garage. Running a cable across a public pavement creates a trip hazard and is not a safe or practical alternative.

The charger is usually mounted on the house wall or garage close to where you park, or on a post if the parking space is further from the building.

The supply, the circuit and the earthing

A charger needs its own dedicated circuit from the consumer unit, with the right protection. Before installing, the electrician checks the main fuse and the overall demand on the supply, because a charger draws a lot of power for hours at a time.

Earthing is the part people rarely hear about. Many homes have a type of earthing arrangement where extra protection is required for EV charging, and the installation has to meet the wiring regulations on this. Older consumer units sometimes need upgrading too. These checks are why a proper survey comes before a fixed price.

Consumer unit with solar PV and battery circuits

Smart chargers and the network

Home chargers sold in Great Britain are now required to have smart functions. In practice that means you can schedule charging for cheaper off-peak times through an app, and the charger can respond to demand on the network.

Your installer should notify the local distribution network operator about the charger, as required, and register the new circuit with building control through their competent person scheme.

Planning and grants

Most wall-mounted chargers on houses are permitted development, so planning permission is not usually needed, but listed buildings and some locations are different. Check with your local planning authority if in doubt.

Government chargepoint grants have changed over the years and now mainly target groups such as people who live in flats or rent. The rules change, so check the current position on GOV.UK before you budget for a grant.

Charging from your own solar

If you have solar PV, a solar-aware charger can top up the car using surplus generation during the day, and a home battery can help too. Margav Energy installs chargers, solar and batteries, so they can be designed to work together. See Margav Energy, EV charger installation in Rugeley or our solar and battery guide.

Commercial and large-scale EV charging

Charging for a business, fleet or car park is a bigger job than a home charger. Margav Energy works with Staff4dshire Groundworks & Utilities to deliver the infrastructure for major EV charging projects across the UK. Commercial EV charging infrastructure

Quick checklist

  • Confirm you have off-street parking
  • Choose the mounting position and cable route
  • Have the supply, main fuse and earthing checked
  • Check whether the consumer unit needs upgrading
  • Pick a smart charger and plan your tariff
  • Ask whether solar-aware charging suits you

Frequently asked questions

How long does a home EV charger installation take?

A straightforward installation is usually completed in a day. Consumer unit upgrades or long cable runs can take longer; we confirm this after the survey.

Can I charge my car from a normal socket instead?

You can with the right lead, but it is slow and puts a long, heavy load on a circuit not designed for it. A dedicated home charger is faster and designed for the job.

Do I need a smart charger?

New home chargers in Great Britain must have smart functions, which also let you schedule charging for cheaper times.

About Staff4dshire Group. Staff4dshire Group is based at Unit 7 & 8 Kimberley Business Park, Rugeley, Staffordshire. Our companies cover building and landscaping (Staff4dshire Properties), roofing (Staff4dshire Roofing Specialists), scaffolding (Staff4dshire Scaffolding), groundworks, drainage and utilities (Staff4dshire Groundworks & Utilities), plant hire (Staff4dshire Plant Hire) and renewables (Margav Energy). We work for homeowners, developers, principal contractors and local authorities across Staffordshire, Birmingham and the West Midlands, and we are a registered supplier with Walsall, Tamworth, Sandwell, Dudley, Birmingham, Telford & Wrekin, Wakefield and Bradford councils.
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