Installing a home EV charger can be a big upgrade to your lifestyle as an electric car driver. It's the ultimate convenience to plug in at home without having to worry about where you'll charge next.
Before you attach anything to your garage walls, it's worth pausing to make sure you do it right. First, you'll probably want to hire a professional to help. But you'll also want to consider where you should install the charger.
That's because your EV charger's location can make a significant difference in the installation price and, ultimately, how useful and convenient the charger is for you.
Here are some of the best places to install your home EV charger, according to an expert.
1. Close to your electrical panel
Making sure your home EV charger is installed close to your electrical panel will make things easier (and cheaper) to install.
If price is your main concern, the best place to install an EV charger is as close as possible to your home's electric breaker panel.
That's because your new EV charger will have to connect directly to the breaker box. The farther your charger is from the box, the more material and labor will be required to install it, and vice versa. A shorter distance, then, will make for a more affordable installation, according to Jason Altshuler, founder and CEO of My Electric Home, a home electrification company.
If you get lucky, your breaker box might be right next to your garage, making for a quick and easy installation. But Altshuler has seen homes where the electric panel is on the opposite side of the house, requiring a lengthy connection through crawlspaces, which spiked the material and labor costs.
2. Inside, if possible
Most EV chargers are rated for outdoor use, meaning they're water-resistant and can work fine outdoors.Â
But Altshuler recommends installing a charger inside if possible to extend the life of the unit. Outdoor chargers will have more exposure to the elements, meaning they'll wear more quickly and need to be replaced sooner, like than any appliance.
"The more protected, the longer it will last," Altshuler says.
If you do end up installing your charger outside, try to put it under an overhang where it will be protected from the sun and rain. And obviously, avoid installing a charger right next to a sprinkler or water feature.
If you have safety concerns, you can also purchase a lockbox for an outdoor charger to protect it when you're not using it.
3. Close to your car's charging port
How do you usually park at home? It may sound silly, but it'll put your charging port closer to or further away from your house -- and the home EV charger you install.
This may seem obvious, but give some thought to where you'll be parking and where that will put your car's charging port.
If you've got two EVs, for example, an ideal spot for a charger might be on the back wall of your garage, between the two cars, Altshuler says.
It might also be worth spending a little extra money to get the charger in an ideal position. You might be able to save $100 on installation by locating the charger a bit closer to your electrical panel, Altshuler says. But it's not worth it if that means you'll be running a cable across your garage and constantly tripping over it.
Other things to consider when installing an EV charger
Like with any type of home improvement project, you'll want to get a few quotes from contractors before you take the plunge.
Try to get two or three bids from electricians. This can help ensure you're getting the best price, and help you understand your options before deciding how to proceed.Â
Altshuler also recommends steering clear of mobile EV chargers, which plug into an upgraded wall outlet in your home. These might seem more convenient, but Altshuler says it's more cost-effective to hard-wire an EV charger into your electrical panel.
