Using a home charger to charge your eV

---

These low power chargers delivering 2-3 kW are great for occasional use. 

Will charge a car with a small battery (from 0 to 100%) in  12- 15 hours, or one with a large battery in 24-36 hours.  Joe would  not recommend frequent use for many hours, as house wiring and indoor 13 amp plugs cables and sockets rarely carry this much power . 

These chargers are normally 7kW and are ideal for overnight charging on 'Economy 7' or other 'off peak' electricity plans. They will fully charge most cars in the 7 hours of available cheap electricity. Tethered version is quicker to connect so better for use every night.   Some are 'Smart' with connection to the internet, which has little value today, but in future could allow smarter and cheaper 'off peak' power supply. 

Installed home charger without 'Tethered Cable' 

More discrete, ideal for installation in publicly accessible areas , but requires unpacking of  your own charge cable for every use. 

Turn off car  and press release button for charge port (on car dashboard) 

Connect your charge cable 

Switch on Granny Charger

Installed Home Charger should start automatically

If charger does not start then the car  could be set to only charge at night. Using car dash display and buttons,  set charging to 'Immediate Charge' - see next section.

Through car dash display turn off the timer which is intended to allow the car to start the charger when 'Economy 7' or other off peak electricity rates apply in these schemes.

  Set to 'Immediate Charge'.

Car handbook will give instructions

Unfortunate lack of standardisation here.

Different makes of car and charger use different indications  that charging is underway .

 Nissan Leaf  dash display shown here is clear while Renault Zoe display is less helpful, just adding the time remaining to full charge, to the % charge and available range already displayed.

A look at the car handbook may be required.