Submitted by ARowzFocuz t3_yful7z in rva
Hello! I live in Richmond and will be receiving a VW ID.4 in the next couple months. I need to have a level 2 charger installed in my garage, but don't know where to begin. Does anyone have any recommendations for who to contact in the Richmond area for assistance?
Good to know. I know the answer to #1. Don't know much about #2, but would think I'd go with something on sale that doesn't cost too much. For #3 any advantage or disadvantage either way? Any significant price difference for plug in vs hard-wired? Fortunately my breaker box is in the garage and I'd just want the EVSE right next to it. Don't envision I'd ever be taking it with me anywhere.
re: hardwire or plug-in - another factor is, you can swap out a failed charger more easily in the future if it is not hardwired. But, yeah - think about what you want for #2 and #3 before you get quotes, you'll probably want to have the charger picked out before you can spec the installation to be on the safe side. The 240v plug in an outdoor rated box was only like 30 bucks, so pretty low cost compared to the total cost of the install.
Great point! I imagine doing plug-in would probably be less expensive, too?
No, plug in can add $100 to $200. You are on the 2017 code still, so a GFCI breaker probably isn't required, but it would be a good idea, and it is about $100 more than a regular breaker. And a good quality receptacle that is up to the job for EV charging can be $50 to $100. Cheap one fail too often under that continuous operation.
If you use the search function, you'll be able to find info on several electricians out there that can do this. The things that will likely drive the cost the most will be where your garage is in relation to your electrical panel. If it's far away and through several walls, running the 240 Volt wire will be more challenging, and the amperage you want to charge at will be a cost factor, because wire that can handle 80 amps will cost significantly more than wire that handles 16 amps (which so happens to be the range those cars are rated for) The higher the amps, the faster the charge.
I appreciate it.
One thing to consider is how far your daily commute is vs how much you can charge using a regular 110v outlet. Our commute is about 30 miles round trip and we can get 5mph using a 20 amp 110v Level 1 charger that was already in the garage. Plug in right when you get home then that would give you maybe 60 miles overnight (13 hours x 5mph). That covers our commute easily, and you can supplement w/ occasional Level 3 charging as needed. YMMV based on the amps in any existing outlets. Calculate that cost against what an electrician is going to charge and the decision might not be what you expect. Its not the "cool" way, but saving $1,000+ in electrician cost goes a long way.
Most any dumb, UL-listed EVSE will work fine. I would stick with name brands like JuiceBox, ClipperCreek, etc. Here in the Dominion Power area we don't have time-of-day pricing, so scheduling charging for the wee hours of the morning won't save you any $$. That means you don't have to buy a "smart" charger unless you just want to.
We have an ID.4 (18 months, 28k miles) and love it.
I see you're in Mechanicsville. I am, too! I swear I've only seen one ID.4 in this area and it was a gray one I saw on 360. Wasn't you, was it?
Thanks for all the info - Dominion has been tough to get info from!
Not me, but there is a gray one near me around Atlee HS. I have a white 1st Edition. Stop by the EA chargers at the Brook Road Wal-Mart on the weekend and you'll see at least one ID.4 plus EV's from most every brand.
Once I actually get mine, perhaps I'll see you there (good to even know where an EA charger is around here).
One note. I think You can still sign up for dominions time of use rate. They call it the off peak plan. Rolled out about a year ago as a test pilot.
Get an EV Juicebox or equivalent and ask any competent electrician to install a NEMA 14-50 outlet (same as washer dryer). We had one installed after running a line to the parking space in our alley. Took 5 minutes to set up the Juicebox after the outlet was done. Easy peasy. You're going to love it.
Great advice! Thank you.
FYI our electrition was Connect Electric.
I would think the VW dealership would have some recommendations.
But if not, googling 'ev charger installation richmond' brings up a few hits. While probably any electrician could do it, it might be best to have someone who's done it before, and is familiar with the specifics.
I'll Google it and call around. Thanks.
Get a good electrician, get a permit, and oversize stuff. Car charging is some serious load when it peaks, and has the opportunity to last a long time if you need to refill an empty battery.
Watch this for some worst case scenarios for cutting corners with installation.
Any electrician can do it it's easy stuff in theory, the issue is how far away your panel is etc etc
People here are recommending the equivalent of s 30 amp dryer plug, which is certainly easy but it might not provide enough of the charge for your needs.
First calculate the charge needed then add a margin and work back from there.
I'm leery of everything that isn't hardwired because it just sounds like a hack homeowner thing but that might not be entirely fair.
Mason North from Volta Electric installed my L2 chargers and was top notch all around. Check him on Yelp — how many electricians would have that many customers willing to write great reviews? He wasn’t cheap, but for electrical work I’d rather it be done right.
First Call Electric https://www.nicklombardofce.com/
I used them for other work, but noticed on their website that they install EV chargers.
2ndruncanoe t1_iu5gnjz wrote
Electrician should be able to do it no problem. You should think about the following before you collect quotes:
We wired ours ourselves, it was a PITA to run the thick wiring the 20 feet through the attic from the panel and fish down the wall, but straightforward. Wired 40 amp breaker and 8 gauge wire (6? I forget which we used) to a new outdoor metal box receptacle on the outside of the house. We bought a grizzle charger on amazon, and lock it to the outside of the house. Since we didn't hardwire the charger, we can take it with us and plug it in to the dryer outlet at sister's house, for example.