article: I tried to add EV chargers to my rental property. Here’s what happened

[electruck]

This was a very interesting read that reflects on some of the real world barriers to home charging and thus wide-spread EV adoption. My home is new enough and has enough service capacity that installing my ChargePoint unit was trivial. But as this article points out, there are a lot of neighborhoods around the country where things will be far less simple.

https://www.canarymedia.com/article...ers-to-my-rental-property-heres-what-happened

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[Dark-Fx]

This was a very interesting read that reflects on some of the real world barriers to home charging and thus wide-spread EV adoption. My home is new enough and has enough service capacity that installing my ChargePoint unit was trivial. But as this article points out, there are a lot of neighborhoods around the country where things will be far less simple.

https://www.canarymedia.com/article...ers-to-my-rental-property-heres-what-happened

Really strange title. They didn't actually try to do anything. The end result being that it wasn't much more than a thought experiment.

 

[COdogman]

As EVs become more prevalent this will be a huge topic of concern. Even if the author *only* had to upgrade the panel without all of the rest, you're looking at a $3k-$8k project, not counting the cost of the charger. I live in a newer apartment complex (completed in the last year) and they only installed one charger near the clubhouse. That's one more than most places have, but there are at least 10-15 EVs in our parking lots each night.

 

[Forager]

The author makes it sound like they were going to have to rewire the house AND the neighborhood to get 200a service (assuming 100a for each unit, which is the standard minimum).

In reality, they setup the new outdoor panels and then run power to the existing panel, which is fed as a sub panel. The new wiring can be run outside the house in conduit, so no walls need to be opened. This eliminates rewiring the house and provides a large panel for running any new circuits, like those for the chargers. Also, I really doubt their upgrade would be the straw to break the camel’s back in regard to upgrading the service for their street.

 

[moosehead]

I worry about preparing our own house for EV electric service and any needed panel upgrades. Hope @Forager1 is correct as otherwise I'm guessing it's gonna be a few extra costs.

 

[Dirtman16]

This highlights why it's really important for NEW multi-family housing developments to install EV ready infrastructure from the get go. It's much simpler and cheaper to put in on the front end rather than have to do it as a modification.

 

[SANZC02]

I worry about preparing our own house for EV electric service and any needed panel upgrades. Hope @Forager1 is correct as otherwise I'm guessing it's gonna be a few extra costs.

I have an older home that had a 100 amp service, I was using a 30 amp 240 line to charge, it will let you charge at 24 amps, much better than 110.

When I had solar installed, I had them upgrade the panel to a 200 amp service. That line item on the bill was 2500, but gave me plenty of excess capability to run a 60 amp line so I can charge at 48 amps.

 

[Gshenderson]

I only have 150 amp service to my panel, and only 2 single slots open which aren’t adjacent. I do, however, have a 50amp breaker that runs to a pre-wired hot tub connection on my deck upon which there is no hot tub nor do I intend to get one. So rather than dealing with upgrading or reconfiguring the panel I have, my plan is to run a new 6/3 cable from my garage to my panel and wire that into the breaker that currently serves the hot tub circuit. I’ll disconnect, label and cap the wire from the hot tub circuit so that it can be connected in the future if needed.

 

[Bullitt]

I only have 150 amp service to my panel, and only 2 single slots open which aren’t adjacent. I do, however, have a 50amp breaker that runs to a pre-wired hot tub connection on my deck upon which there is no hot tub nor do I intend to get one. So rather than dealing with upgrading or reconfiguring the panel I have, my plan is to run a new 6/3 cable from my garage to my panel and wire that into the breaker that currently serves the hot tub circuit. I’ll disconnect, label and cap the wire from the hot tub circuit so that it can be connected in the future if needed.

I‘m an outlier in home ownership. Our house has 100amp service (its an old hunting lodge). reservicing to 250amps or more is a large effort, so… I added a smart meter monitor and found only my hot water heater and AC using amps, the rest of the house is LED lights and propane. I also have a guest house using a small electric hot water heater and a small AC. I had 2 slots open in the box, so was able to install a 50amp 240v circuit to charge my Tesla M3. I have TOU-D Prime plan which means I can charge at anytime EXCEPT between the hours of 4-9p — I start the car charging at 9:15p (32amp charge) and it has yet to max my amps out. NOW, when I get the R1T it’ll be more interesting, but I work from home 3 days a week, so I can charge the R1T when my wife is at work during the day with the Tesla. Problem solved!

I realize this was touching on rental property where I see a lot of issues, but I also never use DCFC unless Im on a trip and need it. This is where DCFC will be critical to renters that cant get it installed on rental property.

 

[RideAlong]

Bottom Line : Too expensive and difficult to implement.

 

[Taycanfrank]

Just install a lower amp P2. Ie.. 16a to 50a. There aren't going to be many buildings that have any trouble doing that and it's perfectly sufficient for home charging needs.

It's not very expensive.

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