Home EV chargers in Queensland: a practical guide

More Gold Coast and Brisbane households are buying electric vehicles, and the first question after “which car?” is usually “how do I charge it at home?” The answer depends less on the car and more on your house: the electricity supply, the switchboard, where you park and how far you drive.

This guide covers what we talk through with every client before installing a home charger, so you can make a sensible decision before you spend money.

Do you need a wall charger at all?

Most EVs come with a portable charging cable that plugs into a standard power point. It works, but it’s slow, typically adding only a modest amount of range per hour. If you drive short distances and the car sits in the garage overnight, it may be all you need for a while.

There are some cautions. Portable chargers draw a steady, high current for many hours, which is harder on a power point and circuit than most household loads. The outlet should be in good condition, preferably on a dedicated circuit, and never run through an extension lead or power board. If the plug or outlet gets warm, stop using it and have it checked.

For most people who drive every day or have more than one EV, a dedicated wall-mounted charger is the better option. It’s faster, safer for long charging sessions and often includes smart features for scheduling and solar charging.

Single phase or three phase

This is the biggest factor in how fast you can charge at home.

• Single phase is what most Queensland homes have. A single phase wall charger is usually rated up to around 7 kW, which is enough to fully charge most EVs overnight from a typical daily drive.
• Three phase is common in newer homes, larger houses and some acreage properties. Three phase chargers can deliver more, up to 22 kW in some cases, but many cars can only accept a lower rate on AC charging. There’s no benefit paying for charging speed the car can’t use.

If you’re not sure what supply you have, look at your main switch. Three linked switches usually indicate three phase. Better still, we can confirm it when we look at the board.

Can your switchboard and supply handle it?

A 7 kW charger running for hours is one of the largest continuous loads a house will have. Add ducted air conditioning, a pool pump, an induction cooktop and an electric hot water system, and the total demand can get close to the capacity of the supply.

Before quoting, we look at:

• The size and condition of your main switchboard and whether there’s room for a new circuit
• The size of the consumer mains (the cable feeding your house)
• Your existing major loads and when they run
• Any requirements from the local network, Energex in South East Queensland or Essential Energy in the Northern Rivers

Many modern chargers include load management, which monitors the household’s total draw and turns the charger down when the house is busy. That can avoid the need for a supply upgrade. If your board is old or full, a switchboard upgrade may be needed first. Our article on signs you need a switchboard upgrade explains what we look for.

Charging from solar

If you have rooftop solar, charging your car from your own panels during the day is one of the best uses for surplus generation. Several chargers can follow your solar output, adjusting the charge rate so the car soaks up what would otherwise be exported.

This works best if the car is home during daylight hours. If it’s only home overnight, you’ll mostly be charging from the grid, and a time-of-use tariff with cheaper overnight or daytime rates may suit you better. Your retailer can explain the tariffs available to you. A home battery adds another layer of options, and it’s worth planning the charger, solar and battery together.

What a proper installation includes

A home EV charger must be installed by a licensed electrician. It isn’t a plug-in appliance, and the protection requirements are specific. A compliant installation generally includes:

1. A dedicated circuit from the switchboard, with cable sized for the load and the length of the run, in line with AS/NZS 3000 and AS/NZS 3008.
2. Appropriate RCD protection. EV charging needs the right type of safety switch protection, which depends on the charger. Some chargers have part of this protection built in.
3. A sensible mounting position near where you park, with the cable reaching the car’s charge port without being stretched across walkways.
4. Weather protection if the charger is outdoors. On the coast we pay particular attention to salt exposure and use suitable fixings and enclosures.
5. Testing, commissioning and a compliance certificate. We set up the charger, connect it to your Wi-Fi if it has an app, and show you how it works.

Choosing a charger

There are many good chargers on the market. Rather than naming a favourite, here’s what we suggest you consider:

• Output that matches your supply and your car’s onboard charger
• Tethered or socket. A tethered cable is convenient; a socket suits households with different cars or a tidy look
• Load management if your supply is near its limit
• Solar tracking if you have or plan to add solar
• Weather rating suitable for where it’s mounted
• Local support and warranty backing from a supplier with an Australian presence

If you’ve already bought a charger, that’s fine. We’ll install it as long as it’s suitable for Australian conditions and your supply.

Renting, strata and units

If you rent, you’ll need the owner’s written permission before any installation. In apartments and townhouses, EV charging in shared car parks usually needs body corporate approval and often a building-wide plan for load and metering. That’s a bigger conversation, but a common one now.

Getting started

The best first step is a quick look at your switchboard and where you park. From there we can tell you what’s possible, what’s needed and give you an upfront written quote. See our home EV charger installation page for more detail. We cover the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Logan and Northern Rivers from our Mudgeeraba base.