No matter whether you’re a seasoned EV charger installer or a pro who advises homeowners, you know that avoidable mistakes cost time and money. Having a checklist of must-avoid EV charging station installation mistakes can save you from that kind of stress.
Taking shortcuts instead of following best practices could result in disaster. Instead, take a proactive approach to EV charging station installation and deployment by avoiding these common mistakes.
1. Picking the Wrong Site
When choosing a site for a commercial EV charging station, you first need to think about your customers’ needs, as an EV Charger Post article advises. Safety, of course, should be at the top of your list.
Choose a Convenient Location
However, a convenient location should be a close second. While an out-of-the-way piece of property might have an attractive price, it’s practically worthless if your customers have to drive miles to get to it. Selecting a site along a major highway will attract higher numbers of customers. The revenue they bring will make up for the extra investment in no time.
Plan for Expansion
Think long-term when you choose a site. Although you might start with only a few chargers, you’ll likely want to expand as the number of EVs expands nationwide. Fail to plan for expansion, and you’ll limit how many customers you can serve.
Don’t forget to designate some space for amenities. A snack bar, restrooms, and a small store make your station a space for customers to relax while their cars charge.
If you plan to include fueling options for gas- or diesel-powered cars, ensure that there is sufficient space to install them at a safe distance from your EV chargers. As a Charged Up Pro post points out, an errant spark from an EV charger could ignite fuel vapors. Allowing for some distance between your EV chargers and gas pumps can save you a lot of grief in the future.
Ensure the Site Has Adequate Infrastructure Support
Commercial EV Charging Station Sites
As with any business, your new EV charging station will need easy access to water, heat, sewage services, and, of course, electricity. At this point in the planning process, it pays to consult with local utilities to make sure the local grid can handle the additional load your charging stations will require.
Residential EV Charging Station Sites
For residential installations, evaluating potential sites, such as garages, walls, or parking spots, for adequate electrical infrastructure is essential. Without such an evaluation, a home’s electrical system might not have the capacity to handle charging a car. In the worst-case scenario, a customer who chooses a DIY install without adequate electrical capacity could risk an electrical fire.
Be sure to review any necessary electrical system upgrades with the homeowner to provide an accurate estimate. Furthermore, advise them that the need for a licensed electrician to install the charger might make the installation more expensive, but much safer and more economical in the long run.
2. Choosing the Wrong Charger Level
Residential EV Charger Installations
If you’re installing a residential charger that your customers want to use to charge their cars overnight, you’ll need to suggest a Level 2 charger. Level 1 chargers simply can’t fully charge overnight.
Commercial EV Charger Installations
Level 2 charging stations are an excellent choice for supermarkets, restaurants, retailers, parks, and other locations where customers have tasks to complete or leisure time to spend. Customers won’t likely receive a complete charge, but they can top up while they take care of business. Level 2 chargers are an excellent pick for hotels, airports, and resorts, where customers will park their cars overnight or longer.
However, if you’re planning a fueling station along the freeway or in a town that attracts a lot of tourists and business travelers, you might want to consider installing DC fast chargers. These chargers can charge most cars’ batteries up to 80% in just 20–60 minutes. Getting your customers back on the road faster is usually a top priority for long-distance travelers.
3. Taking a Slipshod Approach to Compliance
While few people like to deal with the tangle of bureaucratic regulations that come with new builds, ignore them at your peril. If you need to hire a lawyer to unpack all the legalese in regulatory statutes, do so. It can save you from major headaches later.
You’ll need to research federal, state, and local laws regarding zoning, safety concerns, and electrical equipment to ensure you’ve checked off every required box. Otherwise, you run the risk of fines, non-insurability, or even having to tear down construction and start over from scratch.
Following zoning laws, obtaining required permits, and hiring only licensed electricians to work on your chargers and supporting infrastructure are all essential precautions. These ensure smooth operations once your station is up and running.
4. Miscalculating Load Capacity
As the EV Charger Post piece notes, new EV charging companies often underestimate the load capacity that EV chargers require. Partner with local utilities and electrical engineers from the start. They can provide you with a more accurate estimate of the load your charging stations need — and whether the grid is up to the task.
As you expand your charger inventory, consider implementing a load management system to balance electrical demand with power availability. Doing so boosts your stations’ energy efficiency, reducing operating costs in the process.
Additionally, consider installing backup battery storage or renewable power sources. Having grid alternatives can help you deliver dependable charging services during peak usage times or even during outages.
5. Taking Unsafe Shortcuts to Save Costs
With the high cost of materials and labor, it’s tempting to take shortcuts during the installation process. Do so at your own risk. Taking shortcuts with electrical equipment is an engraved invitation to a lawsuit if the inevitable happens.
Instead, consider safety as an investment. Let’s start with materials.
Invest in Top-Quality Materials and Components
Source your materials and electrical components from companies with a stellar reputation. Ensure that all materials have proper certification and meet the industry’s highest standards.
Maintain Strict Standards for Grounding and Bonding
Grounding
Grounding your equipment properly helps prevent shocks and electrical fires in the event of faults or spikes in the electric current. Current spikes have a variety of causes, including:
- Lightning
- Static electricity
- System restarts
- Power surges
Properly grounding your system gives electricity a path to discharge into the ground should any of those situations occur. Connecting ground wires to specialized rods and clamps safely funnels excessive current into the ground. This triggers the breaker to trip until you correct the problem that caused the fault or electrical spike.
Neglecting to use the proper rods, clamps, and connectors in your grounding system can lead to disaster. Instead, ensure your grounding setup complies with national and local standards.
Bonding
Bonding is the process of connecting metal items — ones that don’t carry current but could encounter electrical faults — to a grounding system. It utilizes conductors that can carry any electrical load in the event of a fault or current spike.
For that reason, personnel involved in your EV charging station installation must consult local codes and National Electrical Code (NEC) guidelines when sizing the conductors to ensure they can handle any possible electrical load.
Use bonding in the following devices to increase the protection grounding provides:
- Raceways
- Metal enclosures and boxes
- Metal pipes
- Equipment with metal parts
- Connectors
- Electronic components
No matter how careful you and your installation teams are during the installation process, ensure that you test your grounding system after you install it.
6. Failing to Train and Supervise Employees
Even when you hire licensed electricians to install your EV chargers, you’ll still need to train your regular employees once your station is up and running. Failure to adequately train and supervise employees is one of the most common EV charging station deployment mistakes.
New employee training should include EV charging safety standards. Mishandling electrical equipment can cause electrical faults, shocks, or even fires. First aid training and fire prevention should also factor into your training program.
Teach employees to troubleshoot common issues and when to consult an expert. Some training in customer service, too, can help your EV charging station earn an excellent reputation in your community.
Adequate supervision, especially for new employees, is always a good move. Be available to pitch in and help them build confidence in their tasks.
As your station grows and you need to upgrade your equipment, be sure to train your current employees about the changes. Consider ongoing education courses to keep your employees aware of new developments in EV charging technology.
7. Forgetting to Schedule Regular Equipment Maintenance
Safety inspections are a must for EV charging stations. So are routine maintenance checks.
While you and your team can eyeball your equipment to detect noticeable wear and tear, you’ll also need to schedule regular maintenance checks with your local electrician. Having a qualified electrician check your equipment and connections for potential issues can save you money by lengthening your station’s lifespan.
Additionally, you’ll need to keep track of when you need to update the software and firmware that keep your EV chargers running. Maintaining these components up-to-date can prevent downtime and the customer dissatisfaction it causes.
Learn More About Making Your Next Installation Mistake-Free at the EV Charging Summit & Expo
If you’re planning an EV charging station installation soon, you’ll want to get the lowdown on the latest EV charger technology and best practices. At the EV Charging Summit & Expo, you’ll get all that and more from the finest minds in the business. Reserve your seat today!
