EV Charger Installation: What to Expect

A home EV charger installation usually involves four steps: a switchboard and site assessment, choosing a charger that suits your car and power supply, running a dedicated circuit to the charger location, and testing and certification. Most single-phase homes suit a 7kW wall charger, which typically adds 40 to 50 km of range per hour of charging. Whether your switchboard needs an upgrade is the main factor that changes the scope of the job.

Step 1: Site and switchboard assessment

A licensed electrician checks:

• Your supply: single-phase or three-phase power, which determines the maximum charger size. See single-phase vs three-phase power.
• Switchboard capacity: whether there's space and enough spare capacity for a new circuit, and whether it has modern circuit breakers and RCD protection.
• Existing load: what else is on your supply, such as ducted heating and cooling, induction cooking, pool equipment or solar and batteries.
• Location and cable route: where the car parks, where the charger will be mounted, and how far the cable needs to run from the switchboard.

Older switchboards with ceramic fuses or no safety switches will usually need an upgrade before a charger can be added. See signs your switchboard needs upgrading.

Step 2: Choosing the right charger

Portable "granny" charger: plugs into a standard power point and adds roughly 10 to 15 km of range per hour. Fine for low daily driving, but slow, and it shouldn't be run through power boards or extension leads.

7kW single-phase wall charger: the most common home option. Suits most cars and most single-phase homes.

11kW or 22kW three-phase charger: needs three-phase power. Many cars can only accept 7 to 11kW on AC charging, so check your vehicle's onboard charger before paying for a bigger unit.

Also consider smart features such as scheduled charging (to use cheaper off-peak rates), solar-aware charging, load management, and app control. More detail in how to choose the right EV charger for your home.

Step 3: Installation

The electrician installs a dedicated circuit from the switchboard to the charger, with the correct cable size for the distance and load, plus appropriate circuit breaker and RCD protection. Chargers draw a high, sustained load for hours at a time, which is why they shouldn't share a circuit with other appliances. See does my EV charger need a dedicated circuit?

The charger is mounted securely near the parking spot, at a sensible height, with the cable able to reach the car's charge port without being a trip hazard. Outdoor installations need appropriate weather protection. Most straightforward installations are completed within a day.

Step 4: Testing, setup and certification

Once installed, the circuit and charger are tested, the charger is commissioned and connected to its app if it has one, and you're shown how to use features like scheduling. In Victoria, you'll receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety for the work. Depending on the size of the charger and your supply, your electricity distributor may need to be notified, or may set limits on how much the charger can draw.

Things that can add to the job

• a switchboard upgrade or extra capacity
• long cable runs, or running cable through finished walls, ceilings or concrete
• a charger mounted in a detached garage or carport
• three-phase installation or a supply upgrade
• integration with solar or a home battery

Apartments and strata

In apartment buildings, you'll usually need owners corporation approval, and the electrician will need to check the building's supply and metering arrangements. Planning this early avoids delays.

Get your EV charger installed

VU Electrical installs home and commercial EV chargers across Melbourne, including switchboard assessments and upgrades where needed. Read our full guide to the EV charger installation process, or see our EV charger installation service for a quote.