Level 2 Home Charging, Sized Right the First Time
A home charger is a dedicated 240-volt circuit, and the right size depends on your car, your panel, and how fast you want to charge. We run the load calculation before we quote so there are no surprises.
What a Level 2 Install Involves
Level 2 charging runs on 240 volts, the same class of circuit as an electric range or dryer, and adds range far faster than a standard wall outlet. Here is what goes into a proper install.
Dedicated 240V Circuit
Your charger gets its own circuit sized to its output, run cleanly from the panel to the parking spot, indoors or out.
Load Calculation First
Before we quote, we add up your home's real demand and confirm the service can carry the charger. No guessing, no assuming.
Permit and Inspection
The new circuit is pulled on a permit and signed off by an inspector, so it is documented and safe.
Why the Circuit Is Bigger Than the Charge
EV charging is a continuous load, and code limits a continuous load to 80 percent of the circuit rating. So a 50-amp circuit supports 40 amps of continuous charging. We size the circuit up front to the charging speed you actually want, not the other way around.
When a Charger Needs a Panel Upgrade, and When It Doesn't
This is where honesty matters most. A charger adds a big continuous load, and whether your service can carry it depends on everything else already running. Many modern 200-amp panels have plenty of headroom and need no upgrade at all.
- Service with spare capacity: charger only, no upgrade
- Full or older service: a subpanel or upgrade may be needed
- Load management devices can sometimes avoid an upgrade entirely
We run the load calculation and tell you which of these you are. If your panel is fine, you will not hear an upgrade pitch from us.
EV Charger Questions
Because EV charging is a continuous load, and code limits a continuous load to 80 percent of the circuit rating. Fifty amps times 80 percent is 40 amps, so a 50-amp circuit supports 40-amp continuous charging. That is not us being conservative, it is the rule the wire and breaker are sized around. We size the circuit to the charging speed you actually want.
Sometimes, not always. It comes down to whether your service has spare capacity for a 40 or 48-amp continuous load on top of everything else. Plenty of 200-amp panels have the room. Some older or fuller services do not. We run a load calculation first, so you find out before you spend, not after.
Both are code-legal when done right. A plug-in unit on a NEMA 14-50 outlet is flexible and easy to swap or take with you. A hardwired unit is cleaner, can support higher continuous output, and is often preferred outdoors or for the fastest home charging. We will match it to your charger, your location, and your panel.
Yes. A Level 2 charger is a new 240-volt dedicated circuit, which is permit-and-inspection work in most of the county. We pull the permit and handle the inspection. It protects you, and it keeps the install on the record for insurance and resale.
Charging at Home, Done Properly.
Tell us your vehicle and charger, and we will run the load calculation and quote the right circuit. If your panel already has room, we will tell you.
NC Electrical License #U.27309 · Licensed & Insured · Since 2009