How Long Will Your EV Charger Last After Installation

The lifespan of an EV charger installation.

 

Reddit user from r/electric vehicles questioning the longevity of an EV charger post-installation

 

Another thing to consider when considering having these EVSE units installed in your homes is the anticipated lifespan of an electrical installation for an EV charger. Well, we’re here to tell you that it is usually within 3-5 years from the installation date, except with well-executed maintenance, it can be prolonged further.

The difference in lifespan also stems from the different components used based on the manufacturer of the EV charger itself as well. A couple of other factors determine the life expectancy of the EV charger once installed, and this article will cover the importance of understanding every nook and cranny of it.

 

How to boost the life expectancy of an EV charger.

 

The EV Charger can provide its services for as long as it’s cared for; after all, it is just another electrical appliance that needs to be tended to from time to time, following scheduled maintenance when necessary. Among the other things that will boost the longevity of the EVSE are:

• Correctly applying the best installation methods.
• Quality and robust electrical components complement the installation process.
• Regular visual inspection of the EVSE unit and checks for abnormality during charging.
• Seclusion of EVSE unit from environmental elements.

 

Installation methods from service provider.

There are ways to go about installing an EV charger, and most of the methods are considered doable but most likely not the best solution to how things could’ve been done. It is incrementally vital that attention is paid throughout the installation process, as it will be the backbone of how long your EVSE will last. Usually, it’s the little details, such as not excessively bending the wires as you go about the pathway from the primary DB to the EVSE unit. Below is an extensive list of the things that you should note for a sound installation process:

 

• Properly protect the wiring with a PVC or metal conduit; provide mechanical protection from environmental variables that could compromise the integrity of the insulation material to the wiring.

EV Sifu's installation of Tesla Gen 3 EV Charger with the wiring housed within the PVC conduit.

• The bending of the wiring used to carry current from the primary DB to the EVSE is kept within its bending radius range. Problems that could occur due to this start from the copper conductors from within being damaged and the insulation sheath cracking and revealing the inner linings of the copper conductors.

The radius in which a cable is bent affects the performance of the cable in delivering current.

• The EV charger should be installed as a sub-circuit and not connected with any existing circuits that house the current load (A) of the rest of the electrical appliances. If any electrical issues arise during the use of the EV charger, then the entire house's electrical system won't trip, leaving only the EV charger’s sub-circuit redundant.

 

• The housing's grounding and neutral wiring should be assessed before installation to note any discrepancies. The neutral and ground installation must have proper terminal endings for the EVSE wiring.

 

• Labelling the wiring used for installation purposes, identifying which wires are which, including L1, L2, L3, Neutral, and Ground, for clarity's sake during installation and if any rectification works are necessary in the future.

 

• Minimizing damage to the walls requires hacking through precise planning of where to route the installation's wiring.

 

 

Quality and robust electrical components.

For all things electrical-related, the components make or break the overall quality of the electrical device. Thus, it is critical to consider that when installing an EVSE, it has to be complemented with components that can drive it and make it better through specifications that exceed or have some buffer for technical errors that could potentially arise.

 

Obtainment of SIRIM certification is utmost important regardless of the brand and will be your first indicator of whether an electrical product is competent in Malaysia.

 

• Quality renowned international manufacturers that produce electrical components, such as Hager, Schneider, ABB, and Siemens, are some of the brands that have managed to penetrate the electrical component market. Local Malaysian companies providing quality electrical components products are Maxguard and MEGA Kabel.

 

• There is a reason why the brands mentioned above are distinguishable from the rest. The quality lies in the construction and material choice of the electrical components themselves; what sets them apart will depend on the engineering precision process of manufacturing, which offers higher consistency in performance.

 

• Specification ratings of MCB and RCCB that are often overlooked, such as the kA (kiloampere) rating, offer prompt protection that will allow MCB/RCCB to remain functional despite taking the brunt of earth leakages and short circuitry. For EV charger purposes, it is recommended that the KA rating be 6 – 10 kA.

 

The excessive current limit that is handled is specified by the kA rating on these electrical components.

 

• The copper conductor wiring quality and how it scales to the usage adhered to installation of EVSE. Calculations ensure maximum efficiency is delivered while supplying current load (A) to the EVSE unit; in turn, it also allows for fine-tuning of the type of wiring that is only necessary for the application of the EVSE unit. Usually, it is above ground and within the protection of a raceway conduit along the walls routed to the EVSE.

 

• EVSE unit that is tested strenuously under in-house tests that don’t skimp on safety. Thankfully, our selection of EV chargers is done the same and tested with great accuracy, simulating real-world usage before deployment for purchase availability.

 

Regular maintenance and inspection of EV charger.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that when an item in your possession is not regularly maintained, it will, sooner or later, not function as efficiently as newly installed or even allow for charging due to how neglected it has been. As an owner of an EV charger, below are listed some steps that will enable you to manage your EV charger properly without encumbering any steps that would require electrical knowledge.

• Dust away any debris atop the enclosure or shell of the EVSE unit This will prevent dust from accumulating and seeping through; however, for an EV Charger such as our E1 Charger, it's less of a problem due to its ingress protection rating, which makes it dustproof.

 

• Inspect and feel for hotspots during your electric vehicle's charging times. Note any irregularities in the current flow while charging the EV. Knowing when and where the problem starts will help troubleshoot the problem that needs rectification.

 

• Stow away the charger’s cable to its respective hook provided, such as with our E1 charger, where it can nestle safely out of our customer’s pathing when it is not required.

 

• Your installation service provider should periodically schedule checks of the EV charger to ensure that it is performing optimally. EV Sifu will attend to any calls from customers regarding issues related to our EV chargers; we provide servicing and maintenance services for a whole year with the purchase of our installation service or EVSE units.

 

Seclusion of the EVSE from environmental elements.

A reddit user posted his findings of the sheath housing the wiring degraded due to it being exposed to UV rays

The installation point of the EVSE also plays a part in determining its longevity, as a non-enclosed outdoor EVSE unit is more susceptible to other weather effects and conditions brought by rain or sun than an enclosed outdoor EVSE unit. Isolating the EVSE unit from the elements will prevent its parts, such as the wiring, from deteriorating over time from the harsh UV rays of the sun.

 

Charging habits.

Charging patterns that complement the full use of a charging cycle of an EV charger help boost the longevity.

Your charging pattern utilizing the EVSE unit will also pre-determine the installation's lifespan. Factoring causes such as:

• Operating the EVSE unit at currents higher than the suggested range places additional stress on its associated electrical components. Frequent daily charging under these unfavourable conditions will accelerate wear and tear significantly.

 

• Utilize and set the range for the appropriate charging level according to the specifications of your EV charger outlined by the manufacturer.

 

• Constantly plugging in the charger won’t affect it when preventive measures are built into your EVSE to cancel the onboard charger's charge intake. However, it is always good practice to unplug once charging is completed to avoid the risks of failure.

 

All You Need to Know About EV Sifu

We provide and have an extensive history of experience installing EV chargers regardless of the residential property type you reside in, landed or strata high-rise. Our commitment is purely fuelled by our customer's satisfaction and safety when introduced to EV chargers.

Allow us to handle the nitty-gritty work of the installation process and worry not. We handle our installation process with the highest regard for safety and comply with regulations and guidelines by Suruhanjaya Tenaga, which includes electrical components that are certified by SIRIM.

We’ve operated and installed many chargers, including Tesla, BYD, BMW, Kia EV, Mini Cooper, and Audi, and you’d best believe it’ll be the same for the upcoming Proton e.MAS.