Will I Need a Service Panel Upgrade for My EV Charger?
Home EV chargers are a popular green-minded upgrade that lets drivers of electric vehicles enjoy much more freedom and convenience.
Installing these devices is often straightforward for a professional electrician. But whether you have a 100-amp or 200-amp panel in your home, you may be wondering: Will I need to upgrade my electrical panel for an EV charger?
Most new homes these days will come standard with a 200-amp electrical panel.
These panels are designed to handle the electrical demands of the modern age, with many more appliances and devices demanding energy than ever before. If your home has a 200-amp panel, you likely won’t need to upgrade it before installing a home EV charger. The main exception to this is if your 200-amp panel is already operating at or near its capacity. However, this would likely only be the case if your home has a higher power demand than most.
For homes with 100-amp panels, however, an electrical panel upgrade may be required. Electrical panels with a 100-amp capacity were standard for many decades, as this was sufficient for electrical demands years ago. However, a 100-amp panel is generally unable to handle the demands of most modern lifestyles along with an EV charger.
An electrical panel upgrade to 200 amps is a good long-term investment for a variety of reasons. Some of the benefits of upgrading your panel include:
- Increased safety, as your electrical panel is the first line of defense against overloads and hazards such as electrical fires, and new models are more effective
- More circuits, which allows for more demanding appliances to be split off to avoid frequent breaker trips
- Future-proofing, as upgrading your electrical panel means your home’s electrical systems will be able to handle even more appliances and devices that you may want to add to your home down the line
