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Charging Your Electric Car: What You Need to Know

Congratulations! You’ve decided to decrease your carbon footprint by purchasing an electric car to drive around every day. The thing is, as we all know, you’ll have to plug that car in to be able to keep driving it.

Before you jump at the first outlet you see, here are a few things you need to know.

You Shouldn’t Use a Regular Outlet

Well, you can, but you’ll be waiting a while before hitting the road. Your basic 120-volt outlet can provide you with the necessary amount of power needed to charge your electric car, but it will take a longer time to get a full charge.

If you want to be able to charge your car faster, you should have a 220-volt outlet installed in your home or an actual charging station.

You’re Better Off Installing a Charging Station

In order to most efficiently and quickly charge your car, you should consider installing electric vehicle service equipment, otherwise known as an EVSE. Not only does an EVSE charge your car faster, but, depending on when you charge your car and how often, it could help lower your electric bills.

The Benefits of an EVSE

Most EVSE’s allow you to safely turn the power to your car on and off, and some models allow you to schedule times to charge your vehicle. Your charger also can provide you with usage reports and indicate how much available power your car has. Best of all, a lot of chargers can detect if there are any electrical problems with your car.

 

With 24 years of experience, TFC Electric Inc. can help you keep all the members of your family safe from electrical harm. Since 1994, we have been serving Suffolk County with any and all electrical needs. Call us today at 631-589-2800 for more information.

November 8, 2018