Start with the load calculation, not the charger
The first question is never which charger. It is whether your service can carry one — and that is a calculation, not an opinion. We look at your existing service, your actual connected load, and what the charger will add. From there you get one of three answers, and we tell you which one honestly even when it is the cheapest:
- You have room. We run a dedicated circuit to the garage and you are done.
- You are close to the limit. A load management system (EVEMS) lets the charger back off when the rest of the house is drawing hard — often thousands of dollars cheaper than upgrading the service, and it is a recognized approach in the Code.
- You genuinely need more service. Then a service upgrade is the right call, and we'll scope it so it covers the charger and whatever else you have planned, not just today.
Load management is the option most people are never told about. If the only quote you have received is "you need a 200 amp service before we can install a charger," it is worth a second look. Sometimes that is true. Often it is not.
What a proper Level 2 install includes
- A dedicated 240V circuit sized to the charger — commonly a 40 or 50 amp breaker for a 32 or 40 amp charger, per the continuous-load rules.
- Correct conductor sizing for the actual run length, so voltage drop over a long garage or detached-garage run does not quietly cost you charging speed.
- Hardwired or a NEMA 14-50 receptacle, depending on the unit and how you want it — we'll explain the trade-off, including what it means if you move.
- Charger mounted where the cable actually reaches the port on your car, parked the way you actually park. We check this before drilling.
- Weatherproof and cold-rated components for anything on an exterior wall or in an unheated detached garage.
- Permit, inspection, and a labelled circuit at the panel.
Detached garages and outdoor parking
A detached garage adds a buried or overhead feed to the job, and that feed is worth sizing generously while the trench is open. If you are ever going to want heat, a compressor, a welder or a workshop out there, running a sub-panel now instead of a single circuit costs a fraction of doing it twice. We will raise it; you decide.
Which charger should you buy?
We install whatever unit you choose, and we are happy to tell you what we see holding up in Edmonton winters versus what comes back with problems. Cold matters here: cable stiffness at −30°C is a real quality-of-life difference between brands, and a charger that is fine in Vancouver is not automatically fine in Ellerslie in January. Ask us before you buy — it is a two-minute conversation that saves an annoying five years.
Frequently asked
Not necessarily, and this is the most common misconception we run into. Many homes with a 100 amp service can add Level 2 charging using a load management system that reduces charger output when household demand is high. We run the load calculation first and give you the real answer — including when the real answer is that you do need the upgrade.
A straightforward attached-garage install is typically a single day. A detached garage, a long run, or a job that includes a sub-panel or service work takes longer, and we'll give you the timeline in writing with the quote.
Yes — it is a new circuit, so it is permitted and inspected work. We handle both. Skipping the permit can also cause you problems with insurance later, which is a bad trade for a small saving.
Yes. Two chargers on one service is exactly the case load management was designed for, and metering options exist if you need to bill a tenant separately. Tell us the situation and we'll design for it.