Best Cable for EV Charger Installation?

Dan · 2025-02-24T18:42:27+0000

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to install a home EV charger and need advice on the best type of cable to use. The charger will be located about 15 meters from the main consumer unit.

What cable size and type should I use to ensure safety and efficiency? Should I also install an isolator switch for added protection?

(Asking for a friend)

Dan · 2025-02-24T18:43:24+0000

An EV charger is NOT a different socket on the end of a cable. Your starting point will be the earthing arrangement and the supply characteristics of you property, single or three phase, DNO cutout fuse size... cable election comes way down the list.

You need to know what charger will be going in and its requirments... see EV Charger Installation Requirements 2025 Guide - https://electriccarguide.co.uk/ev-charger-installation-requirements/

Unfortunately banging in a charger whilst heroic and trust me I have been heroic a lot is probably best left to an EV installer and will be significantly cheaper than melting something you like eg your children.

Dan · 2025-02-24T18:43:59+0000

Apparently
you may need a CT coil on whole house supply, so the EV connection module can tell the car how much power it can have.

Step two is deciding where the car can be parked, this is often down to other items, like lamp posts, etc. The car and other earthed items which can be touched at the same time as the car, need to be on the same earth system, or the car needs to be parked somewhere different, or something moved, like an outside light for example.

I could not charge an EV at the front of my house, it would need to be charged at the rear, due to other earthed stuff at the front, so could not have a Jaguar XE as I know they ground if I try to drive to the rear of the house. Seems daft, can get a skip wagon to rear of house, but not wife's car.

Some charge modules use hard-wiring, some use wireless, some have built in RCD, some need an external one, some have built in loss of PEN detection, some need an external module for that, so set one is select an installer, and let him work out your options.