Alright, so I needed to put in a couple of EV chargers at home. My electrical panel is a 100 amp one, and I was wondering if it could handle two chargers. Here’s how it went down.
First, I checked the main breaker. Yep, it was a 100 amp panel. Then I started counting all the existing circuits: kitchen stuff, lights, AC, the usual. Made a rough list to see what I was dealing with.
- Kitchen outlets: 20 amps
- Living room lights: 15 amps
- AC unit: 30 amps
- And a few other small ones…
Next, I did some quick math. Added up all those circuit ratings to figure out the usual load. Most of the time, we don’t use everything at once, but I wanted to be safe. I figured around 50-60 amps on average, give or take.
Now, for the EV chargers, I was looking at putting in two Level 2 chargers. These bad boys usually pull around 30-40 amps each. That’s a lot of juice. So, two of them would be like 60-80 amps when both cars are plugged in and charging.
With my average load and the chargers going, I was looking at way over my 100 amp limit. I called up my electrician buddy, and he confirmed my fears. Running both chargers at full power was a no-go. It was like trying to squeeze two big guys into a tiny car—not gonna work.
We talked about a few options. One was to upgrade the whole panel to a 200 amp service. That’s a big job, and it costs a pretty penny. Another option was to install a smart load management system. These things can monitor the total power draw and dial back the chargers if the house is using a lot of electricity. Fancy stuff.
But here’s what I ended up doing. I went with a simpler solution—installing chargers that have adjustable amperage settings. This way, I could set them to charge at a lower rate, say 20 amps each. It’s slower, sure, but it does the trick without overloading the panel.
Implementation Time!
I got the chargers with adjustable settings and had my electrician buddy come over. We turned off the main power—safety first, always. Then he connected the chargers to the panel, making sure everything was up to code.
We tested it out by plugging in both cars. I set the chargers to 20 amps each. Monitored the panel for a while, and everything looked good. No crazy heat, no tripping breakers. Success!
It’s been a few weeks now, and it’s working out great. Yeah, it takes a bit longer to charge both cars, but hey, it works. I can charge both overnight, and they’re ready to go in the morning. And the best part? I didn’t have to break the bank upgrading my panel.
So, if you’re thinking about adding two EV chargers to a 100 amp panel, it’s doable. You just gotta be smart about it and maybe make some compromises. Adjust those charger settings, and you’ll be golden.