Level 1 EV Charger: A Comprehensive Guide for its functions and Setup

Are you having trouble charging your electric vehicle at home? According to the United States Department of Energy, 80% of electric car owners prefer basic EV chargers to charge their vehicles at home. In other words, when we talk about home charging, the Level 1 EV Charger comes into play because it is used for home charging.

It does not matter whether you are living in a villa or, an apartment Level 1 electric vehicle charger is used for entry-level charging because it is the most convenient and simplest mode. However, in this article, ChargeEco extensively covers Level 1 EV charger, their working, advantages, drawbacks, installation, Level 1 charging speed, and the difference between entry-level EVSE and Level 2 EV chargers.

What is Level 1 Charging?

Level 1 Charger is one of the best and most economical solutions for home charging. If you have a parking spot or garage at your home then a level 1 electric vehicle charger proves useful for you.

To be more precise, you do not need to visit a charging station and public charging spaces for charging your EV when you can set up your own basic car charging station at home. Level 1 charger is plugged into a standard 120 Volt AC household outlet with a J1772 charge port.

However, when it comes to level one charging speed then Level 1 EV chargers fall behind as compared to level 2 and DC fast chargers. In addition to it, the Speed of home EV charging is 2–5 miles per hour.

How does the Level 1 EV Charger work?

Level 1 working is just as simple as charging a Laptop or any other appliance. It comes with a nozzle cord or cable which is given by car dealers at the time of purchase. In the United States, all Level 1 chargers come with a J1772 charge port.

Thus, for charging your EV insert a 120-volt EV charging cable into a household outlet. Additionally, plug the cable into the J-plug of your car. As soon as the charging starts it will be easily visible on your monitoring dashboard screen. You can easily see on this screen how much time is required for charging, current flow, and all.

On the other hand, you can also check it out on their EV apps for charging details of cars. Thus, this way, you charge your EV at home or build your basic car charging station at home with the help of a Level 1 charger.

Level 1 EVSE Charger

EVSE stands for Electric vehicle supply management which is a device that is used in the recharging of the EVs.To be more precise, the main function of an EVSE is to safely supply electricity from the charging source to the battery of an EV.

Thus an EVSE helps in maintaining safety features like circuit protection, power flow, and much more. According to the Department of Energy of the United States level 1 EVSE refills or recharges the electric car for 5-6 miles in one hour.

 

Advantages of Level One EV Charging?

• The Level 1 charging is very easy to use because it’s very convenient to use charging an EV is just as simple as charging a laptop. What you need is just a household outlet and a J-plug to charge the EV.
• When you switch on the button of the household outlet, the current flows as an Alternative current, which is converted into a direct current with an onboard charger. An onboard charger helps in charging the battery of the electric vehicle.
• As we know, residential EV charging provides very slow charging as compared to level 2 and level 3 charging. Level 1 chargers are very slow but they still charge your vehicle for daily use.
• Residential EV charging is more beneficial for that kind of EV owners who travel less but at regular intervals. There is no need to buy expensive instruments and technical knowledge to install and set up.
• Thus, this modesty engages more budget-conscious people to use EV level one charger.

Limitations of EV Level 1 Charger

• Apart from lots of advantages, there are a few limitations of this Charger. The main flaw of the EV level 1 Charger is that it fulfills the requirements of people who do not frequently go for the commute.
• People who are always in a rush to travel a lot whether inter-city or intra-city need fast charging but when it comes to the charging speed it’s speed it quite slow as compared to level 2 and DC fast charging.
• According to EV charging Infrastructure experts if someone mostly relies on level 1 charge or basic charging methods, then it wouldn’t destroy the battery health in the long run.
• The level one charging speed is quite slow so if your car is in a low EV charging state then it would require approximately 20-24 hours of charging to full charge.

Tools or Equipment required for the charger:

To charge your EV with a Level 1 charging there are requirements for a few things:

1. A Charging Cable: The main important equipment used when it comes to charging an electric vehicle is a charging cable. A standard charging cable is designed by the manufacturers of electric vehicles which is fit to use with 120V AC. On one side is the charging connector and on the other hand is a plug.
2. Proper Outlet: Apart from the standard charging cable there is another equipment which is known as an outlet.  A standard NEMO outlet is required for proper safety in which 5-15Ampere current can easily flow. Proper grounding is necessary for overheating, fire, and short circuits.
3. GFCI Protected: GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) is one of the other levels of protection used for proper safety from overheating short circuits and shocks. GFCI provides another level of security to the charger.

Thus, before using Type1 EV Charging, ensure that all pin outlets are properly in working condition, and if anything is not as per the standard, contact only licensed electricians.

How do you set up and install a level 1 charger at home?

Installing and setting up an Electric charging station or Level 1 charger at home is simple.You can install a level one EV charger in 3 simple Steps:

1. What you need is just a standard 120 Volt charging cord which comes with EV.
2. Then you require a particular outlet that is merely used for electric vehicles to prevent overheating and excess flow of current.
3. On the other hand, relying on these batteries in the long term puts strains on the battery, although new electric vehicles are compatible with all chargers. Hence, with a charging wire, a decent outlet, and all requirements, you can easily set up and install a level 1 EV charger at home.

Level 1 vs Level 2 EV chargers: Difference explained

Level 1 and Level 2 EV chargers are both used for charging the battery of electric vehicles. Today we will discuss the difference between EV Level 1 vs EV Level 2 charger.

EV Level 1 Charger

• Uses a Standard 120 Volt AC household outlet.
• Level 1 car Charger is slower than Level 2 and Level 3.
• It is better for the person who frequently travels.
• There are no additional installations of equipment just like level 2 and level 3 charging.

Level 2 EV Charger

• EV level 1 charger is faster than level 1 charger.
• It requires 240 Volt of electricity which is a high power output for the charging.
• It is useful for people who always prefer quick charging and longer trips.
• It required a huge amount of Cost for maintenance and installation.

Thus, Level 1 EV Charging is beneficial for less commuting people, and Level 2 and DC charging is preferred by frequent long rides persons.

Bottom Line

Level 1 EV Charger is used for charging electric vehicles at home. Use a standard charger of 120 volt AC outlet use all the necessary safety measures and select it as a charging mode which is useful for the less frequent commuters. In the end, there are various advantages and limitations of using level 1 chargers but it is useful according to your use and work.

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