What's the Best Way to Charge Your EV in the Garage?
"My husband was really worried about getting close enough to the house."
One of the perks of EV ownership is never having to stop for gas. Car owners plug it in at home and then hit the road. But the technology is still fairly new to many Americans, and that leaves some asking questions.
TikTok user @policy1101 recently posted a video in which she appeared to poke fun at her husband for parking the car too close to the house to get a charge.
“My husband was really worried about getting close enough to the house in the garage to charge the car. Do you think he got close enough? Yeah, me too. Grateful. Love him,” she said.
Motor1 reached out to @policy1101 through TikTok’s direct messaging service, but she didn’t immediately respond.
Preparing for Life with an EV
It sounds from the short video like @policy1101 doesn’t want her EV in the driveway during charging, but many EV owners actually do that without too much of a problem. Most home Level 2 chargers—often installed by an electrician—ship with cables that range between 18 and 25 feet in length. That’s usually enough to reach a car parked directly in front of the garage door.
Plugging in your EV inside the garage is the cleanest, most convenient way to charge, but the cables associated with a Level 2 charger should be able to reach a car in the garage without running the car to the edge of the house, as @policy1101’s husband apparently did.
Once inside the garage, some EV owners find it useful to have some ventilation there, based on comments made on forums. No, EVs don’t have a tailpipe, but the charging process does produce a good deal of heat. You should also use common sense and keep the cable out of harm’s way.
Port location is also a potential consideration, but not part of any authoritative guidance. Based on design, Tesla owners may prefer to install a charger on the left side of the garage. Ford Lightning drivers might prefer the right. The less finagling you have to do with the cable, the better.
FEMA produced a list of safety tips for people who have just started charging their EVs, and it’s pretty useful. It recommends not using an extension cord or a multiplug adapter, always following the guidelines produced by the car manufacturer, protecting the outlet from water, placing all charging device parts out of the reach of children, and being mindful of visible wear and tear that could be signs of an impending shock.
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