EV Charger and Charging Station Maintenance Insights

Electric vehicles have become quite popular nowadays, and with it comes the biggest responsibility of charging the vehicle. For both homes and businesses, installing an electric vehicle charging station is an advanced move. Electric vehicle charging station maintenance is required for better functioning. The good news is that the upkeep is not overly complicated or time-consuming. Get advice on charging electric vehicles from this article.

How Can I Tell If My EV Charger Requires Maintenance?

Apparent exterior damage

Whether as a result of weather and climatic conditions, vandalism, or other circumstances, EV charging stations are susceptible to exterior damages. Due to their frequent use, public charging stations are more vulnerable to external harm.

These external faults can result in issues that make the charger perform incorrectly or not at all. Examine and clean the EV charging station’s outside components on a regular basis to check for any problems that need to be fixed.

Low volt

At 120V, Level 1 chargers run. This should produce 1.4 kW on average. Level 2 chargers use 240V and produce between 6.2 and 7.6 kW. For quicker charging times, level 3 chargers employ DC power and can produce between 50 and 350 kW. These statistics are reliant on the EV’s charging capability.

If you are interested in more difference among these chargers, you could check out our blog on [EV Charging Stations: Types and Installation Cost].

It is likely that the smart charger needs repair if the output is less than the average for that level of the charger.

Gradual Charging

While Level 1 chargers take between 11 and 20 hours to fully charge, Level 2 chargers take between 4 and 10 hours. Vehicles can be fully charged with a Level 3 charger in 30 to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Slow charging may be caused by low voltage. However, other elements, like as chilly conditions, might also shorten charging times. Therefore, if the charging station is charging EVs slower than usual, it may be worth checking to see whether it needs to be repaired.

Schedule For General Maintenance

Even though there may not be any obvious symptoms that the charging station needs repair, it is a good idea to be proactive and have the EV charging stations maintained in accordance with a suggested maintenance schedule.

How To Test The Charger?

Vehicle Testing

EVs should always be tested after any electrical repair or significant bodywork, and at least once every 12 months if they are operated heavily or in difficult conditions. Regular testing can help identify any preventative maintenance needs before they become a problem, which could otherwise cause protective RCDs to “nuisance trip.”

Cable Testing

The inspection of charging cables is significant before every use. Cables that are separate from the vehicle should also be electrically tested independently at least every 12 months. 

This is the maximum amount of time a cable should be used before testing, and it is based on the assumption that the cable was professionally installed and is utilized in a “fixed” location that is shielded from physical harm, water intrusion, and other dangers like severe weather (including exposure to strong sunlight)

In addition to a formal visual inspection once a week, cables that are frequently used, outdoors, trailing on the ground, or rattling around in the vehicle’s trunk should also undergo more frequent electrical testing, such as once every six months.

Even if there is no obvious damage, cables should always be brought back to eco-drive for inspection and testing after being driven over by a vehicle, being put through high strain, being abraded, being submerged in water, or being exposed to contaminants (like dust).

Care must be taken to prevent wires from being trapped indoors in vehicles or buildings, getting entangled in lock mechanisms (such as the boot lid), or getting damaged by crushing, cutting, or chaffing (cables should not be stored in footwells where the seat mechanisms could pinch the cable)

Plug-ins And Charging Stations

Before the first usage and afterward on a regular basis, at least once every 12 months, electrical inspections should be performed on any socket outlet that will be used for EV recharging. Some electrical installations prohibit the use of certain sockets for charging.

Is Being Constantly Plugged In Harmful Or Not?

Typically, the battery is the most crucial (and expensive) component of an electric vehicle. Drivers’ desire to go to tremendous lengths to protect it makes it obvious; after all, it’s crucial to take the best possible care of what is effectively the beating heart of one’s electronic baby.

People who have in the past left rechargeable devices like phones and iPods plugged in overnight may have observed alarming battery deterioration.

In fact, according to sources, charging an electric vehicle when not in use is preferable because it keeps the battery safe. Not only is this an excellent way to keep an EV completely charged but for the majority of EVs, leaving the car connected is the best way to preserve the battery while preventing any harm to it.

EV chargers Lifespan?

Unfortunately, there is little specific information on the lifespan and typical maintenance costs of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) units because they are a relatively new technology.

We are aware that industry professionals anticipate the expected charger lifespan to be around ten years. Electric car chargers are most frequently damaged by external forces. Charger damage is most severe in the sweltering, rainy, and humid summer months. Regular EV charging station maintenance is the best thing to do to extend the life of the EV charger.

If your charger is relatively new but it’s not charging, you can check our blog on Electric Cars Not Charging Troubleshooting for possible reasons.

Maintenance Cost 

General EV charging station infrastructure costs include keeping the equipment clean, testing parts on a regular basis, and storing charging cables securely. Chargers may also occasionally need repairs. The cost of warranties varies depending on the manufacturer; they might be fixed-term, renewable, or included in the price of the equipment. 

Repairing damaged chargers might be expensive if they are no longer covered by a warranty, even though periodic maintenance of the infrastructure for charging can be cheap. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand who is accountable for maintenance charges and ascertain whether the installer, charging network, or site host.

Conclusion 

The best thing to do is be proactive about maintaining and repairing the charger station to extend its lifespan. We hope this manual has helped to learn about managing the charging station. For more information and assistance on EV charger repairs and maintenance refer to Beny.