

Chevrolet Volt  (Source:

Installation costs an estimated $1,475







Comments     Threshold


RE: Why so much?
By WW102 on 10/7/2010 1:43:29 PM , Rating: 4
Another issue would be Amps. If you have a 100 Amp service and your house is peaked at that. (Wash, Dryer, Electric Stove, AC) you will have problems everytime you put too much load on everything. Would suck to have to leave the AC or heater off while your car charges.

RE: Why so much?
By Spuke on 10/7/2010 2:23:07 PM , Rating: 2
Most likely the power company would have to upgrade the service to your house before they would let the charging station be installed. Not sure if your local building codes would allow that to be installed without the upgrade.

RE: Why so much?
By hr824 on 10/7/2010 2:39:17 PM , Rating: 2
It's really not an issue I have measured my house with everything on and was only drawing 29 amps at 240v. Yes a range can draw 30 or 40 amps but that's with all the burners and oven on. Most of the time an average house is drawing less then 20 amps at 240v and if it's drawing more then that the service is most likely 150 amps or larger.

Not only that but the charging station rated at 30 amps peak and as the car charges the current goes down.

RE: Why so much?
By rcc on 10/7/2010 2:47:52 PM , Rating: 3
Hopefully the designer of the charging station bought a clue. If it has a timer you could set it to charge from 10 PM to xx AM, or whenever your sleepy time is.

It's nice to be able to run everything concurrently, but it's not always necessary, or cost effective. Just make sure the breakers are good.

RE: Why so much?


RE: Why so much?
you assume charging a battery is 100% efficient

RE: Why so much?

RE: Why so much?

so why do Li-on batteries get warm when charging?


RE: Why so much?
so why do Li-on batteries get warm when charging?

RE: Why so much?

RE: Why so much?
By marvdmartian on 10/7/10, Rating: -1
RE: Why so much?
By MrTeal on 10/7/2010 3:19:26 PM , Rating: 3
Jumper off your lines and install a new 50 amp breaker?

Have fun collecting your insurance when you have a house fire. Generally most utilities don't install 50% more copper than is needed just for S&G, if you want to upgrade from a 100A service to a 50A service they most likely will have to string new wire from the pole and install a new meter. Just doing what you suggest would never pass a home inspection.

RE: Why so much?
By Nutzo on 10/7/2010 3:24:12 PM , Rating: 2
It's NOT that simple. It depends on what gauge (size) the wires comming into your house are. If you actually need more then the 100 amp service you currently have, you will likely have to replace the incomming power lines too, otherwise they will overheat and could burn your house down.

On my mom's 50+ year old house, they had to replace the incomming power lines when we installed a central air conditioner because the lines couldn't handle the increased load.

RE: Why so much?
By WW102 on 10/7/2010 3:45:25 PM , Rating: 5
Seriously, this isn't rocket science.

I agree, the people who wrote the NEC were a bunch of amateurs anyway. What do they know. Thanks for the advice.

RE: Why so much?
By sprockkets on 10/7/2010 4:52:17 PM , Rating: 3
Hey, you are like that guy that decided to fix his own a/c. A tech told him the breaker in it was bad. Instead of having the tech fix it, he decided to do it himself.

His wife later found him dead from electrocution.

True story.


RE: Why so much?





RE: Why so much?

Must cost around nothing to do.

