You just drove your EV home, and it needs a power boost.
Now what? You stare at your standard wall power point. Can you just… plug it in?
Yes, you can. Your EV’s cable plugs right into any Australian 240V socket. This is trickle charging.
It feels like the easy, free solution.
But that convenience has a cost. A big one. Trickle charging is slow. Painfully slow. It stresses your home’s wiring in ways it wasn’t designed for.
This isn’t just about waiting. It’s about risk.
Let’s break down exactly what happens when you rely on a simple power point, and why a professional EV Charger Installation Perth is the only safe, long-term solution for local drivers.
How Does Trickle Charging Work? (The Basics)
Your new EV comes with a portable charging cable. It’s in the boot, right now.
This is your trickle charger. One end has a regular 3-pin plug for your wall. The other end has a special connector for your car’s charging port.
You just plug it in. It’s that simple.
But simple has a speed. A very specific, and slow, speed.
A standard power point gives you about 10 to 15 kilometres of range per hour of charging.
Let’s make that real for your life in Perth.
Did you drive 50km today? That’s a 4-hour charge just to break even. A near-empty battery needs a full 24 to 48 hours to recover.
This only works if your daily drive is incredibly short. Think a quick school run and some local errands.
Any unexpected trip across the city? Your entire charging schedule collapses.
You wake up needing a full battery, but you only have 80km of range. This method sets you up for failure every single day.
Why a Standard Power Point Isn’t Always Perfect (The Limitations)
The slow speed is just the start. The real problem is what that slow trickle is doing to your home.
Standard power points and wiring are for short bursts. Your toaster. Your vacuum. An EV charger demands a continuous, heavy load for 10, 12, or 24 hours straight.
This constant draw creates heat. A dangerous amount of heat.
- Overheating wall plugs: You might feel the plug itself get dangerously warm to the touch. This can melt the plastic faceplate over time.
- Nuisance trips: Your circuit breaker will trip constantly. It’s doing its job, telling you the circuit is overloaded.
- Fire hazard: In the worst case, the persistent heat degrades the wiring inside your walls, creating a serious fire risk.
This is why you must never use an extension cord. They add another point of resistance and failure, multiplying the risk.
Your home’s electrical system is begging you for an upgrade. A dedicated circuit for an EV charger is built to handle this exact job, safely and efficiently.
Is It Right for You?
So, when does trickle charging actually make sense? Only in very specific situations.
This might work for you if:
- You own a Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) with a tiny battery.
- Your daily drive is under 50km and never varies.
- You need a temporary fix for a week or two.
For everyone else, it’s a trap.
- You need to upgrade to a dedicated EV charger installation in Perth if any of these are true:
- You drive a full electric vehicle (BEV).
- Your daily life is unpredictable.
- You want to stop thinking about charging completely.
Waiting overnight for a partial charge gets old fast. The constant worry about your home’s wiring is unnecessary stress.
A proper charger gives you freedom. It turns your car into a true tool, not a limitation.
Wake Up to a Full Battery
A standard power point is a temporary fix, not a real solution.
It works for a day or two. Then the limitations and risks become your daily reality.
Stop compromising your safety and convenience. A professional EV charger installation in Perth is the only way to own an EV without the constant stress.
Ready to move beyond trickle charging?
Reach out to us at ChargingWA, your Perth-owned experts, for a consultation or quote today.