If you’re considering the purchase of an electric car, good for you! You're doing your part to reduce the nation's reliance on oil and cut down on fossil fuel emissions, and you get to drive around in style to boot. But with many newer models, you’ll need to set up a charging station in your own home garage. Public charging stations are not widely available, and nothing beats the convenience of having a power source right outside your door. With an electrician's help, you can install a charging station on your property and get your car up to speed quickly. Read on for some tips on how to get started.

Expand Your Range

New, affordable electric cars (those that cost around $30,000) top out at ranges between 60 and 90 miles before they need to be recharged. That doesn't do you much good for a cross-country road trip, but it should be more than enough for the average daily commute. If you can plug it in overnight, you should be good to go the next day.

Technically speaking, the charger for an electric vehicle is found in the car itself, and the box you install to provide the electricity is called the Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE). The EVSE puts out 240-volt alternating current, and the charger in the car converts it to direct current to replenish the battery. Note that you can plug into a standard 110 volt outlet for some cars, but it will take 18 hours or more to fully charge them, making it impractical for daily use.

Pick Your Charging Spot

An EVSE can cost anywhere from $500 to $1000 or more, depending on what model you need, plus installation fees. More expensive models have higher amp ratings and can charge the car faster, generally speaking – some can get you ready to go in as little as three hours. The box needs to be placed within 15-25 feet of where you park your car so you can reach it with the charging cable.

Before you start the installation process, have an electrician evaluate the state of your wiring and circuit box – some older homes may not be able to handle charging a car without a significant electrical system upgrade. If everything checks out, the electrician can hardwire the EVSE or, alternatively, install a 240 volt outlet, similar to what you use for an electric oven or clothes dryer. The second option gives you more flexibility to move your charging station in the future, although outdoor installations usually require hardwiring.

The Code of an Electrician

To read up on the specific rules about how the EVSE needs to be installed, check out National Electrical Code Article 625 – your local building code likely has the same or similar regulations. For more help evaluating the suitability of your home for an electric car charging station, contact a local electrician today.

Did you see the news Friday about Des Moines south side homes without power?  More than 7,000 residential customers were without power.  The week before this occurred we installed a whole house generator in a home in the affected area.  When the power went out the Kohler generator we installed kicked on and powered up the entire home.  The whole house generator ran continuously for most of the day while its residence who were home at the time worked and continued there daily routine without power interruption.

Residential Whole House Generators are no longer just a luxury.

Why do you need a whole house generator?

* Our infrastructure is aging.  Its a fact that our power grid is aging and needs updating and constant maintenance.    While crews work hard to maintain reliability, down time will still happen at times.

* Storms are not going away.  Less face it, Mother Nature never sleeps.  From tornados and electrical storms to Heavy snows and ice storms weather isn’t going to give us a break anytime soon.  It’s a fact that Des Moines sees a variety of  weather.  As they say if you don’t like the weather in Iowa wait a few hours!

* Our homes are relying on more and more electricity.  Almost everything we purchase for our homes needs electricity.  Even your mobile phone needs charged at some point.  When is the last time you bought a item for your home that was a non décor item that required no electricity?  Even the amount of power going into homes as increased to compensate for our ever growing demand for electricity.

* Lack of other affordable and reliable alternatives.  As much as we would all love to go green.  Solar power and wind power has not yet become a cost effect and reliable power source for residential applications in Iowa.

Need a whole house generator installed?  We can install most major brands such as the Genrac standby generator in the picture and also Kholer generators.

Inventor Thomas Edison is world renowned, not only for the array of inventions which continue to significantly impact the modern world to this day, but also for the positive attitude and relentless approach he took to his endeavors. On this anniversary of Edison’s birthday, February 11, 1847, let us celebrate not only his vast array of contributions, but also the spirit of the man himself.

“I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Though Edison did not invent the first light bulb, as most people believe, he did invent the first incandescent light bulb. Though prior bulbs burned out after only a few minutes, Edison’s incandescents were practical, staying lit for hours and hours, and amazingly are still in use today after over 135 years.

“There are no rules here – we’re trying to accomplish something.”

Thanks to Edison’s dynamo technology, devices similar to generators, which make direct current (DC) electricity with the help of electromagnetism, a complete system was created capable of delivering DC electricity to large areas. In 1882, the formation of the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York, constructed the first commercial electricity generation and distribution system. It powered a one-mile square of residences and businesses in Manhattan, offering Americans more affordable, efficient electricity and lighting. The company would later take part in mergers leading to the formation of General Electric in 1892, which would later become innovators in AC electricity, though Edison would not play a starring role.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

One of Edison’s favorite inventions, the phonograph, revolutionized sound recording. Though devices existed capable of recording sound, none had the capability for playback, as Edison’s 1877 phonograph did. The two needled device – one for recording and one for playback – led to the development of recorded telecommunications, improvements in dictation and letter writing, phonographic books for the blind, music boxes and toys, and music portability.

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

After the phonograph and with the help of employee W.K.L. Dickson, Edison spent years inventing the motion picture camera. He wanted to do for the eye what the phonograph did for the ear. Following the invention of the kinetograph (motion picture camera) and kinetoscope (peephole motion picture viewer), he constructed a motion picture production studio for filming. The Boxing Gordon Sisters, fighting cats, and films starring Annie Oakley and Native American Dancers from Buffalo Bill’s “Wild West Show” were some of Edison’s first productions. He would later be beaten by Jenkins and Arnat’s vitascope before creating his own device for displaying movies to large groups, the projectoscope, forerunner to today’s movie projectors.

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

After thousands of experiments involving metals and other materials in an attempt to create a lighter, reliable, more powerful storage battery for the electric cars of the time, Edison discovered an alkaline solution, which produced a longer lasting battery. Though gasoline powered cars took over the market before the battery's completion thanks to Henry Ford, it was nevertheless hugely successful in industrial applications and one of Edison’s biggest moneymakers in later years.

"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.” 

Thanks, Mr. Edison, for empowering us all, and to everyone else: always remember, we at Mr. Electric® are here to help power your tomorrow, too!

This Old House on how to use them in your home application.

1. THEY SAVE ENERGY

Yes, you’ve heard it a million times, but it’s true – LED is changing the future of lighting around the world. Residential LEDs — especially ENERGY STAR rated products — use at least 75% less energy, and last 25 times longer, than standard incandescent lights. They are also used in developing countries with no access to electricity to help people study, complete tasks and increase their own safety.

2. THEY ARE GREAT FOR COMMERCIAL USE AND RESIDENCES ALIKE

LED technology is advancing so rapidly that there is hardly an application not suited for it.  Because of their highly efficient and directional nature, LEDs are ideal for many industrial uses. You have most certainly seen them used in in street and roadway lights, parking garages, parks and stadiums, refrigerated case lighting, modular lighting, and task lighting.