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Thinking about a home EV charger but not sure where to start? This guide breaks down tethered vs untethered, single-phase vs three-phase, and everything else you need to know — in plain English, no jargon.
Choosing the Right Home EV Charger
Charging your EV off a standard power point works, but it's slow, it wasn't designed for hours of continuous load, and it ties up a socket you'll probably want for something else. A properly installed home charger fixes all three — safely, on its own dedicated circuit, ready every morning.
Doug has installed EV chargers across the Gold Coast and Northern NSW for a range of vehicles and charger brands. Below is an honest, no-jargon guide to what's actually involved in choosing and installing one.
Tethered or Untethered?
Tethered chargers have the charging cable built into the unit — plug and go, nothing extra to buy. Simplest option if you just want to plug in and forget about it.
Untethered chargers are socket-only — you supply your own cable. This gives a neater wall-mounted install.
Neither is "better" — it comes down to how you want the unit to look and how much flexibility you want.
Single Phase or Three Phase?
Most homes run perfectly well on a 7kW single-phase charger — plenty for a full overnight charge. If your home has three-phase power, you can step up to 11kW or 22kW for faster charging.
The honest answer: most households don't need the faster speeds for daily driving. Three-phase is worth it if you regularly need a rapid top-up, but it's not essential for most people.
Smart Chargers vs Simple Chargers
Smart chargers (like Zappi and other MyEnergi models) can prioritise solar surplus — charging your car on power your solar panels are already generating, rather than pulling from the grid. If you've got solar, this is where the real savings are.
Simple chargers do the job just as reliably without the solar-integration features — a solid option if you don't have solar or don't need the extra functionality.
What We Check Before We Quote
Every install starts with a look at your switchboard capacity and your home's existing setup.
We'll tell you upfront:
- Whether your board can handle the charger as-is, or needs an upgrade
- Which chargers suit your vehicle and your home
- What it'll cost — before anything is booked in
No surprises halfway through the job.
Brands We Install
We install chargers for Tesla, BYD, MyEnergi, Zappi and other major brands. Whatever you're driving, we'll talk you through what suits your home rather than pushing whatever's easiest for us to install.
Get Your Free, No Obligation EV Charger Installation Quote
We'll call you back as soon as we can.