Splitvolt Splitter Switch: Lowering Barriers For Home EV Charging

Not everybody needs a circuit splitter, but for those that do, this will come in handy.

Splitvolt circuit splitter

16:55

Tom Moloughney

By: Tom Moloughney

Jan 25, 2021 at 12:38pm ET

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The Splitvolt splitter switch allows EV owners to safely charge their car from an existing 240-volt outlet in their home. This can save them anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands.

By utilizing an existing 30-amp circuit, like what's needed for an electric clothes dryer, Splitvolt eliminates the need to hire an electrician to install the 240-volt circuit required so you can either hardwire or plug in your level 2 charging equipment.

After purchasing an electric vehicle, many people would prefer to use an existing outlet to charge their car and save the expense of installing the 240-volt outlet on a dedicated circuit. In some cases, their home's electricity supply might not be able to provide another dedicated 240-volt circuit without a complete service upgrade, and that can cost from $2,000 to $5,000.

Many people already have a 240-volt outlet in their garage or in a utility room directly next to the garage, because they have an electric clothes dryer or water heater there. If they do, chances are it's either a NEMA 10-30 or NEMA 14-30 outlet and on a dedicated 30-amp circuit, as they are the most common plug configurations for those appliances. The Splitvolt is available in both plug configurations, just make sure you order the correct one.

Splitvolt circuit splitter

Since the Splitvolt is operating on a 30-amp circuit, it can safely deliver up to 24-amps (5.8 kW) to an electric vehicle. While that's not quite as much power as some higher-powered EVSE can deliver, it's much faster than charging on a 120-volt source.

A typical EV will get about 3 to 5 miles of range while charging from a 120-volt outlet, and between 15 to 25 miles while charging from the Splitvolt, depending on how efficient the EV is. In most cases, an EV will be fully charged in the morning, after charging overnight from a Splitvolt.

Splitvolt features:

Automatic power switching such that full-power is switched between the dryer and EV charger automatically, avoiding the overheat/overcurrent risk of simultaneous operation.
Real-time Power Display so you can see voltage, amperage, accumulated kWh, and status on your shared circuit.
Internal 25-amp circuit breaker to prevent overdrawing the circuit.
Free installation. Just plug Splitvolt it and you're ready to go, you don't even need to shut off the circuit to install. There's no need to hire an electrician, pull permits, or get inspections.

Splitvolt circuit splitter

The Splitvolt splitter switch has a bright display that offers a variety of vital charging information.

The Splitvolt display offers useful real-time power information so you can see the line voltage, amperage currently being delivered, accumulated kWh, and the status on your shared circuit.

The Splitvolt splitter switch isn't needed by all EV owners. If you have the extra electricity capacity available and the financial ability to add a dedicated, high-powered 240-volt circuit for an EV charger, then it's probably best practice to do that.

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However, if adding another dedicated circuit is either too costly or not permitted (if you live in a condo you may not be allowed to install a new 240v circuit in your garage) then a smart splitter switch like Splitvolt may very well be the best option to quickly and safely charge your EV.

The Splitvolt 24-amp circuit splitter is available for $319.00 and can be ordered directly from the Splitvolt company website. Let us know what you think about the Splitvolt splitter switch in the comment section below.

Source: State Of Charge

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