EV charger installation in Alkimos.
New estate homes, big rooftop solar arrays and long daily runs down the freeway. Alkimos is close to a perfect home charging suburb.
The install
What an Alkimos install actually looks like
Almost everything in Alkimos was built in the last fifteen years, so the boards are modern, the garages are attached and the meter position is usually within a few metres of where the car parks. That combination keeps most installs to a half day with a short, tidy cable run inside the garage.
The catch in new estates is capacity, not condition. A 7kW charger pulls 32 amps continuously, and that sits on top of ducted air conditioning, induction cooking, a heat pump hot water unit and sometimes a battery inverter. We check the actual supply and set the charger up with dynamic load management so it eases back when the house is working hard, then goes back to full power once demand drops.
Alkimos also sits close enough to the beach for salt to matter on the western streets. If the charger has to go on an external wall we use a weather rated unit, sealed entries and stainless fixings rather than whatever is in the van.
Charger picks
Which charger suits a Alkimos home
myenergi Zappi GLO
Best fit for the solar heavy Alkimos roof. It follows surplus generation during the day and schedules cheap grid charging overnight.
View the myenergi guide
Tesla Wall Connector Gen 3
Neat, reliable and easy to share power between two units later if the household adds a second EV.
View the Tesla guide
Fronius Wattpilot Home 22
Worth it on the newer homes that came with three phase, where the car can take faster AC charging.
View the Fronius guide
Solar first
Alkimos exports a lot of solar it could be driving on
Most homes up here export a solid chunk of their generation for a feed in credit worth a fraction of what the same energy costs to buy back at night. A solar aware charger flips that. Surplus that would have gone to the grid goes into the battery you already own, which is the car.
The car is often at work during peak sun, so the practical setup mixes both. Solar charging on the days it is home, a scheduled off peak window on the days it is not. We set the balance around your actual driving pattern and your retailer's plan, not a generic default.
Typical setup
A sensible Alkimos charging plan
- Location
- Alkimos 6038
- The home
- Double storey estate home, 6.6kW solar, single phase supply, attached double garage.
- The charger
- 7kW tethered charger on the garage wall beside the internal door, cable reaching the port without crossing the second bay.
- Outcome
- Dedicated protected circuit, whole home load assessment and solar diversion enabled. Roughly 250 to 300 kilometres added overnight.
What to know before install day in Alkimos
- Ask for a load assessment, not a guess. Ducted air conditioning plus a 32A charger is the combination that trips undersized setups.
- Set the mounting point around where the car's charge port sits when it is parked, not where the wall happens to be free.
- On the western streets closer to the dunes, insist on a weather rated unit and corrosion resistant hardware.
- If a second EV is likely, run the conduit and set up load sharing now. Doing it later costs more than doing it once.
Alkimos EV charging questions
How much does EV charger installation cost in Alkimos?+
Most straightforward Alkimos installs land between $1,350 and $2,350 depending on the charger and the cable run. Estate homes usually sit at the lower end because the board is modern and the run is short. We confirm the price after a free assessment.
Is a 7kW charger enough for the Alkimos to city commute?+
Yes. A 7kW charger adds roughly 35 to 45 kilometres of range per hour, so an overnight session covers a return freeway run to the CBD several times over.
Can my Alkimos solar system charge the car?+
Yes, with a solar aware charger and the required energy sensor. It sends surplus generation to the car instead of exporting it, and falls back to a scheduled off peak window when the sun is down.
Do new Alkimos homes need a switchboard upgrade?+
Usually not a full upgrade. Most need a spare way, a dedicated RCBO and a load assessment. We confirm that before quoting rather than after starting.
How long does the install take?+
A typical Alkimos job is three to five hours, including testing and setting up the app. Longer runs or a board change can push it to a full day.
EV charger installation in Perth, answered
The questions we get asked most by WA homeowners, answered by the electricians who do the work.
Does Western Power need to be notified about my EV charger?+
For a standard single phase 7kW charger on an existing supply, no separate application is usually needed. Your electrician still lodges the required notice of completion with Building and Energy WA. If the install needs a bigger main switch, a service upgrade, or a move to three phase, that does go to Western Power first and it adds time to the job, so we check it before quoting.
Is single phase or three phase more common in Perth homes?+
Most Perth houses are single phase, which caps a home charger at about 7.4kW. Newer estates in areas like Ellenbrook, Baldivis and Canning Vale are more likely to have three phase already at the board, and a lot of older knock down rebuilds get it too. Lift the switchboard cover and count the incoming actives, or send us a photo and we will tell you.
Which Synergy plan is best once I have a home charger?+
Synergy runs time of use options aimed at EV owners with a cheap overnight window and a cheaper midday window built around WA's solar surplus. Charging in those windows rather than the evening peak is where the real savings sit. Check current rates on Synergy's site before switching, because the windows and prices change.
Should I charge from my solar instead of the grid in Perth?+
Usually yes. WA feed in tariffs are low, so exporting midday solar earns you very little while grid power costs several times more. A solar aware charger such as a myenergi Zappi or Fronius Wattpilot watches your export at the switchboard and pushes surplus into the car instead of sending it out for a few cents.
Do coastal Perth suburbs need a different charger?+
If you are in the salt spray zone near the coast from Mullaloo through Scarborough, Cottesloe and Fremantle, outdoor units cop corrosion. We fit chargers rated IP65 or better, use stainless or marine grade fixings, and where possible mount the unit inside the garage with only the tethered lead exposed.
What about summer heat and charger derating?+
Perth summers regularly sit over 40C, and a charger baking in full afternoon sun can throttle its output to protect itself. West and north facing walls are the worst spots. We site the unit in shade or under eaves where we can, which keeps it charging at full rate and extends the life of the electronics.
Can I get a charger installed in a Perth apartment or strata complex?+
Yes, but it is a different job to a house. You need strata approval, a metering plan so the electricity bills back to your lot rather than common property, and often a load managed charger so the building's supply is not overloaded. We put that documentation together for the strata council as part of the quote.
How does a limestone driveway or brick paving affect the cable run?+
Plenty of Perth homes have the switchboard on one side and the parking on the other, with paving or limestone in between. Where we can, we run the cable through the roof space or along the eaves to avoid lifting anything. When trenching is unavoidable we lift and relay pavers rather than cut them, and that extra work is priced up front, not added later.
Are there WA rebates for home EV chargers?+
WA does not currently run a state rebate on home charger installs. The EV rebate scheme that ran on vehicle purchases has closed. The saving comes from the tariff side instead: charging off peak or straight off your own solar. We will not quote a rebate that does not exist.
Who is legally allowed to install an EV charger in Perth?+
A licensed WA electrical contractor. The circuit has to be dedicated, protected by the correct RCD type for the charger, and wired to AS/NZS 3000 with the EV specific requirements of AS/NZS 3012 and the manufacturer's instructions. Candela is licensed under EC# 15317 and fully insured, and you get the compliance paperwork on completion.
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