
EV charger installation in Como.
Riverside streets, a mix of 1950s originals and new builds, and homes with enough load already before the car turns up.
The install
What a Como install actually looks like
Como runs from tidy 1950s and 1960s originals near Canning Highway through to serious new builds along the river. The older stock usually has a single phase supply and a board that has been added to piecemeal over sixty years. The new builds usually have three phase and plenty of spare ways.
The riverside homes are the ones that need a real load calculation. Ducted air, pool pump, spa, induction cooking and a 32A car charger on the same supply is a genuine maximum demand problem, not a theoretical one. We do the numbers and either load manage the charger or recommend the supply upgrade.
Garages here are almost always attached or very close, so runs are short and installs are quick once the board question is answered.

Charger picks
Which charger suits a Como home

Fronius Wattpilot Home 22
For the three phase new builds. 22kW when the house can spare it, dialled back automatically when it cannot.
View the Fronius guide
myenergi Zappi GLO
Solar diversion plus load balancing, ideal for the riverside homes with a big array and a big appetite.
View the myenergi guide
Tesla Wall Connector Gen 3
Simple, tidy and load shares across multiple units for two car households.
View the Tesla guide
Solar first
Big arrays, bigger loads
Como homes with river frontage often run 10kW or more of solar and still import in the evening because the load profile is heavy. Charging the car at midday off the roof is the single cheapest energy the household will ever use.
If there is a battery in the mix, priority matters. Get the settings right and the car takes surplus PV first, the battery holds capacity for the evening, and you stop paying peak rates for both.
Recent install
A recent Como install
- Location
- Near Preston Street, Como 6152
- The home
- Modern two storey riverside build, 13kW solar with battery, three phase supply, double garage.
- The charger
- Fronius Wattpilot Home 22 on the garage wall, integrated with the existing inverter setup.
- Outcome
- Dedicated three phase RCBO added. Charger configured for solar surplus first with a battery reserve. Half day on site including commissioning.

What to know before install day in Como
- Heavy household loads need a proper maximum demand calculation before adding an EV circuit. Ask for it in writing.
- Battery homes need the charge priority set deliberately, otherwise the car drains the battery you were saving for the evening peak.
- Some older Como streets still have limited single phase capacity. A supply upgrade through the network takes lead time, so start early.
Como EV charging questions
Should I upgrade to three phase?+
Only if the household load or a future second car justifies it. For one car and a normal commute, single phase 7kW is genuinely enough.
Will charging drain my home battery overnight?+
Not if it is configured properly. We set the charger to draw from solar surplus and grid off peak, and to leave a reserve in the battery.
Can two cars share one circuit?+
Yes. Load sharing across two chargers on one circuit is common here and both cars are full by morning.
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.
Ready for a proper Como EV install?
Free online quote in about 90 seconds. No pushy sales calls, no fake urgency.
