An Ellenbrook estate home set up for daily EV charging in the garage.
Ellenbrook · 6069

EV charger installation in Ellenbrook.

Estate housing, growing EV uptake, and households that want the install done once and done properly.

The install

What an Ellenbrook install actually looks like

Ellenbrook is a collection of estates rather than one uniform suburb, but the electrical picture is consistent. Modern boards, attached garages, decent rooftops and short cable runs. The install is usually straightforward and finished inside half a day.

Where Ellenbrook differs from the coastal suburbs is the commute. It is a long run into the city and back, so households here put more energy through the charger each week than average. That makes charger choice and tariff strategy worth more attention than the hardware price alone.

Two car households are common here too. If a second EV is on the horizon, we size the circuit for load sharing at install time. It is a small cost now and avoids a full rework later.

Dedicated EV circuit added to a modern estate board and labelled clearly.
Dedicated EV circuit added to a modern estate board and labelled clearly.
Ellenbrook parkland at golden hour. Long drives into the city make home charging the obvious answer here.
Ellenbrook parkland at golden hour. Long drives into the city make home charging the obvious answer here.

Solar first

High kilometres make the tariff decision matter

The more you drive, the more the difference between peak grid rates and solar or off peak rates compounds. Ellenbrook households are often at the high end of weekly kilometres in Perth, which means the annual gap is significant.

If the car is out during the day, schedule the charge into the cheapest overnight window. If it is home, divert surplus solar. Most households here end up using a bit of both across the week.

Recent install

A recent Ellenbrook install

Location
Off Drumpellier Drive, Ellenbrook 6069
The home
2014 estate build, 6.6kW solar, single phase, attached double garage.
The charger
Zappi GLO 7kW tethered, with the circuit sized for a second charger later.
Outcome
Six metre run inside the garage cavity. New RCBO added. Blended solar and off peak schedule configured. Half day on site.
Zappi GLO in an Ellenbrook garage, running on surplus solar through the middle of the day.
Zappi GLO in an Ellenbrook garage, running on surplus solar through the middle of the day.
Local considerations

What to know before install day in Ellenbrook

  • Plan for a second EV now if it is likely. Sizing the circuit at install time is far cheaper than rewiring later.
  • High weekly kilometres reward a proper 7kW unit. A trickle charge from a power point will not keep up.
  • Check your retailer plan. The right off peak window is worth as much as the charger choice for a high mileage household.
FAQ

Ellenbrook EV charging questions

We drive a lot. Is 7kW enough?+

Yes. Seven kilowatts adds roughly 40km of range per hour, so an overnight charge covers over 300km. Even heavy Ellenbrook commutes fit inside that.

Can one charger handle two EVs?+

One at a time, or two on a load shared pair of chargers. We size the circuit at install so adding the second unit later is simple.

How long does the install take?+

Half a day for most estate homes. The boards here are modern and the runs are short.

Perth FAQ

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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