Install 11 kW wall box
Requirements for the wallbox connection
January 30, 2023
You want to install a charging station for the electric car at home? Wondering what requirements you need to meet to install your 11 kW wallbox? This article will help you.
In advance: Why you are doing everything right with a wallbox
Although you can also charge your e-car via a conventional household socket, you should only do this in an absolute emergency. Charging via the "Schuko socket" can put a strain on your home's electrical installation in the long term and increase the risk of fire. A wallbox offers more safety as well as higher charging speed and efficiency.
By comparison, an electric car with a 50-kWh battery plugged into a 2.3-kW household outlet takes nearly 22 hours. Our Wallbox connect.home with 11 kW charges the electric vehicle in under 4.5 hours. The mobile wallbox Charger compact.lite with 3.7 kW takes 13.5 hours.
When charging with alternating current, the longer the charging process takes, the higher the charging losses - i.e. the energy that is not transferred to the battery but simply dissipates. If you charge at the wallbox with maximum power, the charging process is correspondingly shorter and more efficient.
Does every wallbox fit every electric car?
It is hard to find a charging station that is incompatible with current electric cars. Back in 2013, the Type 2 plug was set as the standard for electric cars by the EU Commission. Accordingly, all charging stations for domestic use are supplied with this connector.
You just have to decide between a charging power (11 kW or 22 kW), a manufacturer (Amperfied 😉) and different equipment variants and features. For example, you can ask yourself:
- Is an app connection of the wallbox important to me?
- Do I need multiple wallboxes with integrated load management for simultaneous charging of multiple electric and hybrid vehicles?
- Do I value a CO2-compensated wallbox to support climate protection?
The requirements for the installation of your 11 kW wallbox
The legal requirements for your wallbox connection
The obligation to register wallboxes is regulated by law. According to Section 19 (2) Sentence 2 of the Low Voltage Connection Ordinance (NAV), you must register charging facilities with your grid operator before commissioning. Charging facilities with a power consumption of more than 11 kW must also be approved in advance by the grid operator (according to Section 19 (2) Sentence 3 NAV).
The network operator must give its consent within two months of receiving your notification or inform you of the remedial action it will take and the time period required to do so.
The spatial requirements for your wallbox connection
Your wallbox should be installed in the same place where your electric car is usually parked, i.e. in the garage, carport or outdoor parking space. Even if this location is not covered, this is usually not a problem for wallboxes. For example, all wallboxes from Amperfied are protected against dust and splash water in accordance with protection class IP54.
Due to their comparatively low weight of less than 10 kg - the Wallbox connect.home weighs approx. 6.3 kg, the Wallbox Energy Control approx. 8 kg - you can have your charging station installed on a wall without hesitation. If there is no wall near your parking space, you can also have your wallbox mounted on a pedestal.
The technical requirements for your wallbox connection
If you want to purchase a wallbox, there are various technical requirements to consider. For example, a conductor cross-section of at least 2.5 mm² is recommended for an 11 kW wallbox, while a minimum cable cross-section of 6 mm² is required for a 22 kW wallbox.
However, before you decide on a certain power, you should definitely have your house connection value checked to ensure that the house connection has sufficient power. If necessary, your electricity provider can adjust the power if the value is too low.
The specialist company you commission will also have to work in the fuse box. Depending on the charging station, he will have to install either an integrated DC residual current detection or a residual current circuit breaker (RCD).
Only a qualified electrician may install the wallbox
You must hire a specialist company to install your 11 kW wallbox. Only electricians are allowed to install charging stations with a high-voltage connection. This is regulated in §13 of the Low Voltage Connection Ordinance. A qualified electrician usually also ensures that the charging station and the necessary electrics are correctly recorded in the circuit diagram.
The wallbox must be registered with the network operator
As already mentioned, you are not allowed to install a wallbox just like that. You must register a domestic charging station with a maximum charging capacity of 11 kW with the network operator of your house connection. A wallbox with more than 12 kW must be approved by the network operator.
If the grid operator prohibits the installation of a 22 kW wallbox, you can still register and have an 11 kW wall charging station installed. This blog article explains why an 11 kW wall box is not a disadvantage. As a rule, the installer takes care of registering the charging system with the grid operator.
Differences exist between owner-occupied home, condominium and rental apartment
In your single-family home, you don't have to consult anyone - except the specialist company and the grid operator - if you want to have a wallbox installed. The situation is different in a multi-family house. In a separate article, we explain what you have to consider as an owner:in or tenant:in an apartment. All steps mentioned on this page are therefore subject to the regulations for apartment owners and tenants.
What installation costs should I expect?
In addition to the cost of the wallbox, you must also take into account the cost of installation, as this must be carried out by a specialist company. How much you will be charged depends largely on the local conditions. You can expect installation costs between 500 and 2,000 EUR, or even more in difficult conditions.
Factors that can lead to more costs are, for example, a missing FI circuit breaker, outdated power lines, the re-routing of lines and possible wall penetrations. If you want a wallbox with more than 11 kW charging power, for example 22 kW, you will have to pay about 500 EUR for the permit.
Even if the federal subsidy programs have currently expired: It is always worth looking for regional subsidies to reduce costs.
There are no or only minor ongoing costs for operating a wallbox. For private individuals, there is no obligation for regular maintenance. Only services such as cloud-based load management or billing may incur costs of around EUR 10 per month for a corresponding subscription.