How to Choose an EV Charger Installer in Perth

Choose an EV charger installer who holds a WA electrical contractor's licence and checks your switchboard and power supply before quoting. They should set up and test the charger to suit your home. Then check who you'll call if it stops working in two years.

Four things to check: the licence, the quote, how they set up and test the charger, and the support you get after.

Start With the Licence

In WA, only a licensed electrician can wire in an EV charger. The WA Government's guide to having electrical work done says to look for an electrical contractor's licence, which starts with EC. That business must employ licensed electricians, whose numbers start with EW.

Check the number on the State's online licence search before you book. Our post on WA EV charger installation rules covers what else the law asks of the installer.

Look for an Assessment Before the Price

The price depends on what your switchboard and power supply need. A good installer asks about your switchboard, your power supply, any solar or battery, and the car you drive.

We start by asking for two photos: one of your switchboard, and one showing the switchboard and where you'd like the charger. The quote that follows should include:

• The charger they recommend, with options
• The full install scope
• Any upgrades needed, such as switchboard work
• Optional extras, like app control or solar syncing

Ask How They Set Up and Test the Charger

Smart chargers need setting up for each home, a step called commissioning. That can include CT clamps, small sensors clipped around the main cables that tell the charger how much power the house is using. It also covers load balancing, which shares the power between the charger and the house, plus solar settings and which phases the charger uses.

"Anyone can bolt a charger to the wall. The real work is testing and configuring it so it works with the house, the solar, and the mains." Steve Randall, owner of ChargingWA

Ask the installer what they set up and test before they leave, and whether they'll show you how to use the app. When those settings are wrong, a charger can fail or overload the home.

Questions to Ask Any Installer

The WA Government's guide to preparing for your new EV suggests a list of questions. These are the ones that tell you most about the installer:

1. Where is the best location to install a charger?
2. Do I have a single-phase or three-phase power supply available?
3. Does my switchboard have space for a breaker for EV charging, or does it need to be upgraded?
4. Can the charger be integrated with my home's solar panels or battery storage?
5. What is the warranty coverage on the charger and installation?
6. If I plan to get a second EV in the future, what extra upgrades should I do now to save on costs later?
7. What maintenance does the charger require?

Check Who Supports the Charger After the Install

A charger is on your wall for years. Ask who answers the phone if it faults, where they are based and how quickly they can get parts.

Ask too whether the installer is tied to one brand. Choose a charger with local support and spare parts that lets you add more chargers later. As we tell customers, you buy cheap, it works for a year, and then it won't support what you need.

How We Do It at ChargingWA

Steve Randall owns ChargingWA and leads our installs. He has been a licensed electrician for 37 years and has specialised in EV charging in WA for more than 10. Over his career, he has completed an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 EV charger installs.

Steve Randall at work on a commercial switchboard.

• Our team of six technicians works only on EV charging. We complete 10 to 15 installs a week across Perth and regional WA, from Geraldton to Bunbury and Busselton.
• We're based in WA, our support is in WA and our parts are stocked locally.
• We're an Ocular Certified Partner, and we work with Exploren for charging software, so hardware and software support come from one place.
• We commission and test every charger, and show you how to use it before we leave.
• Every customer gets a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
• Our home installs come with a 2-year parts and labour warranty.

We'll always give honest advice, even when that means a simpler or more affordable system. See our home EV charger installation packages, our commercial EV charger installation service, or past installations across Perth.

Common Questions