How difficult is it to swap out my EV charger with a smart charger?

As a property manager, you have a lot of tasks and to-dos on your plate on any given day. One matter that may be at the top of your priority list lately is ensuring you have charging stations for electric vehicles to offer your residents. It’s vital that in your role you know your options and the differences between EV chargers you're considering. So, let's go over the benefits of a smart EV charging solution. 

It may be that you don’t have any chargers in place now but want them or that you have old EV chargers and want to make the switch to a smart option. In this case, you’re in the right place to learn about how difficult is it to swap out my EV charger with a smart charger. 

What is A "Dumb EV Charger"? 

The first matter of business is to learn more about what a dumb EV charger is and why you may want to consider an upgrade in the near future for your residents. This is a way for residents to charge their electric vehicles via a power source by way of an electrical charge. There are no fancy bells and whistles that come with it, all it does is charge the EV when it’s plugged in. You should also note that these dumb EV chargers are not networked or part of a larger network.  

What is A Smart Charger?

The alternative and something to consider upgrading to at your property is a smart EV charger. With this solution, you can monitor, control, and pull reports to view through a centralized or cloud-based network. 

It can do all sorts of things such as:

• Troubleshoot issues remotely
• Load manage available power
• Relay charging session info
• Restrict charger access

Ultimately, it gives property managers the ability to easily manage their charging stations and who can use them. 

Benefits of A Smart Charger

There are several benefits that come with using smart chargers instead of dumb EV chargers at your multifamily apartment complex. Adding an OK2Charge smart charger means that you can better control reservations and know who is using the chargers and when they are using them. It’s an opportunity to ensure only residents can charge their cars at your apartment complexes. You probably don’t want just anyone pulling up and trying to charge their electric vehicles!

Another bonus or upside for you as a property manager is that with smart chargers you can bill back your residents for the electricity they use. It makes billing and collecting payments much easier and more straightforward. You don’t have to guess or have them report it on their own, instead, you can accurately track usage. With smart charging stations in place, you can also control load balancing, and idle fees. You have a lot to juggle and keep track of as a property manager and it will help if your records and all you need to review at the end of the day and all the bill information are kept in one place. Therefore, you’ll benefit from using a solution that integrates with your property management system. It’s going to save you time and money and will allow you to do your job more effectively and efficiently. 

How Difficult is it to Swap out the EV Charger for A Smart One?

Given all of this information, you may now be interested in making the switch or upgrade at your multifamily apartment complex. Therefore, you’ll want to know more about how difficult is it to swap out the EV charger for a smart one. The good news is that it’s quite a simple and easy process to do. You’ll soon find that it is effortless to switch out your old or dumb charger with a smart charger. In reality, all you’re doing is changing out a few wires. The best part is that if you already have a charger in place, then adding a new one is very simple and not expensive.

Conclusion

You now have all the answers you need about what EV dumb chargers and smart chargers are and the differences between the two. There are several benefits that come with using smart chargers at your apartment complexes so it’s worth considering making the switch today. Not only that but it’s an easy transition and move to make and won’t take you a lot of time or money to do. While learning about these chargers can be a bit confusing or overwhelming initially, the actual process of switching them out isn’t hard.