Frequently asked questions about Level 2 charging
The questions that come up most often, answered as briefly as they can honestly be answered. Where the answer depends on your jurisdiction, your utility or your panel, that is said rather than glossed over.
One thing before the questions
Most answers below come back to two facts about your property: what the electrical service can carry, and how far the panel is from where the car parks. Where an answer seems evasive, it is usually because the honest version needs those two numbers.
Frequently asked
How much faster is Level 2 than a normal outlet?
Substantially, it is the difference between charging that keeps up with daily driving and charging that does not. The exact rate depends on the circuit installed and on what the vehicle can accept, whichever is lower.
Hardwired or plug-in?
Plug-in is easier to replace and to take with you; hardwired is generally the option at the highest power levels and is usually preferred outdoors. Requirements differ between the two, and they differ by jurisdiction, see requirements.
Do I need a panel upgrade?
Only a load calculation answers it. A full panel is not the same problem as a service at its limit, and load management often avoids the expensive version, see panel and capacity.
Can I install it myself?
This is permanent 240-volt work, in most jurisdictions permitted and inspected. This site gives no instructions for performing it and is not an electrical contractor. [Licensing rules vary by jurisdiction and must be verified locally.]
Do I need a permit?
In most places, yes, and the building department will confirm it over the phone. Skipping it tends to surface later, at the point of sale or at an insurance claim.
Can the charger be installed outdoors?
Yes, with equipment and fittings rated for the exposure and a mounting position that keeps the connector out of standing water and out of the swing of a car door.
How far can the charger be from the panel?
Further than most people expect, distance is a cost and a conductor-sizing question rather than a hard limit. What changes with distance is the price and, on long runs, the cable size required.
I rent. Can I have one installed?
With the owner’s written permission, and having settled who owns the equipment afterwards and who pays for the power. Some states have statutes on this; [to be cited specifically before publication].
Will it work in winter?
Yes. Cold affects how a battery accepts charge, not whether the equipment functions. Siting matters more: an outdoor unit in a snow belt should not be where the plough stacks snow.
Can two cars share one charger?
One at a time, if both can reach the cable. Simultaneous charging means two circuits, or equipment designed to share one allocation.
Are there rebates?
Programs exist at federal, state, local and utility level, and they change. Some require pre-approval before the work is done. Ask your utility before scheduling, because retroactive applications usually fail. No program is named or quantified on this site.
Who actually does the work?
We do. The load calculation, the circuit, the panel work if there is any, the mounting, the permit and the inspection are all ours, under one license and one quote. Who we are is on the about page.
Last reviewed July 29, 2026.
Ask about a specific property
General answers only go so far. Describe the parking, the panel and the distance, and the questions get answered against your actual house.
Level 2 Charge Pro installs Level 2 charging equipment: the dedicated 240-volt circuit, the panel work it depends on, the cable run, and the inspection that closes the job.