Advantages and functions of a wallbox - Guide.

- What are wallboxes needed for?

By installing a wallbox for your electric car at home or in the company car park, you can save time and money. The vehicle is charged while it is idle, when it is not needed anyway. A particularly advantageous feature is the possibility of benefiting from a cheaper electricity tariff, which is significantly cheaper per kilowatt hour than at public charging stations.

However, newcomers to e-mobility often ask themselves the question: "Can't I just plug my electric car into a normal socket at home?" Technically speaking, this is possible, but the charging process takes a very long time and there is a risk that the connection cable will overheat. This method is therefore not recommended.

- A wallbox reduces charging losses.

Compared to using a household socket, a wallbox reduces charging losses when charging electric cars. This is because the charging process itself consumes electricity, for example for the necessary control processes and sometimes also for cooling. The shorter the charging process takes, the less energy is lost unused. A wallbox shortens the charging process considerably and thus reduces charging losses.

In addition to efficiency, a wallbox also offers greater safety and speed when charging. As a control unit for charging electric car batteries, it ensures that the battery is charged as quickly and safely as possible without overheating or overloading. The wallbox also contains protective devices against fault currents and overloads, which minimizes the risk of damage to the vehicle and the charging infrastructure.

- Wallboxes with permanently attached cables increase convenience.

If a wallbox has a permanently attached charging cable, charging the electric car is more convenient. The wallbox is attached either to a wall or to a column and is connected to the household power supply on one side and to the electric car on the other. Some wallboxes have a separate socket into which the charging cable is plugged, while others have a permanently attached charging cable that is connected to the corresponding socket on the vehicle. This saves time and effort as the cable does not have to be taken out of the trunk every time.

Wallboxes that have an internet connection offer additional convenience. Some of them allow consumption data and charging histories to be accessed via an internet browser or a special app.

- The wallbox communicates, controls and monitors.

The wallbox is a central component in charging electric cars, as it not only regulates the flow of electricity between the household power grid and the vehicle, but also performs a variety of functions to ensure a safe and efficient charging process.

The wallbox actively communicates with the vehicle's charging electronics and monitors the flow of electricity. It has an integrated residual current device that protects against dangerous overvoltages and fault currents and interrupts the charging process in the event of a fault to prevent damage to the home network and the vehicle.

In addition, the wallbox prevents high voltage current from being applied to the charging port as long as there is no connection between the car and the charging cable, in order to avoid electrical accidents. The wallbox thus controls and monitors all aspects of the charging process to ensure a safe and reliable energy supply.

- Access protection with key or wireless access card.

Access security is also an important function of a wallbox. To prevent unauthorized persons from charging at the user's expense, many models offer the option of linking the power supply to a previous activation. This can be done either with a key or a contactless access card that is held in front of a specific spot on the wallbox. Sometimes a chip in the form of a small plastic coin is also used, which is recognized wirelessly by the wallbox.

Another important feature is the charging power. Most wallboxes offer up to 22 kW of power, but there are also models that only offer 11 kW or less. The charging time depends proportionally on the charging power. You can find more information on power, charging speed and charging time in our guide.

- Get well informed before purchasing a wallbox.

Before you buy a wallbox, however, it is essential to find out as much as possible about several factors. Firstly, you should find out what charging power your electric car can be charged with using a wallbox. It is crucial whether the charging process is single-phase or three-phase. This information varies depending on the model.

It is advisable not only to consider the charging capacity of the current vehicle. The next electric car could be charged more quickly. It is therefore advisable to invest in a powerful wall box that can also serve future electric cars. It is also worth finding out about funding opportunities.

Before installing the wallbox, an electrician must confirm that the house's electrical system can actually handle the power required by the wallbox. Very old electrical installations may need to be modernized. In practice, however, the electrician will often be able to give the green light.

Thanks to the Wallbox, charging at home or on company premises is not only significantly faster, but also safer. Investing in a modern, fast and safe Wallbox will definitely pay off in the long term. However, it is important to do your research beforehand and consider your own needs and requirements.