this post was submitted on 16 Jun 2025
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One thing I really don't get in the discussion around EVs and charging is, why are people so afraid of tripping the main breaker? If you have a total of e.g. 17 kW available and happen to go over, just reset the main breaker (or replace it in case it's still a traditional one). It's there precisely so that you wouldn't need to care about overloading the connection.
In my experience people get by with a 3x25A (17 kW available, matches approximately a 70A service in the US) while using the available power to
While it's true you can trip the main breaker if you have everything on at the same time, typically it never happens even if there are no lockouts in place preventing overuse. And it's not like tripping it causes any permanent harm.
Why is an electrical service upgrade constantly brought up as a solution when any home with >15 kW of available power won't need it? Is it against code to purposefully overcommit your mains in the US or something?
Edit: there were valid concerns raised over how long-lived the breakers are (probably won't be rated for tens of fault-condition related trips), also that these smaller service specs aren't as common as I've gathered from the media. That might have something to do with this at least. Thanks for the replies – it's been an interesting discussion.
Where I live, there is a pole fuse, which is, as the name implies, on the pole, and only a linesman can change it.
Massive pain in the ass if that pops.
Yes… I have experience here. I’m using dynamic energy tariffs so during real sunny weekends the price can be negative - I get paid to consume power. As you’d might imagine, I charged the EV, disconnected my solar panels, turned on all HVAC to max cooling and set both my ovens to clean-mode…….. Put some clothes in the dryer, tripped my fuse and cost me €140,- to replace it. Also, power for that phase went out which contained one of the ovens, which was midcycle. Couldn’t cool itself down, melted the plastics 😬. But at least I gained €4 during the timeframe it worked.