A garage consumer unit is a convenient place to mount a charger only if the cable that feeds the garage can carry the extra load and the earthing is suitable for an outdoor vehicle. Many garage boards are fed by a long cable sized for lights and a freezer. Adding 32 amps at the far end overloads that feed even if the little board has a spare way. The installer should assess the incoming cable, the voltage drop and the earthing, then decide whether the charger circuit must come from the house instead.
How connecting an EV charger to a garage consumer unit moves the job
Replacing the garage feed is sometimes the right spend. A new buried cable from the house can cost more than the charger. Ignoring it is how a neat garage install fails the first proper test.
What goes wrong with connecting an EV charger to a garage consumer unit
The mistake is filling the spare way because it is there, or adding a second small board downstream of an already marginal feed.
Point at connecting an EV charger to a garage consumer unit in the pack
The quote should say whether the existing garage feed is being reused or replaced, and why the earthing is acceptable for a car.
Connecting an EV charger to a garage consumer unit
Detached garages also pick up PME questions once a car is plugged in outside. A board that was fine for a lawnmower is not automatically fine for a wallbox.
- Spare ways do not prove capacity
- The feed cable is the usual limit
- Earthing must suit an outdoor car
- A new buried feed is a different price
Connecting an EV charger to a garage consumer unit: questions for the first visit
Photograph the garage board and the house board. Say how far apart they are and whether the linking cable is overhead, buried or clipped.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put the charger inside and lead the cable under the door?
Only if the lead is not trapped, the manual allows the arrangement and you are not creating a trip or a water path. Many garages are better with the unit outside beside the bay.
What if the garage is a submain?
Then the submain size and protection are the design. Ask for those figures.
Will a fuse in the garage save the house cable?
Not if the house cable is already too small for the load. Protection has to match the cable.
Is a freezer on the same board a problem?
It is a load to include, and a nuisance-trip risk if one RCD covers both. Mention it.
Core buying guides
Start with these high-intent guides, then dig into the rest of the library.
Related guides
Sources and further reading
How this guide was prepared
This guide was written by the Local EV Installers Editorial Team. We compare official guidance, legislation and established consumer information, separate general information from project-specific advice, and show publication dates and sources. We do not accept installer accreditation claims at face value.