Some equipment you can’t live without, and it seems as if it’s always in use. What that equipment is seems to change over time, as the ebb and flow of automotive technology has a strange way of turning one-time profit centers into dust collectors.Think of all the equipment that is now just in that forgotten corner of the shop, such as the old R-12 machine and the brake lathe. Then, there’s the big old Sun Scope, and the rarely used wall-mount strut spring compressor. Equipment falls out of favor for many reasons, whether it be old technology or just a trend in service.You can just as easily remember all the new equipment you’ve bought over recent years, such as A/C machines, scan tools, TPMS tools and ADAS equipment. Just when you think you can’t possibly need something else, more technology comes along, and this time it’s thanks to the vehicles nobody can stop talking about. But love ‘em or hate ‘em, electric vehicles (EVs) are here to stay.They might not need gas, but they need “juice,” and you’re going to have to charge them, meaning you’re going to need a charger and a base knowledge of the factors surrounding EV charging.There are different levels of chargers, the understanding of which is of initial importance, and, in short, the higher the number, the more powerful the charger. Level 1 chargers are considered emergency chargers, and most EVs come with them. They operate off 110 volt alternating current (AC), and their downfall is they can take as much as 40 hours or longer to charge the battery on some of the latest EVs.Level 2 chargers are the minimum that an automotive service shop should have, but they are well suited for the job, and are quite simply the best choice for the majority of shops. Level 2 chargers operate off single phase 240 volt AC and are almost 10 times faster than a Level 1 charger. You may still have a charging time of two or three hours, but this is an acceptable amount of time.
