Why EV Chargers Fail: How Surge Protection and Voltage Regulation Can Help
EV chargers and EV charging stations are built around high-frequency power electronics, communication circuits, safety interlocks, and battery-management systems that are directly tied to the electrical grid. When a vehicle is plugged in, the car connects to the home’s electrical system and may become the first thing in the line of fire for utility power surges. Any power surge, nearby lightning strike, or power grid disturbance now has a direct path into one of the most expensive assets a homeowner owns.
Small, everyday surges generated inside your home can degrade electronics over time. Most EV charger failures are caused by control faults, communication errors, and internal power-supply damage triggered by electrical disturbances. These problems can cause EV chargers to lock up, go offline, fault, and become unreliable. That is where properly installed surge protection from Transient Protection Design saves the day by preventing surge damage to your EV charging station, leading to less failures, shutdowns, and headaches.
Installing a TPX-1S240-F-100 on the panel or disconnect supplying the EV charger with power protects the charger, the vehicle, and the rest of the home at the same time. This placement is critical because it stops surges and electrical noise before they ever reach the EV charging equipment, and it also prevents disturbances generated by the charger from feeding back into the house and affecting other electronics. Approximately 80% of all surges within homes are generated from equipment within the home like HVAC systems, garage door openers, and even car chargers. See our TPD Design Diagram.
If EV charging station failures are frequent and repetitive, the home may also be experiencing low voltage issues. For that, TPD voltage regulation is your solution. Sometimes the power grid does not have enough supply in certain areas to make up for the increase in demand for electricity because of equipment like EV chargers. Homes that once drew small, steady loads now pull large blocks of current every evening when electric vehicles are plugged in. This creates voltage dips, switching transients, and higher surge activity that did not exist before and can cause electronics to lock up and glitch.
When surge protection and voltage regulation are done correctly, EV charging systems become dramatically more reliable. Chargers stop failing and locking up, vehicles charge consistently, and service calls drop. For homeowners, that means their car is ready every morning. For dealers and electricians, it means happier customers.
If you have an EV charging station that needs to be protected, please reach out to us at TPD at info@tpdsurge.com or 888-281-7856. We are happy to help and will find you just what you need!
