Level 2 EV charger for a classic car? Need advice on WOLFBOX E50

[charlottejackson]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the Solent Renegades and this is my first post. I've got a 1972 MGB GT that I'm slowly converting to electric (I know, controversial!). I'm at the point where I need a Level 2 charger for my garage. I've been looking at the WOLFBOX E50 48A, but I'm not sure if it's overkill for my setup. My garage has a 60A subpanel, and I'm worried about load management. Also, the MGB's battery pack is only 20 kWh, so I don't need super fast charging. Has anyone here installed a Level 2 charger for a classic EV conversion? Any tips on what to look for? I'd appreciate any advice from those with experience.

I kept looking into the WOLFBOX E50 and this WOLFBOX E50(48) 48A Level 2 EV Charger Review came up, which seems to address some of what I was wondering about for a small pack. Still not sure 48A makes sense on a 60A subpanel, so I'm leaning toward a lower setting for now.

 

[saleen 192]

waiting to go on EV course for work , but my trade is electrical
but over here are supply generally is a 100amp single phase 240 volt system for domestic 415 volt on 3phase 100amp per phase for industrial and commercial
anything less need to be upgraded IE,
LOOPED SUPPLY where supply comes into house and back out to next property these are normally 60
or you have a 60amp supply on its own supply to property its always been advised to have these upgraded to 100amp due o what's on house demand load taking into account diversity,

if shower or cooker or air source heat pumps or all on at same time as charger its demand is to high, can pop blowthe incoming fuse or melt the connections

as you are in a rented property you might need land lord permission don't what your rules regs are there ??

if its a slow charger system and you don't have high demand from property any good charger should be fine , chargers here in uk can be of a domestic plug very slow charging and different rate to charge or generally 7.5kw single phase roughly 32amp demand ( you can see why 60amp supply needs to be changed) and these can be set up depending on your electrical supply company tariffs to be cheaper for EV charging also if you got solar energy this can help offset costs,

wolfbox E50 https://featurelens.com/wolfbox-ev-charger-e50-review/ try this

my be start a new thread about your 1972 MGB GT ??????

have you had American vehicles before or just British ??

 

[juliaclark]

The 60A subpanel demand calculation is the part worth getting right: a 48A charger draws 48 continuous amps, which leaves very little headroom on a 60A panel once other loads are counted. Since your pack is only 20 kWh, a lower setting would still recharge overnight and put far less stress on the service. The point about rented property and landlord permission is worth checking too. On the MGB question, I would keep the conversion thread separate so people searching for the install details can actually find it.

 

[benjaminevans]

Agree on running the load calculation first — a 48A continuous draw on a 60A subpanel leaves almost nothing for the compressor or lights, and that's before any diversity factor. Given the 20 kWh pack, dialing the charger down to 24 or 32A still gets you a full charge well within an overnight window, so the extra amperage buys you little. Worth confirming the actual breaker and wire gauge in the subpanel too, since a nominal 60A service doesn't always mean it was installed for continuous EV duty. Keeping the conversion details in their own thread makes sense.

 

[daviddavis]

The point about verifying the actual breaker and wire gauge in the subpanel is the one I'd underline. Here in Wyoming, a lot of older rural services were sized for a dryer or a welder, not a continuous 48A EV load, so what the label says may not reflect the conductors behind it. Since the pack is only 20 kWh, the 24–32A option covers an overnight charge anyway. Splitting the MGB conversion into its own thread is sensible for anyone searching the install details later.