EV charger at home: managing the charge

Power

Charging speed depends on the charger's power, the home's electrical installation and what the car itself accepts. In most homes, overnight charging is more than enough for daily use.

Dynamic load balancing

This is the most important feature. A meter in the panel tells the charger the home's total consumption: if the oven or heating comes on, the charger automatically reduces its power and restores it afterwards. That way you don't need a bigger supply just for the car.

When to charge

• By schedule: during the cheapest tariff hours.
• On solar surplus: the charger uses only the spare energy from the panels, or tops it up from the grid to a minimum.
• Charge now: a button for when you need the car as soon as possible.

Integration with home automation

• See status and energy delivered in the same app as the rest of the home.
• Include the charger in overall energy management, with its priorities.
• Get an alert when charging finishes or is interrupted.

Shared car parks

In a building, each space can have its own charger on the owner's meter, or a shared infrastructure can distribute the available power across all chargers. That requires:

• A load management system so the building supply isn't overloaded.
• User identification, by card or app, and individual metering.
• A data network in the car park for management.

The installation must comply with the applicable electrical regulations and, in a building, with the owners' agreements.

Pre-installation in new builds

Providing the conduit and panel space to the parking space costs very little during the build and avoids chasing walls later. It's worth allowing for a network cable too.

What to ask before buying

• Does it have dynamic load balancing, and with which meter?
• Does it work on solar surplus?
• Can it integrate with other systems, or only the manufacturer's app?
• Does it keep charging if it loses its internet connection?