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0 pointspzlarsson1y ago0 comments

I think home EV charging equipment is heading in the same direction as well. Very few have local and open APIs and instead depend on the vendors cloud service for control.

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dacryn1y ago

I don't know where you live, but in Europe there is a standardized backoffice management protocol that you can link up to basically anything in modern chargers. Except the cheapest of the cheapest.

I have mine running through EVCC.io, setting it up was as simple as throwing that thing in a docker container and figuring out the IP address of the chargepoint.

stavros1y ago

Does this necessarily go through a third party server, or can it all be run locally?

jagheterfredrik1y ago

Agreed, I couldn’t find a reasonable choice and ended up making https://github.com/jagheterfredrik/wallbox-mqtt-bridge

erinnh1y ago

There is OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol). There's quite a bit of choice in supported wallboxes. Here is Europe at least.

cyberax1y ago

Yeah, but EV chargers are not that complicated. They are just smart contactors, with maaaybe some load management (EVSE can command the vehicle to reduce the charging rate).

Worst case, you just buy another one. It'll set you back a couple hundred dollars. Unpleasant, but not a big deal.

Air conditioning systems can easily cost more than $10k.

emilecantin1y ago

> (EVSE can command the vehicle to reduce the charging rate)

That's just a PWM signal on one of the pilot pins, it's not even that complex.

torginus1y ago

I am confused - aren't these boxes basically fancy three phase outlets? They probably have some safety fuses and some comms equipment, but the 'core' of the system is basically copper wire that connects you to the grid.

mschuster911y ago

> aren't these boxes basically fancy three phase outlets?

That entirely depends LOL

So for AC chargers you are correct - 1 or 3 phases that go through a relay and, where required by code such as in Germany, a DC-sensitive RCBO, plus a small control board negotiating with the vehicle and monitoring voltage/current on one side and, again depending on where required by code, negotiating with the grid operator.

DC chargers are one hell of another beast, these have to contain all of the above plus powerful rectifiers, smoothing capacitors, EMI compliance...

lexicality1y ago

Here in the UK at least they're generally single phase and required to moderate the power delivered to the vehicle based on the current electrical load in the house because most properties have quite low main cut-out fuse ratings. Bonus complications if you have solar or want any kind of access control.

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