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  • EV charging with surplus solar?

    A while back I came across the Zappi, which has three EV charging modes. Zappi monitors your exported power, which allows it to offer the Eco & Eco+ modes.
    https://myenergi.uk/product/zappi/
    In Fast mode it charges as fast as possible with any available solar power supplemented with grid supplied at 6-32 amp (up to 7 Kw) level 1-2 EVSE. In Eco mode, the charge rate is continuously adjusted, in response to changes in generation or power consumption elsewhere in the home, thereby minimizing the use of grid power. Charging will continue until the vehicle is fully charged, using available surplus power. However, if at any time, the available surplus power falls below 1.4kW, power will only be drawn from the grid. In Eco+ mode, charging will pause if there is too much imported grid power, continuing only when there is enough surplus solar power available. The surplus power threshold at which the charge will start or stop can be customized. It is possible to charge the EV using only surplus solar power, providing there is sufficient surplus solar power to do so. Unfortunately, this product appears to be only available in the UK. Can such a product be imported and used in the US?

    Sonnen has a smart home charger that they claim always charges your EV from cheap solar power. It is free if you have a Sonnen battery/solar system. It doesn't appear to be available as a stand alone EVSE.
    https://electrek.co/2018/02/22/sonne...c-car-charger/

    eMotorWerks is supposedly developing a "universal adapter", which can make a 'dumb' EVSE a 'smart' EVSE. They started a Kickstarter fund raising site which seems to still be functioning but there is no longer any mention of this product on its website or its store. They also don't mention what makes it 'smart'.
    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...dapter/updates
    https://emotorwerks.com/about/enewss...in-ev-charging

    OpenEVSE is a project that supplies parts and software for those who want to build their own EVSE and building one that only or mostly uses surplus solar power is an option. This is way too technical for me.
    https://www.openevse.com/

    Are there any 'smart' EVSE available in the US that can monitor your power export and activate the EVSE to start charging? I also would like TOU charging capability but that can be controlled in the EVSE or in some EVs themselves (timed charging).

    I realize that the cheapest way to use as much solar as feasible to charge your EV is to charge between 11 am to 3 pm, when you will most likely be generating surplus solar power. Depending upon your AC use, your surplus solar may be generated at other times of the day.
    Last edited by Steeler.Fan; 06-20-2018, 01:30 AM.

  • #2
    Here is another product but it may not be available because its website is shaky.

    SMARTFOX, the intelligent energy consumption regulator, measures your PV system
    Last edited by Steeler.Fan; 06-20-2018, 01:38 AM.

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    • #3
      most people have net metering so there is no need for this allowing charging at night since most cars are used during the day, but
      the solaredge charge coupled with a consumption meter can charge with solar power or boost with solar power.
      https://www.solaredge.com/us/products/ev-charger#/
      OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

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      • #4
        The biggest issue I see that is if you don't use your EV during the daytime then you could charge it from your pv array.

        But most people use a car to get to work so unless you work from home it would be hard to charge your EV from your solar pv system.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Steeler.Fan View Post
          The surplus power threshold at which the charge will start or stop can be customized. It is possible to charge the EV using only surplus solar power, providing there is sufficient surplus solar power to do so.
          Sure; there are several ways to do this. A simple way is to use a small solar panel connected to a relay that powers on the charger. When the sun is out and strong enough - car charges.

          However, in general it's more beneficial both to the grid as a whole and to your bank account to get net metering and charge at night. Many POCO's require time-of-use metering for EV and/or solar usage, and in those cases charging at night is even more beneficial.

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          • #6
            Looks like Solaredge has 2 approaches now: the EV charger integrated in the SE7600H-US and a just announced EV charging station.
            https://www.solaredge.com/us/solared...ersolar-europe
            "The new EV charger will be integrated into SolarEdge

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            • #7
              Here is another smart evse available in Australia.
              'The EO Mini Pro Solar Charger has smart technology allowing the electric vehicle owner the ability to properly integrate with their rooftop solar system an exclusively refill from solar power or a mixture of grid and solar. By using a current transformer (CT) meter, the EO Mini Pro can determine the exact amount of energy being generated, and ensure that your car’s charging speed is matched exactly to this – resulting in clean cheap energy.'

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              • #8
                The Fronius WattPilot also allows you to use only surplus solar to charge your EV.
                https://www.fronius.com/en/solar-ene...rger-for-homes

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                • #9
                  Using my SolarEdge 7.6 kW inverter with integrated WV charger, I can sometimes attain 100% self-consumption! Screenshot_20211016-022908_mySolarEdge.jpgScreenshot_20211016-022845_mySolarEdge.jpg

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                  • #10
                    SMA Smart Connected also allows you to onlyuse surplus solar to charge your EV.
                    https://www.zerohomebills.com/produc...v-charger-7-4/

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