How smart is Circontrol’s home charging?

A study published this October by the EV charging installation company Charge Guru on the charging habits of 67 French households highlighted some key aspects to keep in mind regarding home charging. Charging the electric vehicle at home generates an average increase in consumption of 28%, with average power peaks of 2.9 kW to 3.7 kW, leading to the risk that, two times out of five, the meter will shot down, leaving the home without power. Circontrol’s engineers have worked hard on this and other critical aspects of electric vehicle charging at home, which is why all of its home chargers have been designed with smart charging management in mind to ensure maximum convenience for the end user.

 

All our chargers are prepared to adapt to the contracted power, either through the BeON device (for homes) or through the DLM system (for large structures and car parks). And, of course, they have the option of programming the start and end of charging, making it easier to charge only at the times when the user requires it. In addition, the eNext and eNext Elite models have a scheduling feature that helps them adapt to the most economically priced electricity tariffs. These are just two relevant aspects of Circontrol’s domestic chargers so that charging is performed reliably and without inconvenience, keeping the electricity bill as economical as possible.

 

Simplicity, key to domestic charging

But there is another aspect that is the focus for all Circontrol’s home chargers, especially for those who are new to the world of electricity: simplicity. In addition to being easy to install, its wall chargers have a series of intelligent functions to facilitate charging that put safety first. In addition to the standard precautions expected for a mere safe charging, Circontrol has devised accessory solutions in chargers as its new eHome Link, such as an overvoltage detector, to avoid problems with the car or the charger due to excessive voltage in the installation, as well as a 6mA leakage current detector, for greater safety even in the event of direct current interaction, which is rare in the domestic grid.

 

On the other hand, for the sake of ease of use, all Circontrol wall chargers are prepared for remote activation and deactivation with the possibility of controlling the recharge from a smartphone device. In addition, they all provide user-friendly information, from charging status to details on energy consumption, among other data. In addition, the eNext series in particular is equipped with extra smart functionalities managed from a mobile phone app, allowing the charging authorisation protocols to be configured easily and remotely.

 

The three key factors of condominium and workplace EV charging

But we are not only talking about recharging for a single user: Circontrol’s domestic chargers also have solutions designed for more complex contexts, such as recharging in condominiums or workplaces. Particularly noteworthy in this regard is the eNext series, with power ratings of between 7.4 kW (single-phase) and 22 kW (three-phase). The main features of eNext Elite, for example, include (in addition to dynamic charging management, safety devices and ease of use) communication via OCPP protocol, RFID reader, 4G connectivity and Wi-Fi.

 

 

The OCCP protocol (Open Charge Point Protocol), in particular, allows communication between charging stations and a central system to monitor sessions, authentications and network performance. On the other hand, the RFID reader allows authentication and activation of the charging process using pre-coded cards, which are particularly useful in contexts where chargers are used by several users. Connectivity (4G, Wi-Fi, Ethernet) closes the circle and is essential to share a large amount of data, such as user authentication, charging sessions and modes, tariffs, time scheduling management, etc.

 

If you want to know more about Circontrol’s home charging solutions, check out our specific section.