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mario79 avatar image
mario79 asked

How fast does EVCS start/stop or change charging current when being steered by CerboGX with Node Red

Hi there!

I have an off-grid solar installation and EV being charged with Wallbox Pulsar Plus.

Currently, I control the start/stop and charging current with Home Assistant automation (through the cloud), mainly based on the batteries (lead-acid) charging current and voltage.

Changing current during charging is quite fast, taking 2-3 seconds, but starting/stopping takes about 10-15 seconds (sometimes even more). BTW I charge my Hyundai Kona EV... I imagine the time of start/stop can depend on the EV (but not sure).

When I saw that Victron has an EVCS and that it can be controlled via Node-Red, I thought it may significantly improve the EV charging changes, which is especially important for me being off-grid and willing not to strain my batteries (sometimes I have minimal loads in the house and the EV gets 7,4kW, then suddenly there come the clouds and the PV production drops to ~1kW, and the EV charger drains 6-7kW from the batteries and they suffer 15+ sec, which I do not like).

So the question to experienced EVCS/Node-Red users: how fast does EVCS react to changes ordered by Node-Red logic?

Node-REDevcs
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1 Answer
hominidae avatar image
hominidae answered ·

@Mario79 I am using another Wallbox to charge my EVs, so I cannot answer your question directly.

However you need to understand, that no EVCS is actively charging the EV. The Charger is installed in the EV itself and the EV decides how much load it will "take". All the EVCS does, is to signal to the EV what the maximum allowed current (per phase) is, that it is allowed to draw (if any).

Hence, while charging and even with a fast algorithm on EVCS side, there is a time/delay involved until the EV would eventually follow.(it normally does follow all the time, besides when the batteries are being balanced - I've seen this on my Outlander PHEV, but not on my Hyundai models). But my Ioniq 5 is much slower in following the EVCS signal than my Hyundai electric (before facelift model) is.

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