Who is ChargeXcel for?

Anyone installing a Level 2 EV charger at home, and especially homes whose electrical panel or service is already at capacity. Instead of paying for a service upgrade, your electrician adds ChargeXcel and the charger shares the capacity you already have.

Why use ChargeXcel?

It can save thousands of dollars in installation cost, and it does more than a basic load shedder. ChargeXcel can slow your car down instead of cutting it off (built in for Tesla, and through scripts for other cars and chargers), charge from your own solar, and show how much energy the house and the car use. Everything runs on the unit in your home, with no subscription.

Do I need to upgrade my 100-amp electrical panel to install a Level 2 EV charger?

In many homes, no. With an energy management system like ChargeXcel 60, a Level 2 charger can be added to an existing 100-amp service. ChargeXcel watches your home's total use and slows or pauses EV charging when the service nears its limit, so the service is never overloaded. Your electrician confirms the design, and your local inspector approves it.

How much money does ChargeXcel save compared to a panel or service upgrade?

A traditional panel or service upgrade (for example, from 100 A to 200 A) typically costs between $5,000 and $25,000 or more, not counting utility delays or landscaping repairs. At $680, ChargeXcel saves thousands of dollars while letting you charge your EV just as effectively. Try our cost calculator for an estimate for your home.

Does ChargeXcel work for homes that already have 200-amp panels?

Yes. Modern homes with 200-amp service often max out their load calculation because of heat pumps, induction ranges, electric water heaters and hot tubs. ChargeXcel lets you add a high-powered EV charger to a fully used 200-amp service without tripping the main breaker.

Will ChargeXcel slow down my EV charging?

Most of the time, no. You usually charge overnight, when other appliances are off, so the car charges at full speed. ChargeXcel only slows or pauses charging during short peaks, such as the oven, AC and dryer running at the same time, and brings it back as soon as the peak passes.

What happens when my heavy appliances turn off?

ChargeXcel watches your home's load continuously. As soon as the dryer or AC turns off and your usage drops, it gives the charging station its full rate again.

What is the difference between load shedding and dynamic load balancing?

Load shedding switches the charging station off when your home nears its limit, and back on when there is room again. Dynamic load balancing turns the charging rate down and up with the house instead, so the car keeps charging. ChargeXcel does both: load shedding works with any Level 2 charging station, and balancing works whenever ChargeXcel can talk to the car or charger (built in for Tesla, and through a script for others).

What is the difference between an EVEMS and an EVSE?

An EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment) is the charging station you plug your car into. An EVEMS is an energy management system for EV charging: it decides how much power the charging station may use. ChargeXcel is an EVEMS. It works with the Level 2 charging station of your choice.

What is the maximum current?

ChargeXcel carries up to 48 A continuously (60 A maximum). Your electrician sizes the charging circuit's breaker, up to 60 A, and enters it during setup. ChargeXcel never lets the charging station draw more than that circuit allows.

How does ChargeXcel know how much power my home is using?

Your electrician clamps two current sensors around the main service wires in your panel, and a third sensor inside ChargeXcel watches the charging circuit. Together they measure, several times a second, how much current your home and your charger are using.

Your car and charger

Does ChargeXcel work with Tesla?

Yes, it's built in. ChargeXcel sets your Tesla's charging amps directly through Tesla's official API, turning the rate down while the house is busy and back up when it isn't. It works with any Level 2 charging station, including a Tesla Wall Connector. You can also set your own charge rate and start or stop charging from the unit's web page. Your Tesla sign-in is stored only on your unit; our servers keep no Tesla data.

Does it work with non-Tesla EVs like Ford, Rivian or Hyundai?

Yes. Load shedding works with every electric car, because ChargeXcel manages the charging circuit, not the car. To slow or pause a non-Tesla car instead of cutting the circuit, ChargeXcel can run a short script that talks to the car or charger maker's online service. What it can do (pause and resume, or adjust the rate) depends on what that service allows. Free example scripts are on GitHub.

Does it work with smart or OCPP charging stations?

Yes. A charging station that supports OCPP 1.6J can connect straight to ChargeXcel over your home network, and ChargeXcel tells it how much to draw, with no cloud service in between. Charging stations that have their own online service can be adjusted through a script instead. Either way, ChargeXcel's own protection stays in charge.

Does ChargeXcel need a data cable to the EV charger?

No. ChargeXcel talks to Tesla, and to other cars' and chargers' online services, over your home Wi-Fi. OCPP charging stations connect to it over your home network too. The only wiring is the charging circuit itself.

Can I use ChargeXcel to manage two EV chargers at the same time?

No. ChargeXcel manages one charging circuit, so it charges one car at a time. If your Tesla account has more than one car, you choose which car ChargeXcel manages on its Tesla page.

Can a script or plugin make my electrical panel unsafe?

No. Scripts and plugins only read ChargeXcel's numbers and tell your car or charger what to draw. Nothing they send back can raise a limit or switch the charging station on. If a script fails or the internet goes down, ChargeXcel keeps protecting your service from its own sensors.

Solar, energy and smart home

Can ChargeXcel charge my car from my solar panels?

Yes. With solar charging turned on, ChargeXcel steers your car toward the power your panels would otherwise send to the grid. Choose Minimum + solar (charging never stops; the car takes a small minimum from the grid plus any spare solar) or Solar only (it charges only on surplus, and pauses when there isn't enough), and set the hours it runs. It uses the sensors ChargeXcel already has, so there's no extra meter. It needs a car or charger ChargeXcel can adjust, such as a Tesla or a script, and it can't see surplus that a home battery or a zero-export inverter absorbs first. Read how it works.

Can I see how much energy my car and my home use?

Yes. ChargeXcel shows how much electricity the charging station and the house used by day, week, month or year, with a chart and a table, and you can download the whole history as a spreadsheet. More than two years of history is kept on the unit itself. In homes with solar, only the charging station's figure is shown, because the sensors can't tell power sent to the grid from power drawn from it.

Does ChargeXcel work with Home Assistant?

Yes. A free, ready-made package shows ChargeXcel's live current, spare capacity, relay state and energy totals in Home Assistant, including its Energy dashboard, over your home network with no cloud service. It is read-only: Home Assistant can watch ChargeXcel and use it in automations, but it can't change ChargeXcel's limits. Setup instructions on GitHub.

What happens if my home's internet or Wi-Fi goes down?

Your panel stays protected. The core load shedding and safety functions run entirely on the unit, from its own sensors. Features that talk to the outside world, such as Tesla control and firmware updates, resume when the connection comes back.

Does my data go to the cloud?

No. Your energy readings and history are stored on the ChargeXcel unit in your home. When ChargeXcel adjusts your car, it connects directly to the car or charger maker.

Safety and updates

Is the ChargeXcel 60 UL certified?

Yes. ChargeXcel 60 is certified by CSA Group to UL 916 (Energy Management Equipment). Inspectors and utilities look for this North American safety certification on energy management equipment.

What if ChargeXcel itself gets too hot?

ChargeXcel watches its own temperature. If the inside of the unit stays too hot, it pauses charging to protect itself and your wiring, and resumes by itself once it has cooled down.

How does ChargeXcel get updates, and are they secure?

ChargeXcel checks for new firmware over Wi-Fi, and you install an update with one tap from its web page. Every update is digitally signed, and the unit refuses any firmware that didn't come from us. New features, like solar charging and Home Assistant support, have arrived this way at no extra cost.

Installation and code

Is it NEC compliant to install an EV charger on a full panel using an EMS?

The National Electrical Code allows it: NEC 220.70 and 625.42(A) let an electrician use an energy management system's setpoint in the load calculation, so an EV charger can be added to a fully loaded service while the EMS manages the load. Your electrician designs the installation, and your local inspector (AHJ) gives final approval. See our code and technical page.

Will my local inspector approve a ChargeXcel installation?

ChargeXcel holds UL 916 certification and is designed around the NEC energy management provisions, which is what inspectors look for. Final approval always rests with your local AHJ. We provide complete spec sheets for your electrician to include in the permit application.

Can I install ChargeXcel myself?

No. Installing ChargeXcel means placing current sensors around live main service wires inside your panel and wiring a high-voltage circuit. For safety and warranty purposes, a licensed, qualified electrician must install it.

How long does it take an electrician to install ChargeXcel?

Typically one to two hours. ChargeXcel mounts in a junction box next to your panel. That is much faster than a panel or service upgrade, which can leave your home without power for a day and needs utility coordination.

How do I find an electrician to install ChargeXcel?

Any licensed electrician can install ChargeXcel using our installation manual. You can also contact us to ask about a recommended installer near you. Electricians can learn more on our electrician and reseller page.

Buying and support

Are there any monthly subscription fees?

No. Once you buy ChargeXcel 60, there are no subscription fees for load management, safety protection, energy history, Tesla control, solar charging or firmware updates.

What is the warranty on ChargeXcel 60?

ChargeXcel 60 comes with a two-year limited warranty from the date of shipment, covering defects in materials and workmanship under normal installation and use.

What if I need a different configuration than what EV PowerShare currently offers?

Please contact us and tell us what you need. We'll add more options as we grow.