What is PowerSmart?
PowerSmart is a feature for Emporia EV Chargers that works with Emporia Vue energy monitors to dynamically control your EV charging rate based on your home's overall electricity usage. This ensures your electrical system stays within safe limits while maximizing EV charging speed whenever possible.
Why PowerSmart Matters
EV chargers can consume significant power. Many homes have limited electrical service capacity (often 100A or 200A), which might be insufficient to support both household usage and maximum-rate EV charging simultaneously. PowerSmart eliminates the need for expensive electrical service upgrades by intelligently managing your EV charging rate.
How PowerSmart Works
The Vue energy monitor continuously tracks your home's total electrical usage
Every minute, the system analyzes this data to determine available capacity
If your home approaches its electrical limit, PowerSmart automatically reduces the EV charging rate
When household consumption decreases, PowerSmart increases the charging rate again
This process ensures you never exceed your home's electrical capacity while maximizing charging speed
Note: Adjustments to charging rates may take about a minute to appear in the app and charger behavior. This delay is normal and complies with NEC and UL safety guidelines.
Required Components
Vue Energy Monitor: Either Vue 2 or Vue 3 with properly installed 200A CT sensors on your main electrical lines
Emporia Pro Level 2 EV Charger or Emporia Classic Level 2 Charger
Emporia Pro Level 2 EV Charger: Comes with PowerSmart pre-installed and features controllable charging rates
Emporia Classic Level 2 EV Charger: Can be upgraded with PowerSmart - contact our customer support team to arrange this upgrade
PowerSmart Upgrade Pricing:
Energy Monitor + Software Upgrade (for Classic EV Charger owners): $200
Software Upgrade Only (for existing energy monitor and EV charger owners): $125
Example Scenario
Imagine you have:
100A electrical service
Household devices using up to 90A at peak times
An EV charger capable of 48A charging
Without PowerSmart, you would be limited to charging at just 10A to avoid overloading your system. With PowerSmart enabled:
When household usage is low (<50A), you can charge at the full 48A
As household usage increases, the EV charging rate automatically decreases
Your total system never exceeds the 100A limit
You get the fastest possible charging without electrical service upgrades
What PowerSmart Is NOT Designed For
PowerSmart has specific limitations:
It cannot independently manage multiple EV chargers on a shared circuit
It only monitors the total system load (main panel), not individual branch circuits
Code Compliance
PowerSmart meets US National Electric Code requirements (NFPA 70, 625.42(B) and 750.30) for Energy Management Systems.
Additional Resources
Feedback and Suggestions
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