How to guides

Enabling solar charging allows your EV charger to use surplus solar energy from your home, reducing reliance on grid electricity. This can help lower your energy costs and increase the sustainability of your charging habits.

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What You Need:

• A compatible Simpson & Partners EV charger
• The Simpson & Partners app installed on your mobile device
• A solar photovoltaic (PV) system installed at your property

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Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open the Simpson & Partners app on your mobile device.
2. Tap the settings gear icon in the top right corner of the home screen to access the Settings menu.
3. In the Settings menu, under the 'General' tab, enable Solar Charging by toggling the switch to the 'on' position.
4. After enabling Solar Charging, two new options—Eco Mode and Eco+ Mode—will appear on the Home Screen.
5. Tap on the desired mode to activate it.

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Eco Mode:

• Eco Mode detects when surplus solar energy is being fed to the grid.
• If more than 1.4kW of surplus is detected, Eco Mode will initiate charging.
• If the surplus drops below 1.4kW, the charger will draw power from the grid to continue charging.
• If the surplus remains below 1.0kW for more than 5 minutes, Eco Mode will stop charging.

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Eco+ Mode:

• Eco+ Mode also detects surplus solar energy.
• If more than 1.4kW of surplus is detected, Eco+ Mode will begin a timer to ensure the surplus is consistent enough for charging.
• Charging will continue as long as the surplus remains above 1.4kW.
• If the surplus drops below 1.4kW during the timer, charging will stop.

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Integration with Other Features:

• Solar charging can be used alongside scheduled charging. If both are active, solar charging will pause during scheduled times and resume afterward.
• You can override solar charging at any time by using the Override button in the app. This allows you to charge at full power from the grid if needed.

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If You Get Stuck:

• Ensure your solar PV system is producing surplus energy.
• Check that your EV charger is properly connected to the app and has the latest firmware installed.
• If issues persist, consult the app's help section or contact Simpson & Partners support for assistance.

Adding your electricity prices helps the charger app estimate how much it costs to charge your car. This lets you keep track of your charging expenses and manage your electricity use more effectively.

What You Need:

• Your mobile phone with the Simpson & Partners app installed
• Your electricity tariff details (peak and off-peak rates, if applicable)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open the Simpson app on your phone.
2. Tap the settings gear icon in the top right corner.
3. Tap “Change” next to the “Energy costs” section.
4. Tap “Set” on the next page.
5. Select the start and end dates for your tariff period.
   • If you're on the Octopus Agile tariff, you can skip this step by tapping the “Octopus Agile” button to automatically fetch your tariff details.
6. Tap “Enter costs manually” to input your rates.
7. Enter your peak and off-peak electricity prices.
8. Tap “Save” to confirm your entries.

If You Get Stuck:

• Make sure the dates and prices are correct.
• Contact your energy provider if you don’t know your tariff details.
• You can update your tariff information anytime by repeating these steps.

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What You Need:

• Your mobile phone with Bluetooth turned on
• The Simpson & Partners app installed
• Be standing near your charger

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open the Simpson app on your phone.
2. Ensure Bluetooth is ON (check in your phone’s settings).
3. The app will search for your charger.
   • If you don’t see it, tap the refresh button in the top right.
4. Once it appears, tap on your charger.
5. Tap the settings gear icon in the top right corner.
6. Tap “Change” next to the Wi-Fi network section.
7. The app will scan for available Wi-Fi networks.
   • Select your preferred network.
   • If you can’t find your network, tap “Set Wi-Fi Manually” to enter your network name (SSID) and password.
8. Wait for the charger to establish a connection.
   • Once connected, the Wi-Fi symbol on the dashboard will light up.
   • You can now connect to your charger from anywhere.

If It Doesn’t Work:

• Ensure your Wi-Fi network is 2.4 GHz (not 5 GHz).
• Check your network uses WPA2 security protocol (not WPA3 or mixed modes).
• If using a guest network, create a separate guest network for the charger.
• Verify the Wi-Fi password is correct.
• If the signal is weak, consider using a Wi-Fi booster or moving the router closer.
• Some routers limit the number of connected devices; try disconnecting another device to free up space.