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Solar Capability, Charger by Charger
| Charger | Solar charging | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Zappi GLO / Zappi V2 | Native, the family speciality | ECO blends solar with grid. ECO+ charges from pure surplus. CT clamp included |
| Hypervolt Home 3 Pro | Genuine solar modes | Eco blends solar and grid. Super Eco charges from surplus only. CT clamp |
| Ohme ePod / Home Pro | Solar Boost via the app | Uses excess solar when available. Simpler and less tunable than the Zappi |
| Rolec EVO | ECO and ECO+ surplus modes | Solar surplus charging with the included CT |
| Nexblue Point 2 | Solar surplus charging | CT included |
| Easee One | Needs the Easee Equalizer accessory | No solar awareness without it |
How Surplus Charging Actually Works
A CT clamp on your incoming supply measures what your panels generate and what the house consumes. The charger feeds the difference into your car instead of exporting it to the grid.
One physical limit matters. Charging standards set a minimum of about 1.4kW, so solar only charging needs at least that much sustained surplus before it can run. On a bright day a 4kWp array clears it easily. On a grey December afternoon it will not, and the charger either pauses or tops up from the grid depending on the mode. Solar charging is opportunistic. Brilliant in summer, a bonus in winter.
If you have a home battery, tell your installer. The battery and the car compete for the same surplus, and the CT setup decides who gets priority. We configure this properly at installation so the two work together rather than fight.
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Is Charging From Solar Worth It
Yes, and the sums are simple. Exporting a spare unit of solar earns you a few pence under the Smart Export Guarantee. Using that unit in your car saves you the full import price you would have paid later. The difference is typically 15p to 25p per kWh in your favour, which is why diverting surplus into the car beats exporting it on almost every tariff.
Pair it with a smart tariff and you get the best of both. Sunshine fills the car for free by day, and the cheap overnight window covers the rest.
We install solar as well as chargers, so if panels are still on your wish list we can design the two as one system.
