Solar home chargers

[Theredshift]

Are there any companies that install just home.solar charging stations? Justa panel/panels.and a hookup.basically
Thanks

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[hturnerfamily]

I suppose you might be dreaming of a EVSE 'charger' that is somehow connected directly to a 'solar' system.... none that I'm aware of, since you'd not only need the panels, themselves, and in great numbers, but also either direct-panel inverters, or a large multi-panel inverter, but also of the 240v variety, unless you're only needing 120v power...although that would be a very, very slow charging option...but, also more easily attainable.

for 30amp continuous 240v power, as many of us use with our Ford Mobile EVSE, you'd need a heck-of-a-lot of LARGE solar panels, and a heck-of-a-lot of SUN, and TIME with full sun, to get anywhere NEAR making this work. You then are also containing all your charging hours to the DAYLIGHT timeframe, unless you're also considering a MASSIVE battery bank to go with it.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Several companies have advertised that they're going to release a DC-DC solar-powered charger, but there's not much out that's affordable. If you want to spend several thousand dollars on just the charger, you may be able to find one.

IMO, you're better off with a solar system, whole home battery, and an Emporia Pro with the Vue 3 energy monitor system. Charge your vehicle with the excess solar while powering your home.

 

[Theredshift]

Is this one?
https://www.solaredge.com/us/products/residential/solaredge-home-ev-charger

 

[Newton]

I think most installers will think in terms of installing power for the house, with a battery, and then charging the EV from that system. You would probably want the battery anyway since you usually want to charge the truck at night.

This setup works fine, I have met EV owners who boast that they charge and run air conditioning only from their panels. If you have the money for it, it is probably a good investment the way that things are going. I’m not sure it is worth it just to charge the truck.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Is this one?
https://www.solaredge.com/us/products/residential/solaredge-home-ev-charger

That’s a 240V AC charger. It uses an approach similar to the Emporia Pro with Vue 3: It monitors the incoming/outgoing power from/to the grid. When there’s excess power being sent to the grid by the solar system, it sends that to the vehicle instead (if the vehicle needs any additional charge). It requires that you have a solar system installed and it expects the solar to be grid-tied or hybrid rather than off-grid.

 

[Theredshift]

Oh cool. So it looks like the only.way youd.have a dedicated just solar to ev would.be to.have the entire house solar

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I think most installers will think in terms of installing power for the house, with a battery, and then charging the EV from that system. You would probably want the battery anyway since you usually want to charge the truck at night.

This setup works fine, I have met EV owners who boast that they charge and run air conditioning only from their panels. If you have the money for it, it is probably a good investment the way that things are going. I’m not sure it is worth it just to charge the truck.

This is a typical day for us: It includes EV charging, whole-home battery charging, clouds, etc.

In the early morning our Mustang was charged. It uses the ChargePoint Home Flex, which doesn’t have the ability to monitor outgoing power, so it just charges when the schedule tells it to. I’m changing that up soon.

At around 10:30, the home battery was still being charged (blue line and blue shaded area), but the solar production (green shaded area) was enough to allow the truck to charge. The truck is programmed not to charge until 10:00. You can see the load (pink shaded area) jump up at 10:30 and again at 11:30 when the battery reached 100%. The grid (yellow) is below 0 (i.e., extra power is still being exported) for most of the day except when we run the stove or water heater, which pull very high power. Our AC runs throughout the day without any issues.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Oh cool. So it looks like the only.way youd.have a dedicated just solar to ev would.be to.have the entire house solar

I mean, you could set up an off-grid solar system with an auxiliary battery and charge the vehicle only during the day or for a bit into the evening until the auxiliary battery ran low. It would be far cheaper than having a whole-home solar system installed. It would likely not require permits either. But you wouldn’t get the full benefit from solar. Any time your vehicle is disconnected and the auxiliary battery is full, the solar wouldn’t be producing.

 

[Theredshift]

Solid point. If a person could rig up something off a panel, youd be setting good

 

[daczone]

You could do SOLAR to your house and enjoy a Zero $ power bill. This is the last year of the 30% tax credit. I did my house and just had my first bill. $15 for the meter charge and zero power used (Lightning and Tesla charged all month for free). I had $400-$450 power bills.

 

[Theredshift]

Excellent recommendation
Im leaning that way.
Thanks for this suggestion

 

[EV Engineer]

Lowest Price DIY Offgrid Solar System for 2025 - YouTube

This guy is a savant at solar / EV.

I've watched a ton of his videos and this is probably the closest to what youre asking for. For 3-4K (no solar panels), it's actually not that crazy. Considering a Level 2 install is probably $1500.

The kicker is our trucks have 98/131kWh batteries to refill. You'd either have to park your truck in 10 hours or sunlight or buy lots of reservoir batteries. Most people charge at night so it gets a little complicated.

 

[I <3 My Lightning]

I have been looking into what the OP has asked. Back story, have a PV solar system.... designed it with lots of extra to eventually add an EV. Added an ev, added electric radiant floor heat, then added a second EV, then added a freeze dryer.

I also set up the pv system and tapped into the main line coming in, and over sized the wiring, AC disconnect and combiner box in preparation to add another 10 to 12 panels.... Reside in NYS, and grandfathered into the old net meter program. Now that I want to add more panels to take advantage of the disappearing fed tax credit, I would lose the grandfather net metering and have to pay a "Customer Benefit Contribution charge" per kW total system.. that's national grid uses the money to pay for systems for people that cannot afford PV systems. At the current rate per kWh with charges and fees that is equal to losing out of 3200 miles driven per year in our one EV just to add more solar.

I looked into a battery BU system/solar charger where I could add my own solar, portable panels/ground mass mounts, brackets on my deck railing as I have the space and use the system in my garage to top up charge the EVs daily and can also remove the garage mini split from the main panel and run off the independent battery system... And if I just want to do just the battery/inverter now and with the "portable" battery system tied to a transfer switch it would qualify for the Fed tax credit...

Ecoflow has a system (I am not affiliated), I called them. They can size a system to match the vehicle you are charging and the miles you are looking to add per day and if you want L1 or L2 capabilities. If I go and do this it would take about 3 years to break even.

They have packages with their L2 charger https://us.ecoflow.com/products/powerpulse-ev-charger?variant=54475840061513

Or you can get the system to add your own L1 or L2 charger.

Something like this... https://www.ecoflow.com/us/delta-pro-ultra

Where you tie it to your house for tax credit purpose and later use it your PV inverter to recharge and charge your EV during the day.

 

[I <3 My Lightning]

I just watched that video.... Yes you can do things for less if you want to do it yourself, but once you go grid tied and depending on your utility company and state, it's gets a lot more complicated with laws, building permits, inspections ECT... I know in NYS you add a PV car port or pergola, it has to be allowed by your county, you need a professional 3 line diagram, multiple inspections, town board approval ect.... And in that video go look what a car port like that goes for... Doesn't pay in the long run.

That video gives you numbers but nothing in regards to us regular folks that can take the tax credits and incentives.

I could grab this from Sam's, get 3% back cash back then use the 30% FTC.... https://www.samsclub.com/ip/EcoFlow...ackUp-Kit-with-Smart-Home-Panel-2/15695760414

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