Before you roll out a charger, test what it actually does

An installer can connect a charger successfully and still have questions before handing over a site. Will it report usable energy readings? Can it start and stop a session remotely? Does it respond to a charging limit? A successful connection answers only the first part.

EVCharge.mobi gives you a practical first step: test the charger you intend to manage, collect evidence about its behaviour, then use that evidence to plan a controlled first installation. Our guided Charger Compatibility Tester, added during 2026, helps you make that decision with the actual hardware and firmware.

The test workflow includes returning the charger to normal service. Stay nearby during active checks. Select the diagram to open it at full size.

Start with the charger you intend to install

A compatibility result is most useful when it describes the hardware and firmware you will actually use. A model name on its own cannot tell you what happened during a test.

The tester collects the manufacturer's and model's details from the charger's own messages when available. It then records connection, status, and other protocol evidence as the test progresses. The result is tied to that test; it is not a certification of every charger bearing the same name.

For example, imagine a workplace preparing to add several chargers. Testing one unit first can reveal whether the features needed for that installation are observable before the same configuration is repeated across the site. This is an illustrative workflow, not a customer case study.

What the guided test checks

The tester uses OCPP 1.6J and a separate test endpoint. Available checks cover connection and boot, heartbeats, connector status, configuration discovery, transaction behavior, and energy-register reporting.

The staged sequence also includes active checks: a temporary 6 A charging profile, a temporary availability change, and remote start and stop when connector 1 is ready. These checks can affect the charger and a connected vehicle.

Use a charger you have permission to test, set aside a supervised test window, and save its existing backend settings first. Connecting it to the test endpoint temporarily takes it away from its normal backend.

A practical test session

Open the Charger Compatibility Tester and create a private test.
Save the charger's existing settings, then configure the supplied OCPP endpoint and connection details.
Wait for the charger to connect and report its status.
For remote-start testing, connect a vehicle or suitable test load to connector 1 and wait for Preparing.
Review the described effects and run the available checks while staying nearby.
Read the results and download the report.

If connector 1 is not ready for charging, the non-charging checks can still provide useful evidence. An unperformed remote-start check is not proof that remote start fails.

Read the evidence behind the result

An acknowledgement and an observed outcome are different pieces of evidence. A charger can accept a command before the intended effect has been observed.

The report distinguishes verified, partial, failed, untested, and inapplicable results. Look at the details behind any incomplete result: a missing prerequisite or missing observation may require another test rather than a different charger.

Keep the charger connected and supervised if the tester reports a pending restoration. The test service attempts to remove its temporary profile, restore availability, and stop a test transaction, but a pending restoration needs attention before normal service resumes. Restore the original backend settings through the charger's configuration workflow when testing is complete.

Turn the test into a first-site plan

Keep the report with your installation notes, including the exact model and firmware. Resolve failed or incomplete checks before relying on the affected capability. Share the report or report ID with support when needed, keeping private tester credentials out of the conversation.

Once testing and restoration are complete, evaluate the operating workflow in the EVCharge.mobi CPO Portal. Follow the first-charger setup to register the charger and connect it to production. The private test endpoint is separate from your normal operating connection.

For a workplace pilot, invite one authorised driver and grant access, complete a controlled session, then inspect its record in Reports. For public paid use, configure tariffs and payment and resolve the Publicity checklist. Features depend on your plan and setup.

That connects compatibility testing to a useful decision: can you run the charging service you intend to offer? Begin with the supervised compatibility test, then expand only after the first operating workflow is verified.