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Electric Car Charger

Charge Station Owner (CSO) Guide

Step-by-Step CSO Guide

See here a step-by-step guide for new and existing Charge Station Owners (CSO).  To make your experience even easier.  The steps covered below are:

 

Charge Hub are here to make sure that your total experience is as painless and hassle-free as possible.  We back our approach with a money-back satisfaction guarantee.  Please call us any time, if you have any questions.

Step 1: Hardware - Installation & Commissioning

Hardware Selection and Electrical Installation:

  • Once you have selected and received your appropriate Hardware (see here for a guidance on selection), then the next step is to engage your Electrician for the installation.  If required, Charge Hub are able to recommend a known and experienced Electrician, located in your local area, from our installer network.

 

Installation Instructions:

  • If your Station/s have been supplied by Charge Hub, or our Resell Partners, then you will find a copy of the Installation Manual on this website - e.g., see here for the EVBox BusinessLine Manual.  Either way, it is always recommended for your Electrician to give us a call prior to the installation, to ensure that all of the requirements are well understood (better to be safe, than sorry).  Note that our contact numbers are listed at the bottom of this page.

  • The key requirements for any Charging Station installation are:

    • Where and how the Station/s will be mounted - wall, pedestal, concrete pad etc.

    • Available onsite electrical capacity, and whether a static or Dynamic Load Management may be required, or whether your local Electrical Utility will need to be engaged.

    • The cable run (pathway) from the Electrical Switchboard to the EV Station location.  Whether new, or extended, cable trays or trenches will be required.

    • Access to an internet connection, at the Station (and possibly also at the Switchboard).  Which will involve measuring (and possibly boosting) 4G or Wi-Fi strength, or locating an ethernet LAN connection.

    • If multiple Stations are being installed, then we will need to determine if they will require an ethernet/Modbus cable connection between each Station (or back to the Switchboard), for load management. 

 

Commissioning:

  • The level (and complexity) of Commissioning (set up and connection back to the Charge Hub Software), will depend on the Station Hardware selected.  Some can be done simply, in a matter of minutes, via an OEM App.  Others may require a laptop connection and a more advanced level of technical understanding.  Charge Hub will be on standby to assist the Electrician with this step.

 

Lots and lots of Photos:

  • To receive the very best level of service, then we insist that the Electrician sends us lots and lots of photos, from the installation.  We particularly need to see:

    • Images of the installed Station/s, to know where and how they have been installed, to check that labels and covers have been installed correctly, and that nothing has been inadvertently missed.

    • Images of the Electrical Switchboard (inside and out), how the Stations have been connected, any installed metering, and to check that all required labelling are in order.

    • Images of the cable run and any isolation points.

    • Images of any Wi-Fi routers or extenders used, and of their labels for access and passwords details.

    • Nice 'Marketing style' images, so that we can use these to promote your Station/s on Plugshare and other Driver Maps.

Step 2: Connecting to the Charge Hub software

Complete and Submit the CSO Service Agreement:

  • Ideally, prior to the installation, we require the Charge Station Owner (CSO) to complete and submit our CSO Services Agreement - see here for the Agreement, and the CSO Terms and Conditions. 

  • This Agreement is necessary for both parties to document the Services engaged, as well as capture your business ABN/NZBN, contact and bank account details for the reimbursements.

 

Annual Subscription Invoice:

  • Once we have received the CSO Agreement, counter-signed and returned back to you, we will then send you an invoice (out of Stripe) for the annual subscription amount.  Note that we will be using Stripe to manage your Account with Charge Hub.  From sign-up, you will receive access details to the Stripe Account, that we will generate for you.  This Portal access will be able to capture, in one place, all invoicing and reimbursements.

  • Once the Annual Subscription invoice amount has been received, by us, then we are all set to go.

 

Connecting your Station/s:

  • When completing the above commissioning stage, your Electrician will work with us to connect your Station/s to the Charge Hub software.  This is a relatively simple process of typing in the supplied URL (websocket) address into the commissioning section of the Hardware access point. We will either supply the required websocket address with the Station, or send it to the Electrician separately - if your Stations are already connected.  Note that we have a section on this website that provides Guides on how to connect (the more common) OEM Hardware Stations.

  • A non electrical/technical person may be able to assist us with connecting your Station/s to our software, if you have the passwords and access into the Station Hardware access point.  Which may be via and App or IP Address, with a password.

  • Once your Station/s are connected to our software, we will run a series of basic tests to confirm connectivity and that we are receiving the correct signals.  We will 'set' your Station location, and go through and double check the accessible configuration files - to ensure that the Station is ready to receive Drivers.  This should take approx. 10 mins, so that we are able to get back to the Electrician to make any changes, if required, whilst they are still onsite.

 

Final Setup:

  • The final steps in the setup are to define between the two parties:

    • The price that you would like to charge Drivers to use your Station/s.

    • If there are any Drivers/Users that you would like to receive charging for free.

    • If you require any more signage for the Station area, RFID cards, or charging cables.

    • See here a one-page User Instruction, for a Public Access AC Station, that could either be printed, laminated and placed beside the Station, or share the link to known Drivers in advance or their arrival.

    • See here a one-page Guide to Charging Etiquette, that you may wish to share within you organisation or known Users.

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  • After all of the above has been complete, then your Station/s should then be visible and accessible on the Charge Hub Driver App, Plugshare and any applicable vehicle Map software.  We recommend for you to download the App and check your information for yourself, to ensure that all that is presented is accurate.  Once done, then your Station/s are now ready to engage Drivers!

Step 3: Drivers & RFID Cards

Driver Engagement:

  • For a Driver to engage with your Station/s (for a charging session), then they will normally follow the following process:

    • They will either see your Station/s whilst onsite, find them on the Plugshare App (or other similar mediums), via the Charge Hub Driver App, or Roaming Partner App.

    • To engage (and start charging at) the Station, they will first of all need to open or download the Charge Hub Driver App, and set up an Account - together with their personal details and preferred payment method.  See here the sign up process.

    • During the registration process, the Driver will be provided with a Driver ID, that will allow them to start charging as soon as their Account set up has been completed.

    • Once they have the App downloaded, and Account set up, they will plug their vehicle in to the Station, either via the connected charging cable, or with their own charging cable - if the Station has a Type 2 socket.  To start the charging session, they will either:

      1. Find the Station on the Charge Hub (or Partner) App and press 'Start Charge', or

      2. Simply tap their RFID Card (if they have already been supplied one) on the RFID Reader on the Station.

    • If they leave their vehicle during the charging session, they will/may be able to follow updates on the progress of the charging session from the Charge Hub App, and/or their Vehicle App.

    • Once their session has completed, then they will be able to stop the session from the Charge Hub App, tapping their RFID Card, or console inside their vehicle.  They will then unplug (and remove) the charging cable.  No further actions required.

    • At Charge Hub, at this point, we will receive details on the Drivers session, in a 'Charging Detail Report (CDR)'.  The price for session will be automatically calculated and billed to the Drivers desired payment method (i.e., credit card, Google and Apple Pay).  An invoice/receipt will then be available on their Charge Hub Driver Portal.

 

Roaming:

  • The Charge Hub software has been set up for 'Roaming'.  Which effectively means that a Driver, with a Charge Hub Account, will be able access hundreds and thousands of other Charging Stations all over the world, though our connected partner network.  As will Drivers that have registered on other Networks will be able to access your Station/s.

 

RFID Cards:

  • An RFID Card is a plastic card (with a security ID inside), that is similar size to a bank card, that is sent to Drivers, on their request after signup, and connected to their Account.  A Driver is able to either start a charging session via the Charge Hub App, or by simply tapping the linked RFID card onto the sensor on the Station.

  • Note - RFID Cards are normally provided with the Charge Hub logo on the front of the card.  These could your be printed with your company logo on them, or as an RFID Key Tag, if required.  Send us an enquiry.

Step 4: Account Management & Reimbursement

Ongoing Account Management:

  • After the signup process, Charge Station Owners (CSO) will be provided with access to two separate Management Portals:

    • The CSO Station Portal - Will provide you with access to your Station/s performance, charging history, and a method for you to change the price that you will receive from Drivers (if you wish).

    • The CSO Subscription Portal - Will provide you with access to your Charge Hub Stripe Account, which will provide you with access to copies of Annual Subscription invoicing, as well as the Monthly Reimbursement invoicing.

 

Reimbursements:

  • We believe that we have made the process of reimbursement of the monies received from Driver charging sessions, on your Stations, as transparent and as simple as possible.

  • Reimbursements are normally collated for the month prior by the 2nd business day of the month following (i.e., for March, reimbursements would be posted by 2nd April).  Note that payments of the reimbursements may take approx. 3 business days to transact via Stripe.  Therefore, monies in your Bank Account by the 5th.

  • You will be able to see, in advance, exactly how much is owing to you, by the charging history that will be recorded, from each paid-for charging session, in the CSO Portal, if you require.

Step 5: Managing any Issues

Driver Issues:

  • From experience to date, 99% of any issues that may be experienced, will be Driver related issues.  The Driver may be unfamiliar with the charging process, including Account set up, or experiencing an error code from the Station - due to a shaky internet connection at the time, or misaligned communication between the Station, vehicle and backend OCPP software.  

  • Charge Hub are here to help.  Drivers can call our free contact numbers, 24/7, for remote access, diagnostics and support.  If approached by a Driver at any time, please recommend that they call us as the first contact.

 

Station or Account Management Issues:

Step 6: More Applications

Setting up Guest passes for Free Charging, or Employee discounts:

  • The first question that is commonly asked is, if the Station/s are set up for Public access, with a cost to use per kWh, then can employees or guests be set up to charge for a reduced rate, or for free.  Absolutely.  The approach would be via these options:

  1. Charge Hub could send you several RFID Cards, that are set up, under your business account, and defined as providing authentication, but without billing.

  2. The other way is for each Driver/employee to register an Account with Charge Hub.  You then send us the names and/or RFID Card numbers of those Drivers, and we set up special rules, on their Driver Account, for which Stations that they can charge for free, or at a different rate.

 

Fleet Management:

  • The second common question asked is, could Employees be set up to charge at home or on any of the Charge Hub Network Stations, and rather than having them 'pay-as-they-go' and being reimbursed, then to have all of the group charging activities collated and billed altogether, to the company, at the end of the month.  Again, absolutely. we can do this

Charge Hub CSO Management Tools

Charge Hub logo

Nationwide coverage, across Australia and New Zealand.

Based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

AUS: 1300 98 67 67

NZ: 0800 608 138

info@chargehub.solutions

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