This guide assumes you have already created a new organization and activated it as your current organization. If you haven’t, please refer to the Account Creation & Initial Setup guide first.

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Overview

Adding your first charger involves three main steps:

  1. Creating a charger group
  2. Adding a charger
  3. Connecting the charger to GridFlow Core

Let’s get started!

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Creating a Charger Group

It’s crucial to create a Charger Group before adding individual chargers. A Charger Group is designed for a specific location and class of chargers, allowing for unified tariff application.

Understanding Charger Groups

Applying Tariffs To Charger Groups

Tariff Strategies

1

Navigate to Charger Network

Access the Charger Network page from the sidebar on the left.

GridFlow Core Navigation

2

Access Groups Tab

On the Charger Network page, click on the Groups tab.

3

Create New Group

Click on the “Add Charger Group” button in the top left of the table. A sidebar will open on the right of the screen.

4

Fill Group Details

Provide the following information:

Charger Group Details Form

5

Create Group

Press the “Create” button to finalize the charger group creation.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created your first Charger Group.

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Adding a Charger

Now that you’ve created a charger group, let’s add a charger to it.

1

Access Chargers Tab

From the Charger Network page, select the Chargers tab.

2

Initiate Charger Addition

Click on the “Add Charger” button in the top left of the table. A sidebar will open on the right.

3

Enter Charger Details

Provide the following information:

Add Charger Form

4

Create Charger

Click on the “Create” button. You should now see your charger on the Charger Network Page under “Your Chargers” (initially shown as offline).

Newly Added Charger (Offline)

Congratulations! You’ve successfully added your first charger.

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Connecting Your Charger

GridFlow supports EV chargers made by 3000+ manufacturers that run on the OCPP1.6J Protocols.

1

Retrieve WebSocket Endpoint

Click on the charger you just added in GridFlow Core. A modal will pop up with the WebSocket config URL for your charger.

The endpoint format is: wss://core.grdflo.com/ocpp/1.6/central_system/<charge_point_id>

Replace <charge_point_id> with your actual charge point ID.

2

Configure WebSocket Connection

The exact steps may vary depending on your charger’s make and model. Always consult your manufacturer’s documentation.

3

Verify Initial Connection

Ensure the charge point sends a Boot Notification upon startup. This confirms the connection to the central system.

4

Set Up Ongoing Communication

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Verification

If everything went smoothly, you should now see:

  • Your charger’s status on the Charger Network page as “Available”
  • 1 Online charger in the Total Charger Statistics

Charger Successfully Connected

Congratulations! You have successfully added your first charger to GridFlow Core.

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Next Steps

Now that you’ve added your first charger, consider exploring these essential features:

Add Your First RFID Card

Set up access control for your chargers

Creating and Managing Tariffs

Configure pricing for your charging services

Charger Statuses and Troubleshooting

Understand and resolve charger issues

Viewing Transactions

Track and analyze charging sessions