NeoCharge Frequently Asked Questions

The Smart Splitter provides two 240V outlets from a single 240V outlet.

The Smart Splitter functions by monitoring the total power coming from both outlet and shutting off the Secondary side when the power draw exceeds the limit of your circuit. Once the Primary side finishes drawing power, the Splitter will automatically switch back to the Secondary side if it is still attempting to draw power. 

With the Smart Splitter, multiple devices such as electric dryers, EV chargers, or electric water heaters. can be operated from a single outlet, saving you thousands of dollars from negated electrical upgrades.

When you are using the Smart Splitter with two EV's, they CAN be charged simultaneously when you set the current limit in your EV or EVSE to a lower amperage.

All of this technology is UL safety certified, which means it is thoroughly inspected and tested by the leader in tech safety. Your safety and the quality of our products will always be our top priority.

Use Case #1: Appliance and EV Charger. For example, let's say you want to share your dryer outlet to charge your EV. Your dryer would be plugged into the primary side and an EV charger on the secondary. Whenever you need to use your appliance, the Smart Splitter will automatically pause EV charging and will resume when the appliance is finished. In this case, most home setups would use either the NEMA 10-30 or NEMA 14-30 Smart Splitter which can pull up to 24 amps/5.7 Kw.

Use Case #2: Two EV Chargers. The same occurs when charging two EVs. The EV plugged in on the primary side will charge until it's fully charged, at which point the splitter automatically switches to then fully charge your second EV. As easy as that.

That said, you can also charge two EVs at half speed (typically 20 Amps each) if your EV chargers or EVs themselves have the ability to set custom current limits. Set the charge at half the amount and charge both of your EVs simultaneously. In this case, most home setups would use either the NEMA 14-50 or NEMA 6-50 Smart Splitter which can pull up to 40 amps/9.6 Kw.

Step 1: Identify your existing 240v wall socket.

MOST COMMON:

• NEMA 10-30 - 3 prong dryer outlet
• NEMA 14-30 - 4 prong dryer outlet
• NEMA 14-50 - 4 prong EV charger outlet

LESS COMMON:

• NEMA 10-50 - 3 prong stove outlet
• NEMA 6-50 - 3 prong EV charger outlet

Step 2: Match your wall socket type with the matching Smart Splitter.

Step 3: Get a high quality NEMA adapter if needed.

If your EV charger plug looks different than your wall outlet, you can add an adapter to your order. 

Safety is our top priority at NeoCharge, so based on UL safety requirements the Smart Splitter is required to have the same outlet type on both the output receptacles and the input pins.

Home Setup Example:

Your dryer wall outIet:
NEMA 10-30R (3-prong)

Your EV Charger:
NEMA 14-50P (4 prong)

Your setup would be best optimized with the NEMA 10-30 Smart Splitter and a NEMA 10-30 to NEMA 14-50 adapter to allow your EV charger to be compatible with your wall outlet type.

The device's dimensions are 5.25" x 5.25" x 2.8", not including the pins protruding out the other side that will be inserted into the wall outlet.

Some Smart Splitter users use the device as a portable means of accessing 240V outlets when traveling to visit friends and family, so the compact design is ideal for easy transportation.

There are two use common use cases for the Smart Splitter: share your appliance outlet with an EV charger or share one outlet to charge two EVs.

Which Smart Splitter should you get?

24A Smart Splitter - Common for home appliances (dryers etc.)

The 24A Smart Splitter is perfect if you have an existing 240V dryer outlet in or near your garage. The Smart Splitter automatically power switches between your two devices to safely share the circuit.

Common appliances you would find near your garage are water heaters and dryers. The most common outlets for appliances would be the NEMA 10-30 and NEMA 14-30.

40A Smart Splitter - Dual EV Charging

Perfect for two EV households that want to charge their EVs without expensive electrical upgrades.

Can also be used for higher amperage appliances that utilize 50A breakers.

The Smart Splitter can either provide full power to one EV at a time and then automatically switch when the Primary side car is finished, OR both cars can be charged simultaneously at half amperage.

Yes! We have dozens of different devices that people are using today.

This includes, but is not limited to: plug in 240V water heaters, dryers, welders, infrared sauanas, pool pumps, stoves, EV chargers, RVs, electric motorcycles, electric heaters, tiny homes, RV's, electric fence's and other devices.

As long as you are able to plug it in, it will work in most cases.

No. The Smart Splitter is rated for indoor / covered use only. The main concern would be water getting into the device if used outdoors.

The Smart Splitter is an automatic switch that requires no manual interactions.

The team is currently working on the NeoCharge Connect App which will include a pause/start feature, but this is done directly through vehicle integrations, not through the Smart Splitter. The NeoCharge Connect app will be free to use for both Smart Splitter and non-Smart Splitter users.

Before you plug in your Smart Splitter or EV charger to your NEMA 14-50 outlet for the first time, we strongly recommend a quick visual inspection.

Background:
Take a look at your outlet and you will see brass clamps on the inside of each of the holes. With a cord plugged in, the pins from the plug head will force open these clamps and create a mechanical connection which will allow electricity to flow through the circuit. Over time, these brass pads will slowly lose their clamping force due to a combination of retaining their stretched shape and thermal expansion during use. A loose clamp will lead to increased resistance at the point of contact and eventually lead to higher temperatures within the outlet.

What to look for:
Examine the two hot/live slots in the outlet and look at the distance between the brass clamps. Reference the attached picture for a visual guide.

• A new outlet's clamps will be practically touching one another as the clamp has not lost any of its spring force. This outlet is good to go and will several years before you might consider another visual inspection.
• An older outlet that is worn from use will have a large gap between the clamps. This loose outlet could potentially cause issues if it does not maintain a secure connection with the plug.

If your outlet is loose:
If you have identified that your outlet is loose and may cause increased resistance, we recommend replacing the receptacle. This is a pretty simple task that can be completed in about 10 minutes by an electrician. You can choose to use a standard or a commercial grade outlet:

• Commercial Grade Outlets (Recommended) - Commercial grade 240V outlets are heavy duty outlets with superior clamping mechanisms and are identifiable by a larger outlet diameter. These outlets are a bit more expensive but strongly recommended for the increased safety when EV charging in your home. Common commercial grade outlets include the Hubbell #HBL9450A and Bryant #9450FR. These are not normally carried in retail stores but can be found online.
• Standard Outlet - Installing a new standard 240V outlet will work fine and is less expensive than the commercial grade option. This can be found at your local hardware store like Home Depot. If using a standard outlet for EV charging, we recommend performing a visual inspection every few years to ensure the clamps are not becoming loose.

Yes. The Smart Splitter is cUL certified in both the US and Canada. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is the most widely recognized standard for electrical products.
File number: *UL certificate E507438

Yes. The Smart Splitter has a built-in software breaker. The device continuously reads the the power coming through each side of the device and will automatically shut off power to the Secondary outlet when too much power is being drawn.

When it comes to a basic Y splitter cable, the biggest challenge is safety! Since both outputs of the cable are considered active at all times, there is a likely chance you will overload the circuit if both devices plugged in are running simultaneously. Overloading the circuit can cause the wiring in your home to overheat which is a significant fire hazard.

In short - yes, but there are alternatives for even safer outlets.

The NEMA 14-30 outlet is an upgraded 30A breaker model that replaced the 10-30 back in 1996 for all new home installations as required by the NEC. Both function the same, but the NEMA 14-30 has a built in ground while the 10-30 only consists of a neutral pin, so this was effectively a safety upgrade.

We have well over a thousand Smart Splitter users using a 10-30 outlet to share power with their EV and haven't had any issues that can be traced back to the outlet. If you are comfortable using this outlet you should be fine, but if you would like the ease of mind to install a NEMA 14-30 outlet instead, we recommend contacting your local electrician and asking for a quote to get an outlet swap.

How many miles of range added per hour depends on what EV model you have, what charger you use, and the breaker rating of your outlet. NeoCharge Smart Splitters can be classified as 30A or 50A Splitters dependind on the outlet configuration.

On a 30A breaker (5.7kw load), you can expect to charge around 20-23 miles per hour.

On a 50A breaker (9.6kw load), you can expect to charge around 28-32 miles per hour.

When using the Smart Splitter, the power is in your hands... quite literally.

If you are charging two EVs using one of NeoCharge's 50 Amp Smart Splitters, you have the option to charge your cars either simultaneously or sequentially.

How does it work?
When the Smart Splitter "Pauses" a car's charging, it functions by cutting off the power to the EVSE with a set of relays that can turn on and off the power to the Secondary outlet. The switching algorithm that controls when the relays will be opened (to turn off the secondary) looks at the power being drawn by both the primary and secondary side independently. When the total power from both sides exceeds the 40A continuous draw limit set forth by the NEC (National Electric Code), the Smart Splitter will shut off the Secondary outlet.

Simultaneous Charging If you would like to charge both of your vehicles at the same time, you will need to lower the total charging amperage of both vehicles to 40A or less. Typically this means setting the charging amperage of both vehicles to 20A, though you can go lower one or both as low as 16A if you experience any breaker tripping issues. The Smart Splitter will automatically sense that the total power draw can be met by the supplying circuit and will divide the power accordingly to both EVs.

Simultaneous charging will effectively lower the charging speed by 50% for each vehicle as they are only receiving half of the power.

Sequential Charging If you would like to ensure that one of your vehicles receives priority and charges quickly, then you may prefer to charge your cars sequentially. Both vehicles can have their charging amperages set up to 40A, and when both are plugged in the Smart Splitter will recognize the total power draw exceeds the 40A limit and shut off the Secondary outlet. The Primary outlet will receive 100% of the power until that vehicle has finished charging and stops drawing power. Then, the Smart Splitter will automatically turn the Secondary outlet back on to charge the other vehicle.

How to set my charging current
Some EVs, like Tesla's, have the adjustable charging functionality built directly into the car. These vehicles can have their charge current adjusted through the car's dashboard or through the companion app.

Other EVs are designed to charge at 32A and don't have the ability to adjust the amperage themselves. If this is the case and you would like to be able to charge two cars simultaneously, you will need to purchase an EVSE with adjustable amperage.

Yes. If you have either an EV with adjustable charging amperage (such as any Tesla model) or an adjustable EVSE, you have the ability to manually set the charging amperages to your liking when using a 50A Smart Splitter. Note: the Smart Splitter itself cannot adjust the charging amperage.

Due to NEC regulations, you are only allowed to charge at 80% of the breaker's rating, so that means you have 40A at your disposal to charge your cars.

For simultaneous charging, most Smart Splitter users will set both cars to charge equally at 20A each, but you can also manually allocate the power draw by setting the charge rates to 24A and 16A, or any other configuration of your choosing..

If the plug on your EV charger looks different than the outlet in your wall (commonly seen in older appliance types), you can use a NEMA adapter to make your outlet and charger compatible.Safety is our top priority at NeoCharge, so in order to comply with the highest safety standards and our Underwriters Laboratory (UL) safety certification, the input (plug) and outputs (outlets) on the Smart Splitter itself cannot be mismatched. 

If your wall outlet is different from your EV charger, you can order a high quality NEMA adapter to allow any of the other Smart Splitter models to match with the NEMA 14-50 that most chargers use.

Please do NOT plug an adapter directly into your wall outlet to go from wall outlet to your Smart Splitter.Adapter outputs should only be directly connected to the EV charger. This can look like (wall outlet -> adapter -> EV charger) or (wall outlet -> Smart Splitter -> adapter -> EV charger).

Example:

If you have have a dryer that plugs into an existing NEMA 10-30 outlet, and an EV charger with a NEMA 14-50 outlet prong, you would purchase a NEMA 10-30 Smart Splitter to plug into your outlet and then a NEMA 10-30 to NEMA 14-50 adapter to allow your charger to be compatible with the NEMA 10-30 Smart Splitter your setup requires.

You can learn more and get early access to the NeoCharge Connect EV integrated app HERE.

Features include:

• Direct integration with multiple EVs to start/stop charging remotely
• Integrated with 15+ EV Brands!
• Scheduled charging capabilities to save money by charging at cheaper times and also decrease CO2 emissions
• Energy cost tracking using exact utility rates

The Smart Splitter App allows you to track your Smart Splitter power usage via WiFi. You can track your EV(s) and or appliance usage.

We plan to eventually integrated the Smart Splitter into the NeoCharge Connect App for more control, impact, and savings.

There are many rebates and tax incentives available for purchasing and installing a Level 2 EV charging station in your home. These incentives vary by utility and state. We wanted to put together a consolidated list of the rebates and tax credits that we are aware of in the US to help you save as much as possible on your home EV charging setup! Some of these rebates cover your Level 2 home EV charger (EVSE) costs and many of them also cover installation/the Smart Splitter.

Click here for the full list of rebates.

Ultimately, the cost to install a home charging station varies on a number of determining factors:

• Age of the home
• Electric panel capacity
• Type of installation; and
• Distance of the panel to the car charger

For many, upgrading the entire service panel is required in order to install an additional dedicated 240v outlet for EV charging. For example, adding a 50 Amp outlet on your 100 Amp panel would take up half the total capacity.

However, by sharing an existing 240v outlet between two devices (like a dryer and an EV charger), it's easy to save thousands of dollars on installation costs.

Below is a table that breaks down various costs that go into installing home EV charging.

Some electric vehicles have inherent limitation with their provided charger that makes it challenging to charge at home if you plan to use a 30 amp outlet. If you own or are thinking of purchasing an EV from any of the following car makers, please read this:

• Chevrolet (Bolt)
• Ford (Mach-E and Lightning)
• Nissan (Leaf)
• Jeep (4xE)

If you have a 30 amp outlet (NEMA 10-30 or NEMA 14-30) and you are planning to charge your car with the OEM charger that came with the car, there has been a critical oversight on the part of EV manufacturers that overlooks millions of homes that might not have the panel space for a 50A outlet. 

These chargers are programmed to pull 32 amps by default, which is more than the allowable continuous current load according to the National Electric Code(NEC). While charging at 32A may not immediately trip the breaker, over time this may cause the breaker to trip at lower current draws. 

The manufacturers recommend you use a dedicated 50A outlet in order to charge your vehicle, but if you don't have one already installed this could lead to an expensive panel upgrade costing thousands of dollars - and changing up the electrical aspects of a home or apartment is rarely a viable option for home renters.

Solutions:

Don't let any of this deter you from buying your next car. There are a few solutions and work-arounds that can get you up and running using your existing 30 amp outlet.

1. If you understand the risk outlined above, and would like to override this protection setting, NeoCharge has a firmware update available that will allow your Smart Splitter to work without interruption at 32A. If this applies to you, please reach out to the NeoCharge Support Team at support@getneocharge.com with the message body “32 amp charger update”. We will get in contact with you with further instructions to get connected to your in-home wifi and get your Smart Splitter set up with the appropriate firmware.

2. Purchase an EV charger with adjustable amperage such as the Grizzl-E Adjustable Charger (UL certified, $349) and an adapter ($35) to make the charger compatible with your wall outlet configuration. This is still compatible with the Smart Splitter if you are looking to share the outlet with an appliance. 

We don't suggest off-brand EVSE's due to quality issues and wiring problems. That is the reason to invest in a Level 2, 240V EV Charger that is UL certified. 

3. The other option you have is to contact an electrician and have them come install a high amperage (50A) circuit in your home. We work with both Treehouse (CA and AZ only) and COIL Electric for install services. This will allow you to use the 240V charger that comes with the car, and if you ever purchase a second EV then you would also be able to use a NeoCharge 50A Smart Splitter and share that outlet amongst two EVs. The downside of this is it will likely be the most expensive option.
and share that outlet amongst two EVs. The downside of this is it will likely be the most expensive option.

If you have any questions on this matter, please feel free to reach out to our Customer Support team and we will be happy to answer your questions.

Each level of charging is defined by the amount of voltage, which directly correlates to the speed or quickness of the charging session. Level 1 (120V) is the slowest, followed by Level 2 fast charging (240V), and Level 3 (400-900V) is the fastest.

Level 1

Level 1 utilizes a 120V outlet, which is the standard residential outlet for nearly all of your everyday devices such as refrigerators, TVs, or even your phone. This level of EV charging is only found at residential locations. In fact, Level 1 charging is routinely known as “trickle charging” due to its slow speed. A typical EV can recharge around 4 miles of range per hour with Level 1 charging.

Level 2

Some would argue that Level 2 charging is the best option for charging at home. In residential applications, Level 2 charging utilizes a 240V outlet, making it much quicker than Level 1. With double the voltage, a 240V outlet is typically used with high-powered appliances such as an electric dryer, water heater, or range. Level 2 charging provides around 15-30 miles of range per hour. To fully recharge an all-electric car will take around 6-12 hours depending on the battery size, thus making it the best charging option for daily commuters to charge at home.

Level 3

Level 3 charging is commonly referred to as "supercharging" and is the fastest available technology for EV charging. Level 3 charging is what you would find in public spaces and are operated by private charging companies (ChargePoint, Tesla, etc). 

Since electricity rates are cheaper overnight and since you sleep at night, Level 2 charging is really convenient for your wallet and your time! Charging your car at home is like having a gas station at your house - think of all the time you would save. Plus, every day you wake up the EV is charged to 100%, leaving you free of any range anxiety.

Unfortunately, most garages do not frequently have a spare 240V outlet, unlike the Level 1’s 120V outlet. Therefore, an electrician is needed to install a new dedicated 240V outlet. In some events, the electrical panel may even need to be upgraded. All of this can cost upwards of $2,500 for a panel upgrade.

Fear not! If there is a 240V outlet in the garage that is currently occupied by another appliance like the dryer, you can simply plug in the Smart Splitter to unlock two 240V outlets from one. The Smart Splitter was created to automatically switch power to the device in need and most importantly, can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars from unnecessary electrical work.

The Smart Splitter is an end-user installable device and does not require an electrician if you have access to an existing outlet. Most installations can be completed in 5-10 minutes.

Instances where an electrician may be needed include:

• Running a conduit through a wall from an adjacent room where the outlet is
• You plan to install a new dedicated outlet for your EVs. The electrician will help you install the outlet, but you have the ability to plug in the Smart Splitter yourself once the outlet is set up.

If you do need an electrician you can get a free quote through our partner Treehouse if you live in California or Arizona.

If you live elsewhere you can get a free quote through our partner COIL electric.

Every person's home setup is unique, but here are a few options depending on your situation:

• Depending on the distance between the outlet and where you'd like to charge, you could get a high-quality, UL-rated extension cord to connect to your EVSE.
• Have an electrician install a conduit run from your dryer location to where you want the plugin in your garage.

We designed our Smart Splitters with the intention of being compatible with all 240v appliances and outlets, so 240v dryers aren't the only thing to look for when identifying if this solution would work for you; check to see if you have an electric water heater, AC 240v outlet, electric range, etc. In the event that you did install a dedicated 240v outlet in your garage, you have the ability to future-proof your home by installing a 50A Smart Splitter to share one outlet between two chargers. 

We're here to help as many people as we can, but in reality, the Smart Splitter solution really depends on the way your home was built and what region you live in. In many homes throughout California, Washington, Florida, Texas, and many other states, it makes a lot of sense to be split a common 240V outlet, such as a dryer circuit, in or near the garage to share power between your appliance and EV. Colder regions in North America, such as the Midwest, have 240v outlets installed in other areas of the house, like the basements, much further from where they'd like to charge their cars.

What we officially recommend to our users is that you have an electrician come out and run a non-flexible conduit through the wall that terminates near your Smart Splitter and charger for easy plug-in on both ends. This solution will satisfy all NEC guidelines for passing wiring through the wall and also allows for the Smart Splitter to be utilized as an end-user installable product.

The most common reason that your Neocharge Smart Splitter has turned off (breaker tripped) during a charging cycle is because charging is set at a rate of more than 24 amps. Charging at rates higher than 24 amps on a 30 amp circuit is against the recommendation of the NEC (National Electrical Code). Our Smart Splitter is equipped with a thermomagnetic breaker to prevent over-current, which prevents such misuse. When it trips, it is protecting your home. Please contact your car dealership for charge rate settings, or contact our Customer Support. If you know or can limit the charge rate to stay below 24 amps, then it will usually resolve the breaker tripping issue.

Having an issue with your Smart Splitter? The first thing we will recommend users try in most cases is to perform a factory reset. 

To perform a factory reset, you will need to power cycle your NeoCharge 5 times - you can do this by unplugging your unit and plugging it back in (5 times) or by flipping the breaker on and off (5 times) if that’s easier.

Once the reset is successfully performed, you will see both the indicator LEDs flash RED and then go back to WHITE. You should also hear the device click when the unit boots back up. 

Still having trouble or have additional questions? Go ahead and contact our customer support and we'll help get you situated.

If the switching doesn't seem to be working as expected, please following the following steps and our team will get you back up and running.

1.) To update your device, you will need to connect your Smart Splitter to WiFi following the instructions attached below. Once connected, the device will reboot a couple of times as it will update to the latest available firmware.

2.) Once updated, if you are still experiencing issues with your Smart Splitter, please reach out to our Customer Support and let us know you are experiencing ongoing switching issues. We will work with you to re-create the issue and examine the charging logs to see if there's different issue at play here.

To get a better grasp of what's going on within the Smart Splitter, understanding the meaning behind each LED color can be useful. Here is a brief troubleshooting guide:

Viewing the photo above, we can dissect the various colored lights and their meanings.

White: Idle. There is nothing happening, no charging is occurring.

Green: Receiving power. Smart Splitter is actively charging, and power is being emitted.

Yellow: Charging paused. Secondary side of Smart Splitter is paused as the Primary is receiving power.

Blue (flashing): The Smart Splitter has previously been connected to wifi, but lost connection.

Red: Error, car not charging. This could be due to an overcurrent, or total power exceeding the limit.

If the red lights persist or for some reason the Smart Splitter has no lights turning on at all, the first effective method of troubleshooting would be to perform a factory reset. 

If there is persistence with the lights not functioning or you have unanswered questions, please proceed to reach out to our Customer Support team and we will be happy to further troubleshoot with you!

If your Smart Splitter is offline and you are looking to get connected to WiFi, please follow the below steps to get reconnected:

1.) Identify what your Smart Splitter's serial number is.

This can be found on the back of the device or on the Smart Splitter's packaging.

- If your serial number starts with P6 or lower (P5, P4, P3, etc...), follow the setup instructions in Step 2. 

- If your serial number starts with P7 or higher (P8...) follow the BLE WiFi setup instruction in Step 3.

2.) Here are the WiFI setup instructions. Once connected, the device will reboot a couple of times as it will update to the latest available firmware. 

If your Smart Splitter begins to show flashing blue lights after the wifi setup, please continue to step 3.

3.) BLE WiFi Setup

In preparation of our new app launch in April 2023, we recently rolled out firmware to improve the WiFi connectivity of the Smart Splitters which includes a new way to connect your device to the network via BLE. 

Unfortunately, this has not rolled out to the Beta app yet so please follow this guide to get your device connected to WiFi again. Once connected, you should be able to see data from the Smart Splitter in the app. We apologize for the extra setup steps as this is a short-term solution until our new app is launched with a much smoother setup process.

If your Smart Splitter appears to have a hardware failure, please reach out to our Customer Support team and we will help get you situated. Indications of a hardware failure include the following:

• LED lights on either side of the unit are not turning on
• Overheating
• The circuit works when plugged directly into the wall outlet, but does not work when the Smart Splitter is plugged in.

Most other cases can be resolved by performing a factory reset. Please run through the reset instructions to see if that fixes your issue. If not, our Customer Support team is happy to help!