Does anybody know of any issues using one of the power switch controllers to help control a plugged in e-bike charger. I want to set up a controller schedule that turns off the power switch every 10 hours just to make sure I don’t leave an E-bike on the charger too long. The chargers for the bikes range from 2A to 3A.
Thanks!
Steve
Are these chargers not automatic (turn off automatically when the battery is fully charged), or is this handled by the BMS?
Either way, I have a couple battery charging stations (automotive chargers though) in my garage that I control with ZEN04s. That way my motorcycles and Jeep can stay plugged in while in the garage.
I would think the Zen15 is a good choice. I use it for a heavy duty sump pump that activates if the water table gets too high, to avoid basement flooding. Whenever the switch detects a power spike (pump on), Home Assistant sends me an alert. I can also keep track of power usage and trends. Zen15 is definitely a switch to consider.
Since it’s only a charger, and not a high-load need (heavy duty appliances), would the Zen14 work? Again, it’s for an e-bike charger that’s spec’d at 48V, 3.0A which I believe means just under 150Watts. But when they start talking about resistive loads, and different wattages for incandescent vs. LED bulbs, I’m not sure how to interpret that.
The Zen15 will be fine for what your intended use. Don’t be deterred by the “heavy duty” phrase… It just means that it can handle heavy duty use. The data that it provides is great, if you are interested in that kind of stuff.
I’ll let Zooz reply on the suitability of that load type for the ZEN14 (Dual outdoor plug).
However for your use case I’d think power monitoring would be a great help for detecting when charging is actually happening, etc. The ZEN14 doesn’t include power monitoring but the ZEN15 does. … for what that may be worth.
Also the ZEN15 has color coded LED that can show power draw level visually and in real-time. If that might be useful.
Pink = Power Switch is off
Blue = 0 – 300 W
Cyan = 300 – 600 W
Green = 600 – 900 W
Yellow = 900 – 1200 W
Red = 1200 – 1500 W
Purple = 1500 – 1800 W
Purple blink = over 1800 W
Which is good for, say, a bathroom exhaust fan–because it has a relay output that can handle the surge of a motor starting up, as opposed to other devices with solid state switching that may not hold up in repeated usage.
Agreed: the Zooz folks are great with helping out for device selection, capabilities, etc. Perhaps @Sara may chime in here with additional thoughts… 
@Barkis thanks for the loop-in! An e-bike charger like this is considered an electronic load rather than a lighting or motor load. Internally, it’s a switching power supply, similar in behavior to LED drivers.
Even though the charger is rated at 48V, 3.0A (about 144W on the output side), the key factor for smart plugs isn’t just the steady load, it’s how the device behaves electrically.
The important detail with this type of load is inrush current. When the charger is first powered on, it can briefly draw a higher current than its normal operating level. That momentary spike is what places stress on relay contacts over time, especially if the device is being switched on and off frequently.
With that in mind, this type of charger doesn’t fall under the resistive or motor ratings. It aligns more closely with electronic loads like LED drivers. While the ZEN14 may handle it in many cases, it’s operating closer to the edge of what we’d recommend for long term reliability.
For this application, we’d recommend going with the ZEN15 Power Switch instead. It’s designed for heavier duty plug in loads and provides a more robust relay better suited for handling inrush current from devices like battery chargers.
@Sara Thanks for the explanation and the recommendation for the ZEN15. I’ll get that ordered. I’d rather do the right thing than something on the edge that could risk failure (and the potential issues associated with electrical failure).
Steve
