Below you’ll find all frequently asked questions about connecting your charger directly to Stekker via OCPP, all on a single page.
What does “connecting via OCPP” mean?
Stekker needs access to your charging data in some way. That lets us see how many kWh you’ve charged, and therefore how much we’re allowed to register in order to receive an ERE reward for you.
There are different ways to give Stekker access to your charging data. In some cases through a direct connection with your charger’s manufacturer, but it can also be done by telling your charger to connect to Stekker and send its charging data there. We call that an OCPP connection. Your charger first establishes a connection with Stekker via the OCPP protocol.
For this, Stekker gives you a unique link for each charger. You enter this link in your charger’s system settings. From that moment on, the charger sends its charging and metering data straight to Stekker, so Stekker can keep track of your kWh for earning ERE’s.
Note: this only applies to data from now on and in the future. Want to add sessions from earlier in the year? Then you’ll need to export your charging history manually from your charger and upload it to Stekker.
Who is this for?
Some chargers connect through the charger’s account — currently that’s Zaptec and Easee. Do you have a different brand? Then the best option for automatically retrieving your data is connecting via OCPP. Anyone who can access their charger’s system settings and enter the unique link can choose this option.
In the future you’ll also be able to charge smartly through this option.
Note! Through this method we can’t read your full charging history. If you also want to claim ERE’s from the period before signing up with Stekker, you’ll need to upload your charging history yourself via a CSV.
Which chargers work with this?
Practically all modern chargers can do this, but to be specific: chargers that support OCPP 1.6J or OCPP 2.0.1 and let you set the OCPP server URL yourself (usually via the local web interface or the manufacturer’s app) are suitable.
In the connection flow we show a setup guide per brand and model wherever possible, so you can set the link correctly.
How do I set up my charger?
When connecting your charger in your Stekker ERE Dashboard, you’ll see a link to instructions for setting up your specific charger. Because not all guides are finished yet, here’s a quick overview:
- Make sure the charger is on and online (via Ethernet or WiFi).
- Look online or in the manual for a way to log in to your charger so you can change the system settings.
- In your charger’s settings, look for the OCPP settings — anything with the term “OCPP”, “Charge Point Operator”, “OCPP server” or “OCPP Proxy URL”, or something similar.
- Enter the secure Stekker URL you receive in the portal as the OCPP server URL.
- Save and restart the charger if needed.
- In the Stekker ERE portal you can see live whether the connection succeeded.
Is an OCPP connection secure?
Yes. The connection always uses Secure WebSockets (wss://) and is encrypted. The URL contains a unique, secret connection token that only applies to your charger. Your charger can therefore only be controlled by us — nothing and nobody else can access it.
I’ve entered the URL but I don’t see a connection. What now?
That’s odd. Just check the following — you never know:
- Is the charger on and does it have internet (Ethernet/WiFi)?
- Was the URL copied exactly, including the token, with no spaces?
- Did you leave the Charge Point ID unchanged?
- Did you save the settings and, if needed, restart the charger?
- Did you let your EV charge for a few minutes (at least 1 kWh) on this charger and then stop? Your charger may need a moment to process the session.
Some chargers need a while to reconnect. Still not working? Get in touch with us at [email protected]
What happens to my charging session if the connection briefly drops?
Most chargers store their session data during a short outage and send it again later, once the connection is restored. This varies by brand and firmware, so a single meter reading may be missing after a longer interruption. Let us know at [email protected] if a mismatch has occurred.
Are there any consequences to this setting?
Yes — there’s one thing to be aware of. When you enable charging via OCPP, other forms of authentication usually stop applying. Say you charge with a charger that always required a card for verification; it’s possible the charger will now work without the card too. Check this on your charger. If (as with an Easee charger, for example) you first also have to give permission via the app to switch the charger “on”, that will still remain in place.
So do check that everything still works as expected and to your satisfaction on your charger. A particular charger brand can always behave slightly differently after setting up the OCPP connection. If you run into any problems with this, please let us know.
Can I switch to a different connection method later?
Sure. If you later want to charge via an API, or supply your charging data manually via a CSV export, that’s perfectly possible. Remove the URL from your charger settings and it will behave as before. Just make sure Stekker can access your charging data another way, otherwise you won’t be able to earn ERE’s.
Who can I turn to for help?
Can’t figure out how to set up your charger? Get in touch with us via the support option in the portal; we’re happy to help.
