EO Mini Pro 2 Review
Disclaimer – This model of charger is no longer compliant with UK regulations.
At first, you think, that can’t be an EV charger, it’s too small.
But that’s one of its core features, its ability to be almost undetectable.
In this Eo Mini Pro 2 Review, we’ll look at what else it offers in terms of functionality and how it fares in this competitive industry.
Let’s not waste anymore of your time…
Quick Review
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Ability to use solar
- Durable and well built
- Tethered or untethered
- EO Mini is very small
Cons
- A Garo earthing device is required
- App is basic
What Is Eo Mini Pro 2?
Charging at speeds of a 7.2kW in a single phase, this smart charger is very popular due to its miniature size and the fact that you can choose between tethered and untethered which isn’t very common.
If you choose to install the EO mini charger with a Garo earthing device, then no earth rod is required. It comes in a range of colours including black, white, silver and blue.
In order for the Eo Mini Pro 2 to work at its full capacity with all smart features, it must be installed by an EO approved installer, if not it will only work as a plug-and-play device. There are some key features missing, including a locking socket and in-built controls after putting it to the test.
The Models
Some people think there is just one EO Mini model but there’s actually three, see them all below:
EM201-PRO-DCL – Untethered
EM201-PRO-T1-DCL – Tethered Type 1
EM201-PRO-T2-DCL – Tethered Type 2
All of the EO Mini models come in the range of colours listed above and each EV charger is made from ABS.
Design
Even though the EO Mini Pro is one of the smallest EV chargers , it’s still extremely durable and robust. Any concerns people have about the EO Mini Pro size and maybe being fragile are unwarranted. It has IP54 protection and the casing is made of ABS which is the same as many other charging points.
Based on our firsthand experience, due to its size, it can be installed nearly anywhere, from your garage wall to a post. If you want it to stand out you can or if you want the cable and charging point to blend in with the surroundings, that’s also easily achieved.
There’s no fancy shape or design with the EO Mini, it does exactly what its supposed to which is charger your EV. The box is plain with just the EO logo on the front and if you were to choose black for colour, the only other vibrant colours you would see is the LED indicator which has red, blue and green to tell you whether it’s on.
To supply the cable you have to drill under and through the EO Mini enclosure, roughly a 20-25mm hole. There is an EO charging output for load management and solar array for solar charging thanks to the CT connections.
Remember to pick a colour that suits your surroundings, it maybe the EO Mini white or black or perhaps you want a more colourful option, but what you don’t want is a charging point that sticks out terribly.
Installation
The installation is straightforward enough but still takes a little longer than other chargers, you are looking at around four hours for an electrician who knows what they’re doing.
On the supply circuit, a dedicated 30mA Type A RCD is required but a Type B RCD is not required as it has an integral 6mA DC leakage detection built in.
A key thing to consider before installing the EO Mini Pro, is that it has no O-PEN protection built in. This protection is what would shut down the EO charger if it detected that the earth was faulty or missing when coming into the property. This is imperative that you have some form of protection as the car body could become live if there was a fault with the EO Mini Pro and the earth was missing or not working properly.
The Garo that we mentioned earlier in the article is a form of O-PEN protection that you should have installed for safety. It will be an optional extra cost of roughly around £130 or you could have earth rod installed for far cheaper, about £25 in total, but we would certainly recommend the Garo.
Having looked at the EO Mini Pro, for a 16A charging station they advise a 20A rated supply and for a 32A charging station, a 40A supply. Your electrics may need upgrading, it all depends on how much power they draw.
Within the EO Mini Pro, there are different lights that indicate any faults that have been detected. If there is no earth connection, then two short red flashes will appear and if the natural and live conductors are revered, four short red flashes will show. All electricians will have their own equipment for testing, but it’s a helpful feature from EO.
If the EO Mini Pro is installed with a Garo earthing device then no rod is needed, but if you don’t use a Garo, you should still use an earth rod. You can install the EO Mini Pro inside a garage for example and that way it would use the house earthing and not need a separate device. But this would mean you could only charge indoors and would have to put the electric vehicle in the garage every time, doing it outside with this setup is dangerous.
There is a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) within the circuit board of the EO that serves as the computer and there’s a separate control board for power control. Firmware updates can be done automatically through both of these.
Charging Speed & Experience
The EO Mini is available tethered or untethered so you can decide whether you want the built-in cable or not. It’s easy to use, you simply plug the charger in and your vehicle will start charging automatically as long as you have everything set up correctly.
When we trialled this product, we found it not to be the most fancy but in terms of charging ability, it’s easy to use and consistent, what more could you want?
When it comes to speed, it charges at 7.2kW which is on par with the rest of the charging units in the industry. It adds around 25-30 miles of range per hour depending on weather conditions and battery size.
Charging Schedules
You can set up the charging schedules and times through the smartphone app. Well get onto the app later in the article but you can set schedule charging from the EO smart home app so when you do plug it in, the car starts charging straight away.
Tethered or Untethered
If you are unsure what the difference is, a tethered charger is when the EV charger has a built-in cable and an untethered charger has no built-in cable. Luckily, the EO Mini Pro comes available in both so you can choose what you prefer.
The tethered version is about 25% extra than the untethered charger but it’s a lot more convenient. You will need to purchase a wall hook separately in order to hang your own cable up safely.
Cable Length
All the tethered options come with a 5m cable which is standard but the EO Genius 2 has a 7.5m and 10m cable available.
Connecting
After putting it to the test, we found connecting to be very simple, your EO Mini Pro is connected to your wi fi during installation and then you connect your phone afterwards. The EO smart home app shows you how to create an account and it takes no longer than 5 minutes to get it all up and running.
Dimensions & Specifications
- Brand – EO
- Sockets – 1
- Colour – Blue, Silver, White, Black
- Wifi – Yes
- Wattage – 7.2kW
- Voltage – 230v
- Dimensions (without cable) – 175 x 125 x 125mm
- Weight – 1.3kg (without cable)
App
The app is unfortunately known for being a bit buggy and slow according to reviews on Google Play and the App Store. When it does work it provides key data including such as home charging session times, charge duration and energy prices and usage.
In terms of looks, it’s easy to navigate around and shouldn’t cause any confusion. However, if you really don’t like the app, you can if it has one, use the vehicle manufacturer app instead which means the EO would simply just become a charge point.
Unlike other brands which grant you an LED screen to use and report from, the EO Mini Pro is controlled solely through the smart home app either on Android or iPhone.
App Screens
There are 4 main screens that you get when you use the EO app, these are:
Main Screen – This shows you all the settings in the EO app and whether your vehicle is charging. It also shows charge state, charging rate, energy supplied and state of charge when your car is connected.
Charging Options – You have the choice of three EV charging options these are Off Peak, Solar and Scheduled.
Session Details – No matter if your car is plugged in or not, you can view all EV charging sessions as the session details are stored in the cloud.
Menu Options – Shows the fundamentals of the app including support, settings, history and your profile.
Status Lights
There are only 3 lights on the EO Mini as everything is controlled through the app. The red light indicates an error which needs to be addressed, the blue light means it’s ready for charging and the green light means your car is charging.
You can control nearly everything through the app, the only times you’ll really use the unit itself is when you use the cable to plug it in.
Is The EO Solar Compatible?
It’s worth investing in the solar option if you have solar panels already installed. You can charge your EV using solar charging by itself without having to pull any power from the grid.
Depending on how many panels you have, you’ll be able to generate anywhere between 3.6kW – 7kW through solar charging which is more than enough to charge a car.
Eo Mini Pro 2 Advantages & Disadvantages
Benefits
Colours – There is a range of colours to choose from with the EO Mini Pro.
Tethered/Untethered – You get the option of either which is handy for a home charger.
Solar Compatible – Use the solar panels on your roof to charge your EV.
Size – Fits perfectly on your home without being noticed.
Drawbacks
EO App – For the price, the app could be improved with fewer bugs.
Customer Service
If you struggle with anything or need to speak to the customer service team or contact EO, then reach them here about the EV chargers, then you need to contact this number 0333 7720383 and they’re open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
FAQs
Does EO Mini Pro 2 require an earth rod?
Yes, it does require a Garo or an earth rod, we would always recommend a Garo for about £125.
Does the EO Mini Lock?
Yes, you can lock it through the app, on the home screen there is a padlock symbol in the bottom right-hand corner when that is closed it means the charger is locked, and if it’s open it means the charger is unlocked.
Last Word
We hope you learnt a lot in this Eo Mini Pro Review and even though it’s considered by some as the smallest smart electric vehicle charger out there, it still has plenty to offer with it’s smart charging capabilities.
For a rating, we would give it an 8.6/10 due to its reliable charging speed, the fact you can use the tethered version or the untethered version and it’s just one of the few very smart and clean EV home chargers. There are others that are bulky and stand out quite a lot, this does the polar opposite.
If you need us to show you other reviews or other EV charger companies that we looked at, then check out our main page, which is useful as it has a list of EV charger companies that are all producing excellent chargers for your electric cars. You can also compare electric chargers for home with our list of the top brands on this page.
