Rolec Wallpod Homesmart Review
The Rolec smart charger is one of those that fly under the radar but is stylish, affordable and easy to use.
It may not be the most elegant or sophisticated on the market, but it’s reliable and provides a great charging experience.
In this Rolec WallPod review, we are going to find out just what makes it special.
Let’s get searching…
Quick Review
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Quality app
- Solid construction
- TruePEN technology
- Tethered & untethered
Cons
- App is not owned by Rolec
What Is A Rolec EV Charger?
The Rolec is one of the top-rated EV chargers on the market, yet a lot of people have never heard of it. It may not be one of the most well-known brands but it certainly is capable and offers a wonderful charging experience.
It’s simple yet effective, it may not be the most appealing to the eye, but it offers excellent features within the app so you can have a smooth experience, there are different versions of this model depending on whether you want simplicity or more details and it’s easy to install.
You can’t really go wrong with the Roelc, let us show you why.
WallPod Versions
You have two different types of WallPod chargers:
- Rolec WallPod: EV
- Rolec WallPod: EV HomeSmart
The Rolec Wallpod:EV is just a simpler basic version of the other one. For example, it’s a plug-and-play device that gives you charging speeds of 3.6kW or 7.2kW on a 32A or 16A circuit. It is basically a powerful socket and the reason it’s far cheaper than its counterpart is that it doesn’t have detailed information.
You can’t find out information about your charges and you can’t schedule charges either, it’s literally just to plug into your electric vehicle to charge, that’s it. This obviously might suit people more than others, but it’s considerably cheaper to buy and install than the Rolec WallPod: EV HomeSmart.
Speaking of which has a lot more going for it in terms of smart features. You are able to see detailed information about your charging sessions, schedule charges for certain times of the day and connect to the app.
The WallPod: EV HomeSmart is just the smarter version of the same charger and the one that we will be reviewing today.
Design
The Rolec is a clean and professional-looking charger that doesn’t stand out too much. It’s quite narrow but tall in height as you can see from the dimensions further down and it also has a polycarbonate case for durability
You can buy this charger either tethered or untethered. If you decide to opt for the tethered version, we would recommend a cable hook as this will keep your cable from hanging over the charger.
There are a variety of colours to choose from including all black, black and red, black and green and white and green. We prefer black and red as it doesn’t stand out too much but still offers it a bit of personality.
The Rolec also signals what charging status it is on through a LED indicator. It will either flash or stay solid with the colours green, red, blue and we’ll explain what each of these means later on. Another handy feature is the boost button which will charge your car at the quickest speed, this is useful if you are in a rush and only have a couple of hours to charge.
The actual construction of the charging unit is solid and well-built. With the polycarbonate casing, it’s extremely durable and can withstand severe weather. It certainly doesn’t feel flimsy or as if it’s ever going to come off the wall.
Rolec Charger Installation
For any competent electrician, the Rolec is easy to install, it doesn’t require an earth rod as it already has built-in TruePEN PME fault detection.
The unit itself is quite small so when you lift the casing up it can be quite compact. Between the wiring, terminal bracket, circuit board and connectors there is very little room. The major benefit through is that everything is preconfigured so the wiring just needs to be connected to the terminals.
There is a GPRS signal antenna and built in modem which allows connecting to your phone very straightforwardly. The built-in roaming SIM card will connect to the strongest available signal nearby and it can be installed anywhere you want as there is no WiFi connectivity.
The Rolec fits directly to the wall as there is no mounting bracket.
Charging Speed & Experience
Using the wallpod is incredibly easy, the Rolec’s a versatile charger that has many different versions to choose from. Depending on what one you choose will offer something slightly different, but they are all reliable when it comes to charging.
On a 16A circuit the Rolec charges at 3.6kW and on a 32A , it charges up to 7.2kW. If you are charging at 7.2kW, you can expect it to add around 25 miles of range per hour to your car. It’s very easy to charge your car and the Rolec really does offer a complete charging experience.
Cable Length To Car
The tethered version is a standard 5m cable as with most electric vehicle chargers, but you can upgrade this to 10m if you need to.
Dimensions & Specifications
- Brand – Rolec
- Sockets – 1
- Colour – Black/White/Grey
- Wifi – No
- Wattage – 7.4kW
- Voltage – 230v
- Dimensions (without cable) – 179 x 367 x 142mm
- Weight – 3kg-7kg (model dependent)
EV Energy App
Rolec doesn’t actually have its own app, they have to rely on a third party called EV Energy. Luckily, the app is one of the best on the market and we couldn’t really find any faults in it.
It’s easy to use, the interface is lovely and clean without displaying lots of data that can become overwhelming. You get access to charging sessions which display total cost, electricity used, energy consumption rate and carbon intensity. As you can see, it provides detailed information about your charging system with a brilliant overview.
The way in which the app works is by syncing with the Rolec through either ethernet or GPRS. It enables smart scheduling and gathered data about how much energy your using.
You can enable smart charging through the app and the idea is to be able to charge at off-peak hours. By charging at certain times of the day, you will get access to a cheaper EV tariff because of the lower energy rates.
The smart features themselves include a number of things, including stop/start charging, notifications about your charging, what status your homesmart charger is in and charging history so you can keep track of how much you spend and use per day, week or month.
Also within the app when using scheduled charging, you can see your battery capacity, max charge limit and when your next charging session is planned for. Your max charge limit should always be set to about 80%.
Finally, there is a boost button which will override any planned charges and immediately put you on the fastest charging rate. There is no waiting about, it will start electric vehicle charging at maximum output right away.
Status Lights
Below we explain what the different status lights mean so you always know what stage your home charging unit is in:
- Solid Green – Charging
- Solid Blue – Cable is plugged in but not yet charging
- Flashing Blue – Ready for charging
- Flashing Red – Problem (Try resetting the Rolec charger)
Is It Solar Compatible
Unfortunately all of the WallPod:EV models are not solar compatible. If you have solar panels on your roof and want a dedicated EV charging unit to maximize this, then the WallPod:EV SolarCHARGE is the one for you.
Through the current transformer (CT) and data cable, this model tracks and monitors solar generation.
Rolec Benefits & Drawbacks
Below we list a few advantages and disadvantages we think the Rolec has:
Pros:
- Tethered or Untethered – This is useful and allows you to decide which is the better option for your home
- Excellent App – It may not be owned by Rolec but there is no denying that a quality easy to use app makes the charging experience a lot better
- Solid Build – The construction of the Rolec is very good and you never feel as if you have bought a flimsy car charger
Cons:
- Not solar compatible – You have to buy a certain version of charger for solar compatibility
FAQs
Where are Rolec Chargers Made?
Rolec chargers are made in Boston, Lincolnshire in the UK. They have a commercial warehouse and two factory complexes based there.
Who Owns Rolec EV?
Rolec EV is owned by a company called Sdiptech AB.
Do Rolec Chargers Require An Earth Rod?
No Rolec chargers don’t require an earth rod as they already have a built-in TruePEN PME fault
Last Word
That’s it! We hope you enjoyed this charger review as much as we did and as you can see, it’s a really top end charger that not too many people seem to know about. It’s not as renowned as some of the other brands but it gets an 8.5/10 rating from us.
It doesn’t do anything outstandingly but its good in all areas without anything specific letting it down. The app is easy to use, the LED status lights let you know at all times what mode your charger is in and you have different Rolec versions, so you can choose a cheaper one if you like or opt for the more expensive one with lots more features.
If you want to compare our other reviews on home chargers, see this page with our list of charging systems.
