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New? Actually, the third generation of our WARP Charger (WARP3 Charger) has been available in our shop since the end of March. We apologize for not sharing this news earlier here on the blog. The success of the new wallbox generation caught us off guard, and we simply didn’t get around to reporting it. So, here’s a belated but comprehensive update.

With this new wallbox generation, we’ve also revamped the associated online presence: on warp-charger.com, you’ll find a completely new website dedicated to our wallboxes. Additionally, we’ve updated the documentation for the wallbox. Technical information about the API, compatible power meters, etc., can be found on a separate subpage at docs.warp-charger.com.

With WARP3, we’ve implemented your feedback and made several improvements. Below, we’d like to briefly highlight the most important changes compared to WARP2:

• The WARP3 Charger features integrated phase switching. Two 63A contactors are installed, allowing the wallbox to automatically switch to single-phase operation for PV surplus charging, enabling a charging power starting from just 1.4kW.
• The WARP3 Charger Pro now uses a high-quality Eltako power meter, compared to the previously used Eastron power meter. An RGB LED on the front panel visualizes the status of the wallbox.
• Installation has been significantly simplified. We’ve ensured that there is considerably more space for cable management within the wallbox. The power supply line is conveniently connected to a terminal block in all models. The LAN cable is now also connected directly to the controller again, rather than via an adapter cable. Here too, we’ve made sure that there is ample space for all common RJ45 plug types.
• The good things have remained. The WARP3 is still modular, allowing individual parts to be replaced. The housing has also been retained, so the durable and handy polyester casing is still in use. Even though it’s technically unnecessary, we continue to use massive 63A contactors to ensure a long service life.

Software Updates

Since our last blog post, a lot has happened on the software front. There have been multiple updates for the WARP3, but of course, we haven’t forgotten about the older generations either.

Power Meter Interfaces

Our wallboxes and the WARP Energy Manager can now read data from power meters, inverters, and battery storage systems. Technically, we treat all of these as power meters since they provide us with performance data and other relevant metrics.

In addition to SunSpec, we now also directly support SMA Speedwire, allowing us to read inverters and power meters via these interfaces. Furthermore, with the latest firmware update, the wallboxes can directly query devices using Modbus TCP. We've created register tables for known devices, so inverters from Victron or Deye, for example, can be easily read. However, you can also create your own Modbus TCP register tables if you want to query a device that we don't yet support. We're working on providing register tables for as many devices as possible so that you can simply select them. We’ve also increased the maximum number of configurable power meters to five for the wallboxes and seven for the Energy Manager.

You can find an overview of compatible power meters here.

Remote Access to the Wallbox

The alpha release for remote access has been published in the forum. Here’s the related blog post with the corresponding firmware.

This feature allows you to access your wallbox remotely via your browser. Unlike solutions from other manufacturers, communication is end-to-end encrypted and does not pass through our server. However, a relay server is required, which we provide via my.warp-charger.com. A detailed technical description can be found in the post on Tinkerunity. We expect to include remote access in an upcoming firmware release soon.

iOS and Android App

We’re currently developing apps for iOS and Android to access the wallboxes. These apps will utilize the remote access mentioned above, making it even more convenient to control the wallboxes.

Dynamic Load Management

After a long wait, it’s finally happening. We’re actively testing this feature and have released a beta version in the forum. After more testing this feature will be soon included in a realese firmware. We invested a lot work to get the load management right and cope with different car behaviours and have implemented special handling to ensure a fair charging. You can read more technical information about it in the charge management documentation.

Automatic Firmware Update

Within the next firmware release there will be that feature that you can press a button and the wallbox will scan for an firmware update. If there is a newer firmware available an automatic update is also possible by pressing another button.

Looking Ahead

Dynamic Electricity Prices & PV Yield Forecasting

We are working on supporting dynamic electricity prices for charging with the wallboxes. This means the wallbox can charge the vehicle when the electricity price is at its lowest. However, this option competes with PV surplus charging. It wouldn’t make sense to charge at 4:00 AM with cheap electricity at 15 cents, only to have the PV system generate enough power at 8:00 AM, allowing for even cheaper charging. For this reason, a PV yield forecast feature will be added, enabling the system to decide whether to wait for PV surplus charging or use the cheaper night-time grid electricity.

WARP Energy Manager 2.0

Our WARP Energy Manager was heavily focused on the WARP2 Charger and specifically designed for external phase switching for that wallbox. This feature is no longer necessary for the WARP3 Charger. With the WARP Energy Manager 2.0, we’ve started work on the second generation. The new Energy Manager will use the same concept but will feature more inputs and outputs. It will be controllable as a managed consumer device under the "§14A EnWG Steuerbare Verbrauchseinrichtungen" regulation. SG-Ready capable heat pumps and other devices can be controlled similarly to the WARP Chargers using PV yield and dynamic electricity prices.

Today we have released version 1.9 of the HAT Brick. This new version is equipped with an improved power supply and can now be operated with an input voltage of 6V-36V. The HAT Brick also supports the power-hungry Raspberry Pi 5.

Additionally, we have released a new Bricklet: The Industrial Dual AC In Bricklet. This Bricklet features two 230VAC-compatible digital inputs. It can be used to monitor two separate 230VAC circuits. Both circuits share a common neutral.

This blog entry is only available in german.

Review 2023

In 2022, we still struggled with issues related to the chip shortage. However, in 2023, these problems were mostly resolved. Only in isolated cases it is still challenging to procure components. Fortunately, material costs have also not continued to rise and have stabilized.

In 2023, there were many developments in the area of our wallboxes. For example, we released the WARP Energy Manager, allowing users to analyze home energy consumption. With the latest firmware, various Modbus-RTU, API, Sunspec, and soon Modbus-TCP electricity meters can be read. The meter data is stored locally on the Energy Manager and can be analyzed in hourly and monthly graphs. Additionally, the Energy Manager enables automatic phase switching for WARP2 Chargers, allowing charging with lower power (~1.4kW) for charging with PV. User-defined rules can also control external devices through the Energy Manager.

With the WARP2 Charger wallboxes, there have been significant developments in the software as well. In addition to numerous detailed improvements, new interfaces (OCPP, Modbus TCP, Wiregard) were introduced, providing the option for energy and time limits, along with the addition of a charging logbook. The WARP Charger now supports up to 32 NFC tags. Users can define rules for setting charging currents or sending MQTT messages. We have extended the warranty for a WARP Charger to 3 years. There are also visual updates – in addition to stainless steel, wallboxes and charging stations are now also available in powder-coated variant in the color DB703.

One of the major efforts for us in 2023 was the relocation to a new and bigger property. Apart from the actual move of materials and offices, there were several side issues. For instance, we struggled for a long time to establish a reliable internet connection. This was unexpected, considering that the property has a fiber connection that was used by the previous owner. We had to make do with an LTE connection for months. The relevant departments of the involved companies did their best, or at least, we were assured of that. Well, let bygones be bygones. We have moved, and everyone is delighted with their new offices, ample storage space, and good infrastructure! Next on the agenda is the installation of a solar power system of nearly 200 kWp and a charging infrastructure with 16 WARP Wallboxes and 10 PV carports in our parking lot. The parking lot has already been expanded for this purpose, and the foundations for the carports are also already in place. We will keep you updated on this.

For the Tinkerforge system of building blocks, there were also many improvements, such as new firmwares.

Outlook 2024

In the first quarter, we plan to release the WARP3 Charger (photo is of early prototype, there will still be some changes).

The WARP3 Charger will feature two contactors, allowing for the internal switching between 1-phase and 3-phase charging. Together with the ability to read meters using SunSpec, this enables PV surplus charging without an external WARP Energy Manager. Two DIN rail-mounted 63A contactors are used to ensure no compromises are made, avoiding soldered or less able contactors. Additionally, a terminal block will always be present, even in the Pro variant, simplifying the electrical installation. The internal LAN connection has also been improved. WARP3 uses the same basic housing as the WARP2 Wallbox, so we had to significantly reduce the size of the charging electronics to fit everything into the enclosure. Furthermore, WARP3 features an RGB LED for easier communication of various states. Dynamic load management will also be introduced through a software update in the near future.

On the software side, the development of the WARP3 Charger is shared with the WARP2 and even the WARP1 Wallbox. Any further innovations, as long as they are technically feasible, will therefore also be implemented in these Wallboxes.

In addition to our WARP products, the Tinkerforge system of building blocks is also being further developed. For example, we will soon be releasing a new HAT Brick with a more powerful power supply.

The year is still in its early stages. Look forward to many news and improvements!

We wish you all the best for 2024!

Team Tinkerforge

Since yesterday, we have officially moved to a new location at Helleforthstraße 22-28. Our new building is just a few meters away from our old site, but it's significantly larger and more spacious. As you can see from the photos, we're in the midst of our relocation efforts. We're currently in the process of setting up our offices, organizing our warehouse, and enhancing the outdoor facilities. Excitingly, we're also investing in a larger photovoltaic system and multiple electric vehicle charging points. We can't wait to show you our brand-new location once it's fully furnished and ready. In the meantime all the shippments and our support will go on as usual. Stay tuned!