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What is load balancing and why can it affect charging?

Load balancing means your charger adjusts how much power it uses so that the overall site stays within a safe electrical limit.

You may also hear this described as dynamic charging or dynamic load management. In everyday use, it simply means the charger shares the available power instead of always taking the maximum possible charge rate.

What is a site limit?

A site limit is the maximum amount of power or current that should be used for EV charging at a property or location.

This helps protect the electrical supply by making sure the charger does not overload the site when:

  • other appliances are using power
  • more than one charger is sharing the same supply
  • the installation has been configured with a lower safe charging limit

What might I notice when load balancing is active?

If load balancing or a site limit is affecting charging, you may notice:

  • charging starts later than expected
  • the charging current changes during the session
  • the app shows a lower amp limit than usual
  • the Charger readiness card shows a waiting or paused state

None of these automatically mean something is wrong. In many cases, the charger is working as intended and protecting the site's available power.

Why would charging speed change during a session?

The available power at a property can change throughout the day. For example:

  • the cooker, shower, or heat pump may turn on
  • another EV may begin charging
  • the site may temporarily have less spare capacity available

When that happens, load balancing can lower the charger's rate for a while and then increase it again when more capacity becomes available.

Does load balancing mean my charger is faulty?

No. A lower charge rate or short delay can be completely normal when load balancing is active.

It usually means the charger is responding to the available site power rather than failing.

If the app repeatedly shows Charging paused or Waiting for site telemetry for a long time, read Why does the app say Charging paused?.

When should I get help?

Contact PlugStream support or your installer if:

  • charging never starts even after waiting
  • the app repeatedly shows Charging paused
  • the app repeatedly shows Waiting for site telemetry
  • the charger used to charge normally and recently stopped after electrical or installer changes