A solar installer meets the EV owner at exactly the right moment: the home is being surveyed, the roof and the consumer unit are on the table, and “how will we charge the car?” is a live question. For a distributor, that makes solar firms a strong channel — if you make the charger an easy add-on line on the solar quote, agree who surveys and installs what, and keep the solar claims honest. The channel fails when the bundle is sold on features nobody confirmed in writing.
Key Takeaways
- Solar installers reach EV owners at the survey moment — the charger becomes a named add-on line on the quote.
- The bundle still needs its own survey facts, one installer of record, and a defined fault route.
- No EVDANCE unit claims solar diversion; sell manual current settings and car-side scheduling as what they are.
- Pilot with one or two firms and judge the channel on your own bundle and callback records.
The Bundle Conversation, Stage by Stage
| Stage | The solar installer’s part | Your part as distributor | Agree in writing |
|---|---|---|---|
| The solar quote | Adds the charger as a named line on the quote, priced as hardware plus its installation route | Supplies the quote-ready facts: exact model, connector, current settings, cable, listed certifications | The charger is quoted as its own line — never buried in the panel price |
| The survey | Records the charging facts during the home survey: parking position, supply capacity, cable route | Provides the survey checklist additions and what the survey cannot decide | Who surveys the charger position, and whose visit follows if the supply needs upgrading |
| The installation | Installs the charger if its own licensed electricians do that work, or hands the job to the agreed installer | Keeps stock and the named installer route ready; either way the install is a licensed electrician’s work | One named installer of record per job |
| Aftercare | First contact for the bundle it sold | First response on the unit under the supply terms | Charger fault versus array fault: who receives the call and who attends |
The structure to notice: the solar firm owns the customer conversation, but the charger still needs its own survey facts, its own installer of record and its own fault route. It is a continuous electrical load — under the NEC, sized at 125% of the charger’s current — used every day.
The Honest Feature Line
Solar buyers ask one question above all: “will it charge from my panels?” Answer it only from written specifications. No EVDANCE listing claims a solar-surplus or diversion mode, or a meter-linked eco mode — so no bundle you supply should promise automatic solar matching for our units. What can be said truthfully depends on the model and the car: some chargers let the user set a lower charging current — the EV-ACS3210T offers six steps from 10 to 32 A, the EV-ACS4005T adjusts across 16/24/32/40 A — and many cars schedule charging from their own settings. That is manual control, honestly described. Our consumer guide to solar panels and EV chargers explains what charging from solar does and does not do. If a customer needs true surplus-following behaviour, that is a written specification to confirm for the specific charger and car — never an assumption built into a quote.
Pilot It, Then Measure It
Start with one or two solar firms whose licensed electricians already do, or can partner for, the charger work. Give them the fact pack and survey additions, agree the fault route, and run an agreed period. Judge the channel on your own records: bundles quoted, chargers installed, callbacks by cause. EVDANCE supplies distributors through its reseller and distributor programme; shortlist home lines from the product range and talk to us via contact us about the bundle pack for your market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a charger have to be “solar compatible” to be added to a solar quote?
Any correctly installed charger charges the car; the array and the charger are separate systems sharing one supply. “Solar compatible” means something specific only when a model’s written specification states a surplus or diversion function. If the specification does not state it, do not sell it.
Who should install the charger in a solar bundle?
A licensed electrician — either the solar firm’s own, where charger work is inside their licence and competence, or a named installation partner. What matters is that one party is the installer of record, agreed before the bundle is quoted, not after the panels are on the roof.
What should the distributor put in the solar firm’s hands?
A quote-ready pack: the models you want bundled, one-page fact sheets drawn from the published specifications, the survey questions to add to their home visit, and the fault route in one paragraph. Ambiguity in the pack becomes a promise in the sales conversation.
Related Reading
- Solar Panels and EV Chargers: How to Charge Your Car With Sunshine
- How to Find EV Charger Distributors and Installers to Sell To
- EV Charger Warranty and After-Sales Terms: A Distributor’s Checklist
- EV Charger Certifications Explained: CE, UKCA, UL, ETL, CB and What Buyers Should Ask For
