Ohme Home Pro Review

It's all about that screen!

Ohme Home Pro review

One of the common things we hear from electric car owners is they wish their home charger had a screen and control panel. If you feel the same way, the Ohme Home Pro might just be the perfect EV charger for you.

Ohme has been on a tear in 2023, sealing partnerships with Mercedes and Polestar to offer the Ohme Home Pro in dealerships. If these premium car brands are happy to recommend Ohme chargers, the company must be doing something right!

Ohme Home Pro

The Ohme Home Pro is Ohme’s top of the range smart charger, sitting a level above the untethered Ohme ePod with an in-built display and a tethered cable. It has dynamic charging technology, a fancy term to describe smart tariff integration to track costs and trigger charging when electricity prices are the lowest, helping keep your electricity bill down and satisfying Smart Charge Point Regs.

Another key selling point for the Ohme Home Pro is Ohme’s award-winning customer support and their stellar reputation in the industry. You get a 3-year warranty as standard and the team is always happy to help, making ownership a pleasure.

Our Ohme Home Pro review reveals everything you need to know about this charger.

Let’s jump in!

Installation price: Around £999 with a standard installation minus the OZEV grant (which is only available to landlords).

Ohme Home Pro review

Alfred Maxwell

Smart home charger
Design
Build quality
Software/app
Ease of installation
Charging experience

Our verdict

The Ohme Home Pro stands out with an LCD screen and an in-built control panel that lets you control charging at the charge point. It’s an excellent smart charger, with the only downsides being no solar support and no untethered option (although there’s the ePod for that). We love the app and the hardware as a complete package.

4.4

Pros

  • No earth rod
  • Display and control panel
  • Small
  • 4G (3-year SIM included)
  • Excellent app
  • Wall mount for charger head

Cons

  • No solar support
  • Limited API support
  • Locking could be easier

Quick review

The Ohme Home Pro is a contender for the best smart home charger of the year with a relatively compact footprint and an excellent LCD screen that lets you control charging from the charger.

It’s tethered, charging at speeds up to 7.4kW and it has in-built earthing, so you don’t need an additional earthing solution.

Ohme Home Pro review 2

Downsides include no solar integration and a requirement for a strong mobile signal for the smart features to work — the charger runs 3G/4G with a three-year SIM included, with the charger connecting to Three, EE, O2 or Vodafone (whichever is strongest).

You can operate the Ohme Home Pro with scheduling, or you can power it up when needed and plug in. The choice is yours.

The unit provides up to 7.4kW (32A) charging power to the vehicle when connected via the Type 2 cable. It automatically detects when a vehicle is connected and charging begins based on the vehicle’s requests. The current/power is modulated during charging to maximise efficiency and performance and charging will stop when the vehicle indicates it is fully charged.

Ohme Home Pro installation

The Ohme Home Pro has an integrated O-PEN fault device, so it doesn’t need an earth rod or any other earthing electrode. It also has an internal RCD Type A with 6 mA DC, so doesn’t require any upstream RCD.  

This means the Ohme Home Pro can be installed with minimal electrical work, with full installation taking around three hours. It has IP55 ingress protection, so is suitable for both internal and external installation.

Installing the Ohme Home Pro

You don’t need to connect the Ohme Home Pro to your home Wi-Fi because it has its own SIM card, with costs covered for three years. This simplifies the setup – all you need to do is connect your smartphone to the charger.

The CT Clamp, wago connectors and lightning junction box are included so your electrician won’t need much additional hardware. The package includes a 5m Type 2 cable which should be more than sufficient for most people.

To enable load balancing, you need to connect the supplied CT clamp to the charger. The CT clamp cables can be extended if needed. The clamp wiring is not polarity sensitive and you can install the clamp in either direction.

Ohme Home Pro

To extend the cables, use a suitable 3-core cable like Ohme’s recommended EV Ultra Cable. This can extend the run up to 60m.

The circuit board and power module are all built-in, so the electrician has minimal configuration work. Installation is a case of wiring up the RCD, feeding the cable to the install location, and connecting the Ohme Home Pro.

Our electrician loves the quality of the Ohme, which inspires confidence during unboxing and installation. The unit feels robust and doesn’t creak when you press hard on the casing, something we can’t say the same for cheaper chargers.

As an electrician installing this unit, there are some key steps to follow:

Pre-Installation

  • Read through the product manual and safety information. Be familiar with the specifications and wiring diagram.
  • Survey the installation location. The unit is rated for outdoor use but ensure the mounting surface is suitable and there is adequate mobile signal strength.
  • Check the electrical supply meets the requirements – 230V single phase supply with spare capacity of at least 16A, plus provision for a 40A type B MCB for overcurrent protection.

Mounting

  • Mount the back plate securely using suitable fixings for the surface.
  • Attach the unit to the back plate using the screws provided.
  • Mount the cable holder and connector holster.

Electrical Connection

  • Bring the supply cables into a suitable junction box near the unit.
  • Connect the phase, neutral, earth and any current sensor wires to the termination block. Use ferrules to avoid damage to conductors.
  • Set the unit’s rated current appropriately via the buttons in installer mode.
  • Enable load balancing if required and set the threshold current. Verify correct clamp operation.
  • Provide a means to isolate the supply to the unit.

Completing Installation

  • Exit installer mode.
  • Set up the smartphone app.
  • Create a mobile connection.
  • That’s it – the Ohme Home Pro is ready to use!

Ohme Home Pro design

The Ohme Home Pro is a beautifully curved black box, measuring 170mm x 200mm x  100mm, making it one of the slimmest chargers on the market (for reference, the EO Mini Pro 2 is 125mm thick, so the Ohme is slimmer!).

Ohme Home Pro review

The case is made from ABS while the front cover is polycarbonate. The build quality is excellent, with the unit feeling solid with no creaking when pressed.

The slimness of the charger means it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb, making it relatively inconspicuous. The black case helps with this and the only design element that stands out is the three blue buttons.

The charger is supplied with a wall-mount for the charger head with an integrated cable hold – the cable wraps around the charger head and wall mount. It’s a simple, effective cable tidy solution that we appreciate because it means we don’t need to get a cable hook.

The LCD screen is really handy (more on this below) and it dims itself after a few seconds, so it doesn’t attract any attention at night.

Overall, the Ohme Home Pro is a well-made, stylish smart home charger with an elegant cable tidy system. It’s clearly made by people who own EVs.

Ohme Home Pro screen

What sets the Ohme Home Pro apart from other home chargers is the 3” LCD screen that lets you control charging and adjust settings from the charger.

The display is always on and can’t be turned off completely, but it dims when not in use and tapping the screen or buttons wakes it up. There are three light blue buttons on the front that cycle through menus and settings. The buttons are solid and feel nice to use.

Ohme Home Pro Tesla

The default display shows the following information:

  • Vehicle charge level
  • Vehicle charge target
  • Time to target
  • Charging speed
  • Time
  • Charging mode (.e.g. Smart Charging)

There are two options you can select from the default screen: Max Charge and Eco Charge, which deliver a different kW rate.

The front of the Ohme Home Pro also hosts two LED status bars that animate to show status, errors and other information.

The LED status lights are helpful. There’s also a touch-sensitive button that you can double-tap to display the charger’s serial number.

Charging experience

The Ohme Home Pro is compatible with all Mode 3 equipped vehicles that use Type 1 or Type 2 connectors.

My favourite feature is Max Charge mode, which when selected will ignore all charge schedules and charge your car at max power until it’s 100% full. The ability to do this from the charger is extremely handy when you get home.

Ohme Home Pro red brick

However, most of the time you’ll make use of charge schedules, which are easy to set from the charger or the Ohme app. For example, you can set your charger to enable charging from 6 am on weekdays. When you plug in, the charger applies the schedule.

An excellent feature of the Ohme Home Pro is the price cap, which ensures your EV won’t charge at a higher price per kWh than you are willing to pay. It ensures you always charge at the cheapest available rate on your energy tariff.

Frustratingly, there isn’t a dedicated lock mode in the Ohme app, however, you can set the charge schedule to 0% for a timeframe if you want to make it unusable, which basically locks it. You can also turn the charger off at the isolator switch.

Randomised delay

  • To prevent overload from multiple chargers starting at the same time, a randomised delay of 10-30 minutes is added to scheduled start and end times.
  • So if charging is set to start at 00:30, it will actually begin anytime between 00:30 and 00:40.
  • End times are varied also – stopping anytime in the last 10-30 mins of a schedule.

Charging for the first time

First, you download the Ohme app from the App Store or Google Play. This allows you to control and monitor your Ohme charger remotely. A strong 3G/4G signal is required for the smart features to work properly.

Once you’ve created your Ohme account, you’ll be prompted to pair your charger. You can do this by scanning the QR code on your charger or manually entering the charger ID code.

The QR code is located on a sticker on the side or base of the charger. Tap “Yes” to proceed to the pairing process.

When prompted, either scan the QR code with your phone’s camera or tap “Enter Manually” and type in the charger ID printed underneath the code. It will look like “ohmeXXXXXXXXXX”. After scanning or entering the code, your charger will be linked to your Ohme account.

Next, select your electric vehicle in the app. This provides Ohme with key details like battery size, range, and max charging speed. With this info, Ohme can charge your vehicle correctly and efficiently. Just choose your car model from the list.

You’ll also need to set your energy tariff so Ohme can charge during cheaper periods and estimate session costs. Pick from common tariffs or create a custom one based on your rate plan.

Scheduling charges is easy with the Ohme app. Just set the desired charge level, time, whether you want preheating/cooling, and Ohme will top up your EV so it’s ready when you need it. Customisable schedules ensure your car is charged how and when you want.

Finally, enable Ohme’s security settings for peace of mind. “Approve each plugin” requires you to authorise sessions via the app. “Lock charger buttons” prevents tampering after plug-in, and “Sleep when inactive” turns off the display and lights when not in use to save energy and reduce visibility.

kWh price caps

You can set up kWh price caps so your Ohme Home Pro only charges at certain rates – useful if you have an Economy 7 or another off-peak tariff.

You set up tariffs manually, which are listed under ‘tariff option’. By setting up a tariff, the app will also collect data about the cost to charge and estimated prices for charge percentage.

Compliance

  • The unit complies with relevant standards including BS EN 61851 and IEC 61000 EMC standards.
  • It meets requirements of BS7671:2018 wiring regulations for PME earthing and switching of protective conductors.
  • An RCD-DD is built-in, certified to IEC62955 for EV charging equipment.
  • The product complies with the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021.

Safety features

  • Integrated Type A 30mA and Type B 6mA RCD to disconnect power if leakage detected.
  • PEN fault detection allows use on PME earth without an earth rod. Disconnects supply if voltage out of range.
  • Tethered cable so users cannot disconnect cable from unit.
  • IP55 rating suitable for outdoor use.
  • Load balancing option prevents overload of supply.
  • No user serviceable parts inside. Tamper-proof enclosure.
  • Supplied with wall mounting kit for secure and safe installation.
  • Default delayed charging times prevent overload at peak periods.
  • Randomised charging start/end times help manage grid demand.

So in summary, the unit has been designed and certified to comply with the latest EV charging equipment standards and safety regulations. The integrated RCDs and fault detection provide protection, while features like tethered cables and tamper-proof casing prevent unsafe use. Proper installation is still vital to ensure safety.

Solar support is missing

The Ohme Home Pro doesn’t have any solar integration, so you can’t charge your car on solar power exclusively. It’s not a deal-breaker, but if you have solar panels and want to run your car off the grid, the Ohme Home Pro isn’t for you.

Load balancing is standard

Thankfully, load balancing is a standard feature. Your incoming fuse will have a maximum load (typically 60A, 80A, 100A) – the Ohme Home Pro charges at 32A and balances the load to prevent an overload, which is essential if you have more than one charger.

Charging speeds

The maximum current available is 7.4kWh which is as fast as it gets on single-phase power, adding around 30 miles of range per hour. At 7.4kW you can expect around 30 miles of range per hour, providing the battery is pre-heated for charging.

API

The Ohme Home Pro connects to your vehicle’s API to collect and log accurate charging information, like state of charge (SOC) and battery level. This unlocks smart features like the ability to set your car to charge to 80%.

Without API, you can still use the Ohme Home Pro, but functionality is more limited. You can set schedules and control charging from your phone and charger control panel, but the charger won’t collect data from your car, relying on its own data source only.

Ohme app

The Ohme app gives you full control over your charging experience, including schedules, smart charging, price caps, charge cycles, CO2 tracking per mile and much more. It provides a full summary at a glance with a modern interface.

Ohme App

The app is fast to use and fully supported by Ohme, with regular updates. It has good reviews on both the App Store and Google Play.

One of the problems some users face is limited smart charging features due to the app not connecting to their electric car. This is because the Ohme app connects to the vehicle manufacturer’s API/telematics services to obtain information from the vehicle. Some vehicles may not be supported.

Ohme lists the following marques as supported for API:

  • BMW
  • Hyundai
  • Jaguar
  • Kia
  • Nissan
  • Renault
  • Tesla
  • Volkswagen (excluding ID.3 and ID.4)

Without API, the Ohme Home Pro isn’t so smart because it has limited access to vehicle data! This can also be a problem when your car won’t connect to the app.

Firmware updates

Thanks to over-the-air firmware and software upgrades, the Ohme Home Pro doesn’t require an engineer to update. Updates can be set up automatically, so the charger keeps itself updated with no user intervention. Ohme releases new firmware every few months, and they welcome user feature requests.

Customer support

Ohme’s customer support is good. Emails are responded to within 72-hours, and they have a published phone number. Issues with chargers are resolved by Ohme Approved Installers, and the company is happy to replace units when faulty.

Ohme Home Pro verdict

The Ohme Home Pro is one of the best home chargers on the market today. The screen is fantastic and the ability to fully control charging at the charge point makes life easier. It’s easy to install with no requirement for an earth rod and it doesn’t need a stable home Wi-Fi connection because it runs off its own SIM card.

Are there any downsides? A few – there’s no solar support, even as an option. Also, the API support doesn’t span all manufacturers, which you need to access vehicle data like miles and state of charge.

Overall, the Ohme Home Pro is a solid 4.4/5.

Alternatives

The Hypervolt Home 3 Pro is a solid alternative with 7.4kW charge speeds, or you can go for the Ohme ePod.

Ohme Home Pro documentation

This review was produced in collaboration with Luke Mason Electrical, OZEV Approved Installers of home chargers in Cheshire and the surrounding area. We extend our thanks to Luke Mason for the photos used in this review. Be sure to visit them if you like what you see!

Do you have the Ohme Home Pro? Help out the Top Charger community by sharing your own review below!
Alfred drives a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus but has his eye on a fully-electric pick-up truck. He'd love an electric Ford Ranger, which should be a real thing in a few years!