The SEAK LUMiCHARGER RS485 is a single-phase or three-phase AC charging station for electric vehicles with an RS-485 communication interface. TapHome communicates with the charger over Modbus RTU and reads the charging session state with decoded status, warning and error messages, sets the maximum charging current and shows the measured current on phases L1, L2 and L3. Service actions stop charging, end the charging session, disable the charger and unlock the connector. The stand-mounted LUMiCHARGER S2S also lists RS-485 among its communication interfaces.
The template is written for the charger’s stand-alone mode (register 0x0300 = 1): charging starts automatically after the vehicle is connected, with the current set by the maximum charging current. It targets firmware X101.10.15.0; the decoded status needs at least X101.10.07.0 (see Configuration).
Hardware connection
The charging station works with mains voltage. Installation may only be carried out by persons qualified in electrical engineering, in accordance with the standards and regulations of the country. Before any work, switch off the main power switch of the charging station and check that the cables are not live.
The manufacturer’s instructions for the LUMiCHARGER S2S name the following points for the power connection:
- The station is connected with a 3F + N + PE cable.
- The station includes an RCD-A-EV residual current device, so a separate one does not need to be installed.
RS-485 bus
Connect the charger to an RS-485 bus of the TapHome Core and keep the A/B polarity the same along the whole bus. The manufacturer’s Modbus description does not document the terminal layout of the RS-485 port; take it from the installation documentation of the charger or from the installer.
The RS-485 bus must be terminated at both ends (typically 120 Ω). The charger has a built-in terminating resistor that is switched on through register 0x0326 (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled); enable it when the charger is the last device on the bus.
Configuration
Communication parameters
The template expects 9600 Bd, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit and Modbus address (Slave ID) 1; the Slave ID is an import parameter and can be changed when the template is added. The manufacturer’s Modbus description does not state the factory settings of the RS-485 port.
The charger’s serial settings are changed through these holding registers:
| Register | Setting | Values | Value for the template |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0x0307 | Device address | 1–247 | the Slave ID entered in TapHome |
| 0x0326 | Terminating resistor | 0 = disabled, 1 = enabled | according to the bus |
| 0x0327 | Baud rate | 0 = 1200, 1 = 1800, 2 = 2400, 3 = 4800, 4 = 9600, 5 = 115200, 6 = 250000 | 4 (9600) |
| 0x0328 | Parity | 0 = none, 1 = even, 2 = odd | 0 |
| 0x0329 | Stop bits | 0 = one, 1 = two | 0 |
A new address in 0x0307 takes effect only after a power supply reset of the charger. The registers are written with Modbus function 0x06 (registers 0x0326–0x0329 also with 0x10).
The template does not write these registers. To change them, the current settings must already match the Modbus tool used for the change. How to reach the charger when its present settings are unknown is not described in the manufacturer’s documentation — if you do not know the current address, baud rate and parity, verify them with SEAK or with the installation company.
Charging mode
The charger can operate in three charging modes, selected in register 0x0300:
| Value | Mode | Behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Controller mode | After the vehicle is connected, the controller has to allow charging |
| 1 | Stand-alone mode | Charging starts after the vehicle is connected |
| 2 | Authorisation controller mode | The user has to authorise first, then the controller allows charging |
The template is built for mode 1. It does not read or write register 0x0300, so the mode has to be set on the charger beforehand (with a Modbus tool or by the installer). In stand-alone mode, register 0x0301 (actual allowed charging current) is disabled and the vehicle charges with the overall maximal current limit 0x0320. Modes 0 and 2, RFID authorisation and the controller commands of those modes are not handled by the template.
The instructions for the LUMiCHARGER S2S describe starting a charge after RFID authentication or by logging in through a phone app. That is the authorised workflow, not stand-alone mode; check which mode the station is set to before using this template.
Firmware
The status decoding uses the new status byte introduced with firmware X101.10.07.0 (bit 7 active charging session, bit 6 current capacity exceeded, bit 5 vehicle connected, bits 4–0 state code). With older firmware these flags do not exist, so the charging session switch and the vehicle-connected and capacity-exceeded messages do not work. The firmware version of the charger is shown in the module’s service attribute (see below).
Adding the charger in TapHome
Add the template on the RS-485 bus of the TapHome Core set to 9600 Bd, 8N1, and enter the charger’s Modbus address as the Slave ID.
Device capabilities
Charging state
The charging state (Stav LUMiCHARGER) reads the status register 0x0406 every 5 seconds. The switch is on (Nabíja) while bit 7 — Active charging session — is set, and off (Nenabíja) otherwise. Bit 7 marks the whole charging session, not only the time when current flows, so the switch can stay on after the vehicle has finished charging; whether current is flowing is shown by the state message Nabíjanie prebieha (state 3) and by the phase currents. The template defines no write action for this switch — charging is controlled with the service actions below.
The state code (bits 4–0) and the two flags are shown on the device as messages:
| State code | Manufacturer’s state | Message in TapHome | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | No vehicle connected | Žiadne vozidlo | Info |
| 1 | Authorisation in progress | Prebieha autorizácia | Info |
| 2 | Ready to charge | Pripravený na nabíjanie | Info |
| 3 | Charging | Nabíjanie prebieha | Info |
| 4 | Charging disabled | Nabíjanie zakázané | Warning |
| 5 | Error – overcurrent | CHYBA: Prúdové preťaženie | Error |
| 6 | Alert – leakage current detected (temporary) | VAROVANIE: Únikový prúd (dočasne) | Warning |
| 7 | Error – leakage current detected (permanent) | CHYBA: Únikový prúd (trvalá porucha) | Error |
| 8 | Error – RFID power failure | CHYBA: Zlyhanie napájania RFID | Error |
| 9 | Error – RFID case breached | CHYBA: Skrinka RFID porušená | Error |
| 10 | Error – RFID authorisation failed | CHYBA: Autorizácia RFID zlyhala | Error |
| 11 | Vehicle connected, authorisation from the controller required | Vozidlo čaká na povolenie | Info |
| 12 | Charging finished | Nabíjanie ukončené | Info |
| 13 | User logged out | Používateľ odhlásený | Info |
| 15 | Error – CP short circuit | CHYBA: Skrat na vodiči CP | Error |
| 16 | Charging interrupted | Nabíjanie prerušené | Warning |
| 17 | Finishing charging | Ukončovanie relácie | Warning |
| 18 | Error – RFID authorisation refused | CHYBA: RFID autorizácia odmietnutá | Error |
| bit 5 | Vehicle connected | Vozidlo pripojené | Info |
| bit 6 | Current capacity exceeded | Kapacita siete prekročená | Warning |
State 14 (current capacity exceeded) is not used from firmware X101.10.07 on; bit 6 replaced it.
The charging state device carries one service attribute, the raw status register (Hrubý stavový register (hex)). Despite its name, the value is shown as a decimal number — for example 163 is 0xA3: bit 7 (active session) + bit 5 (vehicle connected) + state 3 (charging).
Service actions
The charging state device offers four service actions:
| Action | Register | What it does |
|---|---|---|
Stop charging (Zastaviť nabíjanie) | 0x0305 | Stops charging during a charge |
End charging session (Ukončiť nabíjaciu reláciu) | 0x030A | Ends the session and prepares the charger for a new one; a new vehicle cannot charge until the old session is ended. Possible only in the states Finishing charging, Charging interrupted and Charging finished. Available from firmware X101.10.07.0 |
Disable charger (Zakázať nabíjačku) | 0x0302 | Disables the charger, so no vehicle can charge |
Unlock connector (Odblokovať konektor) | 0x0306 | Unlocks the connector (socket) remotely when automatic unlocking failed |
After Disable charger, the charger is enabled again only by writing the charging mode to register 0x0300 (value 1 for stand-alone mode). The template has no action for that, so re-enabling needs a Modbus tool or the installer.
Maximum charging current
The maximum charging current (Maximálny prúd nabíjania) reads and writes register 0x0320 (overall maximal current limit) in amperes, range 6–80 A. In stand-alone mode this value is also the current the vehicle charges with. The manufacturer states that the value depends on the superior circuit breaker of the charger — do not set it above what the supply circuit and the charger are rated for.
Phase currents
The current on phase L1, L2 and L3 (Prúd L1, Prúd L2, Prúd L3) shows the actual measured current of each phase in amperes with a resolution of 0.1 A (0–80 A). Each value is composed of an integer register and a fraction register (0x0407/0x0408, 0x0409/0x040A, 0x040B/0x040C). The charger measures current only during charging.
Module service attributes
The module shows these service attributes:
- Firmware version (
Verzia firmvéru) — registers 0x0400–0x0403 (major version, minor version, subversion, configuration) joined with dots. - Uptime (
Čas behu [s]) — the 32-bit uptime counter in registers 0x0404–0x0405, in seconds since the charger was powered on. - RFID card, bytes 1–4 (
RFID karta (bajty 1–4)) — registers 0x0416–0x0419, the RFID of a user waiting for authorisation. - RFID card, bytes 5–8 (
RFID karta (bajty 5–8)) — registers 0x041A–0x041D, available from firmware X101.10.15.0.
In stand-alone mode no RFID authorisation takes place, so the RFID attributes have no use there.
Troubleshooting
No communication
- Check that the baud rate, parity, stop bits and Slave ID set on the TapHome bus match the charger (registers 0x0307 and 0x0327–0x0329). After changing the address in 0x0307, reset the charger’s power supply.
- Check the A/B polarity of the RS-485 pair and the termination at both ends of the bus (register 0x0326 on the charger).
- If the current settings of the charger are unknown, verify them with SEAK or with the installation company.
- The manufacturer provides holding register 0x0064 for searching SEAK devices on the bus: its high byte is the device type (0xFF = LUMiCHARGER RS485), its low byte the device state (0x01 = OK, 0x07 = other error).
Charging does not start after the vehicle is connected
- Check that register 0x0300 is 1 (stand-alone mode). The messages
Vozidlo čaká na povolenie(state 11) orPrebieha autorizácia(state 1) indicate that the charger waits for a controller or for RFID authorisation. Nabíjanie zakázané(state 4) appears after the Disable charger action; the charger is enabled again by writing the charging mode to 0x0300.Ukončovanie relácie(state 17) means the previous vehicle was disconnected but its session is still open — run End charging session (firmware X101.10.07.0 or later).
Error and alert states
CHYBA: Prúdové preťaženie(state 5): the measured current was higher than allowed. The manufacturer returns the charger from this state by writing the charging mode to 0x0300.VAROVANIE: Únikový prúd (dočasne)(state 6): leakage current was detected. In stand-alone mode the charger tries to switch charging on 3 times at 1-minute intervals and once more after 10 minutes. If that fails, it goes to the permanent stateCHYBA: Únikový prúd (trvalá porucha)(state 7).- Do not use the charging station while it reports an error; repairs belong to SEAK or the dealer.
Phase currents show zero
The charger measures current only during charging. Outside state 3 (Nabíjanie prebieha) the phase currents do not show a load current.
The vehicle charges with less than the maximum charging current
If the cable capacity check (register 0x0325) is enabled, the charger limits the charging current to the capacity of the connected cable.
