Adding this charger with the Plugchoice app? Then you don't need this guide. In the app, tap Add charger, pick Alfen and then With this app. The connection to Plugchoice is then set up for you. Follow the steps below only if you set up the charger by hand.

Requirements

Charger has internet connection
Laptop with Windows
ACE Service Installer
UTP cable

Good to know: this guide sets the connection by hand, on Network Profile 1. You do not need a backoffice preset and you do not need to install a certificate.

Connect your charger

Log into your charger

Download ACE Service Installer to your laptop.
Log in with the credentials included with your charger, or try: Username: RadomskiR Password: fazUv6
Connect your laptop to the charger via UTP.
Select your charger in the left-hand side.
Log into the charger using the credentials included with your charger.

Set the connection

Go to Connectivity > Network Profile 1 and set:

Connect method: Wired (Ethernet), or Mobile if the charger uses a SIM
Protocol: OCPP 1.6
CSMS URL: ws://ocpp.plugchoice.com
Security Profile: 0: Default

Leave Security Profile on 0: Default. On profile 2 or 3 the charger insists on an encrypted connection, and it then refuses to connect with a security error.
Press Save and reboot the charger. You do not need the Backoffice preset under Connectivity > General, so leave it on whatever it is set to.

ACE Service Installer, Connectivity > General, the screen with the Backoffice preset field

Find the chargepoint ID

Go to General > General, find Customer Ident. number. ACE Service Installer also shows it at the top of the device list on the left.
That is your chargepoint ID. Copy it exactly, capitals included: in the example below it is REXBE_11234.

The chargepoint ID circled in red in the ACE Service Installer device list, REXBE_11234

Registering your charger in Plugchoice

Create a location
Select Add charger in the Plugchoice app or web portal and pick your charger's brand. If the app asks how you want to set it up, choose By hand.
Enter the chargepoint ID.

The app then shows the backend URL and the chargepoint ID once more, and waits until the charger comes online.

We recommend the encrypted address wss://ocpp.plugchoice.com (port 443) if your charger supports it. ws:// is not encrypted, and using it is your own choice. More in How to connect your charger to Plugchoice.

Troubleshooting

Did you set everything up correctly, but the charger still shows "Not connected yet"?

Chargepoint ID is wrong (most common). It is case sensitive, so copy the Customer Ident. number (something like "ACExxxxxxx") exactly.
The URL starts with wss://. Change it to ws://ocpp.plugchoice.com. Anything starting with wss:// makes the charger ask for a certificate it does not have.
The charger reports a security error. Security Profile is set to 2 or 3, so the charger insists on an encrypted connection it cannot establish. Set it back to 0: Default and reboot.
Nothing saves. Check that you are logged into the charger itself, not only into ACE Service Installer, and tick Advanced Settings if a field is greyed out.

Contact support

Office	Web form	Phone	Email	Hours
General	Contact form	+31889870196	[email protected]
NL EVC direct service line	Contact form	+31889870196
UK EVC freephone (knowledge base header)	Contact form	+448000265885
DE EVC direct service freephone	Contact form	+498005890992
FR EVC direct service freephone	Contact form	+33805987923
BE EVC direct service freephone	Contact form	+3280058293
End-user routing (consumers)	Contact form
Alfen Belgie office (legal entity)	Contact form	+3292291200
Alfen Elkamo office FI (legal entity)	Contact form	+35867889550

Did a company set up your charger for you? Ask them first. You can also reach Plugchoice: chat with us in the app, or email [email protected].

For a complete guide, see our troubleshooting article if your charger can't connect to Plugchoice.

How to connect: Alfen