The messages we receive tend to look alike: "I have a Powerdale charger, and apparently the company went bankrupt. Can I still do anything with it?" Sometimes the charger sits at a family home. Sometimes it has just been installed at a holiday cottage whose owners would like to open it to their guests and to local drivers. The answer is the same in both cases: the charger is not lost, and a small box is enough to give back what the bankruptcy took away.
What is gone, what still works
When Powerdale closed, the Nexxtmove online service and its app went down with it. The charger itself still charges: when a car is plugged in, it delivers current and stops cleanly at the end. That part is built into the charger and never depended on the cloud.
What is missing now is everything that went through the internet: starting or stopping a charge remotely, checking the history, knowing the kWh used in each session, scheduling off-peak hours. If you have also lost Bluetooth access to your charger, start by recovering its PIN code: it is the key that lets anything talk to it again.
The box, in practice
The box is a compact mini computer. It sits near the charger, stays plugged into a socket, and acts as a translator:
- on the charger side, it talks to the Nexxtender over Bluetooth, just like the original app did;
- on the internet side, it joins the home (or cottage) Wi-Fi and speaks OCPP, the standard protocol of public chargers.
There is no cable to run and no work inside the charger. It stays exactly as installed, with its original wiring. The box simply talks to it. For the technical details of the Bluetooth to OCPP translation, see our article on turning a silent home charger into a connected one.
What your charger can do with the box
Once the box is in place, your Nexxtender behaves like a recent connected charger:
- remote start and stop, from an app;
- accurate metering of the kWh delivered in each session;
- integration with your energy setup: off-peak hours, solar production, home automation;
- opening it to other drivers without being there: the driver starts the charge on their own and pays for what they use.
With PotatoCharge, or with any other OCPP system
OCPP is an open standard, so the box does not lock you in with us. It works with any compatible controller, such as Home Assistant, EVCC or solar self-consumption software. If all you want is to control your charger again for your own car, you can.
If you also want it to earn money, the box connects it to PotatoCharge. Your charger then runs in automatic mode: drivers book a slot in the app, start the charge themselves, and payment follows the kWh actually used. You set your price and your opening hours, and you no longer need to be there.
And without the box?
The box is not required to open your charger on PotatoCharge. Manual mode needs no equipment: you approve each request, then give access to the charger yourself when the booking starts. It is the cheapest option, ideal to get started or if you are around anyway when drivers arrive.
The box becomes worthwhile as soon as being there is a problem: daytime charges while you are at work, guests arriving late, local drivers dropping by in the evening.
Home or Advance: check your model
The box is designed for the Nexxtender Home, the residential model with a single charging point and a tethered cable. It is by far the most common one in private homes.
The Nexxtender Advance, the professional range with several charging points, works differently: it can sometimes be reconnected directly to an OCPP system, without a box. Each case is looked at individually.
Not sure which one you have? A photo of the charger is enough to tell.
How to get one
The process takes four steps:
- you send us a photo of your charger and a few words about how you use it;
- we confirm compatibility and send you a quote;
- the box is installed and paired with your charger;
- you choose what to connect it to: PotatoCharge, your home automation, or both.
PotatoCharge is in its launch phase: we support the first owners all the way, from diagnosis to the first charge. Get in touch with a photo of your charger, or find out how to become a host.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the box cost and where can I buy it?
The box is not sold in shops: you get it from PotatoCharge, on quotation. Email a photo of your charger to hello@potatocharge.com with a few words about how you use it. We confirm compatibility, then send you a quote tailored to your installation, with no commitment.
Does my Powerdale charger still work after the bankruptcy?
Yes. Charging is handled by the charger itself, which keeps delivering current as usual. Only the features that went through the Nexxtmove online service are gone: remote control, history, kWh tracking.
Does the charger need to be modified to install the box?
No. The box sits next to the charger, on a regular socket, and talks to it over Bluetooth. No work inside the charger, no cable to run.
What happens if the Wi-Fi drops during a charge?
If the connection is lost, the box pauses the charge after about thirty seconds, so that no energy is ever delivered without being metered. The session stays open for up to one hour: charging can resume within the same session, without being billed twice. The same applies if the box restarts.
Does the box work without PotatoCharge?
Yes. It speaks OCPP, an open standard, and connects to any compatible system: Home Assistant, EVCC, solar self-consumption software. PotatoCharge is an option, not a requirement.
How do I know whether my charger is a Nexxtender Home?
The Home has a single charging point and a tethered cable. If your charger offers several connections, it is probably an Advance, which is handled differently. When in doubt, a photo is enough.
Do I need to recover the PIN code before installing the box?
Yes, the box needs the PIN to pair with the charger over Bluetooth. If you no longer have it, it can be rebuilt from the numbers on the charger's label during installation.
