Maturity status | Stable |
This article explains how Dynamic Load Management (DLM) works, how to configure it in the XENON Dashboard, and what requirements must be met.
What is Dynamic Load Management?
Dynamic Load Management (DLM) controls the charging power of EV charging stations (EVCS) in real time to keep total power consumption within configured grid import limits. DLM uses measurements from a grid meter at the Grid Connection Point (GCP) to react to both controllable assets (EVCS) and uncontrollable loads (building consumption).
DLM is the recommended load management mode for any site where a grid meter can be installed at the GCP.
What are the advantages of DLM over SLM?
DLM outperforms Static Load Management (SLM) in three key ways:
Accounts for uncontrollable load — DLM measures total consumption at the GCP, including building load. SLM only sees controllable assets, so unexpected building consumption can cause grid limit breaches.
Faster response — DLM reads a single GCP meter every 1–5 seconds. SLM aggregates measurements from individual EVCS, which is slower and less accurate.
Maximizes available charging power — SLM uses a conservative measurement approach that can underestimate available power, leaving capacity unused. DLM uses real GCP measurements and allocates power up to the actual limit.
What are the hardware requirements for DLM?
In addition to the general load management requirements, DLM requires:
Grid meter installed at the GCP (data resolution of 1 second or less)
For AC chargers, correct phase mapping is required for load management to optimize per-phase power distribution. DC chargers do not require phase mapping. See Phase Allocation per Charging Point.
What parameters do I configure for DLM?
Configure all DLM parameters in the System Details tab in the XENON Dashboard.
Maximum power at Grid Connection Point
Set the maximum import power in kVA (or amperes, which are converted automatically)
The total limit automatically sets per-phase limits to 1/3 of the total (rounded down to 0.1 kVA)
Safety margin below the maximum power at GCP
A buffer to ensure DLM reacts before the import limit is breached
Recommended value: 10% of the maximum grid power. For larger sites greater than 1 MW, the margin is typically around 100 kW
Effective import target = maximum power minus safety margin
Fallback in case of metering failure
Defines the maximum power for all EVCS if the GCP meter stops reporting measurements
When the meter fails, DLM falls back to Static Load Management (SLM) behavior — aggregating only controllable asset power
Set this value well below the maximum grid power, since uncontrollable load cannot be measured during fallback
Also applies if no grid meter is configured at all, is offline during a restart, or if the meter has been unavailable for more than one week (from release v2026.01.1)
How does DLM distribute charging power?
DLM aims to fully utilize available grid import power while staying within the configured import limits and each EV's charging constraints. The algorithm runs every 1–5 seconds and applies both total power and per-phase power limits — the most restrictive constraint applies.
Distribution steps:
Read the current GCP meter measurement
Subtract the safety margin from the maximum import limit to get the effective limit
Calculate power available for EVCS (effective limit minus GCP meter consumption)
Distribute available power evenly across all connected EVs using the balanced charging strategy
Example: 5 three-phase EVs at a site with a 51 kW limit and an uncontrollable load of around 10kW. The balanced strategy allocates power evenly between the EVs. Small differences between EVs may occur because power modulation is not continuous across all charging stations.
What are the limitations of DLM?
Charging power setpoints use integer ampere values — small rounding differences occur (e.g., a 10 kW target results in 9.66 kW actual for a three-phase EV at 14 A)
Phase-asymmetric load at the phase level can be more restrictive than the total import limit
For sites with multiple sub-distributions or cascaded fuses, see Load Management for Clusters.