What is DLM, in simple words?
Dynamic Load Management (DLM) is a feature in Plugzmart’s Charging Management System (CMS) that shares a site’s limited electricity fairly among all the chargers on it. It makes sure the total power used by the chargers never goes above what the site’s power supply can safely handle.
Think of a building with one main water tank feeding many taps. If every tap opens fully at once, the pressure drops or the pipes strain. A smart valve that adjusts each tap so the total never exceeds what the tank can deliver keeps water flowing everywhere. DLM is that smart valve, for electricity at a charging site.
The key word is dynamic. DLM does not lock each charger to a fixed amount of power. It watches what is actually being used, moment to moment, and adjusts automatically.
Why does a charging site need DLM?
Every charging location, whether a mall, office, apartment complex or highway stop, gets a fixed amount of electricity from its power connection. Adding more chargers does not increase that amount.
If several vehicles start charging at the same time, their combined demand can go beyond the site’s limit. Without any control, this can trip the power supply, stress the electrical equipment, or lead to extra charges from the electricity provider for exceeding the allowed load.
The usual workaround is to set every charger permanently to a low power level, just in case. That keeps the site safe, but it also means drivers charge slowly even when only one vehicle is plugged in. DLM removes the need for that compromise.
How DLM is set up in Plugzmart CMS
DLM is configured once from the Plugzmart CMS dashboard by whoever manages the charging site. After that, it runs on its own.
- Create a DLM Group. In the CMS dashboard, a new DLM Group is created for the site. A group is simply a set of chargers that share the same power supply.
- Set the maximum power threshold. The group is given a power limit, in kilowatts (kW), based on how much electricity the site can safely supply to its chargers. This number is the ceiling the chargers together must never cross.
- Add chargers to the group. The chargers installed at that site are assigned to the DLM Group. More chargers can be added to the same group later as the site grows.
- Save and activate. Once saved, the CMS starts managing power for the whole group automatically. No further manual work is needed for day-to-day charging.
What happens while vehicles charge
Once DLM is active, Plugzmart CMS runs the same cycle again and again, every moment chargers are in use.
- Monitor. The CMS reads the live power drawn by every charger in the DLM Group, and how many charging sessions are active.
- Compare. It adds up the group’s total power and checks it against the threshold set during setup.
- Share. If the total would go above the threshold, the CMS lowers the power given to the active sessions, so the group stays within its limit. Every vehicle keeps charging.
- Restore. When a vehicle finishes or leaves and demand drops, the CMS gives the remaining vehicles more power again, up to their charger’s full speed.
All of this happens automatically. The driver does not need to do anything, and the site manager does not need to step in.
A simple example
The numbers below are for illustration only. Imagine a site with three 22 kW chargers in one DLM Group, and a power threshold of 60 kW.
- One car arrives. It needs 22 kW. The total is well under 60 kW, so it charges at full speed.
- A second car arrives. Together they need 44 kW. Still under 60 kW, so both charge at full speed.
- A third car arrives. All three together would need 66 kW, which is 6 kW over the limit. The CMS steps in and shares the 60 kW across the three cars, for example 20 kW each. All three keep charging.
- One car leaves. Demand drops back to 44 kW. The CMS gives the remaining two cars their full 22 kW again.
At no point did the site cross 60 kW, and at no point did a charging session stop.
What DLM means in practice
For EV drivers
- Charging does not stop at busy times. When many vehicles are plugged in, the charging speed may reduce slightly, but the session continues.
- Full speed when the site is quiet. When fewer vehicles are charging, each one gets more power and finishes sooner.
- More chargers available. Because sites can safely host more charging points, drivers are less likely to find every charger occupied.
- Nothing to do differently. Drivers plug in and charge as usual. DLM works in the background.
For businesses running charging sites
- More chargers on the same power connection. A site can add charging points without immediately upgrading its electricity connection.
- Protection from overloads. Total demand stays under the set limit, reducing tripping, equipment stress and excess-demand charges.
- No unused capacity. Power that one idle charger is not using goes to the chargers that are busy.
- One dashboard for control. Groups, limits and live power use are all managed from Plugzmart CMS.
- Easy to grow. New chargers simply join an existing DLM Group and share its limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is DLM in EV charging?
DLM, or Dynamic Load Management, is a feature in Plugzmart CMS that shares a site’s available electricity among its chargers, so the total never goes above the site’s safe limit.
2. What is a DLM Group?
A DLM Group is a set of chargers that share the same power supply. In Plugzmart CMS, each group has one maximum power threshold that all its chargers share.
3. What is the power threshold?
It is the maximum total power, in kW, that the chargers in a group are allowed to draw together. It is set based on what the site’s electrical supply can safely provide.
4. Will my charging stop if the site gets busy?
No. When demand rises, Plugzmart CMS reduces the power given to each active session so everyone fits within the limit. Charging continues, sometimes at a slightly lower speed.
5. Will I always charge slower at a DLM site?
No. Speed is only reduced when the total demand would cross the limit. When the site is not busy, each vehicle can charge at its charger’s full speed.
6. Does anyone need to adjust the chargers manually?
No. Once the DLM Group and threshold are set, Plugzmart CMS monitors and adjusts power automatically, all day.
7. Can more chargers be added to a site later?
Yes. New chargers can be added to an existing DLM Group from the CMS dashboard, and they will share the same power limit.
8. Does a driver need to do anything different at a DLM-enabled charger?
No. Plug in and charge as usual. DLM works entirely in the background.
9. Is DLM only for large charging hubs?
No. It helps any site where more than one charger shares a power supply, from a small office parking lot to a large public hub.
10. Why does DLM matter as EV use grows?
More EVs mean more chargers, but power connections rarely grow as fast. DLM lets sites serve more vehicles safely with the electricity they already have.
