Block Charging During Certain Hours: Schedule vs. Automation in the Tuya App
Jan PrószyńskiShare
The AMPERE POINT Wi-Fi charger connects to the Tuya app (Smart Life), which gives you two different ways to block charging during certain hours of the day - for example, during an expensive daytime electricity rate. They look similar, but they work in completely different ways.
Schedule or Automation? The key difference
A Schedule sends a single on/off command at a set time, and that's the end of its job. An Automation waits for an event - it does nothing on its own, but the moment that event happens, it reacts immediately, regardless of the time.
The difference matters in one specific situation: if you set a schedule to "turn off at 19:00, turn on at 22:00", but the car isn't plugged in until 19:10, charging will start anyway. The off command was already sent earlier, and plugging in the car is a new event as far as the charger is concerned. A schedule can't catch this, because it doesn't watch the device - it only acts at the times you set.
| Schedule | Automation (scene) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | In the device's own settings | In the Smart → Automation tab |
| When it fires | At a set time | When a specific event occurs |
| Needs internet | No (runs locally on the charger) | Yes (runs in the cloud) |
| Reacts to a late plug-in | No | Yes |
| Typical use case | Car always plugged in at fixed hours | Car plugged in at varying times |
In short: if the car is always plugged in for the entire blocked window, a schedule is enough and simpler to set up. If plug-in time varies, you need an automation.
Pick your guide
Schedule - step-by-step
The simpler option. Set it up in the charger's own settings in a few minutes. No automation needed.
Build an Automation - full guide
The more reliable option when plug-in time varies. Full walkthrough with every screen, the complete Work State reference, and the common mistakes to avoid.
The most reliable setup: if charging hours need to be completely dependable, it's worth setting a schedule in the car itself too. The vehicle then won't draw power outside the set hours regardless of the app, the charger, or the internet connection.
Have a question about a specific step? Get in touch: hello@amperepoint.com.
