> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.amps.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Start a charge later

> Defer a battery charge to a future time with a start and no end.

Start a charge at a future time by sending `charge` with a `start` and no `end`. The charge begins at `start` and continues until you send another command.

## 1. Check the battery supports it

The battery must list `scheduled` in `commands.charge.execution`.

```bash theme={null}
curl https://api.amps.ai/battery/device_abc123 \
  -H "x-api-key: $AMPS_API_KEY"
```

```json theme={null}
{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "id": "device_abc123",
    "commands": {
      "charge": {
        "parameters": {
          "target": { "unit": "percent", "min": 10, "max": 100 }
        },
        "execution": ["immediate", "scheduled", "windowed"]
      }
    }
  }
}
```

If `scheduled` is missing, the push returns `422 DEVICE_NOT_CAPABLE`.

## 2. Send the command

Charge to 100% from 02:00, battery local time. `start` also accepts a relative duration such as `"30m"` or `"2h"`. See [Scheduling](/guides/scheduling).

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.amps.ai/battery/device_abc123 \
  -H "x-api-key: $AMPS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "action": {
      "command": "charge",
      "start": "2026-11-12T02:00:00",
      "parameters": {
        "target": { "value": 100, "unit": "percent" }
      }
    }
  }'
```

```json theme={null}
{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "id": "action_z8JuBgdKwH",
    "command": "charge",
    "state": "scheduled",
    "start": "2026-11-12T02:00:00.000Z",
    "links": { "self": "/actions/action_z8JuBgdKwH" }
  }
}
```

The API returns `202 Accepted`. The action stays `scheduled` until `start`, and you can [cancel it](/guides/push/cancelling) until then.

## 3. Confirm

Listen for `push.completed` or `push.failed` on your [webhook](/guides/webhooks), or poll the action:

```bash theme={null}
curl https://api.amps.ai/actions/action_z8JuBgdKwH \
  -H "x-api-key: $AMPS_API_KEY"
```

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Charge in a window" icon="moon" href="/cookbooks/battery/charge-in-window">
    Add an `end` so the charge stops on its own.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Return to self-consumption" icon="rotate" href="/cookbooks/battery/auto-balance">
    Hand control back once charging is done.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


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