diff --git a/charger/nrgble_linux.go b/charger/nrgble_linux.go
index f74f5bc2c8..b9ad2b1ce5 100644
--- a/charger/nrgble_linux.go
+++ b/charger/nrgble_linux.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func NewNRGKickBLEFromConfig(log *util.Logger, other map[string]interface{}) api
 
 // NewNRGKickBLE creates NRGKickBLE charger
 func NewNRGKickBLE(device, macaddress string, pin int) *NRGKickBLE {
-	logger := util.NewLogger("nrgbt")
+	logger := util.NewLogger("nrg-bt")
 
 	// set LE mode
 	btmgmt := hw.NewBtMgmt(device)
diff --git a/charger/wallbe.go b/charger/wallbe.go
index 457984b394..94931d5dc4 100644
--- a/charger/wallbe.go
+++ b/charger/wallbe.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func NewWallbe(conn string) *Wallbe {
 	handler.ProtocolRecoveryTimeout = protocolTimeout
 
 	wb := &Wallbe{
-		log:     util.NewLogger("wlbe"),
+		log:     util.NewLogger("wallbe"),
 		client:  client,
 		handler: handler,
 		factor:  10,
diff --git a/cmd/charger.go b/cmd/charger.go
index 6c1b957360..0268bac31b 100644
--- a/cmd/charger.go
+++ b/cmd/charger.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func runCharger(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"))
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 	log.INFO.Printf("evcc %s (%s)", server.Version, server.Commit)
 
 	// load config
diff --git a/cmd/config.go b/cmd/config.go
index 6fc90249e6..45ab570962 100644
--- a/cmd/config.go
+++ b/cmd/config.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 type config struct {
 	URI        string
 	Log        string
+	Levels     map[string]string
 	Interval   time.Duration
 	Mqtt       mqttConfig
 	Influx     server.InfluxConfig
diff --git a/cmd/meter.go b/cmd/meter.go
index 244d4c7f88..5cd916ca75 100644
--- a/cmd/meter.go
+++ b/cmd/meter.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func runMeter(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"))
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 	log.INFO.Printf("evcc %s (%s)", server.Version, server.Commit)
 
 	// load config
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 521ddcc19e..7eaabe18a7 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -129,12 +129,12 @@ func checkVersion() {
 }
 
 func run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"))
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 	log.INFO.Printf("evcc %s (%s)", server.Version, server.Commit)
 
 	// load config and re-configure logging after reading config file
 	conf := loadConfigFile(cfgFile)
-	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"))
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 
 	go checkVersion()
 
diff --git a/cmd/vehicle.go b/cmd/vehicle.go
index c6b0323cc7..5bfc6338cd 100644
--- a/cmd/vehicle.go
+++ b/cmd/vehicle.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func runVehicle(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"))
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 	log.INFO.Printf("evcc %s (%s)", server.Version, server.Commit)
 
 	// load config
diff --git a/core/site.go b/core/site.go
index 5bc22f61db..269b99d712 100644
--- a/core/site.go
+++ b/core/site.go
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ func (site *Site) sitePower() (float64, error) {
 }
 
 func (site *Site) update(lp Updater) {
+	site.log.DEBUG.Println("----")
 	mode := site.GetMode()
 	site.publish("mode", string(mode))
 
diff --git a/evcc.dist.yaml b/evcc.dist.yaml
index c2ae45c889..287361fe1e 100644
--- a/evcc.dist.yaml
+++ b/evcc.dist.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 uri: 0.0.0.0:7070 # uri for ui
 interval: 10s # control cycle interval
 
+log: error
+levels:
+  core: debug
+  lp-1: debug
+  lp-2: debug
+
 # mqtt message broker
 mqtt:
   broker: localhost:1883
diff --git a/meter/modbus.go b/meter/modbus.go
index e3f0773952..07b60e3e93 100644
--- a/meter/modbus.go
+++ b/meter/modbus.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func NewModbusFromConfig(log *util.Logger, other map[string]interface{}) api.Met
 	conn := modbus.NewConnection(log, cc.URI, cc.Device, cc.Comset, cc.Baudrate, *cc.RTU)
 	device, err := modbus.NewDevice(log, cc.Model, *cc.RTU)
 
-	log = util.NewLogger("modb")
+	log = util.NewLogger("modbus")
 	conn.Logger(log.TRACE)
 
 	// prepare device
diff --git a/meter/tesla.go b/meter/tesla.go
index f6b6241c5a..8bfb2bdb82 100644
--- a/meter/tesla.go
+++ b/meter/tesla.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func NewTeslaFromConfig(log *util.Logger, other map[string]interface{}) api.Mete
 // NewTesla creates a Tesla Meter
 func NewTesla(uri, usage string) api.Meter {
 	m := &Tesla{
-		HTTPHelper: util.NewHTTPHelper(util.NewLogger("tsla")),
+		HTTPHelper: util.NewHTTPHelper(util.NewLogger("tesla")),
 		uri:        uri,
 		usage:      strings.ToLower(usage),
 	}
diff --git a/server/influxdb.go b/server/influxdb.go
index fb86b130a7..88139a0582 100644
--- a/server/influxdb.go
+++ b/server/influxdb.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ type Influx struct {
 
 // NewInfluxClient creates new publisher for influx
 func NewInfluxClient(url, token, org, user, password, database string) *Influx {
-	log := util.NewLogger("iflx")
+	log := util.NewLogger("influx")
 
 	// InfluxDB v1 compatibility
 	if token == "" && user != "" {
diff --git a/server/log.go b/server/log.go
index 01e6f6be84..efff712e19 100644
--- a/server/log.go
+++ b/server/log.go
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@ package server
 
 import "github.com/andig/evcc/util"
 
-var log = util.NewLogger("srvr")
+var log = util.NewLogger("server")
diff --git a/util/log.go b/util/log.go
index 3f9ba26d16..6f731914fc 100644
--- a/util/log.go
+++ b/util/log.go
@@ -8,13 +8,17 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 
 	jww "github.com/spf13/jwalterweatherman"
 )
 
-var loggers = map[string]*Logger{}
-
 var (
+	loggers = map[string]*Logger{}
+	levels  = map[string]jww.Threshold{}
+
+	loggersMux sync.Mutex
+
 	// OutThreshold is the default console log level
 	OutThreshold = jww.LevelError
 
@@ -22,6 +26,8 @@ var (
 	LogThreshold = jww.LevelWarn
 )
 
+const padding = 6 // padding of log areas
+
 // Logger wraps a jww notepad to avoid leaking implementation detail
 type Logger struct {
 	*jww.Notepad
@@ -29,10 +35,20 @@ type Logger struct {
 
 // NewLogger creates a logger with the given log area and adds it to the registry
 func NewLogger(area string) *Logger {
-	notepad := jww.NewNotepad(OutThreshold, LogThreshold, os.Stdout, ioutil.Discard, area, log.Ldate|log.Ltime)
-	l := &Logger{notepad}
-	loggers[area] = l
-	return l
+	padded := area
+	for len(padded) < padding {
+		padded = padded + " "
+	}
+
+	level := LogLevelForArea(area)
+	notepad := jww.NewNotepad(level, level, os.Stdout, ioutil.Discard, padded, log.Ldate|log.Ltime)
+
+	loggersMux.Lock()
+	defer loggersMux.Unlock()
+
+	logger := &Logger{notepad}
+	loggers[area] = logger
+	return logger
 }
 
 // Loggers invokes callback for each configured logger
@@ -42,13 +58,29 @@ func Loggers(cb func(string, *Logger)) {
 	}
 }
 
+// LogLevelForArea gets the log level for given log area
+func LogLevelForArea(area string) jww.Threshold {
+	level, ok := levels[strings.ToLower(area)]
+	if !ok {
+		level = OutThreshold
+	}
+	return level
+}
+
 // LogLevel sets log level for all loggers
-func LogLevel(level string) {
-	OutThreshold = LogLevelToThreshold(level)
+func LogLevel(defaultLevel string, areaLevels map[string]string) {
+	// default level
+	OutThreshold = LogLevelToThreshold(defaultLevel)
 	LogThreshold = OutThreshold
 
+	// area levels
+	for area, level := range areaLevels {
+		area = strings.ToLower(area)
+		levels[area] = LogLevelToThreshold(level)
+	}
+
 	Loggers(func(name string, logger *Logger) {
-		logger.SetStdoutThreshold(OutThreshold)
+		logger.SetStdoutThreshold(LogLevelForArea(name))
 	})
 }