diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 19daa58..0735435 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2243,9 +2243,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "termcolor"
-version = "1.4.0"
+version = "1.4.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "ff1bc3d3f05aff0403e8ac0d92ced918ec05b666a43f83297ccef5bea8a3d449"
+checksum = "06794f8f6c5c898b3275aebefa6b8a1cb24cd2c6c79397ab15774837a0bc5755"
 dependencies = [
  "winapi-util",
 ]
@@ -2262,7 +2262,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "tesla-charge-controller"
-version = "0.1.13"
+version = "0.1.14"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-channel",
@@ -2278,6 +2278,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "ron",
  "serde",
  "serialport",
+ "termcolor",
  "teslatte",
  "thiserror",
  "tokio",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 9214bbf..eb5ebc8 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "tesla-charge-controller"
-version = "0.1.13"
+version = "0.1.14"
 edition = "2021"
 license = "MITNFA"
 description = "Controls Tesla charge rate based on solar charge data"
@@ -30,3 +30,4 @@ prometheus = "0.13"
 env_logger = "0.10"
 log = "0.4"
 serialport = "4.3"
+termcolor = "1.4.1"
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 7918285..b5e51ed 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -57,12 +57,15 @@ async fn main() {
                     ron::from_str(&std::fs::read_to_string(&config_path).unwrap()).unwrap();
 
                 // build the channel that takes messages from the webserver thread to the api thread
-                let (api_requests, receiver) = async_channel::unbounded();
+                let (api_requests, api_receiver) = async_channel::unbounded();
+                // and to the pli thread
+                let (pli_requests, pli_receiver) = async_channel::unbounded();
 
                 let server_handle = server::launch_server(server::ServerState {
                     config: config.clone(),
                     state: interface.state.clone(),
                     api_requests,
+                    pli_requests,
                 });
 
                 // spawn the api loop
@@ -72,7 +75,7 @@ async fn main() {
                         // await either the next interval OR a message from the other thread
                         tokio::select! {
                             _ = interval.tick() => interface.refresh().await,
-                            message = receiver.recv() => match message {
+                            message = api_receiver.recv() => match message {
                                 Ok(message) => interface.process_request(message).await,
                                 Err(e) => error!("Error on receive channel: {e:#?}")
                             }
@@ -87,8 +90,13 @@ async fn main() {
                             let mut interval =
                                 tokio::time::interval(std::time::Duration::from_secs(30));
                             loop {
-                                interval.tick().await;
-                                pli.refresh();
+                                tokio::select! {
+                                    _ = interval.tick() => pli.refresh(),
+                                    message = pli_receiver.recv() => match message {
+                                        Ok(message) => pli.process_request(message),
+                                        Err(e) => error!("Error on receive channel: {e:#?}")
+                                    }
+                                }
                             }
                         });
                     }
diff --git a/src/pl_interface.rs b/src/pl_interface.rs
index b49dda7..c58fc4e 100644
--- a/src/pl_interface.rs
+++ b/src/pl_interface.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-use std::time::Duration;
+use std::{io::Write, time::Duration};
 
 use anyhow::Context;
 use metrics::{describe_gauge, gauge, Gauge};
 use serialport::SerialPort;
+use termcolor::WriteColor;
 
 pub struct Pli {
     port: Box<dyn SerialPort>,
@@ -12,6 +13,11 @@ pub struct Pli {
     internal_load_current: Gauge,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
+pub enum PliRequest {
+    ReadRam(u8),
+}
+
 impl Pli {
     pub fn new(serial_port: String, baud_rate: u32) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
         let port = serialport::new(serial_port, baud_rate)
@@ -53,6 +59,26 @@ impl Pli {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn process_request(&mut self, message: PliRequest) {
+        match message {
+            PliRequest::ReadRam(address) => match self.read_ram(address) {
+                Ok(data) => {
+                    let mut stdout =
+                        termcolor::StandardStream::stdout(termcolor::ColorChoice::Always);
+                    let _ = stdout.set_color(
+                        termcolor::ColorSpec::new().set_fg(Some(termcolor::Color::Green)),
+                    );
+                    if writeln!(&mut stdout, "Read RAM at {address}: data {data}").is_err() {
+                        log::warn!(
+                            "Failed to set stdout colour\nRead RAM at {address}: data {data}"
+                        );
+                    };
+                }
+                Err(e) => log::error!("RAM read error: {e:?}"),
+            },
+        }
+    }
+
     fn send_command(&mut self, req: [u8; 4]) {
         self.port
             .write_all(&req)
@@ -68,7 +94,10 @@ impl Pli {
         buf
     }
 
-    fn read_ram(&mut self, address: PlRamAddress) -> anyhow::Result<u8> {
+    fn read_ram<T>(&mut self, address: T) -> anyhow::Result<u8>
+    where
+        T: Into<u8>,
+    {
         self.send_command(command(20, address.into(), 0));
         let buf: [u8; 2] = self.receive();
         if buf[0] == 200 { Some(buf[1]) } else { None }
diff --git a/src/server/mod.rs b/src/server/mod.rs
index fd644d5..8499854 100644
--- a/src/server/mod.rs
+++ b/src/server/mod.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use rocket::{
 use crate::{
     api_interface::InterfaceRequest,
     config::Config,
+    pl_interface::PliRequest,
     types::{CarState, ChargeState, ClimateState},
 };
 
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ pub struct ServerState {
     pub config: Config,
     pub state: Arc<RwLock<CarState>>,
     pub api_requests: Sender<InterfaceRequest>,
+    pub pli_requests: Sender<PliRequest>,
 }
 
 pub async fn launch_server(state: ServerState) {
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ fn rocket(state: ServerState) -> rocket::Rocket<rocket::Build> {
         .mount("/", fileserver)
         .mount(
             "/",
-            routes![home, charge_state, flash, climate_state, metrics],
+            routes![home, charge_state, flash, climate_state, metrics, read_ram],
         )
 }
 
@@ -79,6 +81,12 @@ fn metrics() -> Option<String> {
         .ok()
 }
 
+#[get("/read-ram/<address>")]
+async fn read_ram(address: u8, state: &State<ServerState>) -> String {
+    let _ = state.pli_requests.send(PliRequest::ReadRam(address)).await;
+    format!("reading at ram address {address}")
+}
+
 pub struct Cors;
 
 #[rocket::async_trait]