Questions/rant on EV charge stations

[CP]

ChargePoint, Blink, Volta, ?  - these things are driving me nuts.  I can’t seem to get any of them to work. Even some of the free ones need some sort of app/account.   How many apps and how many accounts do you need to reliably charge on the road?

I was out of juice on South Whidbey last week and couldn’t get any of the stations to work.  Even the “free” station in Freeland needed an app that I didn’t have.  Luckily a kind soul let me charge in her garage. 

Any advice short of carrying a generator?  Keep it simple, I'm over 60.

[follow maggie]

All of those companies except Tesla are notorious for their crap not working, but you won’t hear anyone talking about it when they’re pushing electric cars & say you can live & travel normally with them

[Iveexcaped3]

Any advice short of carrying a generator? 

Yes, buy a gas car

[JimmyHoffa]

Eventually only a couple will win out and it will be easy.  Still kind of the wild west days for the EV/charging industry.
Maybe flag the compatible chargers ahead of time.

[Boss .300 winmag]

🤣

[Boss .300 winmag]

Any advice short of carrying a generator? 

Yes, buy a gas car

Can’t get any simpler than that.😉

[netcoyote]

Never hear it discussed but was wondering about charging plug compatibility. Are all EV's using some standard protocol for plug or are they different for different make/model? Since Tesla seemed to be the first out of the gate on this, can any EVs charge at a Tesla charging station?

Inquiring minds...

[GWP]

They really ARE the magic solution to everything! 

[CP]

Never hear it discussed but was wondering about charging plug compatibility. Are all EV's using some standard protocol for plug or are they different for different make/model? Since Tesla seemed to be the first out of the gate on this, can any EVs charge at a Tesla charging station?

Inquiring minds...

No, you have all these plugs.  I can only use the J-1772 or a wall outlet.  Luckily, the J-1772 is the most common.

[CP]

So far, my best solution has been to, well, steal electricity from unguarded wall outlets in public parking lots.

[netcoyote]

So far, my best solution has been to, well, steal electricity from unguarded wall outlets in public parking lots.

So are there adapters that you can use then for standard outlets? There must be different charging rates based on different voltages and adapter types, correct?

[Jingles]

This thread is yet more convincing to stay with gas and diesel

[SuperX]

All of those companies except Tesla are notorious for their crap not working, but you won’t hear anyone talking about it when they’re pushing electric cars & say you can live & travel normally with them

Yeah just like horses... nobody mentions the hay bill when they push their equine agenda!   

[CP]

So far, my best solution has been to, well, steal electricity from unguarded wall outlets in public parking lots.

So are there adapters that you can use then for standard outlets? There must be different charging rates based on different voltages and adapter types, correct?

Yeah, I’m not up on all the variants but there are lots of adaptors out there. 

I have a J-1772 to C13 adaptor.  Charge rate is limited by the on-vehicle charger; so even though I’ve hacked into a level 2 connection, my EV motorcycle only charges at the level 1 rate.  I could upgrade to a level 2 on-board charger but that’s about $3K.

For enough money, I guess anything is possible.

[CP]

Sorry city of Marysville, I owe you about 20 cents worth of electricity.  Let me know where to pay.

 

[Norman89]

I got a kick out of this
Thrive energy systems owner Matt using a charcoal gassifier to fuel a 9600w predator generator to charge his tesla

[JBG]

🤣

The funny (Ironic?)thing about the Prius being plugged in is that it is a hybrid meaning it doesn't ever need to be plugged in.  Unless of course this post was an exercise in sophistry in which case goal attained, haha 

TBH charging stations are a PITA but just like any new tech it will catch up quickly.

[Norman89]

 

[rainshadow1]

The GubMint should line every paved road in America with solar panels and have one of them pluggie thingies every 1/4 mile.

Here endeth my contribution to the greenies for this month.

[bkaech]

So far, my best solution has been to, well, steal electricity from unguarded wall outlets in public parking lots.

So are there adapters that you can use then for standard outlets? There must be different charging rates based on different voltages and adapter types, correct?

Yes depending on the Amperage that can be pulled from your power source the charging rate varies dramatically. I don't know many details but someone with a Tesla just told me that on a regular 20amp outlet (standard garage plug) it takes 30+ hours to get a full charge, and a 60amp outlet will charge his Tesla in 2.5 hrs.

[wadu1]

Soon we will be looking for wild currant bushes to plug in our hunting rigs. 

[kselkhunter]

So what's the problem Op?  Are you having problem using the ChargePoint app?  Or did you find a charging station that isn't working? 

[CP]

So what's the problem Op?  Are you having problem using the ChargePoint app?  Or did you find a charging station that isn't working?

That kind of got lost in this thread didn’t it.  I’ll try again.

I’m in Langley, there is a Blink charger, needs a Blink card or maybe an app.  I don’t have either.  No go unless I figure that out.

So, I go to Freeland.  There is a ChargePoint charger.  Same issue, only I need a ChargePoint card or app.

Edmonds – SemaConnect

Snohomish – Volta

I could go on.  Plugshare shows 26 different networks.  I assume that I need 26 different apps/accounts/cards?  And, God forbid, what if I don't have a cell phone?

Compare that to gas stations.  Exxon, Chevron, Bp …  - they all take the same credit card or good old US dollars.  I can fill up without a phone.

How about they make charge stations universal, just plug in your credit card and charge?  Maybe that exists?  Am I missing something?

[Cougartail]

Soon we will be looking for wild currant bushes to plug in our hunting rigs.

A liberals dream. No more deer/elk camps because no power in the mountains.

[Stein]

You probably need to just have a folder on your phone with the various apps.  Good idea to have a burner prepaid debit so when your number gets stolen you don't have much of a headache.

I bit the bullet last year and got an app to pay for parking at the Everett boat launch.  Probably need an app to flush the toilet there pretty soon the way things are going.

[HooknoseHunter]

Any advice short of carrying a generator? 

Yes, buy a gas car


THIS^^^^^^

[CP]

I guess I just need a few cards.

[CP]

[Boss .300 winmag]

Now that’s funny🤣

Wonder how many of them didn’t have a charging port put in their house?🤣

[lamrith]

Many local Safeway and Albertsons have Volta chargers that are free to use.  No card or app needed.  plugshare is a good app as it usually will have reviews of each station to help with knowing if a station is working or not.  Does not help all the diff networks, but that and ABRP and you can hopefully make a route using fewer networks if you need to.

It has been mentioned on other threads, right now EV charging infrastructure is just not there yet.  Take the EV's rated range, reduce it by 20%ish.  If that shorter range does not fall inside your daily need, then EV is not for you.  The beauty and sweet spot for EV ownership is charging at home, it is cheaper and it can happen while you enjoy doing other things like eat dinner, watch TV, reload, sleep.  You get in the next morning with a full tank.

EV is early in it's life.  However compared to Gasoline, it is light years ahead in terms of network coverage give relative age.  ICE has had over 100years of network development to be were it is now.   Nobody HAS to go EV, don't like it, don't do it.  Regardless of all the news about emissions this and that and EV this and that, ICE still rules the day and other than EV only like tesla/rivian, etc the big Mfg still ofer more ICE options by far than EV.

[NRA4LIFE]

When you buy an EV, does in come with the receptacle to install in your garage?  A 60 amp 4 ga would be a beast to install.  I've done 4 ga a number of times in the past, it is not fun.

[Stein]

Depends on the EV, but usually they are an upgrade or aftermarket purchase.  Most come with a NEMA 5-15 cord from what I have seen (Level 1).