Next San Diego EVent: Sat, Aug 9, 2014, CANCELLED

[TonyWilliams]

Oct 31 is still the date to power the DC charger in San Juan Cap. The charger is on site now, and the power connection issue has be resolved (to make sure it can be powered Oct 31).

Hopefully, we can get San Diego LEAFs (I will be there) and OC LEAFs to inaugurate this unit. Don't have a time yet, but middle of the day. Fuji representatives will be there to answer your questions.

 

[pchilds]

Put me down for 8 kWh. I really have no idea how much I will use, having never driven mountains roads in my LEAF. I plan to pre-run the route, once I confirm that the L2s are working.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Put me down for 8 kWh. I really have no idea how much I will use, having never driven mountains roads in my LEAF. I plan to pre-run the route, once I confirm that the L2s are working.

What is your distance from Santa Ysabel? How many in your car?

We are already above the 12 people that I projected for this event, so lets fill it up !!! We can fit 22 folks.

The grand opening for the Fuji DC charger in San Juan Capistrano will be Wed, Oct 31, 2012.

 

[pchilds]

What is your distance from Santa Ysabel? How many in your car?

We are already above the 12 people that I projected for this event, so lets fill it up !!! We can fit 22 folks.

The grand opening for the Fuji DC charger in San Juan Capistrano will be Wed, Oct 31, 2012.

55 miles and two.

 

[walterbays]

Might be premature to decide now, but I wonder if on Nov 17 perhaps we ought to be meeting at San Juan Capistrano rather than Santa Ysabel.

(in another thread) Hold off on driving up to Santa Ysabel right now. Parts were needed for the DC FC up there and it will take some time before they arrive, get installed, and re-tested (could be 1 week, perhaps a bit longer). I'll post when the unit is ready...

There are lots of restaurants in the vicinity of the new EVoasis quick charger. I don't have experience with any of them except El Pollo Loco which I don't think would be quite the best venue. Restaurants: http://goo.gl/maps/ee8LK We could do a photo op with Residence Inn and EVoasis folks, pour a bottle of champagne over Angus Clark's head to celebrate his being first to open a quick charger within range of San Diego, and then drive to a meeting place.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Might be premature to decide now, but I wonder if on Nov 17 perhaps we ought to be meeting at San Juan Capistrano rather than Santa Ysabel.... We could do a photo op with Residence Inn and EVoasis folks, pour a bottle of champagne over Angus Clark's head to celebrate his being first to open a quick charger within range of San Diego, and then drive to a meeting place.

He will be in Europe then.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Apple Country Restaurant, Santa Ysabel, California; the menu:

Meeting "room" at the restaurant, to the right once inside the restaurant (southeast corner):

The Blink charging station at Don's Market, Santa Ysabel:

 

[TonyWilliams]

I will have my new Rav4 EV there, and will bring LEAF related goodies to sell / barter / BS about.

 

[DMHLeafer]

Just a few of questions:

1. Is that L3 Charger in Santa Ysabel working yet?
2. What's the cost of using the L3 Charger in Santa Ysabel?
3. Have we confirmed that the San Juan Capistrano L3 from Evoasis is working?
4. What's the cost of using the San Juan Capistrano L3?

 

[DaveEV]

1. Is that L3 Charger in Santa Ysabel working yet?

Not yet.

2. What's the cost of using the L3 Charger in Santa Ysabel?

Currently all Blink DC QC stations are free.

3. Have we confirmed that the San Juan Capistrano L3 from Evoasis is working?

Yes.

4. What's the cost of using the San Juan Capistrano L3?

$15/hour, but it's prorated (so 30 min costs $7.50). Not sure what the actual billing interval is.

 

[bobs]

3. Have we confirmed that the San Juan Capistrano L3 from Evoasis is working?
4. What's the cost of using the San Juan Capistrano L3?

It's free now, but it's also brand new, and the provisioning is still being adjusted. It could be set to bill for time charging, or per kWh dispensed (max 25 kW rate), so you don't have to do the value math during the ramp-down. Like every other ChargePoint station you can always see its availability (real time) and fee structure on the map. If availability becomes a problem, request they enable reservations, so you know it will waiting for you when you arrive.

 

[walterbays]

I will have my new Rav4 EV there, and will bring LEAF related goodies to sell / barter / BS about.

It's pretty depressing that you of all people seem to have decided that Toyota is likely to get serious about EVs before California gets serious about quick charging - buying a compliance car that lacks a quick charge port.

[edit] Wait, or is that good news? Maybe it's not that you expect California to be so slow in reforming the business climate for QC, but that you expect Toyota to quickly come around on EV's given how good their compliance vehicle is.

 

[hill]

It's free now, but it's also brand new, and the provisioning is still being adjusted. It could be set to bill for time charging, or per kWh dispensed (max 25 kW rate), so you don't have to do the value math during the ramp-down. Like every other ChargePoint station you can always see its availability. . . . . . . . snip .........

until earlier this morning ChargePoint.com web app showed "blue" - meaning that somebody was charging there - when in fact no one was there because the charger was down. Fortunately Nissan is right across the street (for charging) if you get hosed by Cargepoint's inccurate website and / or the Chademo's hardware fault(s). Apparently - whoever disconnected around 3:30pm yesterday - did so by simply yanking the plug off their Leaf's charge port - rather than hit the stop button. Hopefully in the future the charger will be able to account for ignorant people. But the bottom line is don't count on ChargePointStations support or their web pages as any kind of source for accuracy - especially not this early in the game.
You can NOT always see its availability.

 

[TonyWilliams]

... whoever disconnected around 3:30pm yesterday - did so by simply yanking the plug off their Leaf's charge port - rather than hit the stop button.

If this unit is Chademo compliant, you CAN'T simply yank the plug without physically breaking something. The plug is mechanically locked to the receptacle on the car, so grandma can't get her fingers on the 400 volts.

Both contactors, on the can and the charger, must open before the plug will be mechanically released. Blink has already had cars held hostage when the plug wouldn't release.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I will have my new Rav4 EV there, and will bring LEAF related goodies to sell / barter / BS about.

It's pretty depressing that you of all people seem to have decided that Toyota is likely to get serious about EVs before California gets serious about quick charging - buying a compliance car that lacks a quick charge port.

[edit] Wait, or is that good news? Maybe it's not that you expect California to be so slow in reforming the business climate for QC, but that you expect Toyota to quickly come around on EV's given how good their compliance vehicle is.

Not a policy or ideological statement with the Rav4. It meets my range and hauling needs better, at a SIGNIFICANT increase in cost. It's entirely built in North America (Ontario, Canada and California, USA).

I do not believe that Toyota will get serious about EVs; quite the opposite. And, I think Nissan will flounder for some time (unless oil goes way up, and the range on cars goes up as well).

California does have a number of sources for quick chargers coming in the state, and I can't use them.... yet.

 

[hill]

If this unit is Chademo compliant, you CAN'T simply yank the plug without physically breaking something. The plug is mechanically locked to the receptacle on the car, . . . . . . . . . snip

I'm sure their chademo plug is compliant. It has a small button towards the rear/top - and I'd presume you have to push it to release it. When the QC didn't work though, and I removed it from my QC charge port, I didn't notice whether it would pull loose w/out pushing the button. I kind of wished I'd tried now, just to see if that was what happened to the prior user.

 

[TonyWilliams]

If this unit is Chademo compliant, you CAN'T simply yank the plug without physically breaking something. The plug is mechanically locked to the receptacle on the car, . . . . . . . . . snip

I'm sure their chademo plug is compliant. It has a small button towards the rear/top - and I'd presume you have to push it to release it.

And that only works when the contactors open in both the car and charger. Which means, you must stop the charge with the off button (green one) on the machine and wait for the locking solenoid to mechically release the handle, so that you can then press the handle button (with your thumb) to remove it.

The indicator on the handle will tell you if it's locked (on Yazaki connectors, it's a light for an indicator).

 

[TonyWilliams]

One week away!!

10am to 1pm.

Then, there is the EV Oasis party in San Juan Capistrano from 2pm to 7pm. Yes, a LEAF can do them all, if you quick charge in Santa Ysabel, and quick charge in San Juan Capistrano (81 miles between the two, downhill 3000 feet elevation).

 

[Randy]

I've heard no ETA yet for the Santa Ysabel DC FC going on-line...Hopefully it will be soon....

 

[walterbays]

Yes, a LEAF can do them all, if you quick charge in Santa Ysabel, and quick charge in San Juan Capistrano (81 miles between the two, downhill 4000 feet elevation).

Yes, but how many Leafs can do them all? First, this is the same Santa Ysabel charger that has been on the verge of opening many times before, with Blink equipment that hasn't established a very good track record elsewhere coming on line on time. Still, if someone reports by Friday from on site that the charger is operational then likely that end of it is good to go for Saturday.

But then how many cars can the low power EVoasis unit charge? A car making the run from Santa Ysabel will arrive pretty much empty. Cars driving up from San Diego or down from OC/LA would need less to make the return trip. From 2-7, in 5 hours EVoasis could charge 5 cars that need a lot, or 10 cars that need a typical charge, or 15 cars that need a little.

I think I'll skip the Leaf Meet this time and go instead just to San Juan Capistrano, for which I know I'll need only 25 minutes charging. And I can arrive a bit early to try to leave more of those 5 precious hours for folks coasting down the mountain from Santa Ysabel on LBW. Then I'll go celebrate Santa Ysabel opening when I'm absolutely sure that it's open.