Portland Oregon Group

[DarkStar]

Quick FYI that all local Kohl's locations in the Portland/Vancouver area now have Blink EVSEs installed.

The NE Hollywood Fred Meyer store should also have their Blink DC Quick Charger online now too (I was told it would be up Thursday).

The Eaton DC Quick Charger is still down at PSU and Electric Avenue is still frequently ICEd. Whenever I'm by I just give Parking Enforcement a call and request they drop by to hand out a bunch of tickets.

 

[camasleaf]

The NE Hollywood Fred Meyer store should also have their Blink DC Quick Charger online now too (I was told it would be up Thursday).

I stopped by Sunday night, both DC QC chargers and the L2 were ICEd. The right CHADEMO connector was broken, looks like was dropped and a piece of the black plastic broke off. It was powered down. The left one had scratches, did not look like 4 days old. It did have power. After 15 minute the driver in front of the QC came to the car. He apologized saying that it did not believe "this thing" works. There are no signs to restrict parking to EVs only when charging.

I started to QC and while the EVSE was quiet, I heard fans that started on a huge enclosure mounted on a concrete pad about 20 feet away. I was down to 13% and in about 20 minutes I was up to 80%. When I started the car, I only had 8 bars. The QC charger at World Trade Center charged to 9 bars, but I started with about 30%.

So waited 15 minutes, charged 20, talked for 15 minutes to 4 people about the car and charging. I was out of there in 50 minutes, but it could have been 20 minutes only.

The concern is why this CHADEMO connectors gets damaged so easily? For the Blink, should the EVSE keep the connector locked until the card is read and then release the connector?

 

[DarkStar]

The concern is why this CHADEMO connectors gets damaged so easily?

Ironically, it seems to be the UL listed connector is getting damaged a lot easier than the TEPCO one (at the WTC).

 

[camasleaf]

The Eaton Charger is faster than Blink, it has 3 Phase DC :lol: :

 

[camasleaf]

Charging with Blink QC, you can select less than 80% if you want:

The actual charger, about 20 feet from the fancy screen and broken connectors

Broken connector after 4 days:

Working connector after 4 days

 

[twbaker]

With all this excitement surround the DC Fast Charger at Freddy's in Hollywood District I had to go check it out! I'm here right now charging up to 80%. I also thought that it was pretty cool that you could select in increments of 10% your desired charge level and could potentially go to 90% or 100% if you so choose. Wonder if that would be considerably harmful to the battery pack?

Now I just hope that we can get more of these along the I-5 corridor. Aside from the apparent sloppy build quality of the plastic connectors, I must say, this Blink unit is a pretty snazzy device. It makes me wonder what an EV owner would do without a Blink RFID card?!

 

[DarkStar]

Wonder if that would be considerably harmful to the battery pack?

The Leaf will already only go to 80% if it starts under 50% SOC, regardless of the charging station setting. These DC Quick Chargers also can't charge the batteries fast enough to damage them, the Leaf controls the whole process to prevent any potential damage from occuring.

Aside from the apparent sloppy build quality of the plastic connectors, I must say, this Blink unit is a pretty snazzy device.

These are the UL listed CHAdeMO connectors (also on the Eaton unit at PSU). The original CHAdeMO connector can be found on the World Trade Center unit and seems to be holding up a lot better.

 

[camasleaf]

Wonder if that would be considerably harmful to the battery pack?

I DC quick charged twice there. First time I was at one bar and about 4 miles; the charger said I was at 13% and charged me to 80% in about 20 minutes. The temperature went up one bar, from 5 to 6. Second time I charged from 48% to 78% in about 13 minutes and the temperature did not change from 5 bars. (I stopped at 78% since another Leaf came and was waiting, and I did not realy need the charge, just made my wife practice QC)

When I charged at WTC (my first QC) I went from 30% to 80% in about 20 minutes, but I had one more bar on the charge compared to the 80% from the Blink charger. Still the temperature went up on bar from 5 to 6.

So if the issue with QC is the battery temperature then I believe we are fine, at least in this weather.

 

[DarkStar]

For those that are interested, the Oregon Department of Transportation is finalizing the locations of the DC Quick Chargers for Aerovironment to install.

Here is a link to the page of potential site options and it includes a link to provide feedback:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/OIPP/EV_TigerSiteRankings.shtml

 

[GinkoLeaf]

Has anyone received a little gift in the mail from Nissan? I got a cute little model car a couple days ago.

Yes UPS dropped it off a couple of days ago. It was unexpected and was accompanied by a letter from Nissan thanking us for purchasing the leaf! I'm assuming everyone will get it.

Reviving an old thread and wondering if anyone else has gotten the little model car from Nissan? I haven't received anything, just endless annoying surveys... :|

 

[GinkoLeaf]

Revenge of the Electric Car at Hollywood Theater ... are they selling tickets yet?

 

[patrick0101]

wondering if anyone else has gotten the little model car from Nissan? I haven't received anything, just endless annoying surveys... :|

I too got no model car.

 

[shelleyb07]

Does anyone know if there is a rental car company at PDX that rents Leaf's?
Going to be in Portland for the day in a couple of weeks and since I need to rent a car, thought a Leaf would be a good choice.
Thanks,
Shelley

 

[DarkStar]

Reviving an old thread and wondering if anyone else has gotten the little model car from Nissan? I haven't received anything, just endless annoying surveys... :|

No model car here.

Revenge of the Electric Car at Hollywood Theater ... are they selling tickets yet?

As far as I can tell, they aren't selling tickets online yet.

 

[camasleaf]

wondering if anyone else has gotten the little model car from Nissan? I haven't received anything, just endless annoying surveys... :|

I got mine over a month ago. The car bottom was broken , and the metal body was moving freely in the box. Somehow nothing else got broken, fixed it with some superglue.

 

[camasleaf]

For those that are interested, the Oregon Department of Transportation is finalizing the locations of the DC Quick Chargers for Aerovironment to install.

Here is a link to the page of potential site options and it includes a link to provide feedback:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/OIPP/EV_TigerSiteRankings.shtml

Thank you for the link.

Looks like the last QC station before the beaches on 26 or 6 will be in Banks. Since the QC will most likely charge to 80% (or less with the Blink) is the 80% charge enough to take us all the way to the QC in Cannon Beach? It is less than 60 miles but with all the hills and not a full 80% ... might be tight.

If it is true that if you are over 50% when you start the QC than you can charge to 100%, then it might work. I tried to verify this last weekend but I reached the Blink QC with 48% charge. Anyone did a QC to more than 80%?

 

[padamson1]

For those that are interested, the Oregon Department of Transportation is finalizing the locations of the DC Quick Chargers for Aerovironment to install.

Here is a link to the page of potential site options and it includes a link to provide feedback:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/OIPP/EV_TigerSiteRankings.shtml

I assume these are in addition QC stations planned for the Green Highway Project along the I-5 corridor right? Hopefully there are a several QC stations in Salem to support I-5 as well as Santiam Pass traffic.

 

[GinkoLeaf]

Does anyone know if there is a rental car company at PDX that rents Leaf's?
Going to be in Portland for the day in a couple of weeks and since I need to rent a car, thought a Leaf would be a good choice.
Thanks,
Shelley

Found this online from a July, 2010 article:
Portland car renters who’d rather go electric than add more carbon emissions to the atmosphere will soon have an option. Enterprise Rent-A-Car will purchase 500 Nissan LEAF cars, the company’s first, much-anticipated electric vehicle due out this fall.

It’s particularly welcome news for those who can’t afford to buy a LEAF this year, but are mighty curious about taking one for a spin.

The battery-electric vehicles (BEV) will be available in eight test markets, Portland among them, according to Enterprise.

Enterprise will also be rolling out LEAFs, starting in January 2011, in Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Nashville, Phoenix, Tucson and Knoxville.

BEV charging stations will be available at about 100 Enterprise locations, starting in November.

Read more: http://www.enzymepdx.com/2010/drive-electric-car-in-pdx/#ixzz1bAErjEzl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Lynza]

I know the Enterprise on Burnside St. in Portland has 4-5 Leafs. I see them when I take Burnside home.

What is with the red Leafs? Do you guys hate me? Every time I wave I get dirty looks.

I see a blue Leaf on 224 on my way home, too, but it's usually parked.

Oliver: I have been noticing some decline in my total mileage. I think it has to do with the tires, and that I need to put some air in. I have almost 8000 miles on my Leaf now since May, and my commute from Hillsboro to Clackamas (I take 26 to McLoughlin to 224) normally ends up being about 60-65 miles, with usually around 40 miles to spare when I get home.

In the last month or so, though, it's dropped down, and I usually have only about 25-30 miles left when I get home. I need to make sure my tires have enough air, I think. If that doesn't help, I'll have the dealership take a look.

 

[DarkStar]

Thank you for the link.

Looks like the last QC station before the beaches on 26 or 6 will be in Banks. Since the QC will most likely charge to 80% (or less with the Blink) is the 80% charge enough to take us all the way to the QC in Cannon Beach? It is less than 60 miles but with all the hills and not a full 80% ... might be tight.

If it is true that if you are over 50% when you start the QC than you can charge to 100%, then it might work. I tried to verify this last weekend but I reached the Blink QC with 48% charge. Anyone did a QC to more than 80%?

It is absolutely true that if you start with less than 50% when using a DC Quick Charger the vehicle will stop charging at 80%, however you can immediately restart charging and the car will allow charging to 100%. I've tested this on the Eaton DC Quick Charger and the NEC DC Quick Charger and verified it does work.

You shouldn't have any issues reaching Cannon Beach from Banks with a 100% charge. Also, Seaside is supposed to be installing some Level 2 chargers soon if that is your destination.

I assume these are in addition QC stations planned for the Green Highway Project along the I-5 corridor right? Hopefully there are a several QC stations in Salem to support I-5 as well as Santiam Pass traffic.

The I-5 Corridor Project is the EV Project (ECOtality). They will be installing Blink DC Quick Charge stations. The ODOT project is completely separate.