Sad state of San Francisco chargers

[jwatte]

I'm spending a few days at a conference in the Masonic center (Nob hill) in San Francisco. I'm driving up from Redwood City.

Looking on evchargermaps, an "i was there" from a leaf owner in the stockton/sitter garage gave me hope for a pluggable parking spot -- no such luck; only old paddles/handles on display. That Leaf review has to be a fake!? The garage also charged me $3 just to exit again :-(

Then on to fifth/mission garage, also listed as "ev charging." However, again only old stations/connectors.

So... I'll probably make it home again even though I started out at 80%. But how can it be this bad? And what was wrong with the old standards/s that we couldn't just keep using that instead of J1772 anyway?

 

[waitingforaleaf]

Unfortunately, San Francisco has not been very active in updating their old chargers to J-1772. Many of their public parking garages are supposed to offer free charging until 2013, but the only public ones that currently have J-1772 are located at:

1 @ Ellis-O'Farrell Garage
2 @ Post-Montgomery Center Parking Garage
3 @ Civic Center Garage
1 @ Polk-Bush Garage
2 @ Pier 27 Garage
1 @ Japan Center Garage

All of these chargers are Chargepoint, as Blink has really dropped the ball in terms of public charging infrastructure here in the Bay Area.

edit: I also wouldn't depend on evchargermaps too much, as I've found many of their listings to be legacy Avcon units as you've found out at Sutter-Stockton and Fifth-Mission garages (apparently some Leaf owners are using some type of Avcon to J-1772 converter, but I don't have any details on that so maybe someone else can chime in).

 

[TRONZ]

Unfortunately, San Francisco has not been very active in updating their old chargers to J-1772.

This situation is all over. Not really sure what all these legacy sites are waiting for.

 

[hpage]

Anyone charge in front of City Hall, either NEMA 5-15 or J1772?

 

[TEG]

Anyone charge in front of City Hall, either NEMA 5-15 or J1772?

Isn't that where Gudy charged on his trip home with the first USA customer delivered LEAF last December?

http://www.kbb.com/car-news/all-the-latest/first-retail-customer-takes-delivery-of-a-2011-nissan-leaf/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.coulombtech.com/blog/coulomb-tech/nissan-leaf-arrives-sf-city-hall-chargepoint-ready-close/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[waitingforaleaf]

Anyone charge in front of City Hall, either NEMA 5-15 or J1772?

Well, the Chargepoints out in front of City Hall have been deemed restricted access (being reserved for Zipcar and City Carshare) for a while now, but the Civic Center Parking Lot is basically right next door. Unfortunately, regular parking rates do apply.

 

[surfingslovak]

That Leaf review has to be a fake!? The garage also charged me $3 just to exit again :-(

I think you saw a report from Waidy. She has an Avcon adapter, and the review was not a fake. Although I agree that this is a sad state of affairs, I acquired one of these adapters for relatively palatable amount a while ago. I assumed that I would only ever need it as backup on longer trips, but I found myself using it virtually every time I go to the City.

 

[jwatte]

Well, at least at 5th and mission I could plug into a NEMA outlet (none visible on sutter) and trickle a bit. I added a note on evchargers.
However, tomorrow I might as well charge 100% in the morning to avoid anxiety, and park at the masonic center without charging -- that walk up nob hill is really something when you're already late having looked for parking

 

[surfingslovak]

However, tomorrow I might as well charge 100% in the morning to avoid anxiety, and park at the masonic center without charging -- that walk up nob hill is really something when you're already late having looked for parking

Sounds like a plan I saw your comment on evchargermaps.com, great idea. If everything else failed, there is a ChargePoint station at the Ellis O'Farrell garage, half a block from the Powell cable car line.

 

[EVDrive]

That Leaf review has to be a fake!? The garage also charged me $3 just to exit again :-(

I think you saw a report from Waidy. She has an Avcon adapter, and the review was not a fake. Although I agree that this is a sad state of affairs, I acquired one of these adapters for relatively palatable amount a while ago. I assumed that I would only ever need it as backup on longer trips, but I found myself using it virtually every time I go to the City.

Where did you get this converter and how much did it cost? I go to the city often as well and there are tons of outdated units, super frustrating. I went to the civic center last month asked where the ev chargers were at the entrance and the attendant said there were no public chargers, only the 10 plus city use only ones. I parked for a few hours and on the way out I asked the exit attendant why there were no public chargers and he said they have them and they were in the lowest level of the lot. I asked him to share his knowledge with his idiot co-worker. So, they may have them at the civic center lot but I haven't seen them.

 

[EVDRIVER]

Not one Blink within 20 miles of SF and this is where they moved their headquarters. Excellent marketing. At least install one token EVSE in the backyard of your business so you don't look like incompetent fools that are completely out of touch. Limited addition signed cardboard anyone?

 

[EVDrive]

Not one Blink within 20 miles of SF and this is where they moved their headquarters. Excellent marketing. At least install one token EVSE in the backyard of your business so you don't look like incompetent fools that are completely out of touch. Limited addition signed cardboard anyone?

From my experience with their home unit.... If they installed one, it likely wouldn't work anyway. It would be huge and overbuilt though, with a 40 inch big screen to tell us we can not charge and that it is the cars fault.

 

[surfingslovak]

Where did you get this converter and how much did it cost? I go to the city often as well and there are tons of outdated units, super frustrating. I went to the civic center last month asked where the ev chargers were at the entrance and the attendant said there were no public chargers, only the 10 plus city use only ones. I parked for a few hours and on the way out I asked the exit attendant why there were no public chargers and he said they have them and they were in the lowest level of the lot. I asked him to share his knowledge with his idiot co-worker. So, they may have them at the civic center lot but I haven't seen them.

I picked up mine from the classifieds section on the DIY Electric Car forum. At the time, I was questioning the price I paid ($150), but it's been worth it. Don't get me wrong, I would rather see charging infrastructure being built out faster. I was considering building couple of these adapters from scratch, but it's not economical. I called Meltric Corp, and aside from not being particularly knowlegeable or helpful, they are asking too much for the inlets. Around $250 delivered. One would have to add an enclosure and and a NEMA jack at a nominal cost.

I agree that these chargers are hard to find. I started using Recargo and usually take the time to post descriptive site photos. It's a good site, they imported the data from several sources, inluding evchargermaps.com and ChargePoint.

 

[EVDrive]

Nice, Thanks for the info. 150 bucks is expensive but good insurance. I'll try to find one also.

quote="surfingslovak"]

Where did you get this converter and how much did it cost? I go to the city often as well and there are tons of outdated units, super frustrating. I went to the civic center last month asked where the ev chargers were at the entrance and the attendant said there were no public chargers, only the 10 plus city use only ones. I parked for a few hours and on the way out I asked the exit attendant why there were no public chargers and he said they have them and they were in the lowest level of the lot. I asked him to share his knowledge with his idiot co-worker. So, they may have them at the civic center lot but I haven't seen them.

I picked up mine from the classifieds section on the DIY Electric Car forum. At the time, I was questioning the price I paid ($150), but it's been worth it. Don't get me wrong, I would rather see charging infrastructure being built out faster. I was considering building couple of these adapters from scratch, but it's not economical. I called Meltric Corp, and aside from not being particularly knowlegeable or helpful, they are asking too much for the inlets. Around $250 delivered. One would have to add an enclosure and and a NEMA jack at a nominal cost.

I agree that these chargers are hard to find. I started using Recargo and usually take the time to post site photos. It's a good site, they imported the data from several sources, inluding evchargermaps.com and ChargePoint.[/quote]

 

[palmermd]

"Sad state of San Francisco chargers"

Chargers are in San Diego...you must be thinking about the 49ers.

 

[jwatte]

The story actually has a decent conclusion.
Next day i parked in the Masonic Center garage (no hill climbing this time) and they have regular NEMA outlets at various places (in the pillars). Trickling for 8 hours beats no charge by a long shot!
(Drive to the bottom floor where you have your choice of open spot, and back in to put the charging port close to the pillar)

 

[EVDRIVER]

Perhaps they should call them "on the Blink"

 

[MaryC]

I've not tried it but according to Recargo there are 2 J1772 at the Parc 55 Hotel on Cyril Magnin Street. This would be central to Union Square, the theatres, SF Center, and about 3 blocks to Moscone Center. Anyone here tried it yet?

http://www.recargo.com/sites/1490" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[EVDRIVER]

I've not tried it but according to Recargo there are 2 J1772 at the Parc 55 Hotel on Cyril Magnin Street. This would be central to Union Square, the theatres, SF Center, and about 3 blocks to Moscone Center. Anyone here tried it yet?

http://www.recargo.com/sites/1490" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ever seen hotel parking rates?

 

[TRONZ]

Limited addition signed cardboard anyone?

It just about makes me want to scream.