Vacaville L3 Chargepoint

[edatoakrun]

You would think that Nissan, Chevy, Tesla and all the other companies w/EV's would help sponsor some of these charge stations. It is in their best interest if they want to promote the EV's they are selling.

Careful what you say, MaryC, or Nissan will put you on the eight to ??? month long after-order wait list, reserved for us "problem" buyers...

My comment from 1/14/11:

I do not understand Nissan USA's apparent reluctance to contribute to the development of the public fast charge infrastructure.

Billions of dollars have been invested by Nissan in designing and producing the LEAF. IMO the design and concept is far superior to any of the "plug-in" or ICE "conversions" that will enter the market in the next few years. But there is currently a glaring failure in the LEAF concept to any potential American buyer. Nissan is allowing it's EV competitors to beat it up over "range anxiety" and slower level 2 charge times.

The total cost of a DC fast charger installation is reported to be only $5,000-$25,000, before various subsidies and tax credits. Why Is Nissan not making any effort to promote DC infrastructure development? This is by far the most cost-effective way to increase the range and practically of the Leaf to current (any of you owners even used a DC charger yet?) and future drivers...

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2374

 

[ht2]

it appears that all of the PG&E staff who worked to bring that charging point online have been transferred, and he thinks "PG&E have forgotten that it even exists.

This sound like a some of spy movie I saw. :shock:
I think PG&E got pressure and terminate the project.
I hope PG&E will donate facility to City of Vacaville and city can maintain the facility.

 

[Electric4Me]

Hey folks, I was dying to know the answer to this and a
I just had the chance to stop by Vacaville. The screen is dark, but lights up when you touch it. After clearing an error message, it said it was ready to charge...

 

[DaveEV]

Here's the image Electric4Me is trying to post:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/c0-FJHkVBtCEW5sw-jDvBg?feat=email

 

[Electric4Me]

Here's the image Electric4Me is trying to post:

Thanks drees! I was fumbling to get that far from my phone... I figured I'd log in from my PC when I got home (now) and fix it. You beat me to it!

 

[Spies]

Hey folks, I was dying to know the answer to this and a
I just had the chance to stop by Vacaville. The screen is dark, but lights up when you touch it. After clearing an error message, it said it was ready to charge...

Nice! Makes me wonder if my SO ever thought to touch the screen and perhaps only pushed the buttons. Come to think of it I don't recall if I tried touching the screen when I looked at it a while back.

What was the error? Something about the date and time perhaps?

 

[darelldd]

If you are looking for good info on it, [here] is a link with many pictures showing how it works.

Great post and information Ingineer, thanks!

You're welcome! (If you don't mind me taking credit for the info, pictures and creating the page!)

 

[darelldd]

For the record, I have NEVER experienced this charger to be out of service. Every time I've visited, it has been ready and willing to go. I'm not sure what others are experiencing, of course.

Ed Heustis and I heard the same things from the same people, and came to different conclusions. This charge station is public. It is available for anybody to use at a public park and ride. It is powered, unlocked and ready for action. One of the reasons this "demonstration" charger was installed here is to gage "user acceptance." Can't do that without users!

"I haven't heard if you can effectively "top off" with Level 2 charging immediately following the use of the EV Quick Charger."
At the dedicaction event we talked about this specifically. After the Fast charge terminates, you can immediately top off with L2 charging with the press of one button.

 

[darelldd]

THIS was the first L3 station on the West Coast and maybe is still the ONLY L3 station up and running....

These aren't called L3 stations any longer. They're officially "DC Quick Charge" stations.

 

[GeekEV]

But L3 is so much easier to say. I think we just need to accept the fact that people will use the terms interchangeably...

 

[darelldd]

But L3 is so much easier to say. I think we just need to accept the fact that people will use the terms interchangeably...

I agree! And people do and they will... but the terms mean different things, of course. I don't mean to be the terminology Nazi... just pointing out the current reality. I'm the first to admit that the terminology is VERY hard to keep up with! Most folks think that L2 means a very narrow band of charge current. Nope!

Jeez. I noticed that I got the terminology wrong anyway! It is "quick" charger, not "fast" charger. I'll go edit it.

 

[planet4ever]

But L3 is so much easier to say. I think we just need to accept the fact that people will use the terms interchangeably...

I agree! And people do and they will... but the terms mean different things, of course. I don't mean to be the terminology Nazi... just pointing out the current reality. I'm the first to admit that the terminology is VERY hard to keep up with! Most folks think that L2 means a very narrow band of charge current. Nope!

You two both seem to be writing as if there really is something called L3, but that quick charge using CHAdeMO isn't it. I had a different impression. I thought the L1/L2/L3 terms originated with the J1772 standards task force, but that they abandoned the L3 term. There is now DC charging (at whatever voltage the battery needs), and AC charging, where AC charging is broken down as L1 = 120v and L2 = 208v-240v.

Presumably some day L3 charging might be defined as some higher AC voltage, but that hasn't even been proposed yet.

I'm not an expert on this. Would someone like to chime in on how far off-base I might be?

Ray

 

[garygid]

Well, the undefined and abandoned "L3" term can easily be used without confusion as an unofficial nickname for the CHAdeMo "DC QC", often referred to as just "QC", right?

 

[LEAFer]

"I haven't heard if you can effectively "top off" with Level 2 charging immediately following the use of the EV Quick Charger."
At the dedicaction event we talked about this specifically. After the Fast charge terminates, you can immediately top off with L2 charging with the press of one button.

Which button would that be ? I thought Vacaville does not yet have L2 ? Or are you refering to keeping it plugged in an continuing to charge using DC, but at a lower current. Sorry, I am a little confused. (Or is it because iMiev is different?)

 

[darelldd]

This stuff WAS called L3 origionally, of course (and I believe Nissan still calls it that to this day). When that term was replaced in favor of something making the DC aspect more clear, I stopped paying attention to that now orphan L3 tag. Unless somebody beats me to it, I'll see if I can collect all the current (ha!) terminology in one place for reference.

 

[garygid]

I think they meant that you COULD charge to 100% using L2 (IF it was available), but you can also "continue" (restart) the QC by pressing the "Start" button on the QC "station/box/epump".

I do not know if you also have to press button in the LEAF to re-start the QC charging. If you do not, does this mean that the LEAF is NOT the one stopping at 80%, but it is the QC e-pump that stops (assuming the LEAF is communicating the battery pack's SOC to the QC box). Or (as I expect), does the LEAF stop the charging (telling the QC to Stop), and the LEAF will automatically begin charging again if it gets the "Startup-Communication" from the re-Started QC?

So, in the rain, a long broom-handle would be convenient?

If the LEAF does the stopping at 80% (only if starting below 50%), a simple 80/90/95/100 setting in the LEAF would seem to be MUCH better an convenient, AND allow unattended QC charging.

 

[darelldd]

Well, the undefined and abandoned "L3" term can easily be used without confusion as an unofficial nickname for the CHAdeMo "DC QC", often referred to as just "QC", right?

Well, I suppose... until some governing body decides to start using L3 to mean something else. I think it is confusing enough already to use the *correct* terms without tossing in nicknames. The more I learn about these "standards" the more confused I get. Good grief.

 

[garygid]

Then, be careful to not confuse GM (new) with GM (old),
or J1772 (old) with J1772 (new),
or Savings Bonds with War Bonds.

Or, one "Gary" with another "Gary"! :lol:

 

[darelldd]

"I haven't heard if you can effectively "top off" with Level 2 charging immediately following the use of the EV Quick Charger."
At the dedicaction event we talked about this specifically. After the Fast charge terminates, you can immediately top off with L2 charging with the press of one button.

Which button would that be ? I thought Vacaville does not yet have L2 ? Or are you refering to keeping it plugged in an continuing to charge using DC, but at a lower current. Sorry, I am a little confused. (Or is it because iMiev is different?)

Ah yes. Terminology messing us up again.

So first the button. As there are just two buttons from which to choose, I'd choose the "start." After the quick charge is over, the next press of start begins a lower current charge - similar to the level of L2 (~6.6kw), but still coming from the DC charger. The car can be topped up to 100% in this fashion. It can NOT be charged to full at the quick charge rate.

Sorry. All confusion was in my use of "L2" when I should have just said 6.6kW charge level. Does this clear it iup?

 

[darelldd]

Then, be careful to not confuse GM (new) with GM (old),
or J1772 (old) with J1772 (new),
or Savings Bonds with War Bonds.

Or, one "Gary" with another "Gary"! :lol:

Touche!