Charging protocol

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MtWalt

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2014
Messages
8
When charging at a public charger is there any sort of protocol that says you should stop at a particular level when someone is waiting? If a car has completed charging but the owner has not returned is it ok to disconnect and start charging your car?
 
MtWalt said:
When charging at a public charger is there any sort of protocol that says you should stop at a particular level when someone is waiting? If a car has completed charging but the owner has not returned is it ok to disconnect and start charging your car?

Generally, no, for partially-charged cars. I know I often really need the full 100% so the idea that someone might disconnect me at 80% or 90% isn't appealing at all.

The exception that I've played with - with the agreement of the Nissan dealer - is when a LEAF is at a QC and is well over 90% charged. At that point, switching that LEAF over to an available L2 may be acceptable because when the battery is near full the L2 is just as fast as the QC. On the two occasions I did this I got permission from the dealer (where the charging stations were located) and hung around to talk to the owner of the other LEAF. On both occasions the other LEAFer was happy with this once it was explained.

OTOH, if the other car has completed charging the consensus is that it is absolutely okay to disconnect and start charging your own car.
 
MtWalt said:
When charging at a public charger is there any sort of protocol that says you should stop at a particular level when someone is waiting? If a car has completed charging but the owner has not returned is it ok to disconnect and start charging your car?

To answer the "does any protocol exist", no. It is all friendly agreements and some do not agree with eachother.

I think most people will agree that if the car has completed charging (to 100% or at least to where the car has shut off its charger like if set to 80% limit) then it is valid to unplug and plug yours in. If you finish and leave before the other car moves, plug the other car back in. Perhaps they are counting on it to do remote HVAC? But the next person that arrives will most likely do the same.

However I don't see it much around here. Since all the EV spaces generally only have 1 charger for 1 space, and then either curb or ICE parking next to it, there are very few times that I could park and get a charge with a EV blocking the station.

I know that if I go to the airport and see a Volt or PiP plugged into the L1 chargers that are done, I will gladly move it to my Leaf if I can park in one of the hybrid spots next to the EV spots.
 
2k1Toaster said:
However I don't see it much around here. Since all the EV spaces generally only have 1 charger for 1 space, and then either curb or ICE parking next to it, there are very few times that I could park and get a charge with a EV blocking the station.

With a JLong J1772 extension cable, you have many options with a blocked spot, up to and including parking behind the offending vehicle and still being able to plug in.
 
MtWalt said:
When charging at a public charger is there any sort of protocol that says you should stop at a particular level when someone is waiting?

If someone is waiting, and you have enough charge to get where you need to go, it would be nice to yield the plug. Wouldn't you like that, if you were the one waiting? The golden rule applies.
 
It would be very courteous to leave a card with your cell phone number in the windshield so that if someone really needs a few kWh, they can call you and ask you to relinquish the wire.

Bob
 
If the car is done charging I would not hesitate to use the plug.
I would expect anyone else to do the same if my car is sitting fully charged.

If the exchange would put a vehicle subject to towing then hands off.
 
MtWalt said:
When charging at a public charger is there any sort of protocol that says you should stop at a particular level when someone is waiting? If a car has completed charging but the owner has not returned is it ok to disconnect and start charging your car?

if a car is not actively charging, then I think its ok to unplug them to start your charge.

as far as if you should unplug if someone else is waiting for you; the big thing is simply getting what you need and moving on. keep to that and you will have done everything you can
 
If there is signage indicating that unplugged cars might be towed,
according to the unfriendly CA state law, you unplugging another,
even if they are totally finished charging, would put them in the
possible position of arriving back only to find their car gone missing.

Very inconvenient, quite expensive, and mucho not fun.
Best to boycott any places displaying that signage, and
do not leave your car unattended at such a place.
 
garygid said:
If there is signage indicating that unplugged cars might be towed,
according to the unfriendly CA state law, you unplugging another,
even if they are totally finished charging, would put them in the
possible position of arriving back only to find their car gone missing.

Very inconvenient, quite expensive, and mucho not fun.
Best to boycott any places displaying that signage, and
do not leave your car unattended at such a place.

car is already sitting there with a completed charge so who knows how long? the law is the law. not my place to enable someone to break it. the law is there so I can charge, so I will most definitely unplug them if they are done
 
garygid said:
If there is signage indicating that unplugged cars might be towed,
according to the unfriendly CA state law, you unplugging another,
even if they are totally finished charging, would put them in the
possible position of arriving back only to find their car gone missing.

Very inconvenient, quite expensive, and mucho not fun.
Best to boycott any places displaying that signage, and
do not leave your car unattended at such a place.
Do we know of any examples of citing/towing an unplugged EV actually happening? I recall the consternation when this law was passed, but I haven't heard anything yet about the actual implementation.
 
I have a Google Voice number that I put on a little printout on my dash saying "Call or text me at this number if you need this charger."
 
In this case the car reached 100% with 2 of us waiting. When the owner came back he said he was just inside the dealership wasting time, so he was ok with the disconnect. I did a 15 minute charge to get where I was going and went on my way.

It was a bit frustrating that he let other people wait around while he was killing time. I don't mind waiting, but come on!!!
 
MtWalt said:
In this case the car reached 100% with 2 of us waiting. When the owner came back he said he was just inside the dealership wasting time, so he was ok with the disconnect. I did a 15 minute charge to get where I was going and went on my way.

It was a bit frustrating that he let other people wait around while he was killing time. I don't mind waiting, but come on!!!

1) not all have carwings to notify them when a charge is complete

2) not all have a good grasp of how long it takes to charge

a way to notify the owner when they are finished charging might be better off to be a standard feature in the future.
 
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