New "gun" quick charge connectors installed in Portland

Just spotted this at the Blink QC at Fred Meyer in NE Portland:



So much nicer that that old connector with the stupid lever. This really erases the only real advantage Combo has over CHAdeMO. And I'd bet there are more of these new connectors on CHAdeMO chargers than there are Combo chargers total.

Great news! I've seen some other photos of newer Chademo handles that are different than this one, but still a huge improvement over the older design, like this one:

Jeremy spotted one at the Azusa Blink DCQC..

pkulak, which blink location is it? I'd like to drive out to Multnomah Falls in my Leaf, but I'm worried about the reliability of the Blink chargers out there.

gsleaf said:

pkulak, which blink location is it? I'd like to drive out to Multnomah Falls in my Leaf, but I'm worried about the reliability of the Blink chargers out there.

Click to expand...

It's the one at the Freddy's at Weidler and NE 32nd. Where are you coming from? The one at the Toutdale Walmart looks like it's okay on Plugshare, but you're right, you never know. Actually, it looks like it was recently fixed as well. They may have even put the new connector on.

pkulak said:

gsleaf said:

pkulak, which blink location is it? I'd like to drive out to Multnomah Falls in my Leaf, but I'm worried about the reliability of the Blink chargers out there.

Click to expand...

It's the one at the Freddy's at Weidler and NE 32nd. Where are you coming from? The one at the Toutdale Walmart looks like it's okay on Plugshare, but you're right, you never know. Actually, it looks like it was recently fixed as well. They may have even put the new connector on.

Click to expand...

I'd be coming from the Metzger area. If the Troutdale one worked I'd be fine. It seems like it has a really bad history though. It's cool to see the new charger connectors. The old ones were terrible.

http://charge.yazaki-group.com/english/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.chademo.com/wp/chademo-connectors/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://jae-connectors.com/en/news-201109KW1-en.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is the Chinese standard "GB/T"

adric22 said:

Great news! I've seen some other photos of newer Chademo handles that are different than this one, but still a huge improvement over the older design, like this one:

Click to expand...

I bet Blink is replacing the old connectors with these new ones so they can turn off that giant screen at the top of the station. All that thing did was run a video showing you how to use the old, stupid connector. Now they can fix the connector instead of that thing.

I'd be wary of the new handles they're putting on Blink stations. The two Blink stations they put the handles on in San Diego County no longer work after getting the new handles.

http://api.plugshare.com/view/location/12665" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://api.plugshare.com/view/location/13990" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's a good thing Nissan and eVgo started installing QCs around here, otherwise the charging situation would be pretty bad. Now if only eVgo would install more than one L2 station to go with each QC...

The Blink at the Tualatin Fred Meyer store had these installed about 3 weeks ago. So far it's working like a champ without any issues.

http://api.plugshare.com/view/location/15758" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I never felt like the old connector was all that difficult, certainly after I watched some YouTube video that showed how. But the new one is simpler, and worked fine at the Shari's in Sherwood about a week ago. It also looked like the touch screens had been replaced, though I'd never been at that one before, so I can't be sure. The big plasma was still running though...

--G

Wow, they seem to be replacing all of them in Oregon. That's awesome!

And if you need to watch a Youtube video, then it's too complicated. I want to be able to trade cars with someone, give them my Blink card, and tell them to just go to the nearest quick charger if they run low. If part of that involves showing them an instructional video, they are probably going to tell me to bug off and rent a car.

A recent comment on PlugShare shows that the one on SR-14 in Vancouver also got fixed/updated with the new plug. And that one was broken for a *long* time.

--G

Can anyone say whether or not these new connectors are rigidly connected to the cable, i.e. don't allow any twisting of the cable relative to the connector? I ask this because there is an Eaton QC in Chattanooga that is down, and I thought the fact that it allows such twisting (of at least 30 degrees) might be a factor in its not functioning. QC uses such a thick cable that it is hard for me to imagine how a deliberate robust built-in twisting capability could be easily designed.

Wishin' we had Fred Meyers here in So Cal. Oh well ... the bright side is that we just got one in Kalispell MT a year or so ago. No chargers there. You look at the entire state - 4th largest geographically - and the whole state is nearly baren of EVSE's. Anyway ... I do like the gun style.
.

A Quebec-based charging station manufacturer has also done away with the CHAdeMO lever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TKQwiXovO4

MikeD said:

Can anyone say whether or not these new connectors are rigidly connected to the cable, i.e. don't allow any twisting of the cable relative to the connector? I ask this because there is an Eaton QC in Chattanooga that is down, and I thought the fact that it allows such twisting (of at least 30 degrees) might be a factor in its not functioning. QC uses such a thick cable that it is hard for me to imagine how a deliberate robust built-in twisting capability could be easily designed.

Click to expand...

The ones I checked out were secured so that no twisting could be done.

MikeD said:

Can anyone say whether or not these new connectors are rigidly connected to the cable, i.e. don't allow any twisting of the cable relative to the connector? I ask this because there is an Eaton QC in Chattanooga that is down, and I thought the fact that it allows such twisting (of at least 30 degrees) might be a factor in its not functioning. QC uses such a thick cable that it is hard for me to imagine how a deliberate robust built-in twisting capability could be easily designed.

Click to expand...

I've never seen one that twisted.