Best Charging Setup for Parking Garage

[DaveinOlyWA]

i think a QC in a valet situation from an existing service is best.

people who want a QC. simply park in lot. get shuttled to specific terminal. car rental companies already have all this in place. customer gives valet travel schedule. then valet shuttles cars in and out of QC during their daily routine of shuffling rentals. this maximizes QC time. insures everyone is charged up and ready per their schedule and provides greatest opportunity for everyone to get a charge or at least know when they can get a charge.

 

[garygid]

If one NEEDS a L2 (J1772) connection (no EVSE in the car), just finding an open parking spot, parking, getting out to find that the J1772(s) are not only plugged into other cars (rather than on the ground or coiled out of view) but that they are actively charging, so "sharing" would be impolite, getting back in the car, finding another open parking space, but it has no charging at all, etc. ... will be VERY frustrating.

In fact, just choosing the Parking Structure (expecting to find Available charging), and finding all suitable charging spaces full (after much searching, late for shuttle to terminal, missed flight), will be a HUGE frustration.

Having computer-controlled signage on the outside of the parking structure (to better attract business) would be great. Things like "24 Spaces, no L2, 5 120v, 20 240v" would attract the people who could use the facility. A simple "Vacancies/Full" sign no longer helps the patrons who are expecting a service Other than simple parking.

The facility with a large number of charging spaces offers a NEW service, and could be a New-First in a new breed of easy-to-use "Park-n-Charge" facilities.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Having computer-controlled signage on the outside of the parking structure (to better attract business) would be great. Things like "24 Spaces, no L2, 5 120v, 20 240v" would attract the people who could use the facility. A simple "Vacancies/Full" sign no longer helps the patrons who are expecting a service Other than simple parking.

The facility with a large number of charging spaces offers a NEW service, and could be a New-First in a new breed of easy-to-use "Park-n-Charge" facilities.

That's a good idea. Advertising and an actual need that is met.

How would you indicate that a spot was occupied? There needs to be some kind of electronic switch that a vehicle is in a spot, and maybe post that on the internet. For numbers of available chargers, I how would you indicate that they are connected? It seems easy to sense a power draw, but just connected and not drawing (remember, these things will be powered down in the daytime).

 

[lpickup]

How would you indicate that a spot was occupied?

I guess it depends on exactly how the parking lot is set up. At an offsite parking facility near the airport here you pull up to the entrance booth and they assign you a spot and dispatch the shuttle to pick you up right at your car. I don't know how typical that type of facility is, but that's the case here where they are competing with the airport's on-site parking and provide that little something extra. If that's the type of facility it is, the booth attendant could pretty easily keep track of what charging spots are available and be able to direct cars to an empty charging spot. If it's more or less unattended, then that solution would obviously not work.

 

[smkettner]

Some garages I see have vehicle counters at the entrance/exit of each level. As cars move around a computer keeps track of how many are on each level, compares to the total parking spots and reports available spots.

I doubt EVs would have any trouble going to the least used area to get a charge. Although the uncovered top deck is miserable if you are in the flight path. By placing EVs in the less desirable spaces you could make the overall parking more efficient for all vehicles. May not be a need to electrify all levels but focus on the top two for instance. Just have a sign for EVs to proceed to the deck with electricity.

 

[garygid]

The space-assignment and ticket-dispensing system could be automated, with customer interaction. Handling people parking poorly (over the lines), leaving unusable spaces, remains a problem, automared or manual system.

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1. Do they really want to Power Off/On (interrupt possibly 1600 amps, perhaps 380,000 watts) every day, or just "disable" the EVSEs (like with internal timers).

For the 120v and 240v plugs, they have fewer choices (distributed, staggered OFF or Centralized BOOM-OFF). Problem is, unless the On/Off is relatively "clean" some types of electronics might suffer.

Presence sensors:
How do some Parking facilities do it now (even showing arrows to vacant spaces)?

Sockets with internal safety shutters (plugging in one prong will not open the shutter) COULD (but usually do not) have an internal micro-switch to "sense" when something is plugged in.

To do this well, some innovation might be required.

Other Random-Ideas for Options:
1. Use remotely-switched sockets (similar to X-10).

2. Have one parking level for 120v, another for 240v sockets, and a third for L2 EVSEs.

3. Use RFID sensing of "keys" (used to enter, or obtained when entering, "controlled" areas) to sense presence.

4. Use coil in floor, LED or Laser-Diode beam interruption ... for space occupancy.

5. A small mico-controller/sensor or each "cluster" of charging spaces, connected to a data bus back to a central PC/controller.

Overall, a non-trivial system.