San Francisco Bay Area Quick Chargers Getting them sooner

[JeremyW]

Is there a type that is reliable and not terribly "fragile" in terms of software, user interface, plug, and so forth?

The Eaton units I've seen are fairly reliable. I've heard they're around $50k though.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Speaking as someone from a state (entire state, mind you) that is totally without ANY QC chargers... (unless one has been added somewhere far from me that I don't know about)

Is there a type that is reliable and not terribly "fragile" in terms of software, user interface, plug, and so forth?

My employer has on its back burner the notion of putting in a QC, but is looking for "technology that is sound and available".

Based on what I read here, that is easier said than done? I have to admit, the notion of being able to use a QC every now and then is appealing. You all out there on the other coast seem to have plenty of them, but the reliable part doesn't seem quite there??? :?:

The Fuji DC charger has operated without fail (ok, there's only ONE in the USA, but hundreds in Japan). It does not use the clunky Yazaki handle (gen 3 of this product should be better) that is used by Blink and others.

The only issue so far has been the ChargePoint software wouldn't release the charger if you didn't run the card to stop the charger. I think that is fixed now.

About $30k per charger.

 

[davewill]

If you're looking for a network provider, the ones that Aerovironment has installed have gotten decent reviews. I don't know if they're actively looking for locations, though.

 

[Ingineer]

And to add insult to injury, as of today all 4 local DCFC's are confirmed offline by Plugshare comments - and all show as ok on Blink map.

Way to go Ecotality!

The Blink map is useless. I got suckered trying to use the new one at silver spring networks on a Saturday. Blink map said it was good to go, then I arrived only to find ALL of their charge stations are unavailable outside of business hours. Luckily I had (barely) enough to go somewhere else. I had plugged into a 120v outlet, and called Blink to see if there was any way they could turn them on, at which point Silver Spring's security said I had to leave the property anyway.

Very selfish of Silver Spring! Use DOE money to install a QC, then not allow anyone to use it off-hours. Maybe they just are worried it'll get broken (likely) by public use. :shock:

-Phil

 

[peter]

Well at least that one (now) has the correct operational hours on the Blink map.

Has anyone tried using Silver Springs during normal business hours? Is it actually available and security hassle free?

Don't quite understand the logic of the hours restriction either - are they worried about ner'do well EV gangs hanging out in the wee hours?

 

[planet4ever]

I have to admit, the notion of being able to use a QC every now and then is appealing. You all out there on the other coast seem to have plenty of them, but the reliable part doesn't seem quite there??? :?:

You call having about a dozen in a state that is 770 miles long "plenty"? They may have plenty in western Washington and Oregon, but not in California. Frankly, having widely scattered but unreliable QC chargers is almost worse than not having any at all. My wife and I had to make an unplanned overnight stay at a third-rate motel because the one that I counted on wasn't working. Since then I've taken a gas car for trips outside the LEAF's round trip range.

Ray

 

[Phoenix]

If you're looking for a network provider, the ones that Aerovironment has installed have gotten decent reviews. I don't know if they're actively looking for locations, though.

Where are the AeroVironment DC QCs in California? Would like to try one out. Efacec's QC at Stanford Shopping Mall seems to work fine, but slow to respond when tapping one's card to the screen. Networking QC stations are overrated. Stand-alone stations that work reliably with a credit card reader to pay would be just fine and dandy.

 

[ericsf]

What about the 100's of DC chargers Nissan promised at the National Plugin day in SF? Anything up and running yet?

 

[davewill]

Where are the AeroVironment DC QCs in California? Would like to try one out. Efacec's QC at Stanford Shopping Mall seems to work fine, but slow to respond when tapping one's card to the screen. Networking QC stations are overrated. Stand-alone stations that work reliably with a credit card reader to pay would be just fine and dandy.

I've only heard of them in Oregon and Washington. They did a lot of the "Electric Highway" stations. You can buy GE stations for standalone operation, although I don't think you can get them to handle credit cards directly. They offer an RFID reader for cards that you would have to issue. The prices, at least, are good.

GE EV Charging Stations

 

[kevini]

Plugshare is showing a new Blink DCFC @ Spirent in Sunnyvale. Nice to see a DCFC in the South Bay, definitely good placement right by SR237.

It is not live yet, I'll have to check it out this weekend.

 

[hill]

What about the 100's of DC chargers Nissan promised at the National Plugin day in SF? Anything up and running yet?

hundreds
:lol: :roll: :lol: :roll: :lol: :roll: :lol: :roll: :lol:

 

[ericsf]

What about the 100's of DC chargers Nissan promised at the National Plugin day in SF? Anything up and running yet?

hundreds
:lol: :roll: :lol: :roll: :lol: :roll: :lol: :roll: :lol:

Okay, okay... maybe not 100s (one can always dream)... is there at least ONE ?

 

[peter]

Stopped by Evernote today in the early afternoon - the DCQC looks to be operational though I didn't test it.

What really impressed me though was that all 10 L2 chargers were being actively used by an assortment of various plug-ins; Leaf, Volt, Pip, FFE - the gamut. And in the lot there were at least another dozen not charging. I would est at least 20% of the cars in that lot were EVs.

That's impressive for a medium sized company. There must be some active corporate culture wrt EV's here. Does another know what the story is with Evernote? Are there corporate incentives for buying an EV? Whatever it is, it's working.

Though I think the security guy was getting nervous will me trolling slowly around counting all the EV's in the parking lot...

 

[grommet]

Evernote supplies EV lease subsidies to their employees as a perk. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4541207695843" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[NYLEAF]

Evernote supplies EV lease subsidies to their employees as a perk. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4541207695843" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Something about the way that video was filmed or formatted or something made the Leaf look very narrow. Or was that just me?

 

[grommet]

Evernote supplies EV lease subsidies to their employees as a perk. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4541207695843" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Something about the way that video was filmed or formatted or something made the Leaf look very narrow. Or was that just me?

That's what happens when you mistakenly shove 16:9 widescreen content into a 4:3 format.

 

[Phoenix]

Any DC QC working in Menlo Park/Redwood City yet? Need to head over there this coming Wednesday and will be at the limits of range for return trip.

Maybe Blink does NOT want the QCs to work until next year when they can charge us money to use it. Nah, too nefarious--regular incompetence might be the easiest answer.

 

[GRA]

Any DC QC working in Menlo Park/Redwood City yet? Need to head over there this coming Wednesday and will be at the limits of range for return trip.

Maybe Blink does NOT want the QCs to work until next year when they can charge us money to use it. Nah, too nefarious--regular incompetence might be the easiest answer.

Guess it depends on how much trust you put in the Blink Map. VW, Evernote and Silver Springs are all showing 'ready' at the moment. As to whether they're really working?

 

[mxp]

Plugshare is showing a new Blink DCFC @ Spirent in Sunnyvale. Nice to see a DCFC in the South Bay, definitely good placement right by SR237.

It is not live yet, I'll have to check it out this weekend.

I stopped by Spirent Communications today in the early afternoon - the Blink Chademo is not operational yet. It's missing the large LCD TV panel. The unit is located in the rear of the building. There are a couple or more L2 chargers which are turned on but I didn't test them to see if it works.

 

[MaxPower]

I used the Intuit L3 charger in Menlo Park on Monday (Christmas Eve). Only one side was working, but it worked without a hitch. I called Blink to alert them that the right side was still out of order. I also posted to plugshare that this site is operational again. Nice Christmas present from Blink!

Until the L3 chargers become more reliable, I consider them to be useful for opportunity charging, not as range extenders. For example, in this case I had plenty of charge to get home without charging. If I weren't such a greedy bastard (charging from 50 to 85 percent) I would have made it to Palo Alto in time for some hot chocolate before Monique's closed at 6. On the other hand, it was nice to run the seat heater, steering wheel heater, and cabin air heater without worrying how fast it was reducing my range.

--John