Any advice for Ireland Roadtrip?

[WannabeOwner]

Planning to go to Holyhead, Dublin, Galway, Ennis, Dublin, Holyhead

I've set up an account with ESB Cars and an RFID car is on its way.

Not bothered to source hotels with chargers, as decided that choice of hotel more important than ones-with-chargers.

Looks like they have 13AMP plugs in Ireland, so my UK granny-cable adapter will do?

 

[Zakalwe]

Yes, Ireland uses exactly the same 13A plug and voltage as the UK

 

[Rocko]

Yes your granny charger will fine. Loads of chargers across the country from Dublin to Galway.

 

[WannabeOwner]

Loads of chargers across the country from Dublin to Galway

Thanks. ABetterRoutePlanner seems happy, although one of the stops is 50kW ... but I haven't fiddled and checked for alternatives yet

 

[Rocko]

Get the ESB app downloaded, you can have a quick route plan and see what's available in live time.

 

[Plagued]

Get your car registered on the eflow site so you don't forget to pay the Toll (unless you avoid it)
Use ABRP and not the Tesla navigation for charging, it doesn't recognise the ESB ones and sends you on huge looping trips past the superchargers.
The ESB network has always been miles better than anything we had in the UK, but the old 50KW chargers are getting a bit tired. Lots of the bigger hubs popping up with the 150+KW chargers, but I've found the smaller 7/11kw chargers can get very busy in the small towns as there's just not enough of them.

 

[Bunes]

I’m currently 10 days into a London - Holyhead - Dublin - Galway - Connemara trip, we’re heading home on Saturday.

I’ve been granny charging for 4-5 hours in the morning, bought a socket tester that I used before plugging in, and check the plug regularly to check it’s not getting warm. That normally adds back the miles we used the days before.

As mentioned above, ESB chargers are a plenty, you don’t need the RFID card as you can check in and pay for your charge using the app. Used a 50kw charger yesterday as we were venturing further out and only got 27-30kw max so it took a while, plus there were other cars waiting for me to finish. I’ve been lucky that our route across went past a few super chargers so most of our trip was very quick for charging, however now we’re out past Clifden we’re a couple of hours from the nearest SC.

There’s a Gridserve 150kw charger at Holyhead ferry terminal BEFORE you check in, you can find it on ZapMap. Very easy to use as there’s no app/account needed, just contactless payment. We used that to get ourselves topped up before checking in.

ABRP has been helpful in conjunction with Tesla planner, I’d just avoid IONITY chargers as they are extortionate. Have a great trip!

 

[Mr H]

Take an umbrella…..

 

[WannabeOwner]

you don’t need the RFID card as you can check in and pay for your charge using the app

Thanks. I registered and they are sending me the RFID (inclusive). I figure it will be just my luck that the location I want to charge at has no signal!

Gridserve 150kw charger at Holyhead ferry terminal BEFORE you check in

Thanks. If we arrive with come-in-handy I'll fill up. Also, Flint might be busy.

There is a Supercharger under construction in Dublin ... doubt that will be in time though.

Take an umbrella…..

Only mizzle, surely?

 

[Mr H]

For going to the shops in Dublin

 

[WannabeOwner]

ESB app download

Thanks

That seemed to be well-confusing once I got to the APP Store ... looks like some other brands trying to piggy-back, and the actual developer name for the (real) APP was non obvious.

I went to ESB ecars web site, and followed the APP link from there to be sure I got the right one.

 

[Bantam]

For those that have travelled on a ferry in their Tesla, is there any special settings you need to turn off/on while on the ferry i.e. Tilt/Intrusion off?

 

[dakaix]

Disable sentry mode from Settings (if normally enabled), then disable Tilt/Intrusion.

 

[Jason71]

Advice you say? sure
Try not to run over any leprechauns I am not sure the autobraking will detect them.

 

[Bunes]

For those that have travelled on a ferry in their Tesla, is there any special settings you need to turn off/on while on the ferry i.e. Tilt/Intrusion off?

We didn't turn anything off both ways and it was no problem. I didn't see an option for tilt/intrusion but sentry was off.

 

[Bunes]

Thanks. I registered and they are sending me the RFID (inclusive). I figure it will be just my luck that the location I want to charge at has no signal!



Thanks. If we arrive with come-in-handy I'll fill up. Also, Flint might be busy.

There is a Supercharger under construction in Dublin ... doubt that will be in time though.



Only mizzle, surely?

We stayed at the Johnstown Estate, 35 mins from Dublin and there were 5 or 6 Superchargers installed that were due to be operational in a couple of weeks, so may be worth checking with them nearer your trip.
On our journey back to Dublin yesterday the ESB 150KW chargers along the motorways were busy, there were only 2 charging stalls at the couple we stopped at. One had a Kia, 2 x Tesla and Leaf waiting.

 

[WannabeOwner]

On our journey back to Dublin yesterday the ESB 150KW chargers along the motorways were busy

Thanks.

That concerns me a bit as our outbound route is M7 which has Superchargers but return is M6 with no Superchargers, so we will have to use ESB ... and we are driving long distance to make a ferry crossing deadline. My plan is to stop early, to charge, if ESB is showing "available". Depending on arrival percentage I can either queue (if necessary) at Gridserve Holyhead (i.e. make the crossing timetable and worry about it afterwards!) and if enough SoC then I have a choice of Flint (closer, 250kW, not on my ideal route) or diagonally across Wales to Telford (150kW)

 

[Mr H]

Thanks.

That concerns me a bit as our outbound route is M7 which has Superchargers but return is M6 with no Superchargers, so we will have to use ESB ... and we are driving long distance to make a ferry crossing deadline. My plan is to stop early, to charge, if ESB is showing "available". Depending on arrival percentage I can either queue (if necessary) at Gridserve Holyhead (i.e. make the crossing timetable and worry about it afterwards!) and if enough SoC then I have a choice of Flint (closer, 250kW, not on my ideal route) or diagonally across Wales to Telford (150kW)

You can use other chargers such as Instavolt. Get the Bonnet app as there may be an easier one on your route at 35p kwh. I see the SuC network as an addition to, not instead of, the public network.

 

[WannabeOwner]

Here's how it went - a very valuable reminder about "How the other EV half live"

From home we drove 240 miles to Flint, filled up and had a meal. Used Holyhead-charging as contingency. As it happened we had time and filled up to 95%.
GridServe Holyhead Clock Tower its a bit tricky to find, at the entrance to the ferry terminal take 1st exit off roundabout, past the railway station, and keep going (despite it looking daunting and commercial vehicles only). 3 stalls; GridServe website shows stall-occupancy;

There is a charger on the ferry (which I believe can be booked, but I don't want electricity from bunker-oil on my Eco-credentials)

Hotel in Dublin for a couple of days. The hotel had a charger (free). Did a couple of days touristing - day trips to National Stud and PowersCourt (which had Tesla chargers in the underground carpark at hotel whilst we walked around the garden and had lunch). Kids then came out to join us.

Headed off to Ennis. Stopped at Birdshill supercharger, and had a Subway at the services there. Plugshare showing that Ennis has a single 50kW charger - with one stall. Decided both of us queuing at the sole charger was pants and that we would sort that out at Galway. I lowered Plugshare filter to "any plug" and found that our hotel had a charger (the only hotel charger in Ennis). Wandered around that part of the car park on foot searching, expecting to get a tap on the shoulder from CCTV-watching security guard ... found it tucked into the corner of the carpark in an almost impossible to back into bay (car park was full, noone else had thought they could squeezer in). 3kW - Gosh! - but free. Took all night to charge up one car. Decided that we'd sort out the other car when we got to Galway.

Drove along the coast up the Wild Atlantic Way to Galway. Checked for anywhere for lunch with chargers - the only Tesla destination charger at Restaurant / Hotel PlugShare recent comment was "All 3 powered off and connectors covered in mud" so they lost our custom.

Phoned hotel in Galway "Do you have a car charger?" "No, but there is one just down the road". Indeed there was, at a petrol forecourt. Had a look on PlugShare - EasyGO. Comment said that Contactless wasn't working. Downloaded the EasyGO APP, it said "Can use credit card". Sounds OK. It was, indeed, only a short walk from the hotel. Tried M3 and MS, even with CHAdeMO adapter, nothing worked on Contactless. Tried the APP ... that charger was not showing on the map! and no QR code that I could find, also it was asking me to register (no actual mention of a credit card ability), and I have no access to email from my phone ... so that wasn't going to work. Beggars belief that these companies don't actually want my money. "EasyGO" my foot ...

Went to the nearest ESB (which I had downloaded the APP, registered, and got a RFID card for). Stall ["just the one" - there were about 5 x 50kW chargers in Galway all of them single-stall <sigh>] was occupied, wound down window "We'll only be 5 minutes"., Great! Plugged in, couldn't remember the password for the APP so that was out. Used RFID card without any trouble, charged the MS for 10 minutes and added 5%, then sat in the M3 for a hour while it charged. Added just enough so that we could get to Dublin - would charge at Holyhead, and queue, if necessary but if time would charge at Ionity half way to Dublin. A taxi turned up, parked along side us, didn't bother to ask how long we were going to be, then drove off after a couple of minutes. Then a Leaf did the same thing. No idea why ...

Whilst we were sat there we had a look at the feedback on Plugshare for Birdshill supercharger. Since 2017 there are only 2 x failed-to-charge reports, one an Outlander!! the other reported broken hardware but that user returned the following day and reported that it was working again.

The 50kW charger we used in Galway? In the past year 30% of the check-ins reported an error which prevented charging (and also that if the A/C was in use the charge from the DC was significantly reduced ...)

Got a message from ESB that it had topped up my account with £20 ... so I now need to figure out how to close my account and get the balance refunded <sigh>

Had a look on PlugShare for the return journey and discovered that Enfield Supercharger had opened, Thanks Elon! (closer to Dublin than Ionity, and I expect that the price at Ionity would be set to "eyewatering" for Teslas - that must be driving plenty of their business away too)

Had plenty of time so stopped at Enfield. (If you can be bothered you can stop at a "manual" toll, coming off, and get a receipt which will enable skipping the charge at subsequent toll, after re-joining, but that also requires using the manual toll. Not sure its worth it for a Euro or two. And you have to know to do that - there is a sign to that effect at the Supercharger ... bit late to get a receipt by then!). Had a coffee and a bun at the nearby posh hotel. Effortless like all Superchargers, charged to 100% so came off the ferry at Holyhead with 85%.

From Holyhead:

170 miles to Hilton park
Charged for 20 minutes
150 miles to home

Effortless.

Given we were doing convoy-trip a comparison is probably valid, and subjectively I would say the M3 LR had about 10% less range than the MS Raven

 

[Dodgeram]

Here's how it went - a very valuable reminder about "How the other EV half live"

From home we drove 240 miles to Flint, filled up and had a meal. Used Holyhead-charging as contingency. As it happened we had time and filled up to 95%.
GridServe Holyhead Clock Tower its a bit tricky to find, at the entrance to the ferry terminal take 1st exit off roundabout, past the railway station, and keep going (despite it looking daunting and commercial vehicles only). 3 stalls; GridServe website shows stall-occupancy;

There is a charger on the ferry (which I believe can be booked, but I don't want electricity from bunker-oil on my Eco-credentials)

Hotel in Dublin for a couple of days. The hotel had a charger (free). Did a couple of days touristing - day trips to National Stud and PowersCourt (which had Tesla chargers in the underground carpark at hotel whilst we walked around the garden and had lunch). Kids then came out to join us.

Headed off to Ennis. Stopped at Birdshill supercharger, and had a Subway at the services there. Plugshare showing that Ennis has a single 50kW charger - with one stall. Decided both of us queuing at the sole charger was pants and that we would sort that out at Galway. I lowered Plugshare filter to "any plug" and found that our hotel had a charger (the only hotel charger in Ennis). Wandered around that part of the car park on foot searching, expecting to get a tap on the shoulder from CCTV-watching security guard ... found it tucked into the corner of the carpark in an almost impossible to back into bay (car park was full, noone else had thought they could squeezer in). 3kW - Gosh! - but free. Took all night to charge up one car. Decided that we'd sort out the other car when we got to Galway.

Drove along the coast up the Wild Atlantic Way to Galway. Checked for anywhere for lunch with chargers - the only Tesla destination charger at Restaurant / Hotel PlugShare recent comment was "All 3 powered off and connectors covered in mud" so they lost our custom.

Phoned hotel in Galway "Do you have a car charger?" "No, but there is one just down the road". Indeed there was, at a petrol forecourt. Had a look on PlugShare - EasyGO. Comment said that Contactless wasn't working. Downloaded the EasyGO APP, it said "Can use credit card". Sounds OK. It was, indeed, only a short walk from the hotel. Tried M3 and MS, even with CHAdeMO adapter, nothing worked on Contactless. Tried the APP ... that charger was not showing on the map! and no QR code that I could find, also it was asking me to register (no actual mention of a credit card ability), and I have no access to email from my phone ... so that wasn't going to work. Beggars belief that these companies don't actually want my money. "EasyGO" my foot ...

Went to the nearest ESB (which I had downloaded the APP, registered, and got a RFID card for). Stall ["just the one" - there were about 5 x 50kW chargers in Galway all of them single-stall <sigh>] was occupied, wound down window "We'll only be 5 minutes"., Great! Plugged in, couldn't remember the password for the APP so that was out. Used RFID card without any trouble, charged the MS for 10 minutes and added 5%, then sat in the M3 for a hour while it charged. Added just enough so that we could get to Dublin - would charge at Holyhead, and queue, if necessary but if time would charge at Ionity half way to Dublin. A taxi turned up, parked along side us, didn't bother to ask how long we were going to be, then drove off after a couple of minutes. Then a Leaf did the same thing. No idea why ...

Whilst we were sat there we had a look at the feedback on Plugshare for Birdshill supercharger. Since 2017 there are only 2 x failed-to-charge reports, one an Outlander!! the other reported broken hardware but that user returned the following day and reported that it was working again.

The 50kW charger we used in Galway? In the past year 30% of the check-ins reported an error which prevented charging (and also that if the A/C was in use the charge from the DC was significantly reduced ...)

Got a message from ESB that it had topped up my account with £20 ... so I now need to figure out how to close my account and get the balance refunded <sigh>

Had a look on PlugShare for the return journey and discovered that Enfield Supercharger had opened, Thanks Elon! (closer to Dublin than Ionity, and I expect that the price at Ionity would be set to "eyewatering" for Teslas - that must be driving plenty of their business away too)

Had plenty of time so stopped at Enfield. (If you can be bothered you can stop at a "manual" toll, coming off, and get a receipt which will enable skipping the charge at subsequent toll, after re-joining, but that also requires using the manual toll. Not sure its worth it for a Euro or two. And you have to know to do that - there is a sign to that effect at the Supercharger ... bit late to get a receipt by then!). Had a coffee and a bun at the nearby posh hotel. Effortless like all Superchargers, charged to 100% so came off the ferry at Holyhead with 85%.

From Holyhead:

170 miles to Hilton park
Charged for 20 minutes
150 miles to home

Effortless.

Given we were doing convoy-trip a comparison is probably valid, and subjectively I would say the M3 LR had about 10% less range than the MS Raven

Your trip was just a few weeks too early. New tesla superchargers opened in Galway mid June, 4 of them up to 250kw. (raheen Woods Hotel Athenry). That would have made your trip an absolute breeze for the west coast. And Cork (mahon point shopping centre) got 4 x of he new V3 250kw superchargers early July. Tesla app says CCS only so an adapter possibly needed.
Hopefully your next trip will have less waiting around