Interesting discussion. We just got a 60 a couple of months ago and the first thing we did was take a road trip from San Diego to Santa Fe. Went fine. Were able to charge twice during the day (lunch & dinner), eliminating a 'wasted' stop. A couple of others were conveniently placed at needed bathroom stops. I figured it added maybe an hour each day. Our only complaint, if you can call it that, was the seeming lack of restaurants other than well-known chains, mostly fast food. We're heading out for a San Diego to Atlanta trip tomorrow and I'm going to keep a log of our charging experience. What could possibly go wrong?
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Be honest: is SCing on a long trip annoying?
- Thread starter buckerine
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- Model S Supercharging
Depending on the range of your vehicle. With a true 250 mile range vehicle, you leave full and only need an additional 10 miles for your specific example.
I bet they have a dryer outlet...
They may have a dryer outlet but they won't know if it's 14-30 or 14-50 and it would be bad form to ask them to move the dryer to unplug and find out I imagine. Plus, my car claims 265 EPA range but I could not get it. Maybe if I drive 55 but I would get pushed off the road at that speed!
BigMskiman
Active Member
Did SF to Scottsdale & back, and broke it with overnighters in Barsow & Palmsprings each way. Charging stops were planned and went smooth, agree with most it is needed for more than a charge, and combining with sit-down lunch efficient.
Only complaint, we had to eat at Subway twice, because it was the only choice.
At our daughters house in Scottsdale, I actually used the 120V in garage that ended up giving us enough to get around. That area needs superchargers badly.
Only complaint, we had to eat at Subway twice, because it was the only choice.
At our daughters house in Scottsdale, I actually used the 120V in garage that ended up giving us enough to get around. That area needs superchargers badly.
Eh, they seem to have a pretty good charging network in the area now. Even a few Chademo DC fast chargers (orange vs green)
BigMskiman
Active Member
I tried to use one of the green at a shopping center off Camelback, it was dog slow (24amp) and had to wait to get in. So after getting a hair cut, a soda and some shopping, I barely broke even after going there & back.
Canuck
Well-Known Member
I'm haven't followed the thread closely enough to know who is being asked to move the dryer but if it's family or friends of mine, I not only have no problem asking, I would be be guilting them into buying a Tesla if they can afford it, or a Leaf or other EV as a second family car if they can't. As far as moving the dryer, it's the least they can do!
Plus, if you make the extension cord I referred to here:
https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/1833150/
it fits both a 14-30 and 14-50 plug so that's a non-issue.
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Pertinent to the original question: I nearly found myself driving a cross-country unplanned road trip this weekend. It revolved around a medical issue that prohibited my daughter from flying, and we had plans to be back east. I thought I could work around the restriction by doing a blowout 3 day haul. The trip is about 45 hours plus another 11 for "ideal conditions" charging. This is exacerbated by the fact that Wyoming and Nebraska are incomplete, so I'd have to take the Colorado route. 45 hours I could have managed. That extra charging bit, on short notice, made it pretty hard to defend my idea against my wife's criticism. So we had to split the family for the holiday, which is a pretty big disappointment.
A dryer outlet will be a 14-30 (4-pin) for houses newer than 1990 or so and likely to be a 10-30 (3-pin) for older houses.
The NEMA 14-50 is a 50-Amp outlet usually used for electric stoves or ranges in homes.
Depending on the range of your vehicle. With a true 250 mile range vehicle, you leave full and only need an additional 10 miles for your specific example.
I bet they have a dryer outlet...
If the relative's house is like my father's house, he's screwed. My parents built the house for a gas dryer (no 240V outlet) and the laundry room is upstairs.
When I went to visit my father I supercharged in Atascadero before going over the mountain to Morro Bay, then supercharged again at Atascadero on my way out of town. I think I had something like 140 miles of range left when I pulled into the Atascadero supercharger on my way out of town.
The food options at some superchargers is really poor. The choices at Woodburn, OR and Centralia, WA are pretty decent., Corning, CA was pretty bleak.
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
Between veganism and dislike of franchise fast food, I'm much happier just bringing a cooler along stocked with food from home. So to me the more important question is whether I can find a nice place near the SC to picnic.
RogerHScott
Active Member
tinm
2020 Model S LR+ Owner
This is exactly what I do. In 2013 when I was a newbie owner I used to always charge to 100% at each stop but that got old very fast. Plus, all the accumulated wisdom of the owners suggests charging to 100% a lot is not kind to the battery. Now I just charge to about 20-25% more than I need (may sound high but after a few range scares having only charged to 10-15% buffer, I always do 20-25%) and unplug and go.
On occasion I will charge way over if it's possible to skip the next SpC and reach the one after that with a good safety buffer.
Ciaopec
Active Member
Depends on the set-up. The dryer in my laundry room is has the plug mounted up the wall so it's easy to reach the plug. (I just checked it. Ours is a NEMA 10-30, which has been out of code since 1996!).
K-MTG
Sunshade Captain of TMC
I think that only works if you have those two plugs on two different breakers correct? by that I mean you can't get more than the breaker can provide if they are on the same one in terms of Amperage or am I misunderstanding?
Not only do they have to be on two breakers, but the two breakers have to be on different phases in the breaker box.
K-MTG
Sunshade Captain of TMC
Yup, but I found it to work in my garage without an issue. I already have a HPWC so I will use this when I travel somewhere without 240V charging. On 12 amps it provides 8 miles per hour so its much better than the 3 miles you would get from a regular outlet. I got the 15 amp model but they also have one for 20 amps
In a thread a long time ago, there was a survey about the most wanted amenity at superchargers. I put down picnic tables. After walking around a bit and using the restroom it would be nice to have a place to have a snack or read for a few minutes. My favorite supercharger is Blanding Utah since it is at a town park. Last spring we took our golden retriever on a long road trip. I took him on a decent walk at each supercharger. We had a couple of 700 mile days so it meant 5 superchargers in a day. It seems that the supercharger with good food options is not the one you may be at during lunch time.
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