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Supercharger - Birmingham, AL
- Thread starter pjfranks1509
- Start date
Simply unacceptable. Was totally predictable that when the guard has to get out of a climate controlled box and walk 150' to unlock the gate with a key that management and unions would not put up with it for long.
And then the power problems only make it worse.
I'll burn gasoline rather than put up with this.
For what it's worth the Southern Company is moving in the direction of Solar and is involved in a new community close to Ross Bridge to be powered by Solar energy by way of a Solar farm near the subdivision (I'm told ground will break in June this year.) That said, as a local, it's convenient to park and charge while I'm in one of the restaurants (but wouldn't if it looked crowded at the superchargers.) Mainly I think it cool that Birmingham has a supercharger but I'm more apt to use the one in Greenville, Auburn, and now Athens (not used Mobile's yet.) Having five in the state says there's support for alternative energy in Alabama. Just sayin'
That community is being developed by Signature Homes. While I am glad to see them partnering with Alabama Power on the Reynolds Landing community, Signature Homes actively blocks solar panels on roofs in all of their neighborhoods by placing a restriction in community bylaws when they form HOAs. So basically:
1) Alabama Power is starting to dabble with solar.
2) Signature Homes is okay with solar as long as the panels aren't physically in the neighborhood.
I'm glad to see Alabama Power heading this direction but the home builder is just using this for PR.
ElectricTundra
P85D AP1
I'm not going to fault Signature too much. Many people, myself included, think traditional solar panels are quite unappealing. Someone needs to develop a way to get solar from the rooftop in a more appealing way.
S100D
Member
Yep and we tried to get that approved for our house. That was a hard no. As far as they're concerned, they're solar panels.
Fortunately for us, they overlooked ground mounted arrays.
ElectricTundra
P85D AP1
Jeff Hudson
Lovin the Tesla Life
I live outside Huntsville, AL in north central Alabama and drive to the Gulf coast a few times a year. I have used this Birmingham SC a few times and hated the traffic and routing every time. It was okay when it was the only choice but since the opening of the Steele, AL SC I have not been back. While my routing distance increases about 40 miles I almost literally fly past Birmingham on I-20 and never mess with Birmingham traffic. This SC is only convenient for traveling if you are staying at the nearby Sheraton Birmingham Hotel.
So you take 231 or 431 out of Huntsville to the Steele Supercharger? And that is better than the awful Birmingham construction and traffic? Guntersville/Albertville/Boaz are no fun. Nor is Arab.
Construction blocks different roads every time I visit the Birmingham Supercharger. I went to high school in Birmingham. First real job commuted from Hoover to (essentially) the Birmingham airport for 9 months. I can handle it but hate it.
I live in Harvest.
Electricfan
Active Member
What is a huge deal is if you can't validate, because nothing is open. I charged here this morning about 8am, and if there hadn't been a man there who had a key to the gate to open it, I'd still be sitting there. It doesn't take credit cards or bills - apparently only quarters or a validation card of some kind. I owed 1.50 and had no way to pay. Thanks to whoever it was that opened the gate for me though.
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Uh, it took my credit card sometime in the past 6 months.
I have a big bone to pick with the rates being unpublished. Once it took my ticket without validation for no charge. Just how long do we have before being charged? Then charged by the minute, half hour, hour, what? How do we know when "$10 Event Parking" is active?
Oh, and is there not still an 800 number on the exit gate to call if having trouble?
I have a big bone to pick with the rates being unpublished. Once it took my ticket without validation for no charge. Just how long do we have before being charged? Then charged by the minute, half hour, hour, what? How do we know when "$10 Event Parking" is active?
Oh, and is there not still an 800 number on the exit gate to call if having trouble?
Electricfan
Active Member
I only stayed about 15 min, and my bill was 1.50. There was a place that looked like it used to take credit cards on the face of the machine, but it no longer does, unless I missed it, which of course is possible. But I'll never know because I'll never stop at this one again. There's another one 40 miles away which I'll use instead.
Danny Brown
Member
I came through there a few weeks ago from east on I20 and it was not too bad, but don't follow the in car nav, it does not know the bridge is out. Use another nav device.
I'll be hitting it from the west on Sunday, it will be interesting to see how to get there.
Danny Brown
Member
Constitution... what the heck was I thinking?
"Construction" - sorry about that folks!
So I am originally from Birmingham but live in Atlanta now. My first trip back home with my TM3 was via the Oxford SC and a hotel in Hoover with a destination charger so I could avoid the downtown construction, but it looks like this weekend I'm headed in for one day and will very likely need to charge downtown (final destination is in Chilton County--definitely no charging that far out). How big of a pain is it gonna be to get in and out of there around 9am on a Sunday?
And on a separate note, there are urban chargers at a mall in Atlanta and it is amazing. Someone should really get the Galleria and/or the Summit (Galleria is more likely since it's not as busy) to get with Tesla to put in a SC. It's great to have free parking and the entire mall + food court available to you while you charge, plus it's in a much more convenient location than downtown, being close to 65 and 459
And on a separate note, there are urban chargers at a mall in Atlanta and it is amazing. Someone should really get the Galleria and/or the Summit (Galleria is more likely since it's not as busy) to get with Tesla to put in a SC. It's great to have free parking and the entire mall + food court available to you while you charge, plus it's in a much more convenient location than downtown, being close to 65 and 459
I came through Birmingham this past Sunday around 9am and was not bad at all. I was on I20 east bound (from Meridian MS) and tried to follow google maps nav on my phone (the in car nav does not show the bridge is out), and ended up missing an exit and had to take I65 south for a bit. I wound back around through downtown and made it to the supercharger. With it being Sunday morning, traffic was a non-issue.
Just allow time and a bit of frustration. Ironically the in car nav gets you out of the supercharger and back on I20 east bound without any issue.
Jeff Hudson
Lovin the Tesla Life
I am just checking in with the usual people who use this Supercharger location in Birmingham.
Is it still a paid lot? Do you know if there are plans to make the lot free? Do you know of any other Superchargers planned for Birmingham?
Is it still a paid lot? Do you know if there are plans to make the lot free? Do you know of any other Superchargers planned for Birmingham?
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