BP/OPConnect charging in Hawaii

[WeazL]

My folks live out on the north shore and on a recent visit I checked the chargers in Laie (2). The first is located at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). It is a BP charger. Access to it is a flat rate parking fee of $5-8 I believe. As you drive in and pull up to the main building, enter the right parking lot and pay the attendant. The EV stalls are on your left at the very beginning just after the Handicap stalls. I talked with the management and with the head of security--they do NOT have a FOB, so you must have your own.

A mile down the road at the Laie Shopping Center (with Foodland and movie theatre), there's a charging station located adjacent to the bus stop. It to is a BP charger and there's a sign on it noting that if you don't have a FOB, you can go into their management office (Hawaii Reserves Inc.) and borrow one by leaving your DL. So if you're on the north shore and need juice and don't have a BP FOB, this is an option. This limits the charging hours from 8AM-4PM I believe if you don't have your own FOB.

Supposedly Turtle Bay Resort has an EV charger (BP I believe), but I have not checked it yet.

 

[dsmith2189]

Supposedly Turtle Bay Resort has an EV charger (BP I believe), but I have not checked it yet.

Yes TB has BP EV. FOB at FD. (Ok... front desk, I was trying to post only using 2 - 3 letter words.)

I heard that surf & Sea had a NIMA 14-50 plug available, but have not verified.

 

[gmtom1]

Ok, this is somewhat OT, but I discovered an unadvertised and probably non-public charging station in the Ward Theater garage when I was walking through the other day to get to Office Depot. It's a Leviton level 2 charger with a J1772 connector that's mounted on a pillar directly across from the main garage pedestrian entrance. It's unmarked, so I'm thinking it's used by Ward management to charge a vehicle, but since the stall is not reserved for security, it would seem that they don't use it regularly. I forgot to snap a pic on my phone, but I'll grab one next time I'm there.

I have no idea what Ward management would do if you tried to plug in, assuming the space was available.

 

[spleen]

Ok, this is somewhat OT, but I discovered an unadvertised and probably non-public charging station in the Ward Theater garage when I was walking through the other day to get to Office Depot. It's a Leviton level 2 charger with a J1772 connector that's mounted on a pillar directly across from the main garage pedestrian entrance. It's unmarked, so I'm thinking it's used by Ward management to charge a vehicle, but since the stall is not reserved for security, it would seem that they don't use it regularly. I forgot to snap a pic on my phone, but I'll grab one next time I'm there.

I have no idea what Ward management would do if you tried to plug in, assuming the space was available.

Nice find!

 

[1.21Gigawatts]

Charger update Mililani Town Center

I was at Mililani Town Center today and the BP charger outside Starbucks was changed out to a Opconnect unit. I was not able to just plug in and charge. Its a dual charger like the last one with card swipe and digital display. I was not able to contact them on the phone to start charging (no answer, unit screen also blank). I am a member of the old BP network but still needed to reactivate my account with Opconnects website. I ordered a new card and should take a week. Looks like some of the chargers are going to be pay, when and how much I do not know yet.

Whats also interesting is the unit has the beakers open so you can reset them if needed. The unit also has a 110V charging outlet and the EV level 2 charge connector.

After registering my account at the Opconnect website OpConnect Electric Vehicle Charging System | Welcome I noticed looks like only 2 units are now installed, Mililani and Kapolei.

 

[dsmith2189]

Ok, this is somewhat OT, but I discovered an unadvertised and probably non-public charging station in the Ward Theater garage when I was walking through the other day to get to Office Depot. It's a Leviton level 2 charger with a J1772 connector that's mounted on a pillar directly across from the main garage pedestrian entrance. It's unmarked, so I'm thinking it's used by Ward management to charge a vehicle, but since the stall is not reserved for security, it would seem that they don't use it regularly. I forgot to snap a pic on my phone, but I'll grab one next time I'm there.

I have no idea what Ward management would do if you tried to plug in, assuming the space was available.

Nice find!

I was talking to the guys at Volta and they said that they were going to be installing a charger at the ward theater parking area as well as the ward parking garage close to ward ave.

- - - Updated - - -

Got an email fro OpConnect today.

Your OpConnect Network Card


Dear David,
Thank you for being a member of the OpConnect Charging Network. We appreciate your commitment to driving electric.
If you ordered an OpConnect network card, you should be receiving it in the coming days, if not already.
The OpConnect card is one of several ways to authorize an EV charging session on our OpConnect stations. Your OpConnect card works on stations that are free to use, as well as those that charge a fee.
For the fee-based charging stations, you will need to sign into your OpConnect account and add a balance to your account using a credit or debit card. Once you have a balance, you are ready to charge. You can access your account from our website: OpConnect Electric Vehicle Charging System | Welcome .
The OpConnect Cards work only on our MK I charging stations, and on our brand new MK II charging stations. The OpConnect cards do not work on the Better Place stations in Hawaii that we acquired earlier this year.
We are replacing the Better Place stations with OpConnect stations and expect that project to be completed this Fall.
Please email me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Nathan Isaacs
Marketing Manager

P.S. Watch the video above for a quick summary. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel, where we will be regularly uploading videos on how to use OpConnect charging stations, as well as news from throughout the EV industry.

 

[WeazL]

I received the same email. Still waiting on the card though.

 

[nanimac]

I received the same email. Still waiting on the card though.

Me too.

 

[dsmith2189]

I was talking to the guys at Volta and they said that they were going to be installing a charger at the ward theater parking area as well as the ward parking garage close to ward ave.

I just checked with ward security about the new charger. Volta is doing the installation and they finished testing it today. I should be open within the next few days, when they get the signs up.
there are a total of 4 new free public chargers. two adjacent to the handicapped parking (on either side) under Ward Theaters and two more at Ward village parking garage. I am not sure of the exact location, just repeating what security told me.

I received the same email. Still waiting on the card though.

Me too.

I got my card a long time ago. I just wish they would hurry up so I can use it.

 

[dsmith2189]

I just checked with ward security about the new charger. Volta is doing the installation and they finished testing it today. I should be open within the next few days, when they get the signs up.
there are a total of 4 new free public chargers. two adjacent to the handicapped parking (on either side) under Ward Theaters and two more at Ward village parking garage. I am not sure of the exact location, just repeating what security told me.

I may have been misled. I went to take pictures of the new chargers but could only find the two new ones at the ward theater parking. the security guard must have been thinking about the two OLD chargers at TJMax but pointed in the opposite direction. I looked and looked but the only NEW ones are these:
(the NIMA 14-50 sockets have a cover that is glued in place and does not open. so you have to use the J1772 cord.)

 

[WeazL]

Thanks for posting pics of what to look for. Looks quite discreet.

 

[gmtom1]

That's the one I saw that I mentioned in my earlier post. Since it was unmarked, I assumed it was not for public use. Too bad the 14-50 outlet is covered. Interesting that they would install a standard charger and an outlet for folks that have their own built in like us!

 

[WeazL]

Are we positive the 14-50 is inaccessible?

On another note, I finally received my OpConnect cards today. There is a note included reminding users that they do not work on the Hawaii Better Place stations. But, it seems they have started replacing the chargers already--yay! I also received my ChargePoint cards earlier. Just waiting on Blink. Are there any other cards I should have on hand, other than ChargePoint, OpConnect, Blink, Visa, MasterCard, and Amex? :crying:

 

[spleen]

Are we positive the 14-50 is inaccessible?

On another note, I finally received my OpConnect cards today. There is a note included reminding users that they do not work on the Hawaii Better Place stations. But, it seems they have started replacing the chargers already--yay! I also received my ChargePoint cards earlier. Just waiting on Blink. Are there any other cards I should have on hand, other than ChargePoint, OpConnect, Blink, Visa, MasterCard, and Amex? :crying:

Think that about covers it for the most part. The only other charge system that I know of in Hawaii that requires activation might be SemaConnect (in the waterfront area and the pan am building)

 

[gmtom1]

Think that about covers it for the most part. The only other charge system that I know of in Hawaii that requires activation might be SemaConnect (in the waterfront area and the pan am building)

SemaConnect will also be in Bishop Square downtown soon. Unfortunately, while the card itself is free, they require a minimum $20 deposit when registering to get one. :cursing:

 

[dsmith2189]

Are we positive the 14-50 is inaccessible?

Update on the Ward theater chargers:
I stopped there last night and the advertising signs were up but they still don't have the EV signage.
I checked with security and they said that for now I will probably be ICEd until they get those signs up.
the good news was that the chargers were open and people were using them.
the bad news is that when I was there, there was no power. the security guard called to have that checked out.
I plugged in (with security there) to see if it was just the power indicator light, but there was no power.
I also double checked the plug. the plastic cover is definitely glued in place.
I noticed when I plugged in that the J1772 cord is a bit beefier than other cords I have seen. this troubles me because this extra weight will put more stress on the J1772 adapter.

and lastly/coincidentally.
I plugged in at TJMax to recharge. when I was done I noticed that my charger GPS location put me at the new theater charger. last week charging there my GPS location was in the Ala Moana boat harbor.
I am wondering if my GPS hardware needs looking at or if the fixes they have in 5.6 will solve my problem.


------- Update ----------
11/4/2013 The Chargers at the theaters are working now. I pulled in to plug-in but was ICE'd. Fortunately the adjacent space was open and the ICE car came back to find a cord draped over his car.

Note: remember to take your adapter with you when you are finished. the cord only hangs and does not have a plug rest like the other chargers. I had some things on my mind last Saturday when I initially tried the charging station and left my J1772 adapter there. It's a good thing the Leaf owners have not discovered that charger yet. my adapter was still plugged into the handle two days later.

 

[spleen]

OpConnect chargers are up and running in the lower campus lot at UH - two banks of chargers (each bank with two J1772 240 volt chargers and two 120 volt sockets). Sorry don't know the amperage of the j1772 chargers. Also, the Aina Haina Shopping Center has finally gotten the broken Better Place chargers replaced with an OpConnect charger as well with two J1772 plugs. The OpConnect chargers require a credit card or an OpConnect swipe card

 

[drtko147]

I talked with the OpConnect guy today when he was working on reseting the Better Place chargers at Ala Moana Shopping Center. He did say that OpConnect is in the process of swapping out the old Better Place chargers but that General Growth hasn't signed the agreement for the chargers there. He is not sure if those will be swapped out any time soon.

 

[Jkam]

Also, the Aina Haina Shopping Center has finally gotten the broken Better Place chargers replaced with an OpConnect charger as well with two J1772 plugs. The OpConnect chargers require a credit card or an OpConnect swipe card

Went to plug in at the Aina Haina Shopping Center chargers. They give you 5 minutes free. You need an Opconnect card or credit card to operate it longer than 5 minutes. I tried to swipe my Opconnect card, but I'm guessing since I didn't give Opconnect any payment information when I signed up for the card, the charger wouldn't charge for more than 5 minutes. If they are going to take credit cards directly at the charging station, there is no need to sign up for an Opconnect card. I neglected to notice what voltage/amps the charger was spitting out.

 

[WeazL]

Thanks for sharing, Jkam.