Just wanted to give a shoutout to all my brother and sister Tesla owners here in Canberra. Big Tesla representation out on the roads today, especially down @ Majura Park. Virtual salute to you all. Have a cracking long weekend.
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Canberra owners shoutout.
- Thread starter d3lerium
- Start date
Heya!Was out yesterday and saw 3 Model 3's! You can spot me as I'm one of the ones driving around with no rego plates!
yeah im the same, no plates. Think I've seen a few cars with no plates at the moment. Gives a nice clean look.I was out at Majura Park a week and a half ago. Had a great chat with a new Tesla owner doing his first supercharge. So many things to talk about, including care of his LFP batteries.
It's unbelievable how fast we're moving out of the enthusiast realm and nudging into general use.
It's unbelievable how fast we're moving out of the enthusiast realm and nudging into general use.
Loving the support and enthusiasm from other owners in the area, it's awesome. Great to see a solid community growing. It's chats like these that build confidence and excitement in the product.
According to the Australian Electric Vehicle Association, there were 541 Teslas registered in the ACT at the start of last month, shame those numbers don't include QBN. Would live to know the total numbers. The rapid growth in the area is certainly showing signs of growing mainstream uptake. I think the moment we all stop talking to each other at the supercharger is the moment Tesla has become to mainstream, that's the tipping point
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RareEarth
Member
We have been in Canberra full time for a few months now, came up for medical stuff and to do a bit of work on our house but then lockdown happened. Anyway you see less Teslas (and EVs in general) down Tuggeranong way than central / northside. I did see another X the other day (red) in the Bunnings carpark while waiting in the click and collect queue.
Getting the driveway concreted so will have to partake of the local charging infrastructure for a few days, I haven't used the 50kW near Bunnings Tuggeranong for ages although the last couple of entries on Plugshare aren't encouraging.
Getting the driveway concreted so will have to partake of the local charging infrastructure for a few days, I haven't used the 50kW near Bunnings Tuggeranong for ages although the last couple of entries on Plugshare aren't encouraging.
The Greenway site was a wreck for years before Evie took over. The CCS1 port was damaged and ACTEWAGL couldn’t even trouble themselves to replace it with a CCS2 port. Anything is an improvement.
But it seems someone is there now, charging on CCS2, according to the Evie app.
The two bad reviews could be waved away as an incompatible Mercedes (maybe) and a temperamental Model 3 owner who hasn’t set up the app properly or didn’t accept that stupid privacy policy they put in there because they have in-app reviews. Evie works nicely if you link an Evie, Chargefox or ACTEWAGL card’s serial number to your account in-app, and just scan the card to activate the charger.
But it seems someone is there now, charging on CCS2, according to the Evie app.
The two bad reviews could be waved away as an incompatible Mercedes (maybe) and a temperamental Model 3 owner who hasn’t set up the app properly or didn’t accept that stupid privacy policy they put in there because they have in-app reviews. Evie works nicely if you link an Evie, Chargefox or ACTEWAGL card’s serial number to your account in-app, and just scan the card to activate the charger.
RareEarth
Member
Yes it says occupied but just drove past it, no one there... Will check it out again if I need a charge.
There’s a big red emergency stop button on the front of the unit, at knee-height. Push it in. Wait 30 seconds. Twist it to release it. Wait for the charger to reboot. And see what happens.
RareEarth
Member
Thought I would just ring them. Got straight through to a helpful lady who said that the station had been put into maintenance by the technical team and that they would let me know when it was back online.
Looks like a visit to the trusty superchargers when I am up that way tomorrow.
Looks like a visit to the trusty superchargers when I am up that way tomorrow.
Those cards come in handy for so many reasons. But you only need to request one of them, and link its serial number to the other.I've not done an away from home charge, so thanks for the app suggestions for evie and Chargefox. One day we will be able to drive further than the border
If you visit Wollongong and want to charge at Chargefox Shell Cove for example, the chargers sit in an underground car park. Non-Telstra phones can't access the internet from there, so you either have to walk to the ramp where there's signal, or use an RFID card. However, to make things worse, their charger talks to their billing system using a mobile data card. They had to install a Telstra repeater in the basement so the data card would work at all (and that's why only Telstra phones work down there). Their chargers connection to their billing database often times out, usually late at night. So even if you can get online and use their app, if their billing system can't talk to their charger, you can't activate a charge session. However, if you scan a card, the charger will still activate, and it'll remember to bill you later, once it's back online.
Neither Marulan or Pheasants Nest have EV chargers, although if you’re desperate PlugShare shows Marulan Truckstop 31 Restaurant has a 10A 240v socket available
.Before lockdown I stopped at Phesantts Nest regularly and bought a coffee to keep me awake. The cashier always asks “Any Petrol”, I’ve started to reply “No, but when you put in Electric Vehicle chargers there may have been some electricity”.
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Marulan has been on Evie's Ultrafast rollout map for some time, but nothing there yet.
There is a 50kW NRMA charger at Mittagong (in the Mittagong RSL car park), which is currently free to use. The food at the RSL isn't bad either. It's only a single charger though, so it can get quite busy at times.
Otherwise, Goulburn is your best bet for a stop on the way right now.
Get Plugshare for the most complete map of chargers. Make sure you select your car trim as the "w/ CCS" version to get the correct default filters for your Model 3.
Sometimes when I’m headed home from Sydney I’ll take a nap at Gordon VC.
It’s at the notorious Belanglo State Forest turnoff, between Berrima and Sutton Forest.
As the M31 ends and becomes the A31, it’s the 3rd intersection after the NoA chimes start singing to you. Turn right, go around the curve, and right again.
Anyway, that rest stop has 2 x 15 amp sockets on the lamppost near the dunnies. My 15 amp (12 amp) tail won’t add much, but it meant that my 2ish hour nap the other morning added 9% - which is nicer than wondering how much power the air con (on climate keeper mode) would have drained instead.
Apparently there are also 15A sockets at Wheatley VC, the middle of the three parking lots at Lake George. Handy if you’re almost home but aren’t quite sure if you’re up to that last half hour.
It’s at the notorious Belanglo State Forest turnoff, between Berrima and Sutton Forest.
As the M31 ends and becomes the A31, it’s the 3rd intersection after the NoA chimes start singing to you. Turn right, go around the curve, and right again.
Anyway, that rest stop has 2 x 15 amp sockets on the lamppost near the dunnies. My 15 amp (12 amp) tail won’t add much, but it meant that my 2ish hour nap the other morning added 9% - which is nicer than wondering how much power the air con (on climate keeper mode) would have drained instead.
Apparently there are also 15A sockets at Wheatley VC, the middle of the three parking lots at Lake George. Handy if you’re almost home but aren’t quite sure if you’re up to that last half hour.
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I get the feeling that Evie have abandoned their last big rollout. Hardly any of the promised and funded charging stations ever materialised.
The big problems with Mittagong and Goulburn is that they’re at the top of the climb. It’s amazing how fast the elevation increases along the Bargo Ramp, between Pheasants Nest and Mittagong. You’re at 110km/h the entire way, and it’s unusually straight with few serious earthworks, so unless you’re watching the battery % go down rapidly, as it does, you wouldn’t guess it.
Picton is good for that reason. Plus it’s barely used compared to Mittagong. But the 10 minute (each way) detour feels painful. If I’m ubering, I’ll try and get Uber to give me a passenger headed to Camden, and then go straight over Razorback. Last time around it was Menangle Park. Close enough.
The big problem with Picton is that it doesn’t have an AC backup site. Always always always check PlugShare first. If it’s faulty and nobody has commented to that effect, leave a comment and figure out if you can risk the back road to Mittagong, possibly at very low speed, or drive back over Razorback & Menangle, and steel yourself for a slow charge at Macarthur Square’s three-phase.
Yep. And remember that Chargefox at Goulburn North is substantially cheaper and a few minutes faster. And it has bathrooms, coffee, and a container return station, to better pass the time. Plus I feel it’s important to support local companies that invest in the EV charging money pit. Provided lesser EVs aren’t there, or until they show up, use it.
Some well-meaning folks keep inputting sites as Tesla plugs, even though those plugs have never existed in Australia. Enable Tesla and CCS, plus whatever AC options you have the cables or adapters for. Just beware that Fairy Meadow is the wrong kind of CCS.
One day I’ll accidentally leave my CCS1 to CCS2 adapter plugged in there, now that Greenway and Canberra Airport Vibe have been plug swapped to CCS2. You wouldn’t even notice it’s there if it was just left attached. It’s the same shade of black plastic. Though I fear it’ll disappear anyway. I’m not sure if the Uni wants to have to queue to charge their own BMW i3 on their own charger. A single stall CCS2 won’t be enough.
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It is however useful for Tesla AC Destination Chargers to be marked as Tesla when not set to Legacy, so you don't have other Type 2 cars trying to unsuccessfully charge.
A CCS2 should be marked as CCS or CHAdeMO/CCS
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Evie got another $8m in the latest Arena funding for 100+ more stations - so they are still going.
Think it's just that some of these remote sites are just difficult/ expensive for power.
A petrol station and nearby town of 1000 ppl (say 3-400 houses) might only have a 2000kW supply.
You need 500kW for 2x350kW units.
That suburban 50kW-ish rollout is different to their ultrafast highway network, though.
Or a battery - Chargefox have 2x350kW units on a 110kW feeder at Goulburn, using a large battery (which can also power the service station for several hours in islanded mode when the grid is down!)
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