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There is no such thing as Plugshare charging stations. Plugshare is a database of charging stations from all sources-- charging networks such as ChargePoint and EVgo, Tesla destination charging HPWCs, home EVSEs that people offer to share (how the name Plugshare originated), etc.
rpo
Member
My two cents....every time I have used Chargepoint I have had to call customer service because the charger won't turn on. EVERY SINGLE TIME. Once the hold time was 30 minutes. I gave up and didn't charge there.
But...when paying through the Plugshare app, it has worked every time. I just used a Plugshare compatible charger on Saturday and it took just one minute to turn on the charger. Pretty cool.
But...when paying through the Plugshare app, it has worked every time. I just used a Plugshare compatible charger on Saturday and it took just one minute to turn on the charger. Pretty cool.
My experience is limited to using the same Chargepoint charger on two separate occasions, but both times all I had to do was hold my little RFID card they send you up to the screen on the charger and it came right on with no issues both times.
I am expecting to use some of the ChaDeMo stations that Chargepoint runs under a joint program with Georgia Power at some point. I am hopeful they will be just as easy to use. There are quite a few of them that have been up all over Georgia, including some places that really need a Supercharger (like the north Georgia mountains).
So I arrive at Easton Town Center and to my surprise the West Garage now features a ChargePoint Chademo/Combo level 3 charger, says FREE.
I pulled out the Chademo from the trunk and plugged it in.
Opened my ChargePoint app on the phone and surprise, TWO stations at about a mile apart on the map.
I pick the one closest to my car and hit the start button on the app, NADA, tried about x3 until my 9yo shouts
out "look daddy the other one says to plug it in now".
Hilarious, the map was showing the side by side stations a mile apart, once I chose the right one everything went smoothly,
went from 90mi to 260 in about 50 minutes.
Awesome, now I won't have to linger around Easton for hours for us to waste our savings buying boatloads of clothes and electronics and getting fatter on comfort foods. Since they shut down Cosi (not the science center) we moved to the North Star Café which is amazing BTW.
I pulled out the Chademo from the trunk and plugged it in.
Opened my ChargePoint app on the phone and surprise, TWO stations at about a mile apart on the map.
I pick the one closest to my car and hit the start button on the app, NADA, tried about x3 until my 9yo shouts
out "look daddy the other one says to plug it in now".
Hilarious, the map was showing the side by side stations a mile apart, once I chose the right one everything went smoothly,
went from 90mi to 260 in about 50 minutes.
Awesome, now I won't have to linger around Easton for hours for us to waste our savings buying boatloads of clothes and electronics and getting fatter on comfort foods. Since they shut down Cosi (not the science center) we moved to the North Star Café which is amazing BTW.
KArnold
Active Member
I thought they had some super chargers in the Easton west garage, no? Where exactly are these Chargepoint chargers in the garage? I suspect we're talking about the same chargers.
If your phone has NFC, you can use it in place of an RFID card at Chargepoint stations - tap the phone to the receiver on the station and it'll activate. You may need to start the Chargepoint app and log in first.
I've done it a few times with my Nexus 6P on $1/hr pay stations. It activated the station every time. Once it paid with Android pay; I hit cancel and tried again and it went through my Chargepoint account.
I've done it a few times with my Nexus 6P on $1/hr pay stations. It activated the station every time. Once it paid with Android pay; I hit cancel and tried again and it went through my Chargepoint account.
BrokerDon
Active Member
I've used a couple of free ChargePoint stations and they're OK in an emergency to get you to a Tesla SuperCharger (several in Orange County now) or a Tesla High Power Wall Charger (like the one at South Coast Plaza Metro parking garage). ChargePoint stations are typically J1772 connector with only 20A or 30A / 208V or 240V maximum output so they're SNAIL SLOW... not worth it even if they're free. ChargePoint stations also have been defective, out of service, or difficult to get logged on with ChargePoint app.
Honestly if you:
1. use EVtripPlanner.com or other EV trip planning app
2. live in Orange County and have home charging
3. your Tesla is Supercharged enabled
... you'll probably never need a ChargePoint or PlugShare station. WoT = Waste of Time
I suppose that you never travel beyond the range of your car's capabilities. when I travel and there isn't a tesla HWPC available wherever it is that I am stopping for the night I've used chargepoint units and they have worked well for me.
one size doesn't fit all.
Really, ahhhh....no.
Yeah, I'm already plotting out some trips I take for business. The Palmdale CA area has zero SpC and very few Chargepoints. No charging at any of the backwater hotels up there either. So I have to find a way to do business there, spend the night, do more business the next day and have enough range to make it to the Mojave or Barstow SpC before heading to Vegas.
I might be needing a Chargepoint account.
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
I use a ChargePoint station to charge for free at work on a regular basis ... no issues with the RFID cards or phone app. 
I get a full charge at 30A in about 8 hours ... very easy to plug in upon arrival in the morning and disconnect in the evening.
My HPWC is used primarily before long trips and then I only use Superchargers on the road when traveling for efficiency.
I get a full charge at 30A in about 8 hours ... very easy to plug in upon arrival in the morning and disconnect in the evening.
My HPWC is used primarily before long trips and then I only use Superchargers on the road when traveling for efficiency.
Having just returned from Palmdale, I can tell you that your best bet is Plugshare and to be ready to sign up for whatever account is necessary. There is an EVgo CHAdeMO station at the Nissan dealership if you have the adapter.
Use PlugShare to scout out the most convenient stations - then use the description in PlugShare or the comments to figure out what type of account you'll need if any.
I use it more often than super charger oddly because there are more of them around.
Evgo Nrgy DC charger I used a few times too.
In my glove compartment I have member ship to all the major chargers just in case.
Chargepoint
Evgo Nrgy
Blink
Semaconnect
Greenlots
And app PlugShare
All with account established
1. Find SuperCharger
If not closed
2. Find DC Evgo Nrgy
If not closed
3. Find Chargepoint
If not closed
4. Find anything possible
How is the free charging at work going? My office is thinking of installing chargers and the debate of whether they will be free or cheap electricity. We can get cheaper units that don't have metering or the more expensive chargepoint units that have a lot of control of who can use them.I use a ChargePoint station to charge for free at work on a regular basis ... no issues with the RFID cards or phone app.
I get a full charge at 30A in about 8 hours ... very easy to plug in upon arrival in the morning and disconnect in the evening.
My HPWC is used primarily before long trips and then I only use Superchargers on the road when traveling for efficiency.
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BrokerDon
Active Member
The original poster asked about "ChargePoint or PlugShare charging stations in the Orange County, SoCal area" Having travelled all over SoCal (except Lancaster which IMHO isn't "Orange County, SoCal")
You're correct about possibly needing a Chargepoint or other 3rd party account in Palmdale CA... IF you can't use one of two the Tesla High Power Wall Chargers / Wall Connectors (HPWCs / WCs) shown in Plugshare PlugShare.
I always prefer Tesla chargers since they typically output 240V at 40A (9.6kW) to 80A (19.2kW) vs. public chargers which typically only produce 208V @ 20A (4.1kW) to 30A (6.2kW). This makes a HUGE difference in charging times, and the Tesla chargers tend to be less busy. We've also tried a couple of Chargepoint chargers and sadly found them "Out of Service"... or REAL expensive.
We also have Chargepoint, Evgo, Nrgy, and Blink accounts and cards / apps but haven't needed them once in 27,000 miles of driving all over SoCal and road trips to CA NV CO UT AZ. Instead we exclusively used Tesla Superchargers and Tesla Destination Chargers (HPWCs / WCs) in conjuction with EVTripPlanner.com.
YMMV
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