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Chargepoint help! What is the fastest charging option?

Guys so how do these public charge stations work with respect to when a car has finished charging? If I plug in and check into a hotel and am spending the next day sightseeing in NY on foot, will the car remain plugged in? Will I be charged only for the hours to top off or the entire 48 hours (parking I can understand). And isn't this unfair to other prospective EV charges whom might be looking for a spot? Most garages only have 1 or 2 EV charging spots.

Thoughts?

This is a problem with volt drivers I have found. They tend to take up charging spots for the day or overnight and I've always wondered what the protocol is. Don't see it as an issue for the true EV's sitting in spots. The plugshare app allows you to setup your info to be contacted if someone needs your charging spot,
 

Adstein

Member
Dec 29, 2011
76
0
New York
One option to consider is the free j1772 right off of the LIE at the leviton headquarters in Melville. Nice setup and a Marriott is right next door so if you need a charge you can plug in and get some food and drink.
 

Puyallup Bill

Member
Sep 7, 2012
605
2
Puyallup WA
Guys so how do these public charge stations work with respect to when a car has finished charging? If I plug in and check into a hotel and am spending the next day sightseeing in NY on foot, will the car remain plugged in? Will I be charged only for the hours to top off or the entire 48 hours (parking I can understand). And isn't this unfair to other prospective EV charges whom might be looking for a spot? Most garages only have 1 or 2 EV charging spots.

Thoughts?
I'm not sure about ChgargePoint, but be careful at BLINKs that require payment (and, I think most now require payment). At BLINK, the meter keeps running until you disconnect, even though the car is no longer charging. I believe it is the same with ChargePoint.

And, of course, if it is a free charger and a person stays connected after the charge is complete, they are just ICEing the spot.
 
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rcc

Model S 85KW, VIN #2236
Aug 1, 2012
413
0
San Jose, CA
Chargepoint has far more fee structure options than Blink (one of the reasons why my company went with Chargepoint for our chargers) and the station owner can pick. I think choices include charging time, power used, connect time, no charge and perhaps more. So it's worth checking before you plug in.
 

bobs

New Member
Feb 6, 2013
1
0
Campbell, California
ChargePoint stations deliver constant power (kW), not constant current (A). Whatever the input Voltage, they manage the power delivered so that the current doesn't trip the 40A breaker.
If you're curious how much power your car draws, look at the graph on your ChargePoint account dashboard (https://na.chargepoint.com) or check the ChargePoint mobile app while you're actively charging. To find the current, divide Watts by 208 (for a public "3-phase" station) or by 240 (for a home "single-phase" station). For example, if the graph or app shows 7.2 kW on a public station, 7200 Watts / 208 Volts = 34.6 Amps.

Some station owners charge by the hour, some by the kWh. Lots of permutations are possible.
I often use stations that charge by the hour. When I get the notification that my car has stopped charging, I use the ChargePoint mobile app to terminate my session, and thus the billing. (I do this on free stations too, as a courtesy to other drivers.)
The station's display then shows "session completed" or something similar, and the map pin is green, showing the station is available. Any other driver who would like to use it will see I'm not charging, and is welcome to unplug me.
 

CarlE_P439

Member
Sep 9, 2012
45
0
New Haven, CT
I've charged at 30A charger twice and 18 miles/hour is the best I got. Though when it was 20 degrees F, I got only 10-12 mph. BTW, I asked ChargePoint sometime ago about increasing the amperage of their chargers and they did not seem interested. I guess once the Superchargers are covering the landscape, who needs ChargePoint???
 

steve841

Active Member
Jan 17, 2010
1,938
647
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Im in the process of installing a charepoint station at my office building ... and all they offer for Level 2 is 30A ...

Chargepoint just seems to have all the points covered in the EV charging market ... so ....
 
Mar 11, 2010
4,511
1,354
Humboldt/Los Altos
I used a local chargepoint last saturday to just check it out since I got a card in the mail a month ago.

it was 200V and 30A for $1.00/ hour, which is less than my power costs. I was unplugging and an older lady asked if I had filled my tires up ok? I looked at my low profile 21"s and I was confused at first but quickly realized it was her that was confused! :smile:
 

Al Sherman

It's about THIS car.
Nov 29, 2012
1,687
4
Batesville, IN
Im in the process of installing a charepoint station at my office building ... and all they offer for Level 2 is 30A ...

Chargepoint just seems to have all the points covered in the EV charging market ... so ....

What's the approximate cost and is their any return for a business other than increased traffic? I'm thinking of pitching the idea to the board at our Country Club. We're right off the Interstate. Seems as though someone could plan a round of golf at a very nice course while charging. Maybe just lunch, or dinner.
 

steve841

Active Member
Jan 17, 2010
1,938
647
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Between you and me ... the only benefit is customer draw.
Cost with install for me is around $5,800. Then there is an annual charge of around $230.00 less whatever income is drawn over the course of time.

There is, however, a worthwhile tax break that offsets some of the installation costs ...
 

Al Sherman

It's about THIS car.
Nov 29, 2012
1,687
4
Batesville, IN
Between you and me ... the only benefit is customer draw.
Cost with install for me is around $5,800. Then there is an annual charge of around $230.00 less whatever income is drawn over the course of time.

There is, however, a worthwhile tax break that offsets some of the installation costs ...

Might be a hard sell. 30a would be enough if you played a round of golf and ate lunch or dinner. Not sure anyone would stop at 30a if they were just having a meal though.
 

steve841

Active Member
Jan 17, 2010
1,938
647
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Well, I guess I should be happy, I now own and operate my own charging station ..... somehow doubting I'll see a return on my investment ...

20130305_153652.jpg
20130305_153706.jpg
 

MikeC

Supporting Member
Jul 9, 2012
2,848
5,110
Los Angeles
I often use stations that charge by the hour. When I get the notification that my car has stopped charging, I use the ChargePoint mobile app to terminate my session, and thus the billing. (I do this on free stations too, as a courtesy to other drivers.)
The station's display then shows "session completed" or something similar, and the map pin is green, showing the station is available. Any other driver who would like to use it will see I'm not charging, and is welcome to unplug me.

I don't understand. What does the random person who unplugs you then do with your $95 J1772 adapter? Also, how do they plug themselves in if your car remains in the spot?

@steve841, pretty cool to have your own ChargePoint station - if I'm ever in FL I'll give you some business!
 

spatterso911

P100DL - Raven
Mar 3, 2012
1,223
12
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
I don't understand. What does the random person who unplugs you then do with your $95 J1772 adapter? Also, how do they plug themselves in if your car remains in the spot?

@steve841, pretty cool to have your own ChargePoint station - if I'm ever in FL I'll give you some business!

You can unplug the J1772 from the adapter. The adapter stays locked and attached to the car unless the car and charger door are unlocked by the owner.
 

greencharge

Member
Feb 5, 2013
101
2
Southern Illinois
If we happen to be chargepointing or 50 amping in a RV on a cold day, and choose to stay in the car , does the heating work while charging and how does it affect filling the battery in terms of mileage per hour? Appreciate responses
 

ChadS

Last tank of gas: March 2009
Jul 16, 2009
3,319
2,667
Redmond, WA
Model S heat does work while you are charging (thank goodness; that's a big improvement over the Roadster).

Plugged in to one of those sources, you will probably be pulling somewhere between 6 and 10kW. Heating the car could cost you anywhere from 0 to 7.5kW. So yeah, the cost can be very significant if you have the heater on full blast - your charge mph could be as low as 0. Fortunately the car is pretty well insulated so it's rare that you'd need full-blast heat. Use the seat heaters when you can; they use a LOT less power.
 

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