How would you be able to use the charger at the Tesla stores? The one in Oak Brook is in the middle of the mall - no way to get your car to it unless you ran over shoppers :tongue:
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Charging Anxiety Log
- Thread starter smorgasbord
- Start date
How would you be able to use the charger at the Tesla stores? The one in Oak Brook is in the middle of the mall - no way to get your car to it unless you ran over shoppers :tongue:
NigelM
Recovering Member
The thread started life with the aim of reducing charging anxiety, but it's starting to sound like convincing people they shouldn't get twin chargers. Just my 2c worth.
JakeP
S P4996 ==> P02547
This has definitely been an eye-opening thread. I will be using this car as a work vehicle, but I have no daily commute. I either work from my home office, or I drive to a nearby city (say, Pittsburgh to Philly, Pittsburgh to Indianapolis, Pittsburgh to Ithaca, NY), often exceeding the range of the 85kWh. While I appreciate the Roadster owners' reassurance that range anxiety is something easily outgrown, with a travel profile like my own, I will definitely be needing mid-trip charging on a more frequent basis than semi-annual roadtrips. I am hoping the Supercharger announcement in September will effectively eliminate this concern, assuming I can Supercharge a couple dozen times a year without destroying the battery.
I am currently having the garage wired for 100A, and installing an HPC. I will probably get the Twin Chargers on the off chance that future stations may support higher amperage, just as a hedge on future capability (+1 to ModelS1079 for the "Who would ever need more than 1GB of RAM?" comment), as this is a car I foresee owning for longer than my usual term, due to the (anticipated) reduced maintenance demands associated with the drivetrain, and the battery swap-out potential. While I fully realize that this is unnecessary at home, and there aren't *currently* any stations where I can really use it, it would be a shame to come across a 70A charger "in the wild" on one of my routes, and not be able to take advantage of a shortened charge time. Perhaps a reasonably likely example of this could be Tesla opening a store in Columbus, OH with an HPC available, but no Supercharger.
In the meantime, I live right at the intersection of I-79 and I-76, a pair of major N-S and E-W thoroughfares, and am the lone pin on the Model S map in this area. If the Supercharger network doesn't eliminate the need for this, I will happily post the availability of my HPC for other Tesla owners passing by, and I hope that other Tesla owners along my travel routes do the same!
I am currently having the garage wired for 100A, and installing an HPC. I will probably get the Twin Chargers on the off chance that future stations may support higher amperage, just as a hedge on future capability (+1 to ModelS1079 for the "Who would ever need more than 1GB of RAM?" comment), as this is a car I foresee owning for longer than my usual term, due to the (anticipated) reduced maintenance demands associated with the drivetrain, and the battery swap-out potential. While I fully realize that this is unnecessary at home, and there aren't *currently* any stations where I can really use it, it would be a shame to come across a 70A charger "in the wild" on one of my routes, and not be able to take advantage of a shortened charge time. Perhaps a reasonably likely example of this could be Tesla opening a store in Columbus, OH with an HPC available, but no Supercharger.
In the meantime, I live right at the intersection of I-79 and I-76, a pair of major N-S and E-W thoroughfares, and am the lone pin on the Model S map in this area. If the Supercharger network doesn't eliminate the need for this, I will happily post the availability of my HPC for other Tesla owners passing by, and I hope that other Tesla owners along my travel routes do the same!
Jaff
Active Member
I have an HPC for my Roadster and will be installing the same for the Model S...for me, it's just a matter of convenience...for example, last weekend, I drove home from the cottage (250 kms), was at home for an hour, then left to attend a concert in Toronto...sure I saved "only" a couple of hours by being able to charge at 70 amp, but, this is important to me (not being inconvienenced by additional charge time waiting)...I have also had to have a fast charge to extend range when plans change...using up 50-60% of the battery during the business day, then being offered Blue Jay tickets for the evening and having to leave (essentially) now...I know these times are the exeption to the rule, but as I said before...convenience.
It will also keep my garage looking neater, and will make charging the Model S easier for my wife who is new to EV charging.
Also, as Bonnie previously stated, 70 amp will be available to those fellow EVers to help get them back on the road (so I'm taking one for the team so to speak)
My advice to folks would be if the cost of the connector and installation is onerous, then install a nema 14-50...if cost is not a consideration, then...
It will also keep my garage looking neater, and will make charging the Model S easier for my wife who is new to EV charging.
Also, as Bonnie previously stated, 70 amp will be available to those fellow EVers to help get them back on the road (so I'm taking one for the team so to speak)
My advice to folks would be if the cost of the connector and installation is onerous, then install a nema 14-50...if cost is not a consideration, then...
San Luis Obispo, Now has 4! My office, Marsh Street Garage, Air quality Management district (next month), My home
mnx
2018 M3P
I think for me the only reason to get the HPC would be to give a charge to visiting EVers. If that's the case, is it better to put the HPC in my home or contribute to a public charge station elsewhere as others have done? (FWIW, I live fairly close to the highway (~3km) and am a short walk from a few local businesses, including a great Thai restaurant)
teslasguy
MSP P#1117
I discussed the HPC/twin charger issue at length with my config
Specialist. He said that it is easy to add the 2nd charger at a later date. However there will be an installation charge and that price hasn't yet been determined. I'm skipping the HPC and
Second charger and instead installing a
100 amp subpanel in the garage and a 50 amp NEMA 14-50 outlet. That gives
me more options for the future. Maybe a
Second EV and a second 14-50 NEMA outlet?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Specialist. He said that it is easy to add the 2nd charger at a later date. However there will be an installation charge and that price hasn't yet been determined. I'm skipping the HPC and
Second charger and instead installing a
100 amp subpanel in the garage and a 50 amp NEMA 14-50 outlet. That gives
me more options for the future. Maybe a
Second EV and a second 14-50 NEMA outlet?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you can come up with a usage scenario that requires a HPC, if it makes you feel more comfortable, feel it futureproofs the car or you simply think it looks better get the HPC. It really is more useful on the road than at home for most people. I think what most of the Roadster owners are saying is that don't feel you must get the HPC and twin chargers if you can't think of a scenario where you'd need it.
Last edited:
I've had my Roadster for 3 years now. I've got a 14-50 in my garage, and I don't think that I've ever wished I'd had more power there. This might be a little less true with an S because it's less efficient so you'll get fewer miles/hour of charging for given power, but I doubt it.
Where high power is really helpful is out on the road. Naturally, nearly all public chargers are 30A, which are all but useless. To add insult to injury, they're also nearly all 208 V as opposed to the 240V you get from residential circuits.
Where high power is really helpful is out on the road. Naturally, nearly all public chargers are 30A, which are all but useless. To add insult to injury, they're also nearly all 208 V as opposed to the 240V you get from residential circuits.
My singular purpose remains to help people who have never owned an EV understand the real reasons to get twin chargers and HPCs, and to recognize those reasons that aren't appropriate. Although EVs are still an "early adopter" purchase, Tesla is marketing Model S to "early majority" people, and my view is that some are dealing with this by maxing out on options that may not actually help.
Roadster owners are the best existing real world example we could look to, and so I suggested that they post their >10kW charging uses here so that everyone could learn from their experiences both ways.
For instance, installing an HPC to share with fellow Tesla travelers is a great idea if you live in the right spot. Installing twin chargers if you expect your travels to home and away again are not only closely spaced but the distance comes close to your vehicle's range can also make sense for those few people to which that applies. But, installing a single HPC to charge an expected 2 vehicles, or installing twin chargers "just in case" when there are no public charging stations putting out more than 50 amps in your state maybe aren't such good reasons.
Again, someone with an HPC willing to charge fellow Tesla owners on the road should start a sticky thread with approximate (not exact) location, and suggest contact via PM to schedule. I don't have an HPC and I'm far enough from main roads, or I'd start it. A private Tesla Owner HPC network would be a great thing, and eventually might become a reason to get the twin chargers.
I'm glad you brought up the subject of contributing to public chargers. I was first exposed to this great idea when Bonnie mentioned that she and others made contributions in California. As an organizer of the Florida Tesla Motors Club I am in a position to facilitate such initiatives. However, I have to admit that so far in surveying our membership, not surprisingly, making donations is one of the least favorite club activities. :frown:
Nevertheless, after people get their cars this point of view might change, or perhaps a subset of our membership might wish to pursue this. Personally I like the idea of having control, albeit small, of the timing of the "local" charging infrastructure. I imagine that agreeing on strategic locations, and finding suitable amenable hosts could be a daunting task.
Larry
Yesterday was an example of a crazy driving day where the HPC+twin-charger would have been helpful. We started the day at our place up in Maine.
Car #1 (my wife) drove to Boston (180 miles, mostly interstates) to drop my daughter off at the bus station, then had a few hours at home before driving ~140 miles to/from a wedding in the wilds of central Mass.
Car #2 (me) drove from Maine to Strafford NH to drop my son off at a cross-country running camp, then back-roaded from there to the wedding, then back to Boston. 7h10m of driving, 325 miles.
I think Car #2 could have made that trip on a single 85kWh charge, especially if I had been a little more conservative on the highway driving segments (only about 2 hours of the total). At 45mph average speed, 325 miles should be achievable, but tight. I might have been able to get a little bit of charge at the wedding or reception, but 110v@15A max, maybe 4 hours tops.
Car #1 would have been a better candidate to be the Model S. The trip to Boston would have burned 220 ideal miles, most likely, traveling at typical highways speeds. There was about two hours of charging time available -- it would have provided a much better safety margin to have had 2 hours x 62mph than at 31 mph.
It's a pretty rare day, though, when both cars had >300 mile days.
Car #1 (my wife) drove to Boston (180 miles, mostly interstates) to drop my daughter off at the bus station, then had a few hours at home before driving ~140 miles to/from a wedding in the wilds of central Mass.
Car #2 (me) drove from Maine to Strafford NH to drop my son off at a cross-country running camp, then back-roaded from there to the wedding, then back to Boston. 7h10m of driving, 325 miles.
I think Car #2 could have made that trip on a single 85kWh charge, especially if I had been a little more conservative on the highway driving segments (only about 2 hours of the total). At 45mph average speed, 325 miles should be achievable, but tight. I might have been able to get a little bit of charge at the wedding or reception, but 110v@15A max, maybe 4 hours tops.
Car #1 would have been a better candidate to be the Model S. The trip to Boston would have burned 220 ideal miles, most likely, traveling at typical highways speeds. There was about two hours of charging time available -- it would have provided a much better safety margin to have had 2 hours x 62mph than at 31 mph.
It's a pretty rare day, though, when both cars had >300 mile days.
strider
Active Member
But a Leaf can still USE a 70A J1772, it'll just charge as fast as the on-board charger can run so there's little penalty to install 70A. In the future, more cars will likely have higher power chargers.
It's a chicken/egg thing, and I disagree with your expectation. Today if I'm running a company putting in chargers, why would I put in more expensive chargers that only Teslas can use when they will obviously prefer SuperChargers? Then, why would Ford or BMW owners want higher chargers when the stations only deliver 30 amps?
I think Tesla's Supercharger announcement is going to have a big effect on how we perceive this.
I think it's telling that the high power AC chargers are optional while the SuperCharger hardware is standard.
One suggestion I've repeatedly sent to PlugShare and Recargo and other charger-finding apps is to add a feature to let us "wish for a charger" at a location.
Over time, a density map would arise around important roads and facilities (malls, hospitals, airports) which then companies, stores, or coops could jump in to fill-in.
I currently publish my home charger (24A). I live enroute to nothing, though, so haven't had any chance to help to a fellow traveller yet.
Over time, a density map would arise around important roads and facilities (malls, hospitals, airports) which then companies, stores, or coops could jump in to fill-in.
I currently publish my home charger (24A). I live enroute to nothing, though, so haven't had any chance to help to a fellow traveller yet.
I think you're right but it depends on location and how fast Tesla actually brings superchargers out. My guess is that it will be years before there is even minimal coverage in the areas I travel most often.
I've gone back and forth between HPC and no HPC. If I got the HPC it's main use would be of the good samaritan type. The problem is that my driveway only holds one Tesla and parking on the street isn't so hot as far as body damage goes.
I will get the twin chargers as I believe that will help future-proof the car and there's always the remote possibility that someone will install 70 amp charges will be installed in the areas I travel.
It's kind of like getting gasoline delivered through a straw. If you have a small tank or have no problem waiting like at home then no problem. If you have a large tank and need to get back on the road then you need a hose!
ModelS1079
Member
Great Thread. I have a much better sense about the source, anticipated course of, and eventual cure for my Chargitis. It appears that Chargitis is a little like pancreatitis but without the pain, arthritis but without the ache, prostatitis without the hesitation, vaginitis without the itch, rhinitis without the drainage, colitis without the dysentery, and cholangitis without the jaundice). In fact, the more I read, the more I realize that our Roadster owners - the true early adopters (shall we say, precociously active?) - almost universally note that Chargitis is curable, mostly just by driving a Tesla. I'll go with that. I will throw in Twin Chargers for fun on the road (confirmed: HPC between Boston and NYC), noting for others that two Tesla specialists confirmed they can be added later at "a reasonable cost" above the $1500 they cost up front. Perhaps I'll put up a HPWC for those of you visiting, who might have a mild case of Chargitis. And no more worries - this will shake itself out over time. Like bursitis.
rolosrevenge
Dr. EVS
I can think of lots of places where 70 A chargers would be great for the next decade at least. There are plenty of resort towns that are 100+ miles off of the interstate where you'd want to spend 4-5 hours and then come back. Those won't see super chargers for quite some time and 32 A might be too little, but 70 A charging would be just right to fully charge the depleted battery.
I've been driving electric for 12 years. All of the occasions I can think of when I would have wanted the second charger do not apply to the Model S:
I did order the HPWC, because it's a cleaner and more attractive installation than a UMC, and it allows me to keep the UMC in the garage. I am already wired for the HPWC though, so the marginal cost is just the price difference between UMC and HWPC, plus a trivial amount of installation cost.
And, I did speak with a representative at the Menlo Park showroom to confirm that the second charger could be added later if it seemed relevant.
- On occasion, I have neglected to plug the car in, and discovered my error in the morning. This doesn't apply to Model S because, unlike the NiMH cars I've driven, the Model S is supposed to be plugged in whenever you're at home. So, the mental dance I do now when deciding whether to plug in or not becomes an "always" motion, which is much more likely to be executed reliably. Also, even if I forgot to plug the car in, with the range of a 60kW Model S I could make my longest regular daily trip twice on a single charge, so the penalty for forgetting one day is effectively zero.
- Going on a longer trip, and needing to charge en route or at destination to complete the trip. Much less common with the Model S's long range, and given the lack of public 70A chargers, not likely to be helped by the second charger anyway. Supercharging is more likely for the sorts of trips with the Model S where I would need to charge. Even an RV park is not likely to have an outlet that would benefit from a second charger.
I did order the HPWC, because it's a cleaner and more attractive installation than a UMC, and it allows me to keep the UMC in the garage. I am already wired for the HPWC though, so the marginal cost is just the price difference between UMC and HWPC, plus a trivial amount of installation cost.
And, I did speak with a representative at the Menlo Park showroom to confirm that the second charger could be added later if it seemed relevant.
Similar threads
- Question
