Charging Near Houghton, MI?

[iluvmacs]

Anyone here done adventures into the UP of Michigan? I am looking for any experiences or recommendations for a trip I'm taking to Houghton, MI this summer. I need to have a charging plan while I am there, so I can drive around the area for a few days and still get back to the Wausau, WI Supercharger 190 miles away. I have a LR Model 3, so I'm not worried about getting there... it's just the extra miles driving around the area for a few days, and getting back to Wausau.

I know there is one L2 station in town, which is great, but is not ideal in terms of needing to leave the car there for multiple hours (and who knows if it's already in use, out of order, etc.).

Next obvious choice would be an RV park with a 14-50. Any particular suggestions on somewhere I could be all day long while it charges? Like an interesting state park or something?

Really though, my ideal scenario would be a place I am staying overnight that I could plug in. Anybody know of any EV-friendly Airbnb houses (or other lodging options) up in the area? Some type of 208V/240V outlet strongly preferred, but 120V could work if that's all I've got.

Thanks!

 

[SSedan]

On Plugshare there is a Bolt owner up adjacent to Calumet Water Works which is a cold, rock picking gravel "beach".
I have not used it.
Depending on route there is a J1772 in Florence you could stop and get 15-20 miles while having ice cream.

 

[SSedan]

There is a winery in Three Lakes with destination chargers too.

Please update this with anything you find I would like to make the trip too. Have family up there but their 1940s electrical scares me.

 

[SSedan]

On third thought maybe call McClain's about the 14-50 availability, nice park to hang out at for a chunk of a day.

 

[mociaf9]

You can look up RV park and campsite amenities and reviews on RV Parky | RV Parks & Campgrounds Directory, Reviews, Photos. It's sort of like plugshare but for folks traveling by RV. It'll tell you what charging options/connections different locations have. Be sure to also call any location you plan to use ahead of time to settle availability/reservations, to ensure the hardware is in working order, and to be sure that they'll let an EV use it.

 

[iluvmacs]

OK guys, I got it figured. I found an Airbnb (of a rather nice modern lake house) where one of the pictures clearly shows a clothes dryer in the mudroom entry from the garage. "Easy," I think, "I just run a cord from the garage if the owner is ok with it." So I message the guy with a description of what I want to do (thinking I'll get the eyeroll) and get the reply: "Oh, I own a PHEV and totally understand the need for charging... you can definitely use the dryer outlet, but I think there's another 240V outlet in the garage that might be easier. Oh, and I might just get around to installing a L2 charging station by then anyway..."
JACKPOT!

 

[SSedan]

Where? Guessing on the canal?

 

[iluvmacs]

Where? Guessing on the canal?

No, up on Torch Lake. Or is that considered part of the canal?

 

[SSedan]

Really, I might have to look into that.

Outskirts of Lake Linden is my destination. Last year I actually rented an RV since the couple motels are bad and staying way up in Calumet at the hotel is a hike and mildly expensive for what it is.

 

[sdoorex]

If that owner ever does install a charger make sure they add it to plugshare!

On a side note, the site plan for the Houghton Meijer has just been approved and I reached out to the city to see if I could get a copy of it to see if there were any interesting signs.

 

[SSedan]

I know people get their hopes up for superchargers with Meijer, can't see it happening there.
I would even consider J1772s somewhat unlikely there unless a corporate directive. The Appleton WI Meijer that opened just a year ago and is right off 41 doesn't even have J1772. If they did I might go there just to encourage expansion of public charging.
Couple days ago I went to the Oshkosh Festival Supercharger just to see if my P85 might pull more than 120kw on the new update, it didn't, 117kw at 15%SOC I am not experienced enough to say anything authoritative about the taper curve but my gut says no change and I did navigate there so battery would have been primed.

 

[sdoorex]

I know people get their hopes up for superchargers with Meijer, can't see it happening there.
I would even consider J1772s somewhat unlikely there unless a corporate directive. The Appleton WI Meijer that opened just a year ago and is right off 41 doesn't even have J1772. If they did I might go there just to encourage expansion of public charging.
Couple days ago I went to the Oshkosh Festival Supercharger just to see if my P85 might pull more than 120kw on the new update, it didn't, 117kw at 15%SOC I am not experienced enough to say anything authoritative about the taper curve but my gut says no change and I did navigate there so battery would have been primed.

You're lucky, my P85 with the A series battery caps out at ~89 kW but I haven't checked to see if the taper changed after the recent update however I do have the dual chargers which came in handy since the HPWCs at Three Lakes Winery offer a full 20 kW. The only reason I am hopeful that Houghton will get an SC sometime in the future is because the Esky Meijer that recently opened is getting one and Tesla lists a future site in Marquette, which also recently got a Meijer. It Tesla is smart and planning ahead they would hopefully work with Meijer on the site plan to figure out where the charger could go so that they layout can accommodate the stalls and equipment and some of the pre-work can be done with the initial build out.

As for Appleton not getting an SC, maybe that's because it's too close to the Howard and Oshkosh SCs for Tesla to consider it?

 

[SSedan]

Certainly on the SC for Appleton way too close to Oshkosh and GB. My point was more that if Appleton didn't even put in J1772s seems a stretch Houghton would.

Far as supercharging level, mine is a 2014 VIN in the 42xxx range. Have seen right at 120kw at Eau Claire I think high single digits SOC. Oshkosh is listed as 150capable.

 

[iluvmacs]

OK guys, I got it figured. I found an Airbnb (of a rather nice modern lake house) where one of the pictures clearly shows a clothes dryer in the mudroom entry from the garage. "Easy," I think, "I just run a cord from the garage if the owner is ok with it." So I message the guy with a description of what I want to do (thinking I'll get the eyeroll) and get the reply: "Oh, I own a PHEV and totally understand the need for charging... you can definitely use the dryer outlet, but I think there's another 240V outlet in the garage that might be easier. Oh, and I might just get around to installing a L2 charging station by then anyway..."
JACKPOT!

Just in case anyone is coming across this thread again in the future: this Airbnb I had reserved cancelled on me, and the house has been de-listed. So, a rather unfortunate for myself and anyone else perhaps wanting to use it in the future. I wound up booking another spot that has 120V outlet outside (which they said I could use), and I may bring a 14-30/50 extension cord to reach to the stove or dryer that is relatively close by to the back door. Boo.

 

[sdoorex]

I posted about this in the Escanaba SuperCharger thread since that one is pretty active, but there is a new ChargePoint in L'Anse at the city park that now has some photos on PlugShare that were posted by a recent check-in. It's probably just 6.6-7 kW like the vast majority of their dual-head J1772s but it could be a good stop to add a few kWhs over a meal on the way.

 

[Iluvpcs]

(Typing on phone - sorry for typos ahead of time)

So I just did this trip from Grand Rapids to Houghton, and back via Wisconsin to GR last weekend for MTU parents weekend in an 85d (versus p100d due to summer times) versus all season tires on 85d. Wasn’t bad - worst fear was the 330 miles from last SC below the bridge (Gaylord) in Michigan to houghton. Another TMC thread showed that Tesla just did break ground on a SC in Mackinaw city, so that will drop that drive to ~270 miles and help. I charged a bit at Christmas Kewadin casino 40A/210v/8kw and had lunch, 1 hour in Maquette at ChargePoint 6.6kw, 15 minutes testing l’anse chargePoint 6.6kw before houghton. Temps went down in 30s and snow encountered for most of the trip, so from a range perspective using seat heaters, range mode with heat on, wasn’t the best range available versus 70 degree days :/

In Houghton it’s scarce, the 1 - j1772a/6kw was in use first two times I tried to charge (I needed ~50-60kw). 2nd day did get plugged in for 3-4 hours and felt ok with 1/2 tank, and tested for 1/2 hour both nema 14-50 plugs are public park - free (on plugshare), roughly was getting with gen 1 UMC 36-38 amps at 233-235Volts/8kw. 2nd day in Houghton spend 2 hours topping off at the park, I will say there is a bit too much voltage drop from 250V, and I lowered my charging speed. UMC gen 2 I believe max out now at 32amps, and shouldn’t have a problem here. I stayed at holiday Inn, and it had a few 15 amp and one 20 amp 110v ports. I didn’t use my 20 amp adaptor (didn’t realize it was there on the light pole until last night in town and was already plugged into one of the 15 amp plugs), which as we all know is good for 3-4 mpg charging.

On way home did stop and test for 30 minutes the winery in 3 lakes, pulled down an impressive 80 amps at solid 240v for about 60 miles per hour charging (85d has the older dual onboard chargers). Rest trip was uneventful at SCs.

 

[SSedan]

I should have updated this from my August trip up.
I stayed at a AirBnB that was two doors down from a Plugshare shared home charger that was most of my charging. L'anse the local teens took too much interest and I only stayed a few minutes with my elementary school age daughter, slow charger and with the attention it Drew I didn't want to stay long.
The public 40amp charger in Florence was my bridge from Green Bay up, stopped to get beverages and bio breaks at the gas station there and some ice cream, was wrong hours for the diner otherwise that was my plan.

Florence will be my regular stop, L'anse would be emergency only.

 

[rkz_mm]

It’s been a while since I have seen activity on this thread but I wanted to update our trips and experiences.
Firstly, please Tesla, install something in Houghton. 4 SC would be a dream. Any Illumni from MTU at Tesla would vote for it I would hope. I guess Tesla flies in their recruiters.
We have taken our freshman from Chicagoland to MTU twice so are and it’s only fall/winter. This is our best route right now. We plan a trip to the Super8 motel in Iron Mountain (2x L6-30 plugs). Stay overnight to charge. Then travel to Houghton with a slight backtrack to the Marquette SC.
Currently, the ‘15 85D capacity is 225 miles. In the winter months we make sure any leg has double the charge for the leg length. Summer probably not so much.
Houghton has a single J-1772 public charger and there is a 14-50 in calumet. Charge here to make it back to Marquette. Haven’t tried any of the others listed on PlugShare.
Oh, and you will get a ticket for overnight charging during winter months at the J-1772 on the parking deck.
Round trip back in reverse.