-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
I wonder if it might be worth considering an offer to a nearby place of worship, YMCA/gym, or another organization to help (or completely) pay for installation of a L2 charger, with a written agreement you'd be granted unlimited use forever in return. This might not be much more expensive than installing in your condo garage, might be considered a charitable donation in some circumstances, and would almost certainly be cheaper than moving. Other businesses are an option, but ownerships change and who knows what might then happen with regard to your prior arrangement.
Cottonwood
Roadster#433, Model S#S37
Good idea, but the IRS frowns on individuals getting benefit from their charitable donations. If you go the charitable donation route, it would be better to just ask for verbal assurances that it be open 7/24 for all users to help our planet, and let them ask (especially regular) users for donations to help offset operational expenses.
I hear you about charitable donations, but since there's no absolute restrictions on public use, I'm not totally sure. Of course I am not a lawyer (IANAY) and since retirement haven't used anything but the standard deduction, but it seems I used to be able to deduct donations to my public radio station despite the fact I listen to it for several hours every day. Even without a deduction, this alternative might be better than the expensive parking garage.
Cottonwood
Roadster#433, Model S#S37
I am not a lawyer, nor a tax advisor, but have learned more about these issues than I ever wanted to know. The difference with the Public Radio station is that you could listen in the same way as the general public whether or not you gave anything to them. My concern was with getting a charitable donation credit on taxes and at the same time getting some special treatment. If you are one of many that may use this public resource on an equal access basis, then I don't think that there is an issue; if you personally get better than the general public's access, then I think the IRS might have a problem with the entire donation being a valid deduction.
Thanks for your insight. The fact an L2 charger can be used by most BEV's and plug-in hybrids was why I suggested it instead of an HPWC. I would think it would be considered generally applicable for public use rather than just MS owners. Of course it would be optimal if the President and/or BoD of the condo association actually did some homework prior to making decisions. You can bet they would expect that courtesy if they were directly affected by the outcome of an owner's request.
Believe it or not, I'm in the same exact situation as you. I gave up.
Just ended up installing a 240v 14-50 at my brother's home a few miles away ...
Status update . . .
Before I left last week, I dropped off a sample of the owner petition to give any Board member the right to add items to the meeting agenda. I told them I was going to mail it out to all owners today.
I was within an hour of going to have the petition printed and mailed when I got an email from the building manager. I went down to the office and was informed by the manager that a NEMA 14-50 outlet was going to be installed in the common area June 5. There will be a low monthly fee to use it, and it's in a great location. :biggrin:
No meeting, no vote, no nothing. It's amazing what a motivated person can do.
Thanks for the support and suggestions, everyone.
Before I left last week, I dropped off a sample of the owner petition to give any Board member the right to add items to the meeting agenda. I told them I was going to mail it out to all owners today.
I was within an hour of going to have the petition printed and mailed when I got an email from the building manager. I went down to the office and was informed by the manager that a NEMA 14-50 outlet was going to be installed in the common area June 5. There will be a low monthly fee to use it, and it's in a great location. :biggrin:
No meeting, no vote, no nothing. It's amazing what a motivated person can do.
Thanks for the support and suggestions, everyone.
Great news. That should break the ice completely if you decide to install an outlet in your assigned space, which sounds like it would be an inexpensive piece of cake given your location relative to the sub-panel. Safe? Must be, otherwise the building manager wouldn't be installing one. I personally would install my own knowing I'd always have power available when wanted and/or needed. A (probably unneeded) selling point would be the freeing up of the common area outlet for other owners and guests.
Congrats. Now at least you can take your time to work on this situation. Maybe get yourself of the board or talk with others in your building. Eventually if you can point to a 14-50 already there and say you'll pay for all install costs and power maybe you can get enough support to force a vote. Probably smart to step back like you said and take the small victory.
Great to hear. I posted last year about my ordeal with my HOA. I was able to finally get them to approve an outlet and charging station at my spot with stipulations that were a combined set from those in the California law and additional ones they added out of fear. They weren't deal breakers, but did cost me an extra $1000 or so. They required that the whole install be UL approved, whic unfortunately the UMC isn't. So I do have a 6-50 outlet, but then I had to buy a wall mounted station plugged into it. I forget if the HWPC is UL listed. Of so that would work too. But I also have a Volt, so needed a J1772 station. This was about a $800 unit.
In addition to that, I have to carry a $1M umbrella policy (costs about $250/yr). But that's useful to have anyways I suppose.
I worked with my HOA also on shared outlet/station for the community in parallel. The issue is we have no spaces to allocate for such. The old board members have since been voted out and new members are there who are much more progressive in their thinking. So, it may not be tough sledding for future EV owners or wannabe owners. But at some point in the future, this will need to be addressed as one of the remaining barriers to EV adoption. I sent Elon an email about my situation when it was happening and he did reply and offered some help on the form of Walter Franck's counsel. But I think after the Dealership association fight, it's the next battlefront.
But in the end, I'm very happy to hear you did get a positive resolution!
In addition to that, I have to carry a $1M umbrella policy (costs about $250/yr). But that's useful to have anyways I suppose.
I worked with my HOA also on shared outlet/station for the community in parallel. The issue is we have no spaces to allocate for such. The old board members have since been voted out and new members are there who are much more progressive in their thinking. So, it may not be tough sledding for future EV owners or wannabe owners. But at some point in the future, this will need to be addressed as one of the remaining barriers to EV adoption. I sent Elon an email about my situation when it was happening and he did reply and offered some help on the form of Walter Franck's counsel. But I think after the Dealership association fight, it's the next battlefront.
But in the end, I'm very happy to hear you did get a positive resolution!
I'm lucky - just moved into a condo in Portland, Oregon, and the Oregon legislature passed a bill last year which requires condo HOAs to comply with owner's requests for EV power installation (at the owner's expense).
Previously, the HOA board had denied requests. When the bill passed, they drafted a new policy.
Good news - the HOA is on board. Got an electrician (several) to come, do an estimate. About what I was expecting (estimates ran from $2200-$2900).
Bad news - they're going to have to install a sub panel to do this, as the main panel doesn't have open circuits. They'd talked about this already, as they know EVs are becoming more popular, and this will make metering easier.
So, I'm looking at late June or so. Until then, I'll have to sip 120V at work, or else drive down to Woodburn every weekend or two to use the supercharger.
Previously, the HOA board had denied requests. When the bill passed, they drafted a new policy.
Good news - the HOA is on board. Got an electrician (several) to come, do an estimate. About what I was expecting (estimates ran from $2200-$2900).
Bad news - they're going to have to install a sub panel to do this, as the main panel doesn't have open circuits. They'd talked about this already, as they know EVs are becoming more popular, and this will make metering easier.
So, I'm looking at late June or so. Until then, I'll have to sip 120V at work, or else drive down to Woodburn every weekend or two to use the supercharger.
gfountain1
Member
Good luck with getting sympathy about the future of the planet. Jesus will come back before we mess everything up too badly.
Congrats!
Even though I don't have a Tesla, or an EV for that matter, things like this upset me. Like the story I saw about SC's being blocked by ICE vehicles! (not sure if it was on purpose or out of ignorance) I assume that with that monthly fee, if someone who is not paying the monthly fee will be fined, that way maybe it'll help keep those out of the spot who have no use for it.
Depends on the church. Our church pastor has encouraged us to plug in our EV at church as a good example for others. We have been blessed with an amazing planet - best to be good stewards of it. Intentionally making a mess with the expectation that Jesus will bail us out is incredibly irresponsible.Good luck with getting sympathy about the future of the planet. Jesus will come back before we mess everything up too badly.
Amen. I bit my tongue after reading post you replied to, I hope it was intended as a joke - even if it is a bad one. You just said it better than I would have.
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
After a two week delay waiting for a 50-amp breaker, as I walked outside Monday, the clouds parted and angels sang. After eight months, there was THE OUTLET–a nice new NEMA 14-50.
I asked the office if I could test it out, but they said no, it would have to wait until after the Board meeting where they would work out the details. No biggie, the Board meeting was Tuesday night.
It’s not on the agenda–hmmm–but it’s already done so maybe it doesn’t need to be. We had already agreed on a $15/month fee as to avoid metering. I said that was a little more than I would pay for straight rates, plus valet fees; but that was fine.
It finally came up at the end, and the Board President, said blah, blah, blah, and the fee would be $15 per use. I said, "Per use! Don’t you mean per month?"
"Oh no, it was never $15/month. We have to get our capital expenditure back."
"Well, you’re not getting it from me, nor anybody else, for that matter. Nobody will pay that. I agreed to pay for the electricity. I’m not personally funding the entire installation for the whole building in less than 18 months and creating a 500% profit center for the condo after that. No other amenity in this building works that way–none. I didn't pay that much for gas. I wish you had told me this before you put it in. I could have saved you $1000 by telling you not to do it."
So there we are now. A shiny new outlet for nothing. Maybe they can plug some Christmas lights or something into it.
I don’t know why these guys insist on operating in a vacuum. They know nothing about it and don’t want anybody’s opinion before they act. I just don’t get it.
After a two week delay waiting for a 50-amp breaker, as I walked outside Monday, the clouds parted and angels sang. After eight months, there was THE OUTLET–a nice new NEMA 14-50.
I asked the office if I could test it out, but they said no, it would have to wait until after the Board meeting where they would work out the details. No biggie, the Board meeting was Tuesday night.
It’s not on the agenda–hmmm–but it’s already done so maybe it doesn’t need to be. We had already agreed on a $15/month fee as to avoid metering. I said that was a little more than I would pay for straight rates, plus valet fees; but that was fine.
It finally came up at the end, and the Board President, said blah, blah, blah, and the fee would be $15 per use. I said, "Per use! Don’t you mean per month?"
"Oh no, it was never $15/month. We have to get our capital expenditure back."
"Well, you’re not getting it from me, nor anybody else, for that matter. Nobody will pay that. I agreed to pay for the electricity. I’m not personally funding the entire installation for the whole building in less than 18 months and creating a 500% profit center for the condo after that. No other amenity in this building works that way–none. I didn't pay that much for gas. I wish you had told me this before you put it in. I could have saved you $1000 by telling you not to do it."
So there we are now. A shiny new outlet for nothing. Maybe they can plug some Christmas lights or something into it.
I don’t know why these guys insist on operating in a vacuum. They know nothing about it and don’t want anybody’s opinion before they act. I just don’t get it.
