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Residential curbside charging ideas
- Thread starter Kevin Harney
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- Electric Vehicles
walk_n_wind
Member
No sir...but worst-case, I'll just throw out an extension cord like I do for the occasional power tool or dead battery:
It's not anywhere near as challenging as condo-dwellers that want an EV...
walk_n_wind
Member
"HOA" - You said a bad word.
NoVA and HOAs seem to go hand-in-hand - oh the pain.
That's definitely a concern of mine, and I've considered the idea of a permanent receptacle in the grass median as well. But concealment is the key if you don't want to get your wrists slapped by the HOA. So we'll see how creative we can get...
The only other concern is weather. While I'd try and avoid it, I want to be able to charge in the rain...
NoVA and HOAs seem to go hand-in-hand - oh the pain.
That's definitely a concern of mine, and I've considered the idea of a permanent receptacle in the grass median as well. But concealment is the key if you don't want to get your wrists slapped by the HOA. So we'll see how creative we can get...
The only other concern is weather. While I'd try and avoid it, I want to be able to charge in the rain...
My other problem is that our water meters are in the median as well so I would have to avoid that area as well. My designated space is not DIRECTLY in front of my unit either. Only about 1/2 a house away but still not directly in front. I was thinking conduit from the house to the median ending in a buried box receptacle. That house looks familiar. Of course all TH's tend to look the same. And I sold real estates in your area for 10 years. PM me with the street name. I am sure that you are very close to me and I pass through Centreville on my way to work everyday as well.
Or a cement water meter cover that is flush with the ground.
I would look around the complex for some type of existing cover, sewer, drain, sprinkler, phone, power, etc., that is already being used/approved. Source it out and install it with your plug in a watertight box below the lid. The utility may never even look in it since it's not on their plans.
OR
You could go with:
walk_n_wind
Member
Assuming we could conceal the outlet, the big -?- in my mind is always, how to covertly (yet expertly) run a wire *under* the sidewalk?
Future Business Opportunity
Once enough electric vehicles are out in the wild, someone will start a valet charging service for folks in condos and those who only have curbside parking.
For a monthly fee, the valet picks up your car late at night, drives it to a nearby charging location, and returns it fully charged before you wake up in the morning.
For a premium, the car can also be cleaned periodically, windshield fluid topped up, tires checked, etc.
Although it would be more expensive than charging from regular house current, it could still be a lot cheaper than gasoline.
Unfortunately it won't be available soon enough for you guys on the cutting edge.
I hope you find a good solution that will work for you.
Once enough electric vehicles are out in the wild, someone will start a valet charging service for folks in condos and those who only have curbside parking.
For a monthly fee, the valet picks up your car late at night, drives it to a nearby charging location, and returns it fully charged before you wake up in the morning.
For a premium, the car can also be cleaned periodically, windshield fluid topped up, tires checked, etc.
Although it would be more expensive than charging from regular house current, it could still be a lot cheaper than gasoline.
Unfortunately it won't be available soon enough for you guys on the cutting edge.
I hope you find a good solution that will work for you.
Yeah, I could do that for Tesla owners in my area.
Anyone know how to disable the odometer temporarily and turn off valet mode? :wink:
walk_n_wind
Member
Perpendicular.
Oh, hell yeah! You are the Google master!
That video is great! So just dig deep enough to get beneath the bottom of the sidewalk, and *drive a PVC pipe through the ground*. After a few days of rain, this should be way-easy.I'm seeing a bit of light peeking through the tunnel...
I've done this 6 times over the years starting when I learned from my dad (back then there was no PVC). Messy, but works unless the soil is really big-rocky.
The last time I found a black plastic nozzle designed specifically for this that glued on the end of the PVC pipe. Alas, with fist and melon sized rocks blocking the way I had to rent a cement cutter and cut a slot.
Very cool. They thought of everything.
The water/PVC pipe technique is a low budget way to go and the Bullet Mole is more of a contractor tool but maybe you could convince you local tool rental house to buy one to rent out.
With the rocks I have around here I would go with this next time.
The water/PVC pipe technique is a low budget way to go and the Bullet Mole is more of a contractor tool but maybe you could convince you local tool rental house to buy one to rent out.
With the rocks I have around here I would go with this next time.
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