San Diego charging advice?

[nickt]

I'm planning to take a road trip from the San Fran area to San Diego next month. Any advice from San Diegans about where I might be able to charge my car when I'm there? I'm going to ask a few hotels if they'll let me charge if I stay there, but other advice is welcome.

Ideally, I think we'll want to stay near Point Loma or Ocean Beach but we might end up near La Jolla if that works out better for some reason.

thanks all!

 

[RandyS]

There are lots of stations in the Solana Beach / Del Mar coastal area...Not too many in the OB area...Plugshare website has good data....

 

[Dave EV]

Yeah, as Randy says, plugshare.com has the best data. Unfortunately, all 3 of the locations you mention are fairly large holes in public charging - there's really no public charging that I am aware of in Ocean Beach or La Jolla. There are a few locations in Point Loma along Rosecrans now, including 10 new Blink stations at Liberty Station. Make sure you have a Blink card, they're the most common charging station around here.

 

[FalconNinetyD]

You can always charge at the Tesla Store at UTC (University Town Center), which is a few miles to the east of La Jolla. You should call ahead and make sure their Roadster to Model S adapter is available. If you have the twin chargers, even better, since it's a 70A charger.

 

[Lloyd]

I'm planning to take a road trip from the San Fran area to San Diego next month. Any advice from San Diegans about where I might be able to charge my car when I'm there? I'm going to ask a few hotels if they'll let me charge if I stay there, but other advice is welcome.

Ideally, I think we'll want to stay near Point Loma or Ocean Beach but we might end up near La Jolla if that works out better for some reason.

thanks all!

Stay at the Pearl on Rosecrans. Fun place and use the Blink charger in the back. It's faster!!

 

[gaswalla]

Be sure you sign up on blinknetwork.com for their "membership" which is free for 2013: you can then charge for $1/hr.

Sounds like you want to stay near the beach.
Hilton Torrey Pines has Blink Chargers - nice place on the beach.
Estancia La Jolla is very nice - Blink chargers next door at Salk Institute.
Try calling the Hotel La Jolla -they have a NEMA 14-50 available at times.
The Grand Del Mar is a 5 star resort and has FREE EV charging.
Paradise Point in Mission Bay has Blink chargers.
Nice hotels on Shelter Island - Blink charger available.
Pearl Hotel nearby also has a Blink.
And, there are Blinks across the street from the Hotel Del in Coronado.

Please let us know what you end up doing.

 

[Apoclyps]

Yeah, as Randy says, plugshare.com has the best data. Unfortunately, all 3 of the locations you mention are fairly large holes in public charging - there's really no public charging that I am aware of in Ocean Beach or La Jolla. There are a few locations in Point Loma along Rosecrans now, including 10 new Blink stations at Liberty Station. Make sure you have a Blink card, they're the most common charging station around here.

Although new Blink stations are supposedly coming up at Liberty Station, the Blink website does not list them. Plugshare user says they are not operational. Anyone know for sure? I'll be visiting SD near the Airport and will also need to find places to charge.

 

[dadaleus]

Also chargers at Torrey Pines Lodge. That would be my pick for a very pleasant stay if in your price range.

I think there's an S 80amp charger at UTC actually, but not certain.

Use Plugshare and Recargo. There are lots of 30amps around. Shouldn't be too hard to pick a hotel with one.

 

[RandyS]

Liberty Station is not operational yet, but should be in a few weeks...

 

[Apoclyps]

Blink stations are throughout the city but my impression is they are usually occupied by non-charging Car2Go vehicles. I will be arriving with about 45 rated miles (have to pick up coworker) and wont have a lot of time to charge, as I'll be there for work (again near the airport) and will have work dinners in or near the hotel. Suggestions? Besides driving around to Blink stations and hoping there are no vehicles in the parking spot even though Recargo and Plugshare show the charging station is not in use.

 

[Dave EV]

Yeah battles with car2go vehicles is often an issue. If you come across a location and you need to charge but there is a car2go vehicle stuck there, I believe you can call them up and ask for a special code to unlock the car so you can move it and charge. At the very least, I have a car2go membership card linked to a special account for that purpose so I can do that myself if needed. Then when I'm done charging I try to move the car back to the charger if it still needs a charge.

One of the nice things about the car2go is that if you do have a membership, you can easily use one as a range extender since they are often found at charging stations - move one out of the way, plug your car in to a Blink and take the car2go - then when you're done drive a car2go back to your charged car. This works great if traveling and only have a bit of luggage and 1 passenger.

What hotel are you staying at, Apoclyps?

 

[ggr]

Blink stations are throughout the city but my impression is they are usually occupied by non-charging Car2Go vehicles. I will be arriving with about 45 rated miles (have to pick up coworker) and wont have a lot of time to charge, as I'll be there for work (again near the airport) and will have work dinners in or near the hotel. Suggestions? Besides driving around to Blink stations and hoping there are no vehicles in the parking spot even though Recargo and Plugshare show the charging station is not in use.

The only one I use is downtown on 3rd/4th between A and B streets. This is a managed parking lot, and they will move the Car2Gos out of the way if a real customer shows up. $10 to park for up to 4 hours (a slight discount), but charging is on top of that. I pay to charge anyway, just to show the passers-by that electric cars are for real.

 

[gaswalla]

Yeah battles with car2go vehicles is often an issue. If you come across a location and you need to charge but there is a car2go vehicle stuck there, I believe you can call them up and ask for a special code to unlock the car so you can move it and charge. At the very least, I have a car2go membership card linked to a special account for that purpose so I can do that myself if needed. Then when I'm done charging I try to move the car back to the charger if it still needs a charge.

One of the nice things about the car2go is that if you do have a membership, you can easily use one as a range extender since they are often found at charging stations - move one out of the way, plug your car in to a Blink and take the car2go - then when you're done drive a car2go back to your charged car. This works great if traveling and only have a bit of luggage and 1 passenger.

What hotel are you staying at, Apoclyps?

I got a free car2go account with no registration and $20 credit by being an EV owner - the main point of the card is to be able to move their cars out of the chargers for your own vehicle.

 

[Apoclyps]

Yeah battles with car2go vehicles is often an issue. If you come across a location and you need to charge but there is a car2go vehicle stuck there, I believe you can call them up and ask for a special code to unlock the car so you can move it and charge. At the very least, I have a car2go membership card linked to a special account for that purpose so I can do that myself if needed. Then when I'm done charging I try to move the car back to the charger if it still needs a charge.

One of the nice things about the car2go is that if you do have a membership, you can easily use one as a range extender since they are often found at charging stations - move one out of the way, plug your car in to a Blink and take the car2go - then when you're done drive a car2go back to your charged car. This works great if traveling and only have a bit of luggage and 1 passenger.

What hotel are you staying at, Apoclyps?

I will be at the Sheraton SD & Marina. there are Blinks within a 3 mile radius of the hotel. I just don't want find non-charging cars in the spots.

I may stop at the Mission Valley Mall on the way in and charge there while getting a late dinner. Hopefully chargers will be open around 9 pm, as the most shops in the mall will be closed. My problem is that I will be in SD for business, and will be occupied up to the evening hours. Probably free after 8 or 9 pm, which gives me maybe 2 hours of charge (??). So that's about 30 miles each day (Sun, Mon and Tue) and should be enough to get back to the OC, drop off my coworker and get home (~90 miles)

 

[TonyWilliams]

... which gives me maybe 2 hours of charge (??). So that's about 30 miles each day (Sun, Mon and Tue) and should be enough to get back to the OC, drop off my coworker and get home (~90 miles)

Be careful with your public charging per hour estimate of miles. First, virtually all are limited to 30 amps, and secondly, any in public commercial areas are on 208 volt service.

Tesla chargers are 40 amps maximum each therefore, the "10kW" charger with 40 amp service is:

Power -- Voltage -- at 88% efficiency into the battery

10kW ---- 277 ---- 8.8kW (the maximum voltage that the charger can accept, amps are limited to 36)
10kW ---- 250 ---- 8.8kW (hey, it just happened to be 10kW)
9.6kW --- 240 ---- 8.4kW (typical residential power in North America)
9.2kW --- 230 ---- 8.1kW (typical voltage in the rest of the world)
8.3kW --- 208 ---- 7.3kW (typical voltage at a public charge station in North America)
8.0kW --- 200 ---- 7.0kW (typical voltage in Japan)

My estimates for the Rav4 EV. I suspect the 600 pound heavier Model S might do worse on a "City Drive" at 370 Wh per mile, and possibly better at 65mph at 285 Wh/mile.

Miles Gained per Hour Charging
Amps/Volts -- Where ---- City Drive ----- 65mph (285 Wh per mile)

12 / 120 ------- Any ------ 2.8 miles ------- 3.5 miles (supplied cable with car)
12 / 240 ------ Home ----- 6.8 miles ------ 8.6 miles (EVSEupgrade.com mod)
16 / 208 ------ Public ----- 7.5 miles ------- 9.5 miles
16 / 240 ------ Home ----- 8.9 miles ------ 11.2 miles
20 / 208 ------ Public ----- 9.4 miles ------ 11.9 miles
20 / 240 ------ Home ---- 11.0 miles ------ 13.9 miles (Clipper Creek LCS-25)
30 / 208 ------ Public ---- 14.8 miles ----- 18.7 miles (typical)
30 / 240 ------ Home ---- 17.1 miles ----- 21.6 miles
40 / 208 ------ Public ---- 18.5 miles ----- 23.4 miles (just the Tesla branded ones)
40 / 240 ------ Home ---- 22.7 miles ----- 28.5 miles

 

[Apoclyps]

Be careful with your public charging per hour estimate of miles. First, virtually all are limited to 30 amps, and secondly, any in public commercial areas are on 208 volt service.

30 / 208 ------ Public ---- 14.8 miles ----- 18.7 miles (typical)
30 / 240 ------ Home ---- 17.1 miles ----- 21.6 miles
40 / 208 ------ Public ---- 18.5 miles ----- 23.4 miles (just the Tesla branded ones)
40 / 240 ------ Home ---- 22.7 miles ----- 28.5 miles

that is why i said 30 miles of charge.... Average of 15 mph @ 2 hours of charge. This will be a tough road trip. Contingency plan is get a 3 hour charge on Wednesday before I drive back home, maybe stop by Mission Valley Mall if all went well on my drive in.

I am actually leaving mid-day on Wednesday so I can swing by the Tesla UTC site and connect to their Roadster charger using their roadster:S adapter. Will need to call ahead to make sure the charger will be available.

 

[RandyS]

It's not so simple to say that all commercial units run off 208v...There are plenty of 240v commercial installations as well, it just depends on what is in the area...Your Mileage Meter on the car is your best reference....

If you're going to be near the Convention Center, there are some new Clipper Creek free units in the underground parking that have gone in there...You could park there and have a meal in the Gaslamp while you're soaking up a good charge...

 

[tdiggity]

If you pay $1/hr at 30A/208V, you're paying about 17 cents a kwh. It's a pretty good price when compared to home (at least for me).

 

[TonyWilliams]

that is why i said 30 miles of charge.... Average of 15 mph @ 2 hours of charge. This will be a tough road trip. Contingency plan is get a 3 hour charge on Wednesday before I drive back home, maybe stop by Mission Valley Mall if all went well on my drive in.

I am actually leaving mid-day on Wednesday so I can swing by the Tesla UTC site and connect to their Roadster charger using their roadster:S adapter. Will need to call ahead to make sure the charger will be available.

Yes, I lunged on the 30 miles part, and instantly thought "per hour". I see that you're being conservative.

- - - Updated - - -

It's not so simple to say that all commercial units run off 208v...There are plenty of 240v commercial installations as well, it just depends on what is in the area...Your Mileage Meter on the car is your best reference.....

If you can't measure it, I would assume it. But, of course, absolutes don't apply. By the way, I just got some nifty volt/amp meters that I intend to mount in my car at the charge port. I will know exactly what's going in.

 

[markb1]

You can probably find a 120V outlet to plug into overnight at the hotel. That would add perhaps 20 miles per night, so you would still need to spend some time at an L2 station. Do you have twin chargers? If so, I suggest spending an hour or so at UTC where the Tesla Store is. (Call ahead about availability. You might need to borrow their adapter.) Or perhaps someone in the area can offer use of their HPWC. (I have only have a NEMA 14-50 outlet, which you're welcome to plug into, but I'm in the northern part of the city. I'm close to the 5, though, so it might be convenient on your way in or out of town.)