Supercharger - Gaithersburg, MD

[GOPJEW]

Gaithersburg has been packed recently, usually over 50% full between 8am and 10pm. It sure would be nice to get those 24 stalls built at Montgomery Mall. Does anyone have any updates on permit status for these projects?

Montgomery Mall is a LONG way away from happening, if ever. Their master plan for expansion/renovations needs to go first.

While I have used Superchargers at Rio when shopping, reality is they are meant to be used for folks travelling and NOT as local charging - this is part of the problem the folks in CA created and why we now face fees at Superchargers - because people abuse them for local charging rather than charging at home (and for those of us with free unlimited supercharging a “free” charge).

I just suggest folks use them when they are road-tripping - you bought a vehicle ranging in prices from $55k to $150k - to save $3 you could be inconveniencing folks who really do NEED the chargers...

 

[Big Earl]

Montgomery Mall is a LONG way away from happening, if ever. Their master plan for expansion/renovations needs to go first.

While I have used Superchargers at Rio when shopping, reality is they are meant to be used for folks travelling and NOT as local charging - this is part of the problem the folks in CA created and why we now face fees at Superchargers - because people abuse them for local charging rather than charging at home (and for those of us with free unlimited supercharging a “free” charge).

I just suggest folks use them when they are road-tripping - you bought a vehicle ranging in prices from $55k to $150k - to save $3 you could be inconveniencing folks who really do NEED the chargers...

There is an entire thread about locals using superchargers. We really don’t need to rehash it here.

 

[Big Earl]

1A and 2B are out of service. 2B has a bad connector and won’t go into the charge port. If you force it, it will pull the plastic guards out of one of your charge pins.

 

[bhakan]

Actually, 3 of them are out of order. I reported to Tesla support. When I recently visited for charging I had to wait for 10-15 mins and there were others that came after me.This was Sun eve.

 

[Big Earl]

Actually, 3 of them are out of order. I reported to Tesla support. When I recently visited for charging I had to wait for 10-15 mins and there were others that came after me.This was Sun eve.

Yikes. After my last experience at Gaithersburg, I bought a roll of caution tape to mark chargers that are out of order as I encounter them. I figured it would be better than scribbling a hand-written note.

 

[MMC-]

Look at this crap. A model 3 driver parked in a charging spot without plugging in. I was in the next slot when he pulled in but did not notice he did not plug in until he walked away. This when the location was full on a Saturday afternoon. Shame shame.

 

[preilly44]

Look at this crap. A model 3 driver parked in a charging spot without plugging in. I was in the next slot when he pulled in but did not notice he did not plug in until he walked away. This when the location was full on a Saturday afternoon. Shame shame.
View attachment 380007

That is frustrating. Hopefully they just forgot or didn't realize what they were doing.

You could always plug them in so they hopefully incur idle fees

 

[MMC-]

That is frustrating. Hopefully they just forgot or didn't realize what they were doing.

You could always plug them in so they hopefully incur idle fees

You know you are correct. I should have

Maybe he thought it was inductive charging !

 

[GOPJEW]

You know you are correct. I should have

Maybe he thought it was inductive charging !

Do the Model 3 charge port covers open regardless of a FOB present? Unfortunately the newer models X & S charge port covers do NOT open without the FOB - every ngiht when I walk out to my garage to plug in I have to remember to go back and get my FOB - my old Model S broke me!

 

[gnuarm]

Do the Model 3 charge port covers open regardless of a FOB present? Unfortunately the newer models X & S charge port covers do NOT open without the FOB - every ngiht when I walk out to my garage to plug in I have to remember to go back and get my FOB - my old Model S broke me!

I think you have to walk a fair distance for them to cut off. So be quick.

 

[gnuarm]

I really needed a charge while visiting Frederick, MD today and fortunately had a meeting at the restaurant next to these Superchargers. I figured I could charge during the meeting and drive away with a full tank. I checked before I left Frederick and the stalls were half full. On arriving the last stall had just been taken and I tried waiting a bit. But no one returned to unplug for 10 minutes or so and a couple of Teslas has cruised by clearly looking for a charge. When someone else pulled up and waited, I gave up and parked to go to my meeting.

I had to cut my meeting short so I had time to charge enough to get back to Frederick. I have about 10% more charge than I started with last night before the temperature dropped through the basement. It's going to be even colder, but at least the car won't be too cold and too low to let me regen at all. I have another meeting tomorrow, but in Frederick. So I'll have to drive down, get an hour charge before the chargers get full and hoof it back up to Frederick for my lunch meeting. Actually, I can drive to Hagerstown. It is a bit longer drive and nothing is open, but at least I won't have to fight traffic.

It will be nice when they put a charger in Frederick... any sort of Tesla charger... There's not an accessible Tesla charger anywhere near Frederick.

 

[theflyer]

It will be nice when they put a charger in Frederick... any sort of Tesla charger... There's not an accessible Tesla charger anywhere near Frederick.

That story sucks. There is a permit to install superchargers (probably urbanchargers) in Frederick (5500 Buckeystown Pike). Its been in permit status for at least 64 days so hopefully, something will happen soon. You can follow along on its development in this thread: Supercharger planned--Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania, VA

I agree that chargers in Frederick will be a boon for anyone out that way. Gaithersburg is a crowded mess and Hagerstown is outside the DC area (crazy to think that Frederick is now broadly considered part of the greater DC area). Just think, in a few months we'll have superchargers or urbanchargers at both ends of the US15 join between Frederick and Leesburg.

 

[Dpc131]

I was here last weekend around 2 o’clock trying to get a charge after visiting the SC to get home. It was full and there was one MS waiting. The kid in the MS got out, told me that one of the cars was done charging, but he was going to switch the car because he worked at Enterprise and his boss told him to charge the cars.

After just returning my Enterprise loaner to the SC that I charged nearly full when I got back because they asked me to charge; I was a little peeved. Can’t they install a destination charge or a HPWC at their office.

The kid was nice enough and it wasn’t his fault but I asked if he could tell his management to charge when the stalls aren’t full. I luckily had only a 5 minute longer wait.

 

[gnuarm]

That story sucks. There is a permit to install superchargers (probably urbanchargers) in Frederick (5500 Buckeystown Pike). Its been in permit status for at least 64 days so hopefully, something will happen soon. You can follow along on its development in this thread: Supercharger planned--Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania, VA

I agree that chargers in Frederick will be a boon for anyone out that way. Gaithersburg is a crowded mess and Hagerstown is outside the DC area (crazy to think that Frederick is now broadly considered part of the greater DC area). Just think, in a few months we'll have superchargers or urbanchargers at both ends of the US15 join between Frederick and Leesburg.

Thanks for the moral support. I think part of my frustration is that I tell my friends that driving a Tesla is no big deal, charging is pretty ubiquitous and I can go a long way on a charge. Then I drive the 125 miles to Frederick only to find a virtual charging desert and I can't do local driving for a couple of days and still reach a Supercharger, at least in the winter.

They are building new Superchargers in Frederick (which is not Fredericksburg, btw... that's in Virginia near where I start this trip). A person connected with the utility says his "crystal ball" shows them being complete by June. I'd really like to see a scattering of destination chargers around the town as well.

Right now there is only a handful of J1772 chargers which aren't worth much really. I spent a few hours at the hospital because with the overnight cold my charge went from 20% (enough to reach Gaithersburg with some margin) to 11% which was right on the edge. Someone reports they are 48 amp chargers, but I only got around 24 amps on each visit and the voltage is only 205 because it is off a three phase circuit. They do have a decent breakfast if you get there before 10:30. The wifi is also good in the building. I didn't detect any in the car while charging.

The irony is that I knew about the breakfast and wifi because of my quest for Internet connections in years past. lol I haven't found as good a spot in Gaithersburg, but normally I only need to spend an hour to charge and so wander over to the Target to do a little shopping.

But I can't honestly say charging a Tesla is no big deal. It is a big deal and I have to constantly plan around it.

 

[CHRGIT]

I was here last weekend around 2 o’clock trying to get a charge after visiting the SC to get home. It was full and there was one MS waiting. The kid in the MS got out, told me that one of the cars was done charging, but he was going to switch the car because he worked at Enterprise and his boss told him to charge the cars.

After just returning my Enterprise loaner to the SC that I charged nearly full when I got back because they asked me to charge; I was a little peeved. Can’t they install a destination charge or a HPWC at their office.

The kid was nice enough and it wasn’t his fault but I asked if he could tell his management to charge when the stalls aren’t full. I luckily had only a 5 minute longer wait.

I thought commercial use of Superchargers was prohibited. I guess Enterprise is an exception. Also I find it strange that you have a concern about returning a rental car with the “gas” gauge at the level you started with. I know with ICE cars there is a significant charge if the rental car agency has to gas the car. I wonder what their price is for electricity if it’s returned low? A $1 per kW seems about right.

 

[gnuarm]

I thought commercial use of Superchargers was prohibited. I guess Enterprise is an exception. Also I find it strange that you have a concern about returning a rental car with the “gas” gauge at the level you started with. I know with ICE cars there is a significant charge if the rental car agency has to gas the car. I wonder what their price is for electricity if it’s returned low? A $1 per kW seems about right.

I've never heard that commercial use of Superchargers is not allowed. I think it is "free" use of Superchargers that is prohibited. But I could be wrong. It just seems very constraining to not allow businesses to charge at Superchargers. Let's face it. Without Superchargers, these cars are all one round trip charge range limited. It takes bloody forever to charge even at the other DC chargers and there aren't many of them actually. That's why for most people, Tesla is the only practical choice for EVs for at least two years and maybe as many as four.

 

[theflyer]

They are building new Superchargers in Frederick (which is not Fredericksburg, btw... that's in Virginia near where I start this trip). A person connected with the utility says his "crystal ball" shows them being complete by June. I'd really like to see a scattering of destination chargers around the town as well.

@gnuarm, I apologize for grabbing the Fredericksburg link. Frederick has a permit for 12 stalls, which makes things pretty concrete there will eventually be a supercharger (or urbancharger) there. The location is 5500 Buckeystown Pike at the Francis Scott Key Mall. the permit was found 68 days ago, so fingers crossed someone will start seeing construction soon. Unfortunately, no one can predict specific timing. There are locations that happen very quickly and others with permits that languish forever. Here is the correct thread for Frederick: Supercharger - Frederick, MD

That link will take you directly to the post that uncovered the permit.

 

[gnuarm]

@gnuarm, I apologize for grabbing the Fredericksburg link. Frederick has a permit for 12 stalls, which makes things pretty concrete there will eventually be a supercharger (or urbancharger) there. The location is 5500 Buckeystown Pike at the Francis Scott Key Mall. the permit was found 68 days ago, so fingers crossed someone will start seeing construction soon. Unfortunately, no one can predict specific timing. There are locations that happen very quickly and others with permits that languish forever. Here is the correct thread for Frederick: Supercharger - Frederick, MD

That link will take you directly to the post that uncovered the permit.

Trust me, I am very aware of the thread for the Frederick Supercharger. After watching the Annapolis charger installation sit and stew for months now I don't plan for the Frederick installation to be done anytime soon.

So in the mean time, I'll run up Rt 95 and 270 tomorrow and hit Gaithersburg along the way. That should pretty much do the trick.

 

[gnuarm]

I visited Gaithersburg again today and found a defective station. The cable would not insert into the jack on the car. I had read about this being caused by a piece of plastic breaking off of a car connector and remaining in the plug. This prevents the same part of a good connector from fitting the cable plug. If I would have had a pair of needle nose pliers with me, I would have pulled out the broken off plastic piece, but I didn't.

I'll spare you the musical stalls I played. Or maybe not. I initially pulled into a stall which turned out to be provided for disabled access, although I can't see how. The wide part is not on the drivers side. Anyway, on reading the rather small sign I decided to be conscientious and find another stall. That's when I pulled into the stall with the broken connector. On finding the problem I saw there was no longer a free stall other than the disabled stall, so I returned to that. I ended up getting what I needed in the way of charge, but just.

I'm getting a bit tired of these charging blues. Like Mick Jagger said, "I can't get no... charging".

 

[Big Earl]

I visited Gaithersburg again today and found a defective station. The cable would not insert into the jack on the car. I had read about this being caused by a piece of plastic breaking off of a car connector and remaining in the plug. This prevents the same part of a good connector from fitting the cable plug. If I would have had a pair of needle nose pliers with me, I would have pulled out the broken off plastic piece, but I didn't.

I'll spare you the musical stalls I played. Or maybe not. I initially pulled into a stall which turned out to be provided for disabled access, although I can't see how. The wide part is not on the drivers side. Anyway, on reading the rather small sign I decided to be conscientious and find another stall. That's when I pulled into the stall with the broken connector. On finding the problem I saw there was no longer a free stall other than the disabled stall, so I returned to that. I ended up getting what I needed in the way of charge, but just.

I'm getting a bit tired of these charging blues. Like Mick Jagger said, "I can't get no... charging".

Which one was broken? The last time I visited, the connector on 2B was messed up and would not connect to the car. I inspected it and it didn’t appear to have a plastic piece stuck in it, although it did try to steal the plastic piece from my car.