When do you charge?

[Grunk]

Hi all,

I'd like to understand when and how you charge your car better. Would you mind filling out a brief survey? I would really appreciate the help.
EV charging behavior survey

 

[JasJ]

My definition of brief is different than yours.

 

[Blup85]

In the green zone

 

[JasJ]

Per hour? No matter how much electricity you use? That's a good plan.

I pay $0.06/kWh 24x7 so doesn't matter when, but I do charge at 1am so to not tax the grid.

 

[FlyingCookie]

Per hour? No matter how much electricity you use? That's a good plan.

I pay $0.06/kWh 24x7 so doesn't matter when, but I do charge at 1am so to not tax the grid.

I think that's meant to be per kWh... Aka... 10kWh costs you $6.50 (which i would certainly call outrageous!)

Hopefully i'm wrong.

EDIT: Nope. He's in Cali. I'm sure i'm right now. I'll add that to my reasons to stay far far far far far away from Cali.

 

[Blup85]

Well, I did this little cheat sheet for my wife and I in the utility room. She was always asking 'what time can I wash??" Its calibrated to our "average" KW by time of day. It gives us an idea how small changes in when you use energy can make a real difference. It was mostly a joke but sadly, its true
Yep... my current EV rate. 10kw in the dead of summer during peak hour costs me about $5.50 but the flip side is I also get credit at the same rate with my solar so I'm also cashing in big credits during those periods of time (assuming I'm over producing)
So yeah, I don't charge during the red period.. OUTRAGEOUS!

.06c/KW???? I'm guessing not much solar out there!

 

[kort677]

a plugged in tesla is a happy tesla

 

[BerTX]

I charge on sunny days. My utility quit doing net metering AFTER I installed solar. Now my equivalent of off-peak for everyone else is when my solar is producing and I'm getting cheated out of my investment in solar.

But I'm not bitter. Much.

 

[Grunk]

I charge on sunny days. My utility quit doing net metering AFTER I installed solar. Now my equivalent of off-peak for everyone else is when my solar is producing and I'm getting cheated out of my investment in solar.

But I'm not bitter. Much.

That's sad to hear, BerTX. Do they also charge you time of use rates?
One idea I've been thinking about is shifting your car charging times to match solar production. This is a bit tricky, if you have net metering coupled with TOU rates. If you have flat electric rates, this is a no brainer. And then, some people may want to drive on sunlight regardless of price. I'm wondering if there's a set of rules that doesn't make this horribly complicated for people to understand.

 

[JasJ]

.06c/KW???? I'm guessing not much solar out there!

Very true - it's rare to see solar panels in Houston. I did have a $0.05/KW rate for a while. If you are willing to play the de-regulated rate game (e.g. Switching resellers every 6 months), you can get a low low rate. Those that just accept whatever pay 2-3x as much.

 

[bonnie]

Hi all,

I'd like to understand when and how you charge your car better. Would you mind filling out a brief survey? I would really appreciate the help.
EV charging behavior survey

The survey says 'we would like to understand' ... who is 'we'? Where is this info being used?

 

[BerTX]

That's sad to hear, BerTX. Do they also charge you time of use rates?
One idea I've been thinking about is shifting your car charging times to match solar production. This is a bit tricky, if you have net metering coupled with TOU rates. If you have flat electric rates, this is a no brainer. And then, some people may want to drive on sunlight regardless of price. I'm wondering if there's a set of rules that doesn't make this horribly complicated for people to understand.

No, no TOU available if you have solar.

Fortunately I don't drive every day, so I'm playing with trying to charge over several days, turning the charge on and off as the sun comes out. A PITA, but just trying to get a feel for a pattern.

Basically if the meter runs backward, they pay me 5 cents/kWh, and if it runs forward, they charge me 9 cents/kWh. I have always been happy in the past (under net metering) when the meter ran backward. Now it actually means I'm losing money, in a way. I've been trying to come up with ways to concentrate my usage during the day, only washing clothes or running the dishwasher at while the panels are producing. I can't do much about a/c or heating use -- we need that when we need it.

It's more the principle of the thing -- my electric use is still never over $50. Just p/o that they changed the rules.

 

[JasJ]

Hint: Powerwall.

 

[gregd]

Regarding the survey, one of the questions asks about ToU plans, and whether they are offered. I have PG&E, which offers a ToU plan, however I have chosen not to sign up for it. That combination doesn't appear to be listed.

Also, I bailed out of the survey (did not submit) because when it got to asking whether I would pay for an app, it started feeling like less than an innocent survey. What is this information intended to be used for?

 

[BerTX]

Hint: Powerwall.

So what's the ROI on a Powerwall with a $50/mo bill? And I'm not sure one PW would make it during the summer, with the a/c running all night. And during the winter, cloudy days would mean not 100% charging of the PW. I'll just muddle along, grumbling under my breath.

 

[BerTX]

Also, I bailed out of the survey (did not submit) because when it got to asking whether I would pay for an app, it started feeling like less than an innocent survey. What is this information intended to be used for?

+1

 

[Ulmo]

In the green zone View attachment 219816

I have the same time periods as you (PG&E EV rate plan), but I don't pay 65 cents; I only pay low-30 cents. It doesn't make sense to me that you would pay more in Chico since you're close to hydroelectric power as well as excess power coming from other states. Do you not get any of that?

 

[brucet999]

That's sad to hear, BerTX. Do they also charge you time of use rates?
One idea I've been thinking about is shifting your car charging times to match solar production.

So, your plan is not to drive between 10am and 4pm?

Typical rooftop solar array is limited to 20A connection to your panel, Maybe 40A with a very large array. That's pretty slow charging.

 

[Ulmo]

PG&E Tool

Regarding the survey, one of the questions asks about ToU plans, and whether they are offered. I have PG&E, which offers a ToU plan, however I have chosen not to sign up for it. That combination doesn't appear to be listed.

Also, I bailed out of the survey (did not submit) because when it got to asking whether I would pay for an app, it started feeling like less than an innocent survey. What is this information intended to be used for?

EV rate plan is a lot cheaper for me.

PG&E Toolkit is an app on iPhone that costs $5 and saved me $500 by telling me which rate plan to use before I got my solar system and EV. Since then, PG&E has reduced the number of rate plans. However, their EV rate plan is by far and away the least expensive for those with an EV.

 

[brucet999]

Regarding the survey, one of the questions asks about ToU plans, and whether they are offered. I have PG&E, which offers a ToU plan, however I have chosen not to sign up for it. That combination doesn't appear to be listed.

Also, I bailed out of the survey (did not submit) because when it got to asking whether I would pay for an app, it started feeling like less than an innocent survey. What is this information intended to be used for?

I just answered that I wouldn't use the app. I saw nothing of value in it.