Which slot to choose at stations. Supercharging etiquette.

[No2DinosaurFuel]

I am not sure where to put this. But it applies to both the model s and x owners.

We all know that when you arrive and some slots are open we all go to the one that is NOT sharing charging slot. I.e. 1A and 1B is sharing. But 1A and 2A is NOT sharing. Nonsharing slots charges faster.

However if all the slots are full. Here is my take on which slot to take to share.

Take the slot with the tesla without the owners there.

Here is my reasoning:
1) if the owners is NOT there then they don't really care about leaving quickly and is most likely there for the long haul. So take up the slot right next them. You are bound to share so might as well share it without some who is not going to care if you slow them down.

2) you would most likely piss someone off if take the slot right next to them when they are in a hurry. I mean they are there so they can get a quick charge and leave. IMO, why piss owners who is at their car waiting to get a charge to leave when you can perfectly use the slot with the unoccupied tesla. Either way you will be sharing the charge current anyways.

3) there is a chance the unoccupied tesla is done charging. So it might be better for you to share with a finished charging tesla. There is no reason for the owner to be at their car hanging around when their car is fully charged.

I think if everyone uses this rule, I think everyone will be happier. Spread the word!

 

[siucity]

From what I understand, it makes no difference to the car already plugged in.

 

[pdxgibby]

A couple points:

You aren't going to slow someone else's charge down if they were there first. Only if the first owner has just arrived will you impact them at all. The 120kWh bank of shared chargers will allocate the full 120kWh to the first (and only) person sharing a pair. If someone else arrives, and plugs into the same bank, they will get a minimum of 30kWh allocated, so only if the first car is at the very beginning of their session will they be impacted.

So....to your numbered bullets

1) Unlikely you will slow them down. They were there first.
2) See above. You will not slow someone else down -- they were there first
3) This is the best point you make. Absolutely.

The best scenario would be if Tesla finally starts giving us supercharger status (or recommends the best spot) upon arrival.

"I see that you arrived at the Manteca, CA supercharger. Park in spot 3B for the best performance."

This is so totally doable.

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

A couple points:

You aren't going to slow someone else's charge down if they were there first. Only if the first owner has just arrived will you impact them at all. The 120kWh bank of shared chargers will allocate the full 120kWh to the first (and only) person sharing a pair. If someone else arrives, and plugs into the same bank, they will get a minimum of 30kWh allocated, so only if the first car is at the very beginning of their session will they be impacted.

So....to your numbered bullets

1) Unlikely you will slow them down. They were there first.
2) See above. You will not slow someone else down -- they were there first
3) This is the best point you make. Absolutely.

The best scenario would be if Tesla finally starts giving us supercharger status (or recommends the best spot) upon arrival.

"I see that you arrived at the Manteca, CA supercharger. Park in spot 3B for the best performance."

This is so totally doable.

To counter address your 1) and 2)
We know the 90D and p90D do not taper now until way pass 50% capacity. This can be a long time. So yes you are slowing them down even if you arrive 10 minutes in. Sure it might not be long before they start taperingif you arrive 10 minutes or more into their charge session but you are still slowing them down nevertheless. For the old p85 or s85 or old 60s sure. Those will taper right after they plug in. Even the new 60s will probably charge at the max rate for most if of the way to 100%

 

[S'toon]

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

For me it follows this path

1.) Don't share whenever possible.
2.) Don't park next to an X with the automatic front doors
3.) Don't park next to someone who is in their car. No real logical reason, but I just want to be unnoticed.

 

[SSD420]

If there are multiple spots open, I park furthest away from the cars there.

If there are random spots open, I park in the most convenient space for myself. ie easier to maneuver into. Prior to getting my MX, I never backed into spots... So I look for the easy spots now!

I do agree with an above poster though. If no one is in a car, better to park next to them than someone who is sitting in their car.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

I do agree with an above poster though. If no one is in a car, better to park next to them than someone who is sitting in their car.

Probably because you don't want your parking job to be mocked.

Neither do I.

 

[SSD420]

Probably because you don't want your parking job to be mocked.

Neither do I.

I notice that most Tesla owners park badly at the super chargers.. Not just me! I do try though!

 

[SSD420]

I notice that most Tesla owners park badly at the super chargers.. Not just me! I do try though!

Once I had to actually stop charging and move my car over .

When I got there it was only one MS and my MX. Then more Tesla's arrived and they needed the 8th slot, which was next to me (I parked in the furthest spot from everyone).

THAT was embarrassing

 

[bmah]

I notice that most Tesla owners park badly at the super chargers.. Not just me! I do try though!

Actually I try extra hard to do a good parking job at Superchargers...it's a matter of pride around my fellow Tesla owners.

I don't mind if someone parks in the other stall paired with me...unless I'm at a very low SOC it won't affect me much at all (but the new arrival will be limited by how much power is left over from my car).

Bruce.

 

[SSD420]

Actually I try extra hard to do a good parking job at Superchargers...it's a matter of pride around my fellow Tesla owners.

I don't mind if someone parks in the other stall paired with me...unless I'm at a very low SOC it won't affect me much at all (but the new arrival will be limited by how much power is left over from my car).

Bruce.

@bmah you're probably the one one who parks well that I've "met."

 

[SSD420]

*ONLY one (typo)

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

Actually I try extra hard to do a good parking job at Superchargers...it's a matter of pride around my fellow Tesla owners.

I don't mind if someone parks in the other stall paired with me...unless I'm at a very low SOC it won't affect me much at all (but the new arrival will be limited by how much power is left over from my car).

Bruce.

It's likely a bit different in Cali because of how busy the superchargers are.

Elsewhere where the chargers aren't so busy it's easy to spot how ridiculous people are with their parking jobs at the superchargers. Where it's evident that something about the car is making it harder than it should be for them to park it.

In evaluating my own parking jobs I've come to the conclusion that the back up lines while helpful aren't as exact as they should be. That the car is wider than the lines appear, and so I try to use the rearview mirror a little more.

 

[SSD420]

It's likely a bit different in Cali because of how busy the superchargers are.

Elsewhere where the chargers aren't so busy it's easy to spot how ridiculous people are with their parking jobs at the superchargers. Where it's evident that something about the car is making it harder than it should be for them to park it.

In evaluating my own parking jobs I've come to the conclusion that the back up lines while helpful aren't as exact as they should be. That the car is wider than the lines appear, and so I try to use the rearview mirror a little more.

I find the rear view mirror pretty pointless in the MX, with the backup camera.

I have a 6 seater and find It tiny. I recall test driving the 7 seater after I had confirmed and that 2nd row, middle seat made the rear view mirror redundant

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

I find the rear view mirror pretty pointless in the MX, with the backup camera.

I have a 6 seater and find It tiny. I recall test driving the 7 seater after I had confirmed and that 2nd row, middle seat made the rear view mirror redundant

Oh, I meant the side mirrors and not the rear view mirror.

The rear view mirror is pretty pointless.

 

[SSD420]

Oh, I meant the side mirrors and not the rear view mirror.

The rear view mirror is pretty pointless.

Yes. Yes it is.

 

[Xenius]

Not to threadjack, but I find the rearview in the S pretty pointless as well. Rear cam is almost always on for me anyway.

 

[Ciaopec]

If there are multiple spots open, I park furthest away from the cars there.

If there are random spots open, I park in the most convenient space for myself. ie easier to maneuver into. Prior to getting my MX, I never backed into spots... So I look for the easy spots now!

I do agree with an above poster though. If no one is in a car, better to park next to them than someone who is sitting in their car.

This goes against the logic of how chargers share power. In talking to a newbie yesterday he was told by sales staff to do just this. While it may work at some locations, it will not work at all locations. Maumee, OH, for instance is set up 1a,2a,3a and then 1b,2b,3b. One could end up on the same charger by using the farthest away logic depending on what other slots are taken. Is it not easier just to pick a non paired vacancy?

 

[andrewket]

To counter address your 1) and 2)
We know the 90D and p90D do not taper now until way pass 50% capacity. This can be a long time. So yes you are slowing them down even if you arrive 10 minutes in. Sure it might not be long before they start taperingif you arrive 10 minutes or more into their charge session but you are still slowing them down nevertheless. For the old p85 or s85 or old 60s sure. Those will taper right after they plug in. Even the new 60s will probably charge at the max rate for most if of the way to 100%

As others have posted, under normal conditions you will never slow down the first car to plug in. They get priority. The second car gets what is left, with a minimum of ~20kW on a 135kW cabinet. As the first car tapers, the second car gets more power.