ROTD thread

[bobouz]

Well in Las Vegas... we have charging stations EVERYWHERE!! And some of these people don't have charging stations at home. They go to the mall-ish places near Walmart and plug them in. And there are people in line for an empty station to open up. Why don't you charge at home overnight?? Why go somewhere .... I'm at a loss. Honestly. They're not horrible cars but when catch Lyft or Uber with those hideous glass tops?? YIKES!! If I want my head roasted I go outside.... jeeze!! So in summer in Vegas.... avoid the stupid Teslas....

I’m guessing SoCal & Vegas are way ahead of the national curve re charging stations. Even here in our small town on the north Oregon coast, the Kroger-affiliated market has a number of chargers, and the largest local tourist attraction has a long bank of them for coastal travelers. But our daughter & her husband have worked & lived in national parks across the country for the past six years, and we always travel to visit them. Pretty limited charging in, or on the road to, some of these locations. Because of the current charging network’s limitations, we opted for a new hybrid last year. At this point in time, imho they make a lot of sense.

 

[chazmo]

I’m guessing SoCal & Vegas are way ahead of the national curve re charging stations. Even here in our small town on the north Oregon coast, the Kroger-affiliated market has a number of chargers, and the largest local tourist attraction has a long bank of them for coastal travelers. But our daughter & her husband have worked & lived in national parks across the country for the past six years, and we always travel to visit them. Pretty limited charging in, or on the road to, some of these locations. Because of the current charging network’s limitations, we opted for a new hybrid last year. At this point in time, imho they make a lot of sense.

NoCal too.

 

[davidbeinct]

Really getting sick of grey skies. Saw a little blue for the first time in days today but it’s already gone.

 

[chazmo]

Really getting sick of grey skies. Saw a little blue for the first time in days today but it’s already gone.

Same up here in central MA, David. The good news is that it's stayed cold enough for that snow to stick on the tree branches. Still looks cool like it did last week when it snowed overnight!

 

[davismanLV]

It's raining here today, all day. Which is fine. I love rain!! It's been so nice lately. After it got super cold it just warmed up and it's been lows mid 40's and highs in the mid 60's to 70. Bright and sunny. Just perfect. Except today, but like I said, I LOVE RAIN!! I'm a pluviophile!!

 

[GGJaguar]

I'm a pluviophile!

I'm an ombrophobe.

 

[GAD]

I'm an ombrophobe.

You need to find someone who’s an ombrophobophile.

 

[davismanLV]

When I say out loud that I'm a pluviophile, women gather their children close and scurry away. I'm like, jeeze lady, look it up!!!

 

[davismanLV]

I'm an ombrophobe.

Wow, just the opposite. When it starts raining I go outside, or get on my bike and ride, or go out in the truck. I love the rain so much!! It energizes me! I'll come home soaking wet. Don thinks I'm crazy. He's not exactly wrong...... LOL!!

 

[GGJaguar]

I love the rain so much!

I only began hating rain since Hurricane Irene in 2011. I've had nothing but problems when it rains in two homes since then. I'm actually PTSD from it and get panic attacks. I can never live in the Pacific Northwest, UK, northern Germany, Belgium, or Netherlands because it rains too much there.

 

[chazmo]

Wow, just the opposite. When it starts raining I go outside, or get on my bike and ride, or go out in the truck. I love the rain so much!! It energizes me! I'll come home soaking wet. Don thinks I'm crazy. He's not exactly wrong...... LOL!!

This is kind of what I'm looking forward to with the fat bike, Tom. Good for you.

 

[chazmo]

I only began hating rain since Hurricane Irene in 2011. I've had nothing but problems when it rains in two homes since then. I'm actually PTSD from it and get panic attacks. I can never live in the Pacific Northwest, UK, northern Germany, Belgium, or Netherlands because it rains too much there.

I could understand that, GG. Shame, though. I wonder if there's some way to train that panic out of you.

 

[davidbeinct]

Same up here in central MA, David. The good news is that it's stayed cold enough for that snow to stick on the tree branches. Still looks cool like it did last week when it snowed overnight!

That is good news. Taking my older stepdaughter skiing Saturday in southern Vermont. It’s been a depressing winter for skiers in the northeast.

 

[Bill Ashton]

@chazmo , you clearly have not been outside enough today, as all the trees and wires that had heavy wet snow on them have been releasing their bounty oto those of us on the ground!

 

[Bill Ashton]

I think, at least here in the USA where regular line voltage is ~120 volts AC, and overnight charge with an extention cord is not enough to top off your depleted EV...in order to do that, unless I am wildly mistaken, you need a "Class 2" 220/240 volt circuit, which may require the average home owner...presuming he does not have an electric range...to put in a whole new electric service! Please, electricians in our midst, correct me here!

Boston Globe had a story regarding a poor sod that could not make a "curb cut" into his property to get closer to his EV charging outlet due to zoning or some other local regulation (neighbors complained!) in his neighborhood...and this is NOT what I was referring to above...

 

[GAD]

As I understand it the "Level 1" and "Level 2" charging are an EV thing. Level 2 chargers require 240V or 208V service and 240V is what most homes in the US have. The issue then comes down to amperage. According to this site most home chargers pull 30A and require a 40A circuit.

The question then comes down to how far your garage is from the panel, how much it costs to install a 40A circuit, and perhaps most importantly, do you have the capacity on your existing service.

 

[Midnight Toker]

As I understand it the "Level 1" and "Level 2" charging are an EV thing. Level 2 chargers require 240V or 208V service and 240V is what most homes in the US have. The issue then comes down to amperage. According to this site most home chargers pull 30A and require a 40A circuit.

The question then comes down to how far your garage is from the panel, how much it costs to install a 40A circuit, and perhaps most importantly, do you have the capacity on your existing service.

true, but most home panels are in the garage, if not the neighboring ultility room. Also, many of the biggest breakers in a panel are actually a tad overkill and often run to things that have breakers of their own at the unit. Just today I was testing a hvac unit that called for a 60amp breaker. The panel was a GE panel and the only 60 amp they make takes up 4 spaces and I just can't swing it I was maxed out ...w/ 2 sub panels! A 50 amp takes up 2 spaces...and I cranked the heat until it went into emergency heat mode and checked the draw at the heat pump itselt, It was only drawing 41 amps at it's worst. A 50 amp breaker will do the job. For a single/double car garage, it shouldn't cost that much to get a 40amp service near the garage door. If your panel is out of room, you can swop out some single spaced breakers for double "piggyback" breakers and free up a few slots. Also, good thing in my area, if you request power upgrades to your house, it's on your dime. But...if you incread the load and the power from the company can't keep up, it's up to them to upgrade on their dime. I know of waterfront marinas/restaurants that shelled out 200-300k to have poles and lines upgraded to 3 phase. All my boss did was keep adding crap until transformers blew and he was shut down for 2 days....next thing you know, the utility company upgraded everything. It's all on them to provide...

and more than anything....if you can afford the car, you damn sure better be able to afford the hookup! Just like drivers of benz and beemers will soon be driving junk if they don't/can't shell out for average annual maintenence. (even low grade crap!)

 

[Midnight Toker]

my rant...which basically takes us back to page one and LED bulbs.....today's "10 year life" smoke detectors. UGH!! Have yet to see one last more than 2 years. Don't ever buy any detector you can't change a 9v battery in. They are ALL junk!

 

[Neal]

Here’s my rant:

Why did the human body evolve with carpal tunnels that are too narrow to efficiently serve the tendons and medial nerve to the thumb and three fingers, yet the pinky is served by a completely different apparatus that causes far less of a problem.

I had surgery on my right hand on Jan 4, with the left hand scheduled for Feb 19. Can‘t play guitar!

My orthopedist says he has done several thousand carpal tunnel release surgeries, and he is only in his early 40’s. Clearly a design flaw.

 

[GAD]

my rant...which basically takes us back to page one and LED bulbs.....today's "10 year life" smoke detectors. UGH!! Have yet to see one last more than 2 years. Don't ever buy any detector you can't change a 9v battery in. They are ALL junk!

Where I live the 10 year models are mandated when you sell a house. If you out in a 9v you’ll fail the inspection.