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PlugShare and security

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Patrick W

Active Member
Mar 17, 2015
1,524
943
SLC, UT
I've noticed several references in this forum to PlugShare so I went to their website to check it out.

The idea of making my soon to be installed 14-50 outlet available to others in need appeals to me (though maybe not that necessary since there's a Supercharger close to my home).

But then memories of an old job kicked in. Years ago I worked for an alarm company meaning I spent my days putting alarms in homes and businesses that had been broken into the night before.

That instilled in me a healthy paranoia about letting just anyone know where I live.

All I had to do was give PlugShare my name and email address and in return I can see names and addresses of folks who have charging stations and, by inference, pricey cars and other stuff ne'er-do-wells might like to steal or damage.

Has anyone here heard of any problems associated with being listed on PlugShare?

Will PlugShare allow one to be listed only by phone number and general area rather than a specific address?
 
Will PlugShare allow one to be listed only by phone number and general area rather than a specific address?
You can be as generic as you like. I listed my home charger by "city, state" only or by zipcode, and it drops the pin in the middle of town.

I even went to the extreme of typing nothing but UT as the address, and it dropped the pin in the middle of the state, near the eastern edge of the Manti-La Sal National Forest.

When I upgrade the service at my summer home and add a HPWC, I'll probably list it by town only with "contact me first for location/availability", as the HPWC may be in the garage (I haven't decided yet).
 
While what you've described is certainly a danger, I can tell you that someone putting their info in PlugShare saved me a lot of stress yesterday. It was an outside outlet so was listed as "anytime." Even though it was only 25 miles from a supercharger it gave me enough of a buffer, plus the battery warming on shore power, to make it without a worry.

I hope that you become comfortable about sharing your information.
 
I've noticed several references in this forum to PlugShare so I went to their website to check it out.

The idea of making my soon to be installed 14-50 outlet available to others in need appeals to me (though maybe not that necessary since there's a Supercharger close to my home).

But then memories of an old job kicked in. Years ago I worked for an alarm company meaning I spent my days putting alarms in homes and businesses that had been broken into the night before.

That instilled in me a healthy paranoia about letting just anyone know where I live.

All I had to do was give PlugShare my name and email address and in return I can see names and addresses of folks who have charging stations and, by inference, pricey cars and other stuff ne'er-do-wells might like to steal or damage.

Has anyone here heard of any problems associated with being listed on PlugShare?

Will PlugShare allow one to be listed only by phone number and general area rather than a specific address?

I chose not to publish my email address or phone number, and also placed my charger at a major intersection near my home - but not at my exact home address. Anyone who is interested can send me a message through PlugShare, which will be forwarded to my email.
 
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I'm paranoid about this as well, and therefor don't have mine shared on plugshare, though I have offered it to people passing through. If I do add it, I will add it to an intersection near my home and have people call me for directions.
 
I had my Phone number listed and just told people to call in advance to get the details. I have to admit it was the best thing I could have done. At the time, I was the only "ion oasis" in my area before the superchargers went in and I met the greatest people. I only ended up getting calls from Tesla owners and each one of them (we charged 8 cars in 3 months) were very open minded, generous (we were gifted with orchids, organic honey, taken to dinner) and ended up having a lot in common with. Now, have invitations all over the great Northwest to come and visit and have made some lasting friendships. I don't think many people know about plug share and I have found to be very much like myself and have not have any problems. my 2 cents. :)
Once the Supercharger went in, I did pull my name off plugshare and am not listed anymore.
 
I chose not to publish my email address or phone number, and also placed my charger at a major intersection near my home - but not at my exact home address. Anyone who is interested can send me a message through PlugShare, which will be forwarded to my email.
Without going into more detail than you'd like, how did you handle the placement, getting authorization from the landowner, electric connection and billing, etc?
 
Yes, of course. I read his original message as he put the physical charger at another location.
It HAS been done that way before, too.
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