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Minor chargepoint annoyance

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TEG

Teslafanatic
Moderator
Aug 20, 2006
22,101
9,490
Hopefully someone from ChargePoint reads this.

So, I find a lot of ChargePoints in pairs in parking garages.

When I am plugged into one of them, the screen cycles through various displays saying things like "#1:Available"... "#2:In use/charging"....

On the side of the posts they have numbered the different units so I can see one parking space has a #1 and the next parking spot has #2. But then I realize that my car is charging on post #1, yet my display says #1 is available, but #2 is in use. I go to space #2 and it says both #1 and #2 are available. Then it dawns on me. They are talking about the two connectors on the one EVSE. #1 is the 120V behind the door and #2 is the J1772. So EVSE #1 has a port #1 & port #2, and EVSE #2 also has a port #1 and port #2.

To people working on the project, or those who have used them a bit it makes perfect sense, but it can cause some "newbie confusion" for those who aren't familiar with the ChargePoints. I think they have tried hard to make these as easy to use as possible, so it is a minor disappointment that this little confusing bit was left in. Perhaps they could just change the display firmware to say something like "120V: available... 240V in use" instead of reusing #1 and #2 which become ambiguous when there are two ChargePoint stations in neighboring spots. Or they could say "NEMA5-15: Available... J1772: In Use" (although I think 120V vs 240V is a better shorthand.)

(Hopefully I made the point clear enough.)
 
Hopefully someone from ChargePoint reads this.

Perhaps they could just change the display firmware to say something like "120V: available... 240V in use" instead of reusing #1 and #2 which become ambiguous when there are two ChargePoint stations in neighboring spots.

(Hopefully I made the point clear enough.)
+1. I agree; and your point is clear. I like the "120V" / "240V" distinction. Even average-Joe LEAF drivers should understand the difference.