Get Amped Tour: Portland, OR, 7/20 - 7/22

[AndyM]

For me, the 2nd charger is the single least useful option available. As gg notes, you don't need it for super charging.

The only time you need a 2nd charger is when you want to charge kind of quickly, but you're not truly in a hurry because it'll still take hours. I can't envision the scenario where I've got 4.5 hours to spare for full charge with twin chargers, but I don't have the 9 hours it'd take with a single charger.

That's the BEST summary of why Twins are not required I've heard yet. Nicely put.

Add to that: save your money for a possible CHAdeMO adapter, if Tesla makes one. In Oregon and Washington they are appearing on the highways in droves. I would imagine a CHAdeMO adapter would go straight to DC, skipping the on-board chargers in the same way as the superchargers. (That's going to open another Can o' Worms(TM), on its own... ) Note: this opinion is based on pure conjecture, and I'm happy to be educated by someone who knows more about Telsa and CHAdeMO. Other than Tesla has been officially mum on it, and unofficially very very down on it.

[SCW-Greg]

SCW-Greg, it seems as if you mentioned the twin chargers and supercharging in the same breath; maybe stating the obvious but, just wanted to clarify that AC single/twin charger(s) and supercharging (which is DC) are unrelated. Supercharging hardware - standard with the 85 pack and optional with the 60 - is different.

Thanks GG et al. I do get the difference between Tesla's supercharging network and hardware that comes with the 85kWh cars... vs the twin chargers as an option (and how the chargers and voltages differ and how they're used) . My only thought is about having that future flexibility, in the wild, to handle who knows what kind of chargers are installed along the road. Or perhaps to a really lessor degree, maybe a future HPC on the wall. But as Robert suggests, if we an add one later (which I didn't know), then it's not so important after all.

Thx.

[SCW-Greg]

That's the BEST summary of why Twins are not required I've heard yet. Nicely put.

Add to that: save your money for a possible CHAdeMO adapter, if Tesla makes one. In Oregon and Washington they are appearing on the highways in droves. I would imagine a CHAdeMO adapter would go straight to DC, skipping the on-board chargers in the same way as the superchargers. (That's going to open another Can o' Worms(TM), on its own... ) Note: this opinion is based on pure conjecture, and I'm happy to be educated by someone who knows more about Telsa and CHAdeMO. Other than Tesla has been officially mum on it, and unofficially very very down on it.

Good point ckessel.

[ElSupreme]

For me, the 2nd charger is the single least useful option available. As gg notes, you don't need it for super charging.

The only time you need a 2nd charger is when you want to charge kind of quickly, but you're not truly in a hurry because it'll still take hours. I can't envision the scenario where I've got 4.5 hours to spare for full charge with twin chargers, but I don't have the 9 hours it'd take with a single charger.

That's the BEST summary of why Twins are not required I've heard yet. Nicely put.

Add to that: save your money for a possible CHAdeMO adapter, if Tesla makes one. In Oregon and Washington they are appearing on the highways in droves. I would imagine a CHAdeMO adapter would go straight to DC, skipping the on-board chargers in the same way as the superchargers. (That's going to open another Can o' Worms(TM), on its own... ) Note: this opinion is based on pure conjecture, and I'm happy to be educated by someone who knows more about Telsa and CHAdeMO. Other than Tesla has been officially mum on it, and unofficially very very down on it.

I would agree at the current moment. However when/if EVs catch on I can easily see a lot of 70A-100A charging spots show up in parking lots. This would allow you to charge for an hour or two while you are shopping basically topping off your car. Installing a AC charge station is a LOT less expensive that a DC station. And if you are parked at a destination who cares if it takes 3 hours to charge your car.

Granted this is probably at least 5 years away (we will see 7kW stations as that is all anything a non-Tesla can take for a while) and you may get a new car by then.

[AndyM]

I would agree at the current moment. However when/if EVs catch on I can easily see a lot of 70A-100A charging spots show up in parking lots. This would allow you to charge for an hour or two while you are shopping basically topping off your car. Installing a AC charge station is a LOT less expensive that a DC station. And if you are parked at a destination who cares if it takes 3 hours to charge your car.

Granted this is probably at least 5 years away (we will see 7kW stations as that is all anything a non-Tesla can take for a while) and you may get a new car by then.

Do you know of a way to search in advance which J1772 level 2 stations have the higher current capacity?
PlugShare, Recargo, Blink all can filter to J1772, but it's a crapshoot which of those support the higher Amps.

[dsm363]

Do you know of a way to search in advance which J1772 level 2 stations have the higher current capacity?
PlugShare, Recargo, Blink all can filter to J1772, but it's a crapshoot which of those support the higher Amps.

You'll probably only hear about them through word of mouth. None of the major charging networks that I know of have installed anything above a 30A J1772 charger but not totally sure about that. They may exist but are definitely not the majority.

[AndyM]

You'll probably only hear about them through word of mouth. None of the major charging networks that I know of have installed anything about a 30A J1772 charger but not totally sure about there. They may exist but are definitely not the majority.

I guess that leaves room for new features on those sites.

[VolkerP]

Lots of good points in the last few posts on charging. Mods, consider moving these to the appropriate thread. Perhaps Twin Chargers: Why?

[SCW-Greg]

I guess that leaves room for new features on those sites.

Easy app update to show station amp capability.

But I do think the entire industry will take off in the next 3 to 4 years, and in that time there will be pressure to install high capacity charging stations in general, as every manufacturer out there (via public pressure and current understanding/perception) will want the quickest charges possible. So outside of Tesla stations, I think we'll see future stations jump to 40, 50, even 60+ amps.

[132]

Invites have started to be sent. 10 am Friday for me!