Ellensburg "Roadster" plug in.

[drdui]

I'm interested in charging in Ellensburg. A google search revealed there is a free charger installed by a roadster owner, Tom Saxston. I'm wondering if I can charge my Model S there. If so what plug?

I have heard the same regarding the PSE wind farm about 20 mikes east on Whiskey Dick and also at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane.

Please share any knowledge or personal experience.

 

[ChadS]

The charger Tom installed in Ellensburg is a 70A Roadster HPC. So you'd need Tesla's $650 never-in-stock Roadster adapter to use it with your Model S, and you'd need twin chargers to take advantage of the >40 amps.

If you are missing one of those, there are some regular 30A J1772 EVSEs next to it so you could use those instead.

The PSE wind farm had 5 14-50's the last time I was there, but that has been quite a while. Unfortunately it's quite a ways out of the way, and up a big hill, and behind posts so employees have to let you in. I've heard from an owner that used a 14-50 at the Davenport, but never been there.

I keep a list of Tesla-specific chargers on the West coast HERE.

 

[drdui]

Im headed to the wind farm tomorrow so I will update you.

All the best,

john

ps: 2513 Fancher Landing, East Wenatchee, WA can be added to your private charging list. Happy to give a temporary garage code to any Tesla owner who was visiting.

The charger Tom installed in Ellensburg is a 70A Roadster HPC. So you'd need Tesla's $650 never-in-stock Roadster adapter to use it with your Model S, and you'd need twin chargers to take advantage of the >40 amps.

If you are missing one of those, there are some regular 30A J1772 EVSEs next to it so you could use those instead.

The PSE wind farm had 5 14-50's the last time I was there, but that has been quite a while. Unfortunately it's quite a ways out of the way, and up a big hill, and behind posts so employees have to let you in. I've heard from an owner that used a 14-50 at the Davenport, but never been there.

I keep a list of Tesla-specific chargers on the West coast HERE.

 

[drdui]

Here's the update from Ellensburg and Wild horse Wind Farm.

The wind farm (google Puget Sound Energy Wild Horse Wind Farm) has four (4) NEMA 14-50 plug-ins (40amp) on the visitors center building. Access is by driving your car up the SIDEWALK (wide sidewalk), almost in the front door and then to the right side. Visitors center staff were thrilled to have me charge and the visitors center is quite excellent and interesting. It was very windy (go figure) when we were there, so much so that they canceled the walking tour, but it was still great. This is a very fun destination to see and a bonus you can charge. But unless you just want to stretch your legs this would likely be a poor place to charge on your way through. You can go east and west from there, but not on I-90, instead you use the Old Vantage Highway, with I-90 exits 10-15 miles on either side. While on I-90 you almost drive under some windmills don't be fooled, that is not Wildhorse. The other issue is that the visitors center is 3 miles up a steep 25-MPH road, so 3 miles farther than your GPS will show as the GPS seems to use the address based on the turn-off location as opposed to the actual visitors center. The vistors center elevation is 3,500'. We REALLY enjoyed the visitors center so please check it out.

But more convenient charging is in Ellensburg. There you will find three (3) ChargePoint brand chargers. Charging was at 30amps at $2.36/hour. I did not have a card for ChargePoint but a 5-minute call to an 800 # (on a Sunday no less) and they remotely turned on the unit. The location is at 3rd and Main (south-west corner) and all points of interest downtown are in easy walking distance. We have really enjoyed restaurants there such as Ellensburg Pasta Co., The Valley Cafe, The Tav (age 21+) and the Yellow Church. All are under 7 minute walk. There is a Tesla ROADSTER charger in the same lot, but thats not going to be useful to Model S drivers.

Finally, near the Central Washington University (CWU) campus there is a difficult to find free charger. On the west-side of DEAN HALL (good signs to Dean) you will find a clear/white colored greenhouse, and on the south-side of that, in a narrow single spot next to a tree you will find a poorly marked EV plug with a NEMA 14-50 plug in a box. It's a gem of a spot with great access to all of campus once you find the spot.

Thats what I found in Ellensburg!

John

Im headed to the wind farm tomorrow so I will update you.

All the best,

john

ps: Fancher Landing, East Wenatchee, WA can be added to your private charging list. Happy to give a temporary garage code to any Tesla owner who was visiting.

 

[vfx]

pictures or....

 

[Puyallup Bill]

drdui -

Thanks for the excellent Ellensburg and wind farm report. We often visit Elensburg, but have yet to do it in the Tesla. Good that The Tav is easy walking distance from the ChargePoint location, as lunch at The Tav is an absolute 'must' for us. And, starting next month the Saturday Farmer's Market is an event that we enjoy.

We have traveled to the wind farm, and that is quite a grade. As I recall, there were a few times I dropped the ICE into low gear on the way down. Just might go again, as it is interesting.

Have to check out that 14-50 at CWU, as our son teaches there.

 

[drdui]

pictures or....

Should have taken more but just one:

 

[ChadS]

HERE is a 2009 thread when some Roadsters visited the wind farm. There are a couple of pictures...there had been a whole bunch more, but it looks like Scottfe changed his picture gallery that the thread links to.

For a couple of years, when you visited the web page for Tesla's Seattle store, there was a prominent picture from that visit. I think the wall of the Bellevue store still has a picture from it.