Starting a Tesla Owners club in Riley County, Kansas

[Lsquared]

Good news for KC travelers, the Tesla charging station at the Olathe HyVee was open last weekend when we were in the area. The rate was around 250 mi/hr, which was fine for just needing a little bump to return to MHK. The Mission HyVee charging station also appeared available in the app, although it was still roped off two weeks earlier.

Hey @drm_mhk,
That's good news! I also went to KC last weekend, and was able get a good charge at the Topeka SuperCharger at Arby's. (Interestingly, there was a temporary ICEing there on half of the SuperCharger stations, from a lawn care guy who parked his truck and trailer in front of 4 charging stations.) Was also able to use ChargePoint level 2 charger at the Kauffman Center, and the free level 2 charging at the Merc in Lawrence (though didn't get much charge at either of those locations due to the slow level 2 charge rate).

 

[Jgdixon]

Hi!

There are an increasing number of Tesla owners in and around Manhattan, Kansas. It would be great to get know one another and have EV and Tesla events locally. To get that started, two long-time owners, Phil and Sally, hosted a Tesla party at their house last Sunday (June 2, 2019), and there were about 20 people and 9 Teslas there! The food and drink were great, and it was a blast to get to talk to other Tesla owners! Here's a picture from the party:

View attachment 416043

And here's a video from the end of the party, with everyone with their Teslas (a MX, a couple of MSs, and a number of M3s)

We would like to take the next step and create a local Tesla Motors Club. To do that, we'll need a sufficient number of folks from the area to sign up on TMC, and we can then make a TMC Group. From there, we can create a club. We'll likely start with folks who were at Phil & Sally's party, and we hope to find more folks we haven't met yet from the area who would like to join us. So, please respond if you are interested in that!

Best wishes,

Les

You may want to consider becoming an official owners club. We have about 95 clubs worldwide.
You need 25 members to start.
Send an email to [email protected] for further details. Tell them you were referred by John Dixon from Ontario, Canada

 

[Lsquared]

You may want to consider becoming an official owners club. We have about 95 clubs worldwide.
You need 25 members to start.
Send an email to [email protected] for further details. Tell them you were referred by John Dixon from Ontario, Canada

Thanks, @Jgdixon! We'd like to start an official owners club. In reading about it, we first need to start a "Group". However, the "Groups" link doesn't work, because TeslaMotorsClub is apparently migrating software, and have been doing so for about the last month. So, I think we're in limbo for the time being. On the other hand, if 25 members are required, we aren't there yet, so maybe it is a moot point at present.

 

[Jgdixon]

Thanks, @Jgdixon! We'd like to start an official owners club. In reading about it, we first need to start a "Group". However, the "Groups" link doesn't work, because TeslaMotorsClub is apparently migrating software, and have been doing so for about the last month. So, I think we're in limbo for the time being. On the other hand, if 25 members are required, we aren't there yet, so maybe it is a moot point at present.

FYI a group on TMC is not related to the official owners clubs that are sanctioned by Tesla.
Once you get near 25 send an email as previously stated and Tesla will send you the documents to review.
FYI there is already a Kansas City club. Not sure how close you are.
See them here:
Tesla Owners Club Directory

 

[byterpilot]

Got my windows tinted yesterday (Precision Window Tint Junction City Manhattan | Window Tint), and can already tell a significant difference in the amount of heat coming in through the windows. I went with 50% transmission, in ceramic. So blocking 50% overall heat rejection, and basically 100% IR, UVA, and UVB. My dermatologist will approve.

 

[Lsquared]

View attachment 423937 View attachment 423938 Got my windows tinted yesterday (Precision Window Tint Junction City Manhattan | Window Tint), and can already tell a significant difference in the amount of heat coming in through the windows. I went with 50% transmission, in ceramic. So blocking 50% overall heat rejection, and basically 100% IR, UVA, and UVB. My dermatologist will approve.

Sounds like a good idea! I just got the sun shades from Tesla for the glass roof. I've also order the reflective sun shades from Evannex.

 

[drm_mhk]

Wondering what folks have been doing regarding tire rotations. Although we are not quite 2 mos into this journey, the mileage is already over 6k, following trips to Colorado and Tennessee. I recall Burnett's being mentioned, but wondering if others have rotated before the 10-12k that is on Tesla's recommendations for M3.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Wondering what folks have been doing regarding tire rotations. Although we are not quite 2 mos into this journey, the mileage is already over 6k, following trips to Colorado and Tennessee. I recall Burnett's being mentioned, but wondering if others have rotated before the 10-12k that is on Tesla's recommendations for M3.

You can get a set of jack pads. Use them at home or take them along when you go to a tire shop.

Hockey pucks work too but they won't "lock" into the hole at the jack points.

 

[drm_mhk]

Just saw that CleanCharge has added charging stations at theLawrence and Topeka KTA (turnpike) locations. Kansas Turnpike Charging Stations Celebration | Clean Charge Network They show up as DC Fast, Combo / CHAdeMO and a couple of level 2 J1772 ports. May not be so Tesla relevant (w/o pricey adapters), but still shows some hints of further progress ahead.

 

[byterpilot]

Wondering what folks have been doing regarding tire rotations. Although we are not quite 2 mos into this journey, the mileage is already over 6k, following trips to Colorado and Tennessee. I recall Burnett's being mentioned, but wondering if others have rotated before the 10-12k that is on Tesla's recommendations for M3.

I've been very happy with Peerless Tire on 3rd - I bring my own jack pads, but they're used to working with mine now (multiple flats fixed, 2 tire rotations, and a tire balancing).

 

[Lsquared]

Just saw that CleanCharge has added charging stations at theLawrence and Topeka KTA (turnpike) locations. Kansas Turnpike Charging Stations Celebration | Clean Charge Network They show up as DC Fast, Combo / CHAdeMO and a couple of level 2 J1772 ports. May not be so Tesla relevant (w/o pricey adapters), but still shows some hints of further progress ahead.

Thanks for mentioning that! That's great to know. It also points to the issue of the need for a universal electrical connectors across all makers. That will greatly facilitate the EV revolution.

 

[drm_mhk]

I've been very happy with Peerless Tire on 3rd - I bring my own jack pads, but they're used to working with mine now (multiple flats fixed, 2 tire rotations, and a tire balancing).

That's good to know ... they are one block away from my house! How many miles between rotations? Do the sensors have to be changed?

 

[Lsquared]

Can you recommend a good local electrician for installing the Tesla 240 volt garage charger? I've been using my destination charger with a 120 volt outlet that is in my garage. However, I've recently been finding that it doesn't work well in a hot garage (the charge rate on a 15 amp outlet has been dropping from the normal 5-6 miles/hour to 2 or sometimes 1 mile/hour). I'm hoping that installing the 240 volt Tesla charger will overcome that--minimally, with double the volts, it should at least double the charging rate.

The above-noted hot garage issue is the bigger problem, namely decreased charging rate when the garage is hot. I've searched the web, and found mention of this as a problem for pretty much all EVs (Tesla thread, Chevy Bolt thread, Jag I-Pace Thread, and BMW i3 thread). The cause seems to be the need to manage battery temperature so it doesn't get too hot. This can either be done by the charger, which decreases the charge rate, or by the car running its AC to cool the battery, or running fans to cool the battery. Recommendations range from only charging at late night when it is cooler, to installing fans and vents in the garage. Anyone have experiences and solutions to share?

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Can you recommend a good local electrician for installing the Tesla 240 volt garage charger? I've been using my destination charger with a 120 volt outlet that is in my garage. However, I've recently been finding that it doesn't work well in a hot garage (the charge rate on a 15 amp outlet has been dropping from the normal 5-6 miles/hour to 2 or sometimes 1 mile/hour). I'm hoping that installing the 240 volt Tesla charger will overcome that--minimally, with double the volts, it should at least double the charging rate.

The above-noted hot garage issue is the bigger problem, namely decreased charging rate when the garage is hot. I've searched the web, and found mention of this as a problem for pretty much all EVs (Tesla thread, Chevy Bolt thread, Jag I-Pace Thread, and BMW i3 thread). The cause seems to be the need to manage battery temperature so it doesn't get too hot. This can either be done by the charger, which decreases the charge rate, or by the car running its AC to cool the battery, or running fans to cool the battery. Recommendations range from only charging at late night when it is cooler, to installing fans and vents in the garage. Anyone have experiences and solutions to share?

I have no problem with heat issues when charging in Colorado where we have an exhaust fan in the garage and several windows in our large, two-story garage. I've also charged in my brother's shop in Manhattan. It's a large building with no ventilation but I think the extra volume of the building helps. When I charge at my father's in Nebraska in the summer, I have seen things kind of get into a cycle. The garage is hot so the car tries to run the A/C to cool the battery during charging...but since there's no ventilation in the garage, it just gets hotter and hotter. Now when I charge at my father's, I'll open the window and maybe the garage door to try to get some ventilation. I don't know how he can stand a 100+ degree garage. An exhaust fan or something would really help in his garage. Thanks to the elevation and exhaust fan back home in Colorado, I don't think our garage ever gets much above 80 and if it does, things almost always cool down to the 50s or 60s at night when I actually charge.

 

[swaltner]

Just saw that CleanCharge has added charging stations at theLawrence and Topeka KTA (turnpike) locations. Kansas Turnpike Charging Stations Celebration | Clean Charge Network They show up as DC Fast, Combo / CHAdeMO and a couple of level 2 J1772 ports. May not be so Tesla relevant (w/o pricey adapters), but still shows some hints of further progress ahead.

The opened a 3rd station in the Towanda Service Station located between Wichita and El Dorado.

Electric car charging stations to be located along Kansas Turnpike

Bring on the CCS adapter for US-based Teslas!

 

[byterpilot]

I have no problem with heat issues when charging in Colorado where we have an exhaust fan in the garage and several windows in our large, two-story garage. I've also charged in my brother's shop in Manhattan. It's a large building with no ventilation but I think the extra volume of the building helps. When I charge at my father's in Nebraska in the summer, I have seen things kind of get into a cycle. The garage is hot so the car tries to run the A/C to cool the battery during charging...but since there's no ventilation in the garage, it just gets hotter and hotter. Now when I charge at my father's, I'll open the window and maybe the garage door to try to get some ventilation. I don't know how he can stand a 100+ degree garage. An exhaust fan or something would really help in his garage. Thanks to the elevation and exhaust fan back home in Colorado, I don't think our garage ever gets much above 80 and if it does, things almost always cool down to the 50s or 60s at night when I actually charge.

John Henton ran my 14-50 circuit. Pretty reasonable pricing. He’s done multiple Tesla charging ports around town.

 

[Ssoden]

Hi Tesla owners in Manhattan, Kansas. I have a strange request. My son drove his mom’s Model 3 to Manhattan last night, is out of juice and did not bring the adapter. He is trickle charging at 2 mph now. If you are will to help by letting him borrow an adapter so he can go to a chargepoint type place, which will allow him to get to the Topeka supercharger, I would be forever grateful. Please text or call me at 816-914-6967 if you can help. Thanks, Steve Soden.