[electricdriver]

Very excited to discover two rapids going in to the main car park in Skipton, until recently something of a charging desert. To channel the Daily Mail...imagine my disappointment on seeing the rapids installed side on at the left hand side of the parking spaces, all around being a sea of disabled parking. Unusable for any vehicle with the CCS port on the right side, and awkward even for front ports. No use to me at all.

 

[dk6780]

Who designs these things? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate them being in prime position but would prefer the worst spot if it meant sufficient space to suit all types of EV. When installing something costing £50k why don't they think this through?

 

[UniqueGeorge]

Skipton could be useful. Maybe the cable is really long, charge ports are fitted in so many different places, it's pretty much always going to be bad for someone, unless the cable is long!

 

[electricdriver]

Skipton could be useful. Maybe the cable is really long, charge ports are fitted in so many different places, it's pretty much always going to be bad for someone, unless the cable is long!

Sadly cables are nowhere near long enough...unless parking in the left hand bay and using the right hand charger, it won't reach. Can't even hang over the space at the back and reverse park as there's a bollard there. I'll have a try reverse parking when next there, but doesn't look like a goer.

 

[GOSPORT DAVE]

I am off my usual patch this week, having a break in the Dales, I used one of these chargers this morning. It was okay for me with my front charging leaf, I was wondering at the time how a TESLA model S would be charge as the leads are not long enough to reach the right hand side. A BMW i3 would be okay as I think from memory, the the port is on the left hand side. Like wise an e golf, the chargers could be better thought out position wise.

Very nice chargers though, pushed out 47.5 Kw’s which is very good for 50 Kw chargers, also free parking while connected and charging, so you can get the charge going, and go shopping for half and hour.

I had several locals coming up to me asking how much it cost and how long it took to charge, they had never seen a car charging there before, so it was a whole new experience for them.

forgot to mention, currently on free vend.

 

[Bodgerx]

Ioniq you’d have an issue with it being on the left back. If you reversed in you’d have to use the charger on the ‘wrong’ side.

Perfect for the E-Tron or that new Nissan with the ports at the front wheel, passenger side.

I think eventually the stall type chargers will end up being the standard for rapids, they give the most options.

 

[electricdriver]

Ioniq you’d have an issue with it being on the left back. If you reversed in you’d have to use the charger on the ‘wrong’ side.

Perfect for the E-Tron or that new Nissan with the ports at the front wheel, passenger side.

I think eventually the stall type chargers will end up being the standard for rapids, they give the most options.

Sadly not the eTron ... passenger side port is ac only, the dc connector is on the offside. Hence my problem with this layout. IPace would be fine. Time for some standardisation, maybe...

 

[dk6780]

Time for some standardisation, maybe...

Exactly. Except it's going the other way with more variations each year.

 

[GOSPORT DAVE]

It seems to me that manufacturers are locating the charging port to fit in with the design lines of the vehicle and not giving any thought to the practicalities of actual charging.

 

[dk6780]

It seems to me that manufacturers are locating the charging port to fit in with the design lines of the vehicle and not giving any thought to the practicalities of actual charging.

Design in general has been going that way for years - I suspect that a lot of the designers don't even drive at all let alone an EV.

 

[Bodgerx]

ICE cars can have the filler caps on both sides, petrol stations go for the stall setup.

For rapid charging stall config has to be the way to go (as a lot of the Ionity ones are).

I think the drive in bay setup should only really be implemented in destination type chargers inside car parks, where the current is lower and the cables can be longer to cope with the bay.

 

[dk6780]

ICE cars can have the filler caps on both sides, petrol stations go for the stall setup.

True, but in most you can easily "stretch" the hose to accomodate a filler on the other side, and the "bays" are generally much bigger than a standard parking space allowing me to park in the bay to suit fillers at the front, middle or rear of my ICE toys. The "cables" on Rapids are generally much shorter and less flexible and the bays much shorter providing less options. The OPs pictures would allow him to park in say the left bay but use the Rapid from the right, but I suspect that would wind up other users far more.
When towing a trailer making my rig 10.5m long I still find that I can fill up the ICE without preventing the other pump being accessible. Ignoring the minor issue that I don't have an EV capable of towing 1.5 tons I can't see how I could use a Rapid without unhooking the trailer somewhere else first.

 

[Bodgerx]

True, but in most you can easily "stretch" the hose to accomodate a filler on the other side, and the "bays" are generally much bigger than a standard parking space allowing me to park in the bay to suit fillers at the front, middle or rear of my ICE toys. The "cables" on Rapids are generally much shorter and less flexible and the bays much shorter providing less options. The OPs pictures would allow him to park in say the left bay but use the Rapid from the right, but I suspect that would wind up other users far more.
When towing a trailer making my rig 10.5m long I still find that I can fill up the ICE without preventing the other pump being accessible. Ignoring the minor issue that I don't have an EV capable of towing 1.5 tons I can't see how I could use a Rapid without unhooking the trailer somewhere else first.

So you don't like the stall, what's your preferred setup that copes with ports at the front and those at the sides?

 

[Kingpleb1]

To be honest the sides are safer in terms of impact from numpties but if you dont try a different method you never know.

To be fair if you were with a car that had a charger on the opposite side and desperate for a charge youd make it work, and a model S will only get 21kw from the AC anyway unless they have paid for the CCS upgrade. A Model 3/Y may find it easier to charge from the CCS but id just take the chance and park in the bay next to it as it wouldnt need long for a decent charge.

 

[dk6780]

So you don't like the stall, what's your preferred setup that copes with ports at the front and those at the sides?

Longer cables with overhead support to keep them off of the vehicle but allow charging from any point on the vehicle? Or pull through bays like ICE filling stations that are considerably longer than a single cars length (closer to two, or the length of three for two chargepoints).

 

[Hitstirrer]

I might get away with parking the Ioniq front in and getting within an inch of that central sign pole. The cable might then just reach to the nearside rear charge port. Failing that it would have to be reverse into bay one and use the second pump - hoping nobody else turns up in the next half hour. Just as I do at most twin Instavolt and Engenie set-ups for convenience.

 

[Paul Hopwood]

Looking at photos on Plugshare app, someone with a model 3 has managed to stretch the cable, but looks like only just..

 

[Bodgerx]

Longer cables with overhead support to keep them off of the vehicle but allow charging from any point on the vehicle? Or pull through bays like ICE filling stations that are considerably longer than a single cars length (closer to two, or the length of three for two chargepoints).

Longer cables is probably an issue on rapids, especially at over 50kw where heat builds up and they resort to water cooling etc. They need to keep the length down.

The pull through bays is what I was meaning with the "stall" setup.

 

[Kronospace]

Longer cables is probably an issue on rapids, especially at over 50kw where heat builds up and they resort to water cooling etc. They need to keep the length down.

The pull through bays is what I was meaning with the "stall" setup.

Ionity don’t seem to have an issue with the longer cable length on their newer design for 350kW (like the ones at Skelton Lakes in Leeds). Supported from above on a reel to not trail the cable on the floor

 

[Bodgerx]

Nice! 350kw through what look like USB cables - the water cooling must be good

Not sure why they didn't go for the stall setup there like many of their others e.g. Gretna Green...

I notice the eTron using the passenger side port - didn't somebody say that was AC only...? Unless that isn't the actual Leeds one and this is a European car and site?