[Scorzon]

Hi folks, I cannot for the life of me find this out anywhere. Anyone know what the Max Allowed Charge Duration is at the free pod point chargers at yer Tesco's Sainsbuggers and the like?

I'm fairly sure I've seen some staying for more than 3 hours.

Cheers

 

[arkranium]

I think it's a fair while as there's a chap I bump into here who sits there for hours in the evenings. Reads his book.

 

[BruceH]

I’m not sure if there’s a Pod-Point fair use policy, but certainly some Tesco’s car parks have parking restrictions; our local one is a maximum stay of three hours. This is more likely to be the limiting factor for many locations I suspect.

 

[80698]

You can stay connected to a pod point for up to 24 hours before it boots you off your charge session and unlocks your cable.

As above though, most people would be hit by fines regarding individual car park restrictions before this became an issue for them. It varies from location to location so always check the signage.

 

[Hermit Dave]

I don't think there's a time limit.

Personally after initial free charging thing, life has taken over.
I no longer bother with chargers unless I'm going to Thorpe park or Chessington. I always ensure I have a list of rapids I can use

Ohme makes sure it is charged at the cheapest, £1-£1.5 for Leaf30

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[Scorzon]

Cheers Folks, I certainly wouldn't be staying longer than 3 hours, well not normally, as that would pretty much give me full charge anyways.

Not sure who would be policing that at my local Tesco. Tesco certainly don't care as it is owned by the local authority who take the parking money, and the wardens are seen there like once or twice a year, certainly never visit it more than once a day so they would have no idea how long you had been there.

 

[Scorzon]

no longer bother with chargers

Oh I totally agree Dave, I don't go out of my way, its just there is a pod 10 mins walk from one of our offices and it is literally outside my lunch franchise of choice. As I would have walked there and back normally any way to get lunch it is no extra bother and lots of lovely free leccy.
But you're right I always do the sanity check of how much time I'm losing against what I'm actually saving in lec.

 

[Hermit Dave]

Oh I totally agree Dave, I don't go out of my way, its just there is a pod 10 mins walk from one of our offices and it is literally outside my lunch franchise of choice. As I would have walked there and back normally any way to get lunch it is no extra bother and lots of lovely free leccy.
But you're right I always do the sanity check of how much time I'm losing against what I'm actually saving in lec.

BTW welcome to Octopus and thank you. Are you joining Agile?

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[phproxy]

Hi folks, I cannot for the life of me find this out anywhere. Anyone know what the Max Allowed Charge Duration is at the free pod point chargers at yer Tesco's Sainsbuggers and the like?

I'm fairly sure I've seen some staying for more than 3 hours.

Cheers

No limit that I know of. Was speaking to a guy who (when he needs a charge) leaves his car at Sainsbury's all day while he goes (went?) to work..

 

[Scorzon]

You're welcome Dave. Hmmm wonder whether Dr Johnno got his bounty......

I am going for Go. I really cannot be arsed with the Agile thing, my mate at work has it. Consumes his life.

I like a steady predictable 5p per kw for 4hrs, does exactly what I need.

 

[Hermit Dave]

You're welcome Dave. Hmmm wonder whether Dr Johnno got his bounty......

I am going for Go. I really cannot be arsed with the Agile thing, my mate at work has it. Consumes his life.

I like a steady predictable 5p per kw for 4hrs, does exactly what I need.

It does take some time every day.

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[Scorzon]

Ohme makes sure it is charged at the cheapest, £1-£1.5 for Leaf30

Go gives me a guaranteed max of £1.25 for a full 25kwh charge. Does me 2 x 49 mile commutes.

In fact the Mr Octopus smart meter fitter is here as I type. He had a cancellation 🙂

But I get an average 18kwh free on my shopping and school runs (yup free charger right next the school) so I've calculated I'll be paying 1p per mile for electrons.

Appy Daze!

 

[proddick]

Cheers Folks, I certainly wouldn't be staying longer than 3 hours, well not normally, as that would pretty much give me full charge anyways.

Not sure who would be policing that at my local Tesco. Tesco certainly don't care as it is owned by the local authority who take the parking money, and the wardens are seen there like once or twice a year, certainly never visit it more than once a day so they would have no idea how long you had been there.

You must have a small battery if 3 hours at 7kW fills it? Many private Tesco car parks now use (difficult to spot) ANPR so know how long you have been there, although if yours is council owned it may not have such a system.

 

[Scorzon]

Well I don't run it down to 0kwh!
Reckon I have a usable 25, in normal use the lowest it would get to is around 4 - 5. So 3 hours pretty much (aka near as dammit) fills it.

Thanks for the steer on the ANPR, good point, the only place I'd genuinely stay that long though is my local and they deffo do not have it. Yet 😆

 

[arkranium]

I'll have a look at the signs this week @Scorzon. There's not much but I'll see if there's an overall time limit. There's very little on the bays themselves.

 

[Neilew]

I think it's a fair while as there's a chap I bump into here who sits there for hours in the evenings. Reads his book.

I regularly meet a guy who uses his Leaf as a driving school. Lives within a 10 minute walk and leaves his Leaf until full. He'd been on for 6 hours when I met him the other day and just popped over to see if it was full.

You have to be careful. Some store have a limit, some don't. My daughter was at a local motorway service station, trying to get some peace to work on her Masters. It turned out to be extremely expensive peace.

 

[208's Plenty]

All of my local Tesco's have a 2 hour limit, car parks have ANPR cameras.

I've always wondered what would happen if you overstay?

Initially I used to go to mine, plug in and take the dog for a walk in the park next to it, c2hrs.

The first time I did this, I couldn't release the cables, was on the phone to Pod Point for a fair while, before we both sussed it. Lock car/Unlock car wait and charge ceases. When I left the car park I'd been there for close to 2 1/2hrs. This was during lockdown.

I can't find the info now, but back in June Pod Point was saying it's 4hrs. I would pay more attention to the Car PArk signs, just to be safe/clear of a fine.

 

[Scorzon]

As it happens I got chatting with the duty manager at my local Tesco superstore, as he was comically attempting to charge a small in store cherry picker when I arrived yesterday afternoon. He was on the phone to pod point but I quickly assured him he had the wrong connectors. And no app. He knew basically nothing about the charge points. Was shocked to find there's no cost to use. Couldn't understand the business model.

He confirmed the land is owned by Tesco but run by the council in terms of charging for parking. Thus there is no ANPR for over stay as you pay at the machines for a ticket for however long you wish to stay and wardens police it. Only they really don't check much at all.

It raised the question though. At all council owned car parks in the district where there are ev charge points you don't pay for parking when charging. Stated on the council website and car parks listed. And discussions with the wardens reveal that they are aware of that rule.

The Tesco chargers are only just installed so it doesn't yet say anything specific about this one on the web. My assumptions are that wardens won't know that there is any difference and will just apply the 'charging EV doesn't pay for parking' rule. And that if I did get a ticket I could comfortably claim that the council has not clearly posted information to the effect that this car park differs from the others. There is literally bugger all on the pod points. And nothing on the ticket machines themselves.

We shall see 🤣🤣

 

[Squasher]

I parked at Banbury Gateway shopping centre for 4.5hrs charging my car. The ANPR camera caught me going in and out and fined me, until I proved I had a disabled badge and explained why my circumstances led me to be over the 4hr limit. Pod Point never got involved, except for giving me free 'lec.

 

[Neilew]

I would pay more attention to the Car PArk signs, just to be safe/clear of a fine.

In some Supermarkets you can go to the customer service desk and tell them you will be going over the time limit (I'm having a meal, I'm waiting for a friend etc.) and they'll enter your name on the computer to extend the time limit.