[Paul_Moxhay]

OK, first of all, I am not posting looking for brownie points in any way (although likes on the forum are always appreciated!!!) but I felt that I wanted to post what happened today when I charged at the Exeter services rapid as it is quite relevant to recent discussions.

As you saw in my previous post titled "How not to do it" the Exeter rapid has two chargers... one that has AC and CHAdeMO and a newer one that has CCS and CHAdeMO.

When I arrived there was no one on either so I parked on the left bay and plugged in using the one that has AC and CHAdeMO. This is the better choice if no one is there as it is further away from the normal bays which are always very heavily used.

Shortly after starting my charge a Tesla Model S arrived and parked next to me. Just to remind those that don't know... the Model S can only use the AC connection... but I was using the CHAdeMO on the charger that had the AC cable so he couldn't start his charge whilst I was still charging even though the other charger was available.

So, I did what I hope most Leaf drivers might do, I offered to move to the other charger so he could start his charge.

He was appreciative.

This is going to happen more and more now so it is probably a good idea for us all to have our own personal plan as to how we all handle these situations.

 

[Edd Beesley]

A polite thing to do (though I would probably start on the chademo/CCS unit, I don't think there's many CCS cars round at all), though I would probably wait to see if the Tesla driver tried the AC side first, then we could "discover" together that the rapid only lets one connector work at once. If it was obvious they were waiting for me to finish charging then I would have a chat to see what the score was.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

If it happens again I shall ask if they could try the AC side whilst I was charging on the DC side but I thought that was already determined that only one side would operate at a time?

I agree that it makes sense to start on the CCS/CHAdeMO side but at Exeter it is not ideal. On that side it is next to a normal parking bay and it is one of the most popular, especially with large SUVs infested (aaahm!) with kids and hence at greater risk of damage from doors. I really don't like parking there so I always use the other side if at all possible

 

[Edd Beesley]

If it happens again I shall ask if they could try the AC side whilst I was charging on the DC side but I thought that was already determined that only one side would operate at a time?

Yes, as far as I know they are all limited to only one connector at a time working. What I'm suggesting is a (slightly mean) way of educating the Tesla driver, without them realising (because you "discover" it together) that only one side works at once. When they have that moment of "oh, it can only do one at once..... but now I have to wait for this guy to finish...." they will, for a moment, realise what it would be like for another driver to arrive finding their Tesla on the AC side. Then you politely offer to move to move to the other charger and the crisis is averted. Just a suggestion

 

[Colin]

It will probably be a power supply issue but their units only have one card swipe on the Ecotricity units and\or no side A\B button to determine whose account for usage like the e-volt units situated in parts of Scotland that allow 2 vehicles to charge simultaneously. If Ecotricity decide to charge fees on 1st Jan 2015 then that logging in system becomes more relevant.

 

[UKTechie]

OK, first of all, I am not posting looking for brownie points in any way (although likes on the forum are always appreciated!!!) but I felt that I wanted to post what happened today when I charged at the Exeter services rapid as it is quite relevant to recent discussions.

As you saw in my previous post titled "How not to do it" the Exeter rapid has two chargers... one that has AC and CHAdeMO and a newer one that has CCS and CHAdeMO.

When I arrived there was no one on either so I parked on the left bay and plugged in using the one that has AC and CHAdeMO. This is the better choice if no one is there as it is further away from the normal bays which are always very heavily used.

Shortly after starting my charge a Tesla Model S arrived and parked next to me. Just to remind those that don't know... the Model S can only use the AC connection... but I was using the CHAdeMO on the charger that had the AC cable so he couldn't start his charge whilst I was still charging even though the other charger was available.

So, I did what I hope most Leaf drivers might do, I offered to move to the other charger so he could start his charge.

He was appreciative.

This is going to happen more and more now so it is probably a good idea for us all to have our own personal plan as to how we all handle these situations.

Respect, hope to meet EV drivers like you at rapid chargers.