[EVDL List]

I confess to having done a bit of this when I was driving my Comuta-Car many
years ago. One of the parking decks I parked in about once a month had 120v
receptacles at about bumper level, and it was fairly easy to park so that
the cord wasn't too visible. That was nice to know a couple of times when I
wasn't so sure I still had enough amp-hours to get home.

However, the C-car's charger was on the modest side in its demands. Most
"real" EV chargers don't sip, and it's not too neighborly to trip their
breaker.

In general, I wouldn't want to see too much of this kind of bibberonage
(look it up ;-) unless you go through the channels and get permission. Some
people, especially the anti-EV crowd, might be inclined to equate it with
driving off without paying at the self-service gasoline station. I don't
think that "petty thief" is a label we want EV hobbyists to get stuck with.

As for using plug bodies in lights, be aware that most of these sockets and
adapters are rated for only 6 or 8 amps. Seems kind of impolite to burn
down the carport you're parking in. ;-)

David Roden
EVDL Administrator
http://www.evdl.org/


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From: Glenn Saunders
> Have people gone on road trips by recharging for free by running
> a cable to your first-floor motel room under the door? The
> management might get upset if they saw the cord.

Most motels in the northern USA have outdoor convenience outlets in the parking lot for their patron's use. They are commonly used to plug in block heaters in the winter for diesels and other hard-to-start vehicles. They also get used by people with RVs or other vehicles that need "shore power" while parked. Just ask at the desk and they'll tell you where they are at. I've used them before, and never been told "no" or had any charge for their use.

> one time my car battery died... in my apartment's parking structure.
> I couldn't find any outlets, but it had a lightbulb socket...
> I got one of those adapters that has a socket pass-through and a
> 110v outlet on either end. Then I ran a long extension cord from
> that up through the piping over to my car to a charger...
> that trick might work for a lot of public parking structures.

Yes, I had to do this at an apartment where I lived. It was an old building, and didn't have any outside receptacles.

> I just took a look around my office building's parking structure
> and there happens to be a standard 110v outlet at bumper level
> only feet away from where I normally park... It's got to be a
> pretty standard regulatory thing.

The National Electric Code requires outside AC receptacles on every building. However, enforcement is spotty, and some communities either ignore it or choose not to accept that particular regulation.


--
"Excellence does not require perfection." -- Henry James
--
Lee A. Hart, 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN 56377, leeahart-at-earthlink.net

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I disagree with the idea of war charging as we EV'rs have an image to
protect. I even don't like asking unless it is a business arrangement
where I pay for it.

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I don;'t agree with war charging either but I have
Oppotunity charged at many business in my town. just
ask most are happy to let you charge and it also works
as EVangilism. every one is interested in your EV if
you let them know about it. many even want to drive it
and some have even been converted.

But stealing is stealing and no one likes a theif.

--- Jeff Shanab <[email protected]> wrote:

> I disagree with the idea of war charging as we EV'rs
> have an image to
> protect. I even don't like asking unless it is a
> business arrangement
> where I pay for it.
>
> _______________________________________________
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>



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It has been a couple of years, but several times I took my first S-10 EV
(a conversion) on road trips across part of MA... I found charging
worked out easier at a bed & breakfast, rather than a typical motel.
B&B's tend to be Ma & Pa operations to begin with... chat with Ma,
explain a potential stay-over but looking for a charge, she sees no
problem and passes the phone to Pa who talks about dryer plugs with me.
Then surprise 'em when a "normal" looking vehicle pulls up <g>.

Also once by word of mouth I was referred to an automotive recycling
facility (aka junkyard) in the needed area and called ahead to make
arrangements to use their welding outlet. Worked fine. May have helped
that I passed some of the time there wandering out to the back 40 to
find a truck similar to mine and purchase a few minor trim bits I had
been needing

I wasn't far enough north to have block heater outlets in typical
parking lots, and I wouldn't trust random outlets for coke machines etc.
to have enough spare capacity for a fast enough charge to be useful.

Glenn Saunders wrote:
> I've been meaning to ask. Have people gone on road trips by recharging for free by running a cable to your first-floor motel room under the door? The management might get upset if they saw the cord. Also, one time my car battery died (regular car here) and it was in my apartment's parking structure. I couldn't find any outlets, but it had a lightbulb socket with one of those ring-shaped flourescents screwed into it. So what I did was get one of those adapters that has a socket pass-through and a110 outlet on either end. Then I ran a long extension cord from that up through the piping over to my car to a charger. I'm thinking that trick might work for a lot of public parking structures. For curiosity's sake I just took a look around my office building's parking structure and there happens to be a standard 110v outlet at bumper level only feet away from where I normally park. Looks like only a few of these per floor, related to a red
> fire-alarm-looking box. It's got to be a pretty standard regulatory thing. It could be a trick to enable you to get free charges at work or shopping malls without a formal charging station. Any anecdotes about "warcharging" from the field?
>

--
Jim Coate
1970's Elec-Trak's
1997 Solectria Force
1998 Chevy S-10 NiMH BEV
1997 Chevy S-10 NGV Bi-Fuel
http://www.eeevee.com
http://www.electrictractorstore.com

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