Re: [EVDL] Unattended charging ,Fun Stuff.

Re: [EVDL] Unattended charging ,Fun Stuff.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Acuti" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2007 9:01 AM
Subject: [EVDL] Unattended charging
Hi Richard an' EVerybody;

I'll ad a few comments here;

>
> I've seen some indirect comments over the last few months that suggest
> that some of the EV heavy-hitters don't believe in leaving their vehicles
> unattended while charging.

> What! of course we do.

> Is this true? Exactly what do you consider "unattended"? Sitting in/with
> the car? Being in the next room? The same building? The same zip-code?


Ha Ha!The same STATE? Used to plugitin and drive off, electric train,
to NYC or Boston.
>
> Given the time that it takes to charge current battery technologies, isn't
> it a bit unrealistic to expect the average driver to sit with their car
> for 6 hours while it "refuels"? Isn't our goal as EV hobbyists in
> promoting these vehicles to develop cars that are realistic to operate and
> maintain?

> Exactly! We hammer our charging system to fit circumstances.

> If you have a "smart" charger like a Zivan or a Brusa with a GFI, is it
> really still considered too risky to plug in, jump on commuter train and
> ride away for the day? I mean, I'm not saying it's ok to build a Bad Boy
> charger with a coffee pot timer and leave THAT unattended, but come on,
> what level of control and fail-safe is considered "safe"?

> My setup, BEFORE I had the PFC -20 was about a 100 foot, or so, stench
> chord, a variac, which was cranked FULL on, plugged into a 20 amp breaker
> that I had wired into the RR's breaker box. My runs ran 7-10 hours, plenty
> of time for a 10 amp Bad Boy setup to charge the car, the longer hours a
> tad overcharged. Great! I could blast home on the freeway at 70mph,
> assured that I had plenty of juice to climb home at 450 foot alditude.The
> 'stench cord was my dropping resister, as it was stretched over to my car,
> from the outlet. Great snow melter in the winter! I could ALWAYS find the
> cord! It got pleasently warm, but by it's streatched out length, ran cool
> enouigh.I never felt that I NEEDED a 240 volt outlet, although I DID
> install one later so I could use the RR as a Charge Station on the way to
> Somewhere Else , like on my day off. With my Little Blue Box I could stuff
> 70 amps in for awile. Talk about "Stench cords" IF the car was low I had
> melting range plugs and #10 cords!!Usually it dropped down to 30-40 amps
> pretty quick! THIS one I babysat! hung around to make sure I didn't have a
> meltdown! Thought of two 50 amp plugs and cords to share the load. You
> just don't buy a 75-100 amp plug at Home Despot or Blowes! Never used this
> setup that often. Once, to charge to the teeth, to run down to Bridgeport
> and take the BPT-Port Jeff Ferry over to Wrong Island for the weekend.
> Made it across Long Island to Westhampton, no problem, about 50 miles.EVen
> had enough juice for show an' tell upon arrival. NOW if the BPT-Port Jeff
> Steamboat ( Hah! They haven't had any real STEAM boats for 50 plus
> years!) Co would put some 240 volt outlets on the car deck? Hell! They
> charge ya enough, at 40 bux ,for the ferry trip! I would like to be
> charged twice! Hour an' a half ride, very nice on hot summer daze!

SOMETIMES I had been held over so I didn't get back in about 8-10 hours
I would CALL the RR shop, and ask one of the guyz to just unplug the car, so
I wouldn't FRY the batteries. Of course I was in a private, protected lot.
Safer than a public place. For that I guees you could have a timer setup?
Just take a few hours worth?

You're miliage may vary, though. I just thought I'd share my times and
setup at work.

Bob



_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev