Quick Park Dublin Airport

DrPhilG

So the Quick Park at Dublin Airport has chargers for use by EVs booking in.

The downside is that they will not connect the car for you, you can only plug them in and leave which would mean charging your car for potentially weeks on end.

Anyone used these chargers? Would it be possible for me to plug in but set a charging timer that won't charge at all until I activate it remotely?

Also you can't reserve them, just hope that nobody else is using them at the time you arrive.

Rafal

Nice idea, but not well thought through for a long-term car park.

DrPhilG

It's a missed opportunity by the park operators.

Charge an extra €5 for plugging your car in at an appropriate time. Means more availability for EVs because cars won't be blocking for weeks at a time, and ensures a fully charged car for users without having to abuse their batteries. I'd pay that for the privilege.

DrPhilG

DrPhilG wrote: »

Would it be possible for me to plug in but set a charging timer that won't charge at all until I activate it remotely?

No, if you got a timer set then the charger will activate at that time.

It's quiet ridiculous that if you don't have a timer set then the Leaf will charge immediately when you plug it in, I'd much prefer an option that charging only takes place either by timer or manual activation if the timer isn't set.

Sometimes when I'm off shift and want to leave the car plugged in for pre heating and don't want to charge then I have to set a timer for a few days ahead so it won't start charging every time I plug it in.

sgalvin

There is an offsite car park in cork airport that has 3 charge points.

I used it once but was only a short stay so no charge point available at the time. As they park they cars for you I don't see any reason why cars could me unplugged when full based on planned collection date time.

If they put a single/double 3.6/7.2kw cp in the middle of a 2x4 bunch of 8 parking bays for long stay it would be enough.
In a long stay the cars only need at most 8 hours over the entire stay and it doesn't really matter when this happens.
If there was an overhead light to indicate when the charge was finished staff could unplug the customers lead put a sticker on the car and plug in the next.

Not sure on the leaf and others but the fluence locks the cable to the car with the central locking so customer leads to be used.

As a cheaper option if a coverd car park there is often standard domestic sockets and let people use their own granny leads.

DrPhilG wrote: »

It's a missed opportunity by the park operators.

Charge an extra €5 for plugging your car in at an appropriate time. Means more availability for EVs because cars won't be blocking for weeks at a time, and ensures a fully charged car for users without having to abuse their batteries. I'd pay that for the privilege.

There is one option that I never thought of.

You could set a timer for example 6 days ahead to only charge for 5 or 10 mins whatever the minimum is so that way the car won't be sitting at a very high state of charge. Then it won't charge until that timer comes around again the following week which will charge a further 10 mins only.

Then before your flight departs you can set a timer via the car wings website so that it's fully charged when you land or just remote activate charging there and then just in case the timer doesn't set.

J.pilkington

Anyone tried contacting them about your concerns? maybe they don't understand the problem and as the charge points are located inside the entrance beside the employees office they could set up a process where an employee checks a request log each morning and has a list of cars which need plugging in that day. Being an astute business they should see the potential for capturing the expanding ev market

DrPhilG

I have contacted them, they weren't interested. Just very firmly stated that they will not get involved in charging at all.

J.pilkington

DrPhilG wrote: »

I have contacted them, they weren't interested. Just very firmly stated that they will not get involved in charging at all.

I was referring to quick park who have already made the investment in the Chargers.

I suppose from their point there is the concern over their employees damaging the connections

DrPhilG

J.pilkington wrote: »

I was referring to quick park who have already made the investment in the Chargers.

I suppose from their point there is the concern over their employees damaging the connections

It's Quick Park I'm on about. I asked if they arrange to plug in cars for people and they were very clear that the chargers are there on a first come first served basis, but they will most definitely not be getting involved in plugging people in or out.

I totally agree, it's a missed opportunity. I'd gladly pay an extra €5 or something just to have someone plug me in the day before I return.

As I said previously.

If you're going away for 2 weeks, then set the timer to come on a week alter only for 10 mins, then it will come on again the following week for another 10 mins or by that time you will activate charging remotely.

This way the leaf will be plugged in and not sitting fully charged for 2 weeks which is not good for batteries !

DrPhilG

That's assuming that there is a space available!

You can't reserve either.