October Bank Holiday

cannco253

So wondering what everyone is doing for the bank holiday - anyone planned any major trips?

Heading to Dublin tomorrow for a few days, have scouted out a few charging sites for some of the trips we're planning while we're there. Not worried about charging as can destination charge with the granny cable or use eCars/EasyGo where we're staying if needed. Might try Ionity in Athlone on the way back to check if my We Charge card works.

Will be interesting to see how busy the chargers are given the number of EVs on the road now, might be a good idea to share the real world experience here for all to see.

Hoping to see lots of EVs on the road - I think there's a meet up at J14 this/next weekend?

Miscreant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058214235/october-bank-holiday

Watch out what time you arrive at the Ionity chargers in Athlone. In my experience when the place is busy, they get ICEd very quickly as they are closer to the door than the "regular" spaces.

the_amazing_raisin

We'll be coming back from holidays that weekend, so hopefully will bypass the charging traffic

Car can make it there and back in one shot though, and there's destination charging so shouldn't be any need to fast charge 

I might pull into Ionity Athlone just to check it out, I've only ever been to City North and Gorey and only charged at one of them

eagerv

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058214235/october-bank-holiday

Unfortunately, like many, it's just another working weekend for me, except busier..😥

Black_Knight

Is it a "major trip" for my wife when she didn't plug the car in last night or this morning (96km range remaining) yet she has planned to drive 70km between errands and creche runs. The unplanned stuff might make it interesting for her... wonder will she plug in tonight?

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118056409#Comment_118056409

Huh? Ionity is further way from the entrance than ICE parking.

I think you may be confusing the Circle K (broken again) and Chargepoint EV charging spots which are close'ish to entrance

Miscreant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118058288#Comment_118058288

Ah yes, I was mistaken, you are correct. I have seem them ICEd up also when the place is busy however.

cannco253

Stopped at Enfield for a break on the way up to Dublin at 9pm. Got talking to the person who was charging there, he was at 75% and needed to get to 80% so not a long wait.

Plugged in the ID.4 for about 17 mins getting a steady 50kW the whole time (the last time I used the Enfield charger it was broken). Arrived with 44% Soc and left with 62%

While I was charging someone arrived with a Leaf. They hadn’t a clue about what plug to use, told them what to do and that I was leaving in 5 minutes which was fine with them. They waited instead of plugging in the CHAdeMO and stopping the CCS (it’s a old unit).

Worked out ok but the site really needs a 150kW charger or at least another 50kW.

slave1

Enfield loads of space, should be eCars and Tesla hub all in one place but too late for that now. Even in UK you see multi vendors together but never here, don’t understand why, I charged in Perth during the summer at a 24 stall station, mix of Tesla, CCS, CHAdeMo and AC and that was at a park and ride, why not here?

cannco253

Epic fail here in J14. HPCs only allowing one car to charge at a time. If the second plugs in it says “waiting for power” and disconnects the car already charging.

2 ID.4s , a Kia eniro and a Leaf here. Everyone sitting in the cars to make sure no one disconnects.

Reported to eCars, very busy here but bays not ICEd

cannco253

2 ID.3’s just arrived, all have to wait.

Poor show by eCars

kanuseeme

So a 30 minute wait? Or why not just go on to the next charger?

cannco253

No wait for me as the Kia was leaving, the other drivers weren’t in a rush so didn’t seem to mind.

For a brand new hub that is out of testing it was very poor.

Black_Knight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118063425#Comment_118063425

New hub - check

Testing complete - check

Faults fixed - what? No. Don't be silly.

zg3409

Dublin tends to empty out on long weekends, peak travel time out of Dublin Friday afternoon, back into Dublin the bank holiday Monday afternoon and evening. With a lack of enough 50kW chargers I would not like to travel beyond home charger range at peak times. Granny charging at granny's right now.

THE ALM

Travelled from Athlone to Ballycastle (Co. Antrim) with a stop over in Belfast. Took a break at the Barbican stop north of Banbridge, 50kw was occupied but said they would be 10mins so plugged into the 43ac and then swopped over for 20mins, A3 etsi pulled in as I was leaving and was there first time using a charger. Stayed at the Titanic Hotel with the car park having 2 3kw chargers so plugged in and left with 100% the following morning. The other 3kw had been occupied with a leaf but was available from later that afternoon.

Esb have a double 22kw in Ballycastle and never have a problem with getting charged at it, so all good. The Salthouse Hotel has 4 Zappi chargers for use and a couple of Tesla destination chargers, these can be ice'd which is the main issue.

Will be a similar journey on the way back with another stopover in Belfast.

Usually we would make the trip non-stop via Cavan and charge back up in Ballycastle and as we always stay for a couple of days we are never stuck.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118064256#Comment_118064256

Those aren't bugs they're features 😂

cannco253

Drove to Blackrock today. Parked in Frascati centre, all 4 EV spots were empty. Plugged in the car and charged for 3+ hours. Parking cost €4 with the 7kW charger free.

2 PHEVs we’re plugged in when we came back.

Best experience of the weekend so far.

Drove to and around Donegal over the weekend and charged at Killybegs 50 kW CCS on Saturday, Glenties 22 kW AC on Sunday and at Glenveagh National park free unknown kW AC charging point on Monday before the drive back home to North Kildare. The Glenveagh is operated using a tag from the friendly folk at the car park entrance. Didn't have any issues and didn't meet any other cars charging nor were there many EVs around in general all weekend. So recommend Donegal as an EV friendly destination. Glenveagh especially is breathtaking with spectacular views and nice walks.

cannco253

Left Dublin and headed for Powerscourt yesterday, steep enough road to the waterfall and back up to the gardens.

Back to Dundrum and then headed West. Decided not to stop at Athlone and kept going to the Galway Plaza even though would have had enough to make it home. Arrived just before 7pm, car park was packed but both chargers were free and not ICEd.

Plugged in to the 150kW charger for 10 minutes, enough time for a quick stop for the kids. Was only able to get 100kW even though the battery was at 17% and warmed up so not sure why as I was able to get 125kW over the summer at the same charger.

Overall weekend charging experience was ok. J14 was the most hassle and the most disappointing, until it gets sorted I'll avoid it in the future.

ELM327

Odd, I've had great experience of J14, used it for the first time since the revamp there over the weekend. Some chargers in use but I didnt notice if any of the chargers had both plugs in use.

The only problem I have with it (assuming dual charging is possible) is that one of the HPCs has a chademo plug on it for some reason

AndyBoBandy

Currently spending a week in Lithuania, and wishing I could have rented an EV because the country is absolutely awash with EV chargers and I’ve only seen 3 EV’s since arriving 4 days ago and driving ~700km…

here’s a map of DC chargers (the country is under there somewhere), they are all free vend, plug and play.

Already planning the drive over next summer, Dublin -Cherbourg - then drive to Trelleborg in Sweden and then another ferry to Klaipeda.

Here’s the capitol city, Vilnius, about a quarter the size of Dublin. Too many DC chargers to count.