ESB eCars

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

But isn't that why they were subsidised by the taxpayer to the tune of about €10m?

Oh, they got far, far more than €10 million.
As far as I know, practically the whole existing network was gifted to them, after being funded by the state.
They have just been tweaking/updating/expanding on this since & that extra €10 million was recent additional funding.

I just wanted more than what they are delivering, ideally strategically placed inter city/motorway hubs. Not AC points in Tesco car parks, in the middle of nowhere.

I demand value for money :pac:.

liamog wrote: »

When are you starting work at eCars?

I'm lobbying Eamon as we speak - he's well in with yer man in ESB, he's getting a charger himself sure, 'tis in the paper today.

Hell, I might even go vegan if I get the gig

Last year I signed up for the free 1 year deal with esb ecars. i.e. No subscription Fee for a year.

I now want to just go to pay as you go setup.

Anyone know the steps involved?

obi604 wrote: »

Last year I signed up for the free 1 year deal with esb ecars. i.e. No subscription Fee for a year.

I now want to just go to pay as you go setup.

Anyone know the steps involved?

Call them I believe.

Exciting times! Clifdens perpetually out of service AC unit has disappeared from the map. Judging by the activity in Westport, Ballina, and Galway city upgrading units to 44kW DC ones (and how they've been disappearing before being installed), Clifden could be getting a 44kW DC unit.

EDIT: Checked ecars-stats.com and it appeared with CHAdeMO and CCS yesterday for a few minutes.

i don't know why they are taking the slow chargers out..... why couldn't they just add the DC alongside the AC?

AndyBoBandy

Laviski wrote: »

i don't know why they are taking the slow chargers out..... why couldn't they just add the DC alongside the AC?

That would be progress, and against ecars ethos...

In reality though, the site is probably only capable of supporting 50kW max, so a 44kW DC & a 6kW AC will work, but a 44kW DC would probably not work alongside a twin AC22, especially if 2 Zoe's or 22kW capable Tesla's were plugged into it.... and pulling 44kW on AC.

the_amazing_raisin

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

That would be progress, and against ecars ethos...

In reality though, the site is probably only capable of supporting 50kW max, so a 44kW DC & a 6kW AC will work, but a 44kW DC would probably not work alongside a twin AC22, especially if 2 Zoe's or 22kW capable Tesla's were plugged into it.... and pulling 44kW on AC.

Well they could load balance the whole thing, not let the AC go below 11kW 3 phase or 7kW single phase. Would still probably leave 28kW for the DC charger.

Not exactly fast charging at 28kW but if they're smart they'd charge less and put them in shopping areas where people would usually take around 1 hour

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

That would be progress, and against ecars ethos...

In reality though, the site is probably only capable of supporting 50kW max, so a 44kW DC & a 6kW AC will work, but a 44kW DC would probably not work alongside a twin AC22, especially if 2 Zoe's or 22kW capable Tesla's were plugged into it.... and pulling 44kW on AC.

upgrade the site so it can be allowed..... there are other locations out there with both a slow and DC chargers.

I suppose again sense and planning just doesn't seem to cut the mustard with esb.

Laviski wrote: »

i don't know why they are taking the slow chargers out..... why couldn't they just add the DC alongside the AC?

It is against what i've typically seen them do in terms of upgrades, but perhaps they need to do more than just swap out the unit. The one in Westport is moving 1-2 spaces to the left it seems. Perhaps there have been supply upgrades which need to be terminated at the new unit, hence removing the entire unit while doing so.

Laviski wrote: »

i don't know why they are taking the slow chargers out..... why couldn't they just add the DC alongside the AC?

They can probably tell there was next to zero AC utilisation at the site, so the extra outlay to service the one Zoe driver per decade who might charge there, was not justified.

There's been zero AC use on a major city, triple head charger I pass regularly, in 14 days.
That said, it only vended 7kWh in total, so on both CCS & Chademo, in the last 24 hours too :eek:.

MJohnston

Kramer wrote: »

They can probably tell there was next to zero AC utilisation at the site, so the extra outlay to service the one Zoe driver per decade who might charge there, was not justified.

There's been zero AC use on a major city, triple head charger I pass regularly, in 14 days.
That said, it only vended 7kWh in total, so on both CCS & Chademo, in the last 24 hours too :eek:.

It's almost like...people are...under some sort of lockdown? :thinking:

for the few that are in galway city the one they took out was frequently used. The three sites in the city center were all regularly occupied when passing and when wanted to use. pre covid they were all used, granted usage dropped when charges came in but this is a covid year so i don't know how they justify using stats in the last 6 months.

its great they are upgrading and the location is perfect, for me at least however more should be added - not take away or in this case take away and replace with DC.

The one they took out in westport was rarely used in my experience. We holidayed a lot in westport pre covid and I never saw an EV at that spot.

ELM327 wrote: »

The one they took out in westport was rarely used in my experience. We holidayed a lot in westport pre covid and I never saw an EV at that spot.

At least with it being DC now (soon) it'll be more use to more drivers. DC charging is kinda rare in those parts. Sligo has 2, but Union place is regularly broken. Ballina and Westport getting DC (ok, it's 44kW only) is a great* addition.

*Ecars have lowered my expectations of "great"

I find Mayo and Galway to be very well served as is. There's Castlebar on the way to westport and theres many around Galway too.

From a selfish POV the DC allows a day trip to westport, whereas before we would have to have had stayed in a hotel.

ELM327 wrote: »

I find Mayo and Galway to be very well served as is. There's Castlebar on the way to westport and theres many around Galway too.

From a selfish POV the DC allows a day trip to westport, whereas before we would have to have had stayed in a hotel.

Day trips to westport - Use DC.
Longer trips - Use AC in town (or the slow train 2kW AC at the FCP)
Overnight - Use hotel
Day trips beyond Westport - Top up in Westport before heading out into nomansland. Gives at least some more confidence in a wild atlantic way trip if Ballina and Westport have DC. Piss poor there's only 1 unit in each though.

Calahonda52

Black_Knight wrote: »

Tesco Superstore, Claremorris Road, Ballinrobe live today.

22kW AC.

Following the ICE'ing issues in Tesco Nenagh, in part because the places are not marked, its Tesco's job to do them so If any Tesco ones are not painted, iff you want, let me know by PM as I am in contact with the relevant contract manager.
delete if chat

Calahonda52 wrote: »

in part because the places are not marked, its Tesco's job to do them so If any Tesco ones are not painted,

That's good but in fairness, would it be that hard for a manager to check if the two spaces in his car park, in front of the charge point, are painted green?

Does it really need members of the public to bring this to their attention?

It'll likely never bother 99% of EV owners to be fair - I can't see many EV owners driving to Tesco to pay 4x the cost of their home electricity. They'll likely chose Lidl, who offer free charging as a benefit for their customers.

:pac:.

kanuseeme

The spaces at new ross tesco were painted a week or so after installation, give it some time.

Kramer wrote: »

That's good but in fairness, would it be that hard for a manager to check if the two spaces in his car park, in front of the charge point, are painted green?

Does it really need members of the public to bring this to their attention?

It'll likely never bother 99% of EV owners to be fair - I can't see many EV owners driving to Tesco to pay 4x the cost of their home electricity. They'll likely chose Lidl, who offer free charging as a benefit for their customers.

:pac:.

A Zoe driver in need of a somewhat quick charge might. Or the odd dual charger Tesla. So very much edge case. I await some stats from ecars-stats to see how used they are

Does the EasyGO app Allow you to start charging from an ESB device?

obi604 wrote: »

Does the EasyGO app Allow you to start charging from an ESB device?

At present
Yes

Laviski wrote: »

At present
Yes

Right. Tried it few minutes ago. At a 22kw esb charger, the one with the shutter that opens up and down.

Found it on EasyGO, tapped Charge. But absolutely nothing happened.

I use the fob would thought the app would work too.
Easygo fob Worked on ac charger today

Laviski wrote: »

I use the fob would thought the app would work too.
Easygo fob Worked on ac charger today

Is it free then?

Laviski wrote: »

I use the fob would thought the app would work too.
Easygo fob Worked on ac charger today

So sounds like EasyGO should allow you to use the esb chargers............but you have to use the EasyGO fob (as the easygo app does not work)

is this correct?

Black_Knight wrote: »

Is it free then?

Yes