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Charger installation - status, questions, lessons learned etc.
I have given up on upgrading my own garage to 240V, given the expense, but now have 2 options to rent a garage from a neighbor who has only 1 car in a 2-car attached garage.
Two questions:
Does anyone know anything about MINI USA issues with using a rental garage space? I thought I read something about it in one of these forums but cannot find it now.
Is anyone using, or aware of, a meter that can measure the amount of power going to the MINI charger? If I go with the rental garage, it would be nice to be able to measure the part of the house electricity that I am using. (An alternative, of course, is to simply pay the whole electric bill for the person I am renting from, in lieu of rent—I have suggested this—but measuring my own usage could still be useful).
Can't speak for the first issue, but on the second I would check with your utility. On the west coast, my utility (SCE) requires a separate or split meter in order to charge the special time of use rates for EVs.
WOW- just saw your blog posting. That stinks! I actually called the SCE EV office before this whole adventure started and they said they would pull additional service at no charge if needed, provided the car was 'roadworthy' (they charge you if it is an NEV or a golf cart to drive you from your house to the country club) So in our case I believe a panel installation or panel upgrade would be the primary extra cost if needed. My inspection is scheduled for tomorrow- we will see how it goes.
Tim - thanks for starting this thread. I've also been following your tortuous path on your blog - like another fellow said - Mini should cover the full cost just for rewarding your perseverance!
On your first question, I haven't seen anything that explicitly excludes using a neighbor's garage - all I've seen is that it must be lockable. I would guess Mini would have some concerns about control of the space - e.g. what if your neighbor moves? That sort of thing.
This fellow - Stefano - is involved with a new documentary on electric cars, and seems to know his stuff. He's planning on installing a meter in front of the charging station.
With an $800/month lease for a MINI E, I am wondering at what point updating a garage socket with240v becomes too expensive? It is very straightforward to put in the wiring, and the socket for 240v. The hardest part is creating a new fuse and getting that organized in a fuse box. But even if it were as much as $800, that is only one month's lease. If one drives the MINI E at least 20-60 miles a day for work, my guess is the fuel savings alone would offset the cost of a connection. Electricity is very cheap compared to the cost of gasoline.
__________________ 2007 Sparkling Silver and White MINI Cooper S
My inspection is done, everything went well! Sounds like SCE will install the split meter, then the contractor will add a small surface-mount subpanel with the breaker for the car circuit. If I understood correctly, that breaker will not take any physical space on my current panel- they were only concerned about the load. I will be getting the smaller 40A charger.
My inspection is done, everything went well! Sounds like SCE will install the split meter, then the contractor will add a small surface-mount subpanel with the breaker for the car circuit. If I understood correctly, that breaker will not take any physical space on my current panel- they were only concerned about the load. I will be getting the smaller 40A charger.
Good news Scott.
I got a call this afternoon (finally!) to set up my inspection for tomorrow, and I hope it goes as smoothly.
Well, my inspection went well today. Like Scott, I'm with Edison and should be able to get a split meter and timer so I can charge at night to take advantage of lower rates. My panel is only 100 amps, but there is space for another breaker.
Paul and Andy were here less than 15 minutes, but had to drive all the way from Long Beach to Victorville, about 100 miles. They said they had no others to inspect in my area, so I guess I'll be the only Mini E driver in the High Desert!
Stan - when did the High Desert get electricity?! (Sorry - had to get that one in)
Glad things went well with you. It probably also explains your delay. In South OC, CFCI is using a local electrical sub - I assume they'd been trying to find a local contractor in Victorville, and finally gave up and dispatched one of their existing subs!
It's also good news for all of us, I think. The sense I get is that they won't start any installations until they've inspected everyone, and have a clearer sense of what CFCI and Mini are getting themselves into. Assuming you are one of the last ones, we may be turning a corner here.
I didn't know to ask about a 60 AMP vs 40 AMP panel, is there a choice? I guess when I get contacted again I'll see what can go in. This process is a bit like watching paint dry.
Wow, you are the first I've heard to schedule the install. Congratulations! Are you on the west coast?
I did get the contract today for the install so hopefully it won't be much longer. I was pleasantly surprised that for my install there won't be any additional charges, which was one of my worries.
Just want to give everyone a timeline of my process(since I havent posted it before):
April 1st- Got my inspection completed. All they needed to do was to upgrade a breaker in my electrical panel. My panel sits next to my garage, so my install is pretty easy.
April 15th- Got the contract from CFC to install the Wall box. There is no charge for my install.
April 21st- Got a call from CFC to schedule the Wall box install.
April 24th- Wall box install* (lets hope without any hitch!!)
As you can see, once the contract is signed, the process is very quick!
I also asked Kristine, at CFC, what the process is afterwords, and here are a few things that will need to happen before I get the car:
1-The city will need to come to give their final inspection
2-SCE will need to come to verify the install
3-CFC will need to come to complete the install and connect the MINI E spec charging cable.
I still expect it to be at least another 3-4 weeks after the install till I get the car. The charging cable availability is still the big question mark.
Boo hoo! My inspection was a day before yours, Fiesty, and way before Stan's, and I still haven't received my contract! I hope that it doesn't mean that mine is not considered an "easy" install . . . I hope it's just that I may be the only one whose electricity is supplied by SDG&E so their process may be less known than SCE's . . . or maybe it's alphabetical!
By the way - was your contract by e-mail or snail-mail?
By the way - was your contract by e-mail or snail-mail?
Mine was by email. Print, sign, and fax back to them. The price of the install was stated in the contract ($0 in my case). The time frame for the install was listed as between now and June, so nothing specific there.
I hope it's just that I may be the only one whose electricity is supplied by SDG&E so their process may be less known than SCE's . . . or maybe it's alphabetical!
I'm with SDG&E too. (And my last name is "W"). My first inspection was around 3/31 or 4/1, followed by a second inspection by a different person on 4/4.
And other than the Klean Kanteen, I have not heard anything since then.
I'm with SDG&E too. (And my last name is "W"). My first inspection was around 3/31 or 4/1, followed by a second inspection by a different person on 4/4.
And other than the Klean Kanteen, I have not heard anything since then.
Thanks, neighbor! Looks like we are in the same boat.
Had the wall box installed this morning. It took about 2 hours.
The Clipper Creek unit mounts directly on the wall, and is about 15" square. Fairly clean and simple install. All they had to do was change a double 50amp breaker to a quad 50amp breaker. Mini covered the $100 charge to upgrade that.
I got the 40 amp unit, since my electrical panel was pretty full. The installer said that the charge time wouldnt change much with the 60amp one.
My installer has put in 15 stations for the Mini E. Their company will do about half of the 250 installs on the west coast. Out of all the installs they have done so far, only 1 customer has recieved the 60amp station. They expect very few customers to get the 60 amp one.
Anyone have any idea of the cost of the Clipper Creek station? The model is CS-40.
Congratulations, Fiesty. I thought it would have taken longer to pull permits. Per this week's Plugged In CFCI just started the installs Wednesday, so you are in the first group for sure. I'm still waiting for the contract . . .patience, patience,
(Sorry - had to get that one in)
My inspection was a day before yours, Fiesty, and way before Stan's, and I still haven't received my contract! I hope that it doesn't mean that mine is not considered an "easy" install . . . I hope it's just that I may be the only one whose electricity is supplied by SDG&E so their process may be less known than SCE's . . . or maybe it's alphabetical!
