Battery charging away from home

[leew]

Just wondering if anyone else regularly charges batteries away from home when going on a ride which is longer than your range on a single charge.
I was wondering how easy it is to charge at places like cafes and restaurants, if you ask nicely if you can use an outlet to charge your battery while having a meal, do you often get refused?
Also let me know which country you are from as I suspect this will vary between countries.
Another option is to use public electric car chargers, in the UK an Europe, most such chargers use the 7 pin Type 2 (Mennekes) plug, thus I'd need to buy an adapter cable, such as this one to use them: http://evbitz.uk/EVBitz.uk/T2___UK_13A.html Has anyone done this before?

 

[danielrlee]

This is something I have spent many an hour looking into. I have the additional problem that my batteries aren't easily removed from the bike. Opportunity (or guerilla) charging as it is known is particularly difficult in the UK where health & safety regulations make outdoors power sockets particularly difficult to find, certainly more so than in the US where they are much more commonplace.

In regards to using public EV charging stations, the Type 2 Mennekes adapter you link to is the cheapest ready-made solution to use them with a regular 3-pin plug ebike charger. The biggest problem however is a logistical one. There are a large number of individual schemes run by different operators with limited interoperability between them. Some require a RFID fob, some use an app, some are prepaid, some are PAYG and navigating this collection of schemes prevents them from being a reliable plug-and-play charging solution. If you know in advance however that you will need to use a specific charger ahead of time, it might be workable.

 

[LockH]

Hi Leew...
Plenty of mentions here... earch ES? Phrases used include "stealthy charging", "opportunity charging"... one recent thread "guerilla charging"... Dunno `bout home, but in one colony (urban Canada) the landscape is liberally sprinkled with 120V AC power outlets... EVerywhere. Back in the daze before Canada (and then most provinces, including Ontario) legalized our "power-assisted bicycles", with a pocket-sized small charger used to plug in "in transit" all over town (big town. Toronto pop. now 6+ million souls.) So, restaurant patios... coffee shops... Much of the time my batt charge wasn't "flat" really, yet. Just wanted a break from traveling, and to show off the tech. To restaurant owners I could explain the math... that I was taking less of our "hydro" (electricity) than I was leaving their staff as tips. That the fact their place HAD an outlet was the reason I was stopping there - it was generating more business for them! More customers/traffic/ activity.

So, no. I didn't usually ask permission, but was recognized as being a "regular" customer who was buying "stuff". And if the question about charging DID come up I was "armed with some facts" that could add perspective to my situation.

Our hydro costs are climbing such that new developments with outside patios, etc are being perhaps more... reserved in where they locate and what style and how many electric outlets they "scatter around".

EDIT: And these daze, look for signs that advertise "Free WiFi". :wink:

 

[leew]

This is something I have spent many an hour looking into. I have the additional problem that my batteries aren't easily removed from the bike. Opportunity (or guerilla) charging as it is known is particularly difficult in the UK where health & safety regulations make outdoors power sockets particularly difficult to find, certainly more so than in the US where they are much more commonplace.

In regards to using public EV charging stations, the Type 2 Mennekes adapter you link to is the cheapest ready-made solution to use them with a regular 3-pin plug ebike charger. The biggest problem however is a logistical one. There are a large number of individual schemes run by different operators with limited interoperability between them. Some require a RFID fob, some use an app, some are prepaid, some are PAYG and navigating this collection of schemes prevents them from being a reliable plug-and-play charging solution. If you know in advance however that you will need to use a specific charger ahead of time, it might be workable.

Thanks for the feedback
I have designed my build so I can remove the batteries which makes indoor charging at restaurants etc more practical.
I have ordered a Cycle satitator charger which is silent and thus ideal for overnight charging at a hotel etc however I may also order a faster charger, something around 1Kw, which will most likely have a fan and thus be less appropriate for quieter environments.
To find electric car charging stations, I use this site:
http://www.plugshare.com/
Here it details what kind of socket the charger has and also what kind of card/app is needed as well as the cost (if any).

 

[miro13car]

Lock,
Here in Alberta. Plenty of live plug ins, wherever you look.
Mainly because engine block heaters in many cars.
Almost all paking lots have 120V live to use.
My favourites are lots belonging to goverments paid by my taxes.

 

[macribs]

I am just waiting for someone to make a CHAdeMO/(or whatever charger is most common these days) plug/conversion for e-bikes so we can charge at regular charging stations that are becoming more and more available.

 

[powersupply]

In any case or country, I recommend a very long extension cord.
Mine is two prong and curled up in a watertight plastic bag.
More important than those stupid tools which came with my scooter.

 

[Willow]

On this bike I put the charger (and controller) in the tank, with a plug for any 240/110v outlet.



On this bike I made a bag for the charger which hangs from the handlebars whilst charging... charger gets carried in a backpack.



...when you start looking, it's surprising how many accessible outlets there are around town.

 

[LockH]

@miro13car Yum. Block heaters. My ONLY concern might be that I try to leave the bike parked in view of wherever I'm sitting. And yah. Gov. paid for good. ("Free" anything good. hehe)

@macribs MY "regular charging station" in any ("standard") 120 VAC plug. Just gotta watch not to suck too many amps. hehe

@powersupply Heck yeah. DO have a couple of 50-footer extension cords, but in truth? Usually just take my normal charger which has two long-ish cords, one on wall outlet side, the other on charger outlet. So combined length near ten feet long. Plus stuff like many/most outlets mounted near ground level.

@Willow. Groovy. ... though last pic? Gotta love sailors eh? Looks like Kings Pier Marina in Hobart. Betcha that place is lousy with plugins. hehe

 

[Willow]

Been to Hobart the LockH??

 

[LockH]

Been to Hobart the LockH??

Sadly, no. Have plans though to add sponson flotations to the ebike (trike). Will cycle down to South America and catch the Southern Pacific Gyre. TBA.

 

[miro13car]

the bottom line is STEALTH.
the last thing I want is popularity of ebikes.
It would be end of my free charging.
Of course bar/restaurant charging is not free - you pay for drink.
All charging stuff should be built into ebike carried on ebike including AC probe.

 

[ntr]

Don't be afraid for the end of free charging. In the Netherlands e-bikes are quite populair. The country is loaded with charge point for e-bikes, often located at bars, restaurants etc. https://www.fietsnetwerk.nl/fietsoplaadpunten or https://www.oplaadpunten.nl/ (select fiets). I have not much experience myself with this public charging points, but I think most of them are free. The owners are happy to give you the few cents for the charge when you enjoy your (paid) coffee when waiting for your bike to charge.

 

[miro13car]

I also charge at work, nobody cares,
anyway electricity is included in rent of the unit I work in.
But on long tours around city I need opportunity charging , I dont want to discharge more than 60%-70% SOC for longevity of my LiFePo.

 

[dogman dan]

That's going way too far, hunting down a plug because you are 60% discharged. Nothing wrong with a quick top up if it's convenient, you are stopped already. But interrupting your ride because you are at 60% is not wise. Lifepo4 does not act like lead, which DOES need to be kept above 50% dod.

In the USA, one thing to look for is vacant, empty, houses or commercial buildings for sale. Often the power is on, for showing the property.

I have been refused once. At a State run campground, the camp Nazi would not let us plug in, even if we paid to rent the camp site for the entire night.

After he went to lunch, we went over there and took a charge anyway.