ChargePoint America Station Award to be installed!!

[09Bamb00]

Just got the call from the installer!! They will be out next weekend!! Oh I am so excited!!! Now I'm be able to drive all over the place and not wait all night for enough juice to get somewhere!! Jumping for joy!!

2012 Brilliant Silver Leaf Apollo Beach

 

[derkraut]

Well.....congratulations, fellow Leaf owner. My Blink has been working almost flawlessly for over a year now; but I ALWAYS use the car timer instead of the EVSE timer (much cheaper rates between midnight-6AM), and I almost always charge to 80%, since most of my driving is ~50miles round trip.

 

[sub3marathonman]

I too can get a Chargepoint station "free." I don't know if I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth though. The installation charge is $550, which is $400 to install it, plus $150 in materials. Now, this might not sound too bad, except all wiring is already in place, with a 50 amp breaker and a plug already installed. So the only work, as far as I can tell, is changing the plug to hardwired. And maybe that isn't even necessary if the machine can be made as a plug in.

I already have the GE Wattstation, unopened, that just plugs in. I bought that because at the time people in Florida couldn't qualify for the program. I'm not sure if it still could be returned for a refund.

So I'm wondering, how much is the Chargepoint station itself really worth as a used unit when the time requirement is up? The $550 installation charge seems very high, so in my opinion I'm paying for the "free" station.

Would people just keep the GE unit and simply plug it in?

 

[davewill]

... So I'm wondering, how much is the Chargepoint station itself really worth as a used unit when the time requirement is up? The $550 installation charge seems very high, so in my opinion I'm paying for the "free" station.

Would people just keep the GE unit and simply plug it in?

Is installation supposed to be paid for up to a certain point or are you expected to pay for installation? If the latter, then I'd say that it's probably the minimum you could expect to pay considering you're going through a middleman (Chargepoint). If the former, I'd call them up and really let them have it. Explain how ridiculous it is that their installation allowance doesn't even cover this simple an install. Others have done so when AV has pulled this crap and gotten their estimates adjusted.

Normally, I'd advise you to just go ahead and self-install the GE, but there have been some severe problems reported involving the GE, that have required warranty repair of the LEAF, and Nissan telling the owner NOT to reconnect their car to the Wattstation. Personally, I wouldn't buy one or use one until the root cause is made clear. See the linked post and thread: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=7996&p=206392&hilit=wattstation#p206392" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All of that said, you can't get any EVSE new for that install price. You can get the L1 EVSE upgraded for less money, but not a wall mount 30a unit.

 

[09Bamb00]

This is the scoop.

The installer is coming from Orlando (I live 20 mins south of Tampa). Because they are providing these stations through a DoE grant, we have to use an installer licensed by DoE. Coulomb hired a firm out of Colorado to oversee the installation, which is why the whole process has been so long. It's the standard, "who's responsible for what" process.

Coulomb Technologies, Inc. has ordered the equipment (CT500). I do not have ETA on its arrival. However, after several dozen emails and several dozen telephone calls, my installation fee is $250 plus the $150 charged by my local electrician for the 240V line. I chose to have a local electrician for the line because I'm also awaiting the arrival of the 240V replacement for my standard trickle charge line and I wanted a place to plug that (backup).

I went to the Coulomb site and downloaded the installation manual for the CT500 so I'll be able to give it to the electrician when I move. (Move not imminent but I rent, soooo).

Off to make telephone calls to discover where my CT500 is today.....