ECOtality Level 2 charger : Blink

[ENIAC]

So for those of us coming up on our second year in the EV Project, do you intend to to press ECotality for the transfer of ownership of the EVSE or not? I suppose if they want to keep the title to the EVSE for awhile longer, then they'll be responsible for maintenance and support.

 

[gsleaf]

Photos of my AV unit, and the new Tower of Blink!! that replaced it.

Thanks!

I wonder if they can setup the unit more like this... I have a shelf that I may have to move depending on how tall the unit is. http://imgur.com/b8jAC

 

[KillaWhat]

Photos of my AV unit, and the new Tower of Blink!! that replaced it.

Thanks!

I wonder if they can setup the unit more like this... I have a shelf that I may have to move depending on how tall the unit is.

Didn't see the picture, but the "Garden Hose Reel" piece could be put anywhere I guess.
They are completely separate.

Have a friend who installed them side by side.

 

[gsleaf]

Updated my post to include a link, but what you described is exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks!

 

[DarkStar]

So for those of us coming up on our second year in the EV Project, do you intend to to press ECotality for the transfer of ownership of the EVSE or not? I suppose if they want to keep the title to the EVSE for awhile longer, then they'll be responsible for maintenance and support.

Well, according to my contract, ownership automatically transfers to me at the end of the term (December 31, 2012):

5 Ownership
Title to and ownership of the Equipment will be retained by ETEC through the Term of this Agreement and perpetually if the Agreement is terminated for cause. At the end of the Term, or upon termination of the Agreement without cause, ownership of the Equipment will be transferred to and vest in Participant. Participant acknowledges that upon termination of this Agreement and transfer of Equipment title to Participant, the Equipment will provide basic charging services only and that full functionality of the Equipment will require Participant to enroll in an ETEC EVSE membership network.

For what it's worth, my Blink has worked extremely well and I haven't used any of the online functionality anyhow. I can't wait to see what type of software we can develop for this box!

 

[FairwoodRed]

So for those of us coming up on our second year in the EV Project, do you intend to to press ECotality for the transfer of ownership of the EVSE or not? I suppose if they want to keep the title to the EVSE for awhile longer, then they'll be responsible for maintenance and support.

I fully intend to the EV Project to the letter of the participant contract - not because I think the Blink is a great product and I can't wait for it to be mine :lol: , but because I want released from thier contract so I can use thier public chargers without additional strings attached.

 

[brettcgb]

So for those of us coming up on our second year in the EV Project, do you intend to to press ECotality for the transfer of ownership of the EVSE or not? I suppose if they want to keep the title to the EVSE for awhile longer, then they'll be responsible for maintenance and support.

I fully intend to the EV Project to the letter of the participant contract - not because I think the Blink is a great product and I can't wait for it to be mine :lol: , but because I want released from thier contract so I can use thier public chargers without additional strings attached.

On the BlinkShare site, someone raised the question regarding how charger support services (charging records and controls through Blinks web site) were provided after the two year project term was completed, and EVSE ownership had been transferred.

Blinks response was that as long as you maintained a Blink membership for the public EVSE network (i.e. maintained an InCard account), you would also continue to receive support services for your home EVSE. If you close your InCard account, the EVSE is still yours, but web-based services would be discontinued. This does not affect browser access directly to your own EVSE within your own network.

Much is already known about the EVSE (another thread on this forum?). I believe open source software for the Blink EVSE will become available, and record keeping within the EVSE will be possible.

 

[mazdaboi]

Unit is HUGE, but it works, and im happy with it. Ill snap some photos and upload them.

I'd love to see photos. How tall is the unit?

Sorry for the delayed response, I will post some photos up today. I plan on modding the unit from a conduit run to the original 50Amp plug and a locking quick removable system so that I can take the unit with me when i travel friends/relatives (still researching a good NEMA waterproof enclosure for the dryer plug)

But Ill get some photos taken and uploaded today!

 

[Ingineer]

I plan on modding the unit from a conduit run to the original 50Amp plug and a locking quick removable system so that I can take the unit with me when i travel friends/relatives (still researching a good NEMA waterproof enclosure for the dryer plug)

Wow, you are actually considering lugging around that giant Blink unit as a "portable"?

FYI, the innards of the Blink are relatively fragile, and if you break it while lugging it around, Ecotality will likely have some issues about you removing it from the wall without authorization. You'll probably be much better off in the long run if you send me your Nissan portable EVSE and let me upgrade it for you. It's designed for portability and is way more rugged and reliable, plus it's way more manageable!

I know Ecotality will repo your unit if they even think you're tampering with it and make you responsible for all the costs! (I've actually seen this happen)

-Phil

 

[TimeHorse]

Not sure what to say besides phew! Read the entire thread since my first post here 2 years ago when I joined the inCharge network but didn't qualify for the ECOTality. Remember, originally Washington, D.C. was part of the initial EV Project but because Nissan delayed the LEAF roll-out in this region by 8 months they officially only supported Volts in this area, not LEAFs until about September of 2012. We were the only ECOTality region that said only Volts at that time but a few words to the regional rep at the July (IIRC) EVA/DC meeting signaled the blaring discrepancy and a month or two later we could finally join the project under the current terms of $600 for install, not the $1200 for install most Volt owners would have gotten. That and the no Single-Occupancy Access to I66 in Virginia because of the delay really means 8 months was a cost of more than just time. But I digress.

Now I guess I should browse the other Blink forums for my questions about all these annoying e-mails and lamenting that I keep getting plug-in messages from the LEAF because I'm using the Blink Timer not to mention 7-day programming! My Thermostat can do that, why can't the Blink! And don't dis Python guys! I read that! I'm just saying OpenSource this puppy, let me SSH in and I'l write you some fine Python add-ons, like how about get your CARWINGS data from within the Blink Unit? That at least would be easy with pyCARWINGS.

Anyway, peace folks, I'm out. I have about 60 pages of the ECOTality thread to read now. :roll:

 

[TomT]

Actually, it is more a Leaf problem than a Blink problem... It's been well documented elsewhere here.

Now I guess I should browse the other Blink forums for my questions about all these annoying e-mails and lamenting that I keep getting plug-in messages from the LEAF because I'm using the Blink Timer not to mention 7-day programming! My Thermostat can do that, why can't the Blink!

 

[Ingineer]

Not sure what to say besides phew! Read the entire thread since my first post here 2 years ago when I joined the inCharge network but didn't qualify for the ECOTality. Remember, originally Washington, D.C. was part of the initial EV Project but because Nissan delayed the LEAF roll-out in this region by 8 months they officially only supported Volts in this area, not LEAFs until about September of 2012. We were the only ECOTality region that said only Volts at that time but a few words to the regional rep at the July (IIRC) EVA/DC meeting signaled the blaring discrepancy and a month or two later we could finally join the project under the current terms of $600 for install, not the $1200 for install most Volt owners would have gotten. That and the no Single-Occupancy Access to I66 in Virginia because of the delay really means 8 months was a cost of more than just time. But I digress.

Now I guess I should browse the other Blink forums for my questions about all these annoying e-mails and lamenting that I keep getting plug-in messages from the LEAF because I'm using the Blink Timer not to mention 7-day programming! My Thermostat can do that, why can't the Blink! And don't dis Python guys! I read that! I'm just saying OpenSource this puppy, let me SSH in and I'l write you some fine Python add-ons, like how about get your CARWINGS data from within the Blink Unit? That at least would be easy with pyCARWINGS.

Anyway, peace folks, I'm out. I have about 60 pages of the ECOTality thread to read now. :roll:

I'm confident Ecotality is never going to open-source anything. They haven't even provided required source code for their use of open-source software in their products! As soon as the agreement ends, I'm sure people will be opening their units and creating some great alternative software. Until then, it's still their property, so it's not wise to tinker. The first of the agreements will be ending soon!

-Phil