ECOtality Level 2 charger : Blink

[sdbonez]

I asked the wifi question to the rep at the tour today and she said it's wifi only but then she said they were looking into putting a modem in it in case you didn't have wifi...which of course makes no sense as you wouldn't put a modem in there. (her word, not mine). Overall I'm pretty disappointed at the knowledge level of people on the tour.

What she said might have actually been accurate. These days, it's more likely that if someone doesn't have Wifi, rolling back to a regular phone line/POTS is acceptable...think old-school Tivo dialup for content/programming updates or how many alarm systems still operate. Much as die-hards like ethernet, myself being one of them, most people don't need it, don't use it, and don't want to bother with it. 802.11 at home has quickly shifted into the mainsteam by way of cable set top boxes w/wi-fi setup by cable companies and products like apple's airport express that have taken the misery out of setup for the average Joe. Both of these solutions have also made making secure wi-fi networks a reality as well.

Thinking about it a different way.. how many people have an ethernet port in their garage? ok, well, I do.. but again, I'd argue most people aren't planning for wired ethernet to their workbench

 

[turbo2ltr]

I haven't had a landline in so long, the thought of an actual old-school modem never crossed my mind! lol. Good point.

 

[sdbonez]

Never buy a cheap router or switch. For switches I only use dell, all the Dlink, netgear, etc is not worth buying if you have more than a couple devices on a network. There is a big difference in performance and anything over 16 ports I use managed switches. DSL modem-router combos are junk, I use apple routers with dell switches and commercial wifi with and access point like Luxul. The performance difference is huge and the wireless is vastly superior to any wireless router on the market. In fact I can do a 20K sq ft house with four floors on one single access point. For low-cost and high performance Ubiquity makes good stuff but you need to have advanced network skills to use them, some of their products would get wireless to an EVSE over a great distance. If you have a Linksys WRT54G, replace it or flash it with http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/index

I'm trying to keep on-topic here, but I'll make a quick comment to this. I don't argue at all that there's a big difference in performance with the hardware you're recommending, but there's no way even the geeky/prosumer type needs to be dropping this kind of cash on equipment (trust me, I've tried to justify it myself!). Most houses and most families are totally set with a single router/wireless combo and no need for ethernet, managed switches, or even a dd-wrt flash. A simple d-link switch or airport express has plenty of performance, security, and easy-to-use functionality for the average person who, let's face it, is really just surfing facebook, checking their gmail, and letting their EVSE send a little data upstream now and then.

 

[turbo2ltr]

Never buy a cheap router or switch. For switches I only use dell, all the Dlink, netgear, etc is not worth buying if you have more than a couple devices on a network. There is a big difference in performance and anything over 16 ports I use managed switches. DSL modem-router combos are junk, I use apple routers with dell switches and commercial wifi with and access point like Luxul. The performance difference is huge and the wireless is vastly superior to any wireless router on the market. In fact I can do a 20K sq ft house with four floors on one single access point. For low-cost and high performance Ubiquity makes good stuff but you need to have advanced network skills to use them, some of their products would get wireless to an EVSE over a great distance. If you have a Linksys WRT54G, replace it or flash it with http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/index

I'm trying to keep on-topic here, but I'll make a quick comment to this. I don't argue at all that there's a big difference in performance with the hardware you're recommending, but there's no way even the geeky/prosumer time needs to be dropping this kind of cash on equipment (trust me, I've tried to justify it myself!). Most houses and most families are totally set with a single router/wireless combo and no need for ethernet, managed swtiches, or even a dd-wrt flash and a simple d-link switch or airport express has plenty of performance, security, and easy-to-use functionality for the average person who, let's face it, is really just surfing facebook, checking their gmail, and letting their EVSE send a little data upstream now and then.

Gonna have to agree with sdbones here. Sure there's a difference, but for 99% of people, they wouldn't notice it and certainly not enough to justify the cost.

 

[SeattleBlueLeaf]

Good news - just got my call from a Ecotality. Install is set to occur on 12/9. I too am getting a Clipper Creek EVSE (http://www.webstarstudios.com/test_server/client_server/clippercreek/concept_2/images/stories/PDF/operation_manuals/CS_Series_Public_EVSE_-_Sell_Sheet_Proof.pdf) until the Blink is ready. They suggested it may be up to 30 days later before the Blink is swapped in.

First Washington State install that I know of.

 

[wsbca]

When I talked to the Blink folks at length in Santa Monica, they indicated that it was WiFi only. That was one of the reasons why the free EV Project questionnaire asked if you had WiFi available where the charger would be installed.

Tom

I couldn't tell if hardwire Ethernet was supported either.

According to the EV project contractor who visited us yesterday, the original plan was indeed for a wifi connection from the Blink to your router and from there to the internet, but that has very recently changed - the implementation will apparently be that the Blink will have a transmitter that talks to a dedicated wireless receiver that is plugged in to your router (our Sunpower PV system works this way - a logger on the inverter talks wirelessly to a gateway that is hardwired to our router). So you don't need a wifi _network_ in your house, but you do need a spare ethernet port on your router (presumably you could expand with a simple hub if your router ports are full). I wouldn't be surprised if this changed at some point but it's the current plan as of a day or two ago.

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

Again, every single Blink EVSE has a CDMA cellular data modem built in.

If it can't connect via WiFi, it will fall back to cellular.

 

[SeattleBlueLeaf]

Again, every single Blink EVSE has a CDMA cellular data modem built in.

If it can't connect via WiFi, it will fall back to cellular.

CDMA??? - I thought they were using ATT so it would be GPRS. If they are using CMDA - then they are using Verizon or Sprint. That would be good news for me since those carriers have much better signal strength in my neighborhood.

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

Again, every single Blink EVSE has a CDMA cellular data modem built in.

If it can't connect via WiFi, it will fall back to cellular.

CDMA??? - I thought they were using ATT so it would be GPRS. If they are using CMDA - then they are using Verizon or Sprint. That would be good news for me since those carriers have much better signal strength in my neighborhood.

The car (Carwings) uses AT&T. The EVSE is unrelated (does not talk to the car) and uses CDMA. I don't know what carrier EV Project has selected.

 

[Skywagon]

I just spoke to someone at ECOtality again just a bit ago. The temporary charger that is being installed until the Blink is UL certified is a Clipper Creek unit. My install is this coming Thursday morning.

 

[harrier]

How much did they charge you for the Blink (/Clipper Creek)?

 

[wsbca]

How much did they charge you for the Blink (/Clipper Creek)?

I think Skywagon's unit is an Ecotality EV Project install, so, hopefully nothing!

 

[Gonewild]

They both are free the creek one is only temp install because blink is waiting URL approval. If you have a standard install ie circuit braker on same side of the house it is free other wise you have to pay to run conduit from one side to the other.

 

[Skywagon]

How much did they charge you for the Blink (/Clipper Creek)?

I think Skywagon's unit is an Ecotality EV Project install, so, hopefully nothing!

Yep, free, and so will the Blink unit that will be swapped out in the next 30 days or so.

 

[Gonewild]

Skywagon it looks like me buying my car in WA has cost me getting my car firstish? ( new word )

 

[Skywagon]

Skywagon it looks like me buying my car in WA has cost me getting my car firstish? ( new word )

It looks like it may have. I spoke to Danny at Fontana earlier today and he did say that the 1/5/11 date is a conservative, worst case, scenario and that we will probably see the cars sooner than that.

Considering my early VIN and picking it up in CA I will have one of the first cars in AZ. Who the very first is we will know on the 14th.

 

[garygid]

From one picture taken at the Phoenix First-LEAF Party:

Main, State, Settings, Faq, Help
buttons across the top of the Main "Please Plug In" screen.

Stats on last charge, start time, duration, estimated cost, and Rate-Times (Peak, Off, etc.).

I did not see kWh, but maybe it was there, or optional, selected by settings.

 

[LEAFfan]

The Blink guy said that URL approval will be very soon...within a week. :mrgreen:

 

[garygid]

One person reported being told that the UL testing was complete, and successful, and that only paperwork, manufacturing, [and shipping] remain.

 

[evnow]

We played around with the Blink a bit at the Seattle event. The touch screen LCD had poor response (resistive?)- hopefully the production version will be better.