TomT
Well-known member
Yesterday, I arrived at work at 8am and parked normally in the parking structure. I had charged to 80 percent the night before and arrived with 8 bars remaining (my drive to work is about 26 miles and a descent of about 1,200 feet).
When I got out of work at about 8pm and arrived back at my car, I was surprised to see the heqdlights on (they had been in auto and thus I did not give it a thought when I walked away and they were still on)... I'm not sure what happened but the car was powered up with the doors locked. Then it got really interesting...
I was showing 4 bars with 35 miles of range remaining. Since I had to climb back up the gradual incline I mentioned earlier, I knew there was no way I could make it even though it was only 26 miles. Thus began the search for a L2 charger (there is no accessible power of any kind in the structure - it is old).
The only thing I could find in the direction I was going, and that was close enough to be of any value, was two Nissan dealers in Santa Monica. The closest was Santa Monica Nissan so I gave them a call. They were closed.
I decided to chance it and headed that way anyway. (If worse came to worse, I'd leave it and have them charge it in the morning.) I didn't want to flatbed it!
I arrived there about 8:50pm and they were indeed closed and there was no one around. I saw one charger in the front lot which was, of course, locked and inaccessible... I then drove around the side and saw a small customer parking lot which was open. And in there I saw a green glow from a single EVSE! Eureka! I pulled in and started to charge. An hour and a half and I should be good to go as I had three bars at that point. Ahh, but our story does not end here.
I decided to walk about a half mile away and have dinner while it was charging. Since there is no Android app for the Leaf, my wife was monitoring the charging at home on her iTouch. I had just ordered and was waiting for my food when I get a call from my wife to tell me that the Leaf had stopped charging and she could not restart it. It had been on the charger for only about 20 minutes at that point. My worst fear was that their charger was on a timer and had turned off! I gulped down my food and headed back.
When I arrived back at Santa Monica Nissan, I discovered that someone had unplugged the charger from my car, wrapped the cord back around the charger, and closed but not latched the charger door on the car. They had even closed the small protective cover on the connector in the car. But the charger was still powered up. so I plugged back in and resumed charging. This time I stayed with the car!
About an hour later I was at 5 bars and 52 miles so I unplugged and headed out. I never did see anyone around and have no idea who unplugged me or why...
I got on to the north 405 freeway and figured that the excitement was finally over. Nope, not yet...
I got about three miles and the freeway came to a standstill. There was a multiple vehicle accident at the top of the hill, with injuries. So, there I sat for another half an hour. Perhaps I wasn't really destined to get home this day!
I finally did arrive home around midnight with two bars showing and about 12 miles left... Hopefully today will be much less exciting!
P.S. This does point out why every Nissan dealer should be required to have at least one charger that is accessible 24/7!
When I got out of work at about 8pm and arrived back at my car, I was surprised to see the heqdlights on (they had been in auto and thus I did not give it a thought when I walked away and they were still on)... I'm not sure what happened but the car was powered up with the doors locked. Then it got really interesting...
I was showing 4 bars with 35 miles of range remaining. Since I had to climb back up the gradual incline I mentioned earlier, I knew there was no way I could make it even though it was only 26 miles. Thus began the search for a L2 charger (there is no accessible power of any kind in the structure - it is old).
The only thing I could find in the direction I was going, and that was close enough to be of any value, was two Nissan dealers in Santa Monica. The closest was Santa Monica Nissan so I gave them a call. They were closed.
I decided to chance it and headed that way anyway. (If worse came to worse, I'd leave it and have them charge it in the morning.) I didn't want to flatbed it!
I arrived there about 8:50pm and they were indeed closed and there was no one around. I saw one charger in the front lot which was, of course, locked and inaccessible... I then drove around the side and saw a small customer parking lot which was open. And in there I saw a green glow from a single EVSE! Eureka! I pulled in and started to charge. An hour and a half and I should be good to go as I had three bars at that point. Ahh, but our story does not end here.
I decided to walk about a half mile away and have dinner while it was charging. Since there is no Android app for the Leaf, my wife was monitoring the charging at home on her iTouch. I had just ordered and was waiting for my food when I get a call from my wife to tell me that the Leaf had stopped charging and she could not restart it. It had been on the charger for only about 20 minutes at that point. My worst fear was that their charger was on a timer and had turned off! I gulped down my food and headed back.
When I arrived back at Santa Monica Nissan, I discovered that someone had unplugged the charger from my car, wrapped the cord back around the charger, and closed but not latched the charger door on the car. They had even closed the small protective cover on the connector in the car. But the charger was still powered up. so I plugged back in and resumed charging. This time I stayed with the car!
About an hour later I was at 5 bars and 52 miles so I unplugged and headed out. I never did see anyone around and have no idea who unplugged me or why...
I got on to the north 405 freeway and figured that the excitement was finally over. Nope, not yet...
I got about three miles and the freeway came to a standstill. There was a multiple vehicle accident at the top of the hill, with injuries. So, there I sat for another half an hour. Perhaps I wasn't really destined to get home this day!
I finally did arrive home around midnight with two bars showing and about 12 miles left... Hopefully today will be much less exciting!
P.S. This does point out why every Nissan dealer should be required to have at least one charger that is accessible 24/7!
