(Un)Official Mitsubishi (Cypress, CA) L3 Scheduling Thread

[jkirkebo]

The Eaton unit at SB 7-11 looked like it has the same touch-screen interface, but the printed illustration shown in the video was not present.

Eaton has a basic spec sheet on the unit:
http://www.eaton.com/ecm/idcplg?Idc...veAs=0&Rendition=Primary&dDocName=PA0EV00002E

It operates on 3-phase 208V (not 480) at 156A AC (200A breaker). 208*156 = 32.4 kW, which means a lower demand charge than other units might draw. Efficiency is 90% minimum => a maximum of 32.4*.9 = 29 kW delivered to your QC port.

You forgot to multiply by the square root of 3, since it is 3-phase. Thus it is 208V*156A*SQ(3)=56.2kW. At 90% efficiency that is 50.5kW. The spec sheet says 50kW max.

 

[fooljoe]

Mitsubishi bailed me out this morning. I turned my Thursday timer off when I took a day off work last week and forgot to turn it back on. Needless to say, I was dismayed to see only 4 bars after powering up. I thought about switching cars with the wife, but decided to brave the Mitsubishi QC for the first time.

Pulled right up, found the door unlocked, plugged in (took a few tries cuz I was so scared about breaking it I didn't want to push it in all the way), and 1/2 hour later I was on my way to work.

Thanks, Mitsubishi! Hopefully we Leafers don't get banned when there are a bunch of i out there on the roads.

 

[tbleakne]

On Saturday, Feb 4, my Leaf got its 2nd-ever QC at Mitsubishi Motors HQ in Cypress, along with Garygid and Boomer 23. The Eaton L3 was unlocked and ready to go.

I started with over 50% SOC, so I could have gone to a full 100%, but the charging taper is really quite dramatic as I show below. My Leaf received only 16% charge in about 13 minutes, going from 64% to 80% as shown on my SOC meter. To get a really decent amount of L3 (40% or more) in 20 or 30 minutes, it appears you need to arrive with no more than 40% SOC. This means the charge will stop at 80%. This could be especially important if L3 billing is done by the minute instead of by the kWh.

New improved, less confusing CHAdeMO plug with single lever:

Inserted and ready to charge (maybe charging had started):

Charging taper during charging session:
112A at start of charge (64% SOC). Note projected 58 min to a full 100%:

Quick drop to 75A:

32A (12 kW) near where I stopped the charging at 80% on my SOC meter:

Video with gargid’s narration of how to safely disconnect CHAdeMO at end of charge. I apologize for the poor focus:

http://youtu.be/dEUyxc4_IIM

The touch screen asks you to go through several more steps to complete your charging session. I skipped these. Thanks Mitsubishi, a very positive experience.

 

[DaveEV]

Quick drop to 75A:

Yep, can see that it's already switched to constant voltage mode here keeping the battery at 394V. Once the battery hits 394V you'll see charge rate start dropping dramatically. Even when you started it's only doing about 43.5kW.

 

[mwalsh]

Going to need to QC on Wednesday morning the 29th at around 9am - got to be at my office at 7am and then back in OC for an appointment at 8am, and then back to my office as soon as possible afterwards. I can't do that 90 miles at unrestricted speed without at least some charge, and quick charge will be the easiest way, So please give me a clear path if you can.

Of course I know that the possibility exists that a non-MNL'er might beat me to it, or someone from Mitsu might be using it, or it might be down completely. But if it IS available, then I'd like to use it.

 

[richard]

Finally was in the area on Saturday and had some time to visit this station. Unfortunately, I wasn't driving the LEAF at the time. Luckily, I ran into sksingh there with his black LEAF.

We walked up to the reception desk just to be polite but of course it's closed on weekends.

The Eaton charger was open and the cord was available. It took us a while to figure out how to activate it. I haven't been following this thread too closely, and I'm sure this has been mentioned, but you have to touch the screen to light it up. Pressing the seemingly correct Start button doesn't get you anywhere. A label could really help here.

The touchscreen is very impressive. Super informative. I took photos, but the ones posted above by tbleakne are better.

The new handle seems robust and an improvement over the old one I'd heard about with the red lever. Not sure if it's really idiot-proof enough though. I suspect it's common for users to not fully engage the connector, and wonder why it's not working.

Later that evening we returned and our LEAF lost its QC "cherry".

 

[mwalsh]

Finally was in the area on Saturday and had some time to visit this station.

So working as of Saturday, eh? Good to know!

 

[91040]

It is working fine as of 1:40pm today when I finished charging. I may be stopping there again tonight!

 

[mwalsh]

I may be stopping there again tonight!

Then be super gentle with it!

 

[91040]

No problem charging tonight either. The unit was fine when I left at 11:40pm. Enjoy your charge tomorrow!

 

[garygid]

9:17 AM 29 Feb 2012
Mike: Are you QC charging there now?

 

[hill]

I just left (i think maybe 15-20 minutes ago) and didn't see any blue on the horizon.

 

[mwalsh]

I left at exactly 9:17 with 80% charge. Worked like a charm.

 

[TomT]

I find it rather ironic that we have to depend on the generosity of Mitsubishi to QC our Nissans... Nissan should be ashamed.

I left at exactly 9:17 with 80% charge. Worked like a charm.

 

[fooljoe]

I find it rather ironic that we have to depend on the generosity of Mitsubishi to QC our Nissans... Nissan should be ashamed.

Well it is important to note that this is Mitsubishi's corporate HQ, not just a dealership. And I believe Nissan does have a QC at its Smyrna, TN HQ. Considering how disagreeable some Nissan dealers are already about their L2 charging stations, it'd be a pretty tall order to expect them to have QCs. So, in fairness, Nissan doesn't really need to be ashamed unless Mitsubishi takes it upon themselves to install a bunch of QCs at their dealerships or elsewhere.

 

[garygid]

Nissan & Mitsubishi (and their Dealers) should work TOGETHER on a QC (and some L2) charging network, instead of fighting each other and duplicating effort. Sigh!

 

[tbleakne]

It is great to see a steady stream of users for this Eaton DC QC unit. Thanks Mitsubishi for keeping it unlocked 24/7, trusting that we all take good care of it. It is not real close to freeways, but at L3 charging rates we can afford to go a few miles out of our way.

Unfortunately the Eaton does not appear to support networking, so I am thinking there might be no usage log of to prove its growing utility as more of us start to depend upon it for specific trips. There might be a logger built into it. If Mitsubishi has a dedicated meter for it, there would be a record of total kWh usage, but avoiding a dedicated meter might reduce their demand charges.

 

[mwalsh]

It is great to see a steady stream of users for this Eaton DC QC unit. Thanks Mitsubishi for keeping it unlocked 24/7, trusting that we all take good care of it. It is not real close to freeways, but at L3 charging rates we can afford to go a few miles out of our way.

I am making a point of going in to the reception area to thank somebody, even if it's only the receptionist. Then, of course, I'll chat with (and also thank) any of the employees who happen by.

Of course, Mitsubishi is so close to my home, I don't usually need the help. But today was that rare perfect storm type scenario I'd been expecting sooner or later - where I needed to be at my office early, turn back for my 'hood almost immediately, and then get back to the office again as soon as possible afterwards.

Today I detoured 5 miles out of my way to get to go there. But the other option was spending way more time getting enough L2, and that really wasn't an option. Now if we had 6.6kW chargers in our cars....

 

[Deleted member 770]

Finally was in the area on Saturday and had some time to visit this station. Unfortunately, I wasn't driving the LEAF at the time. Luckily, I ran into sksingh there with his black LEAF.

Does anybody know whether Mitsubishi has officially changed their policy to allow weekend charging, or whether this Saturday availability was a lucky fluke? I'm going to be commuting to Anaheim for a Friday/Saturday/Sunday in a couple of weeks and having access to a Level 3 unit would be fantastic for me...

 

[asharpleaf]

Finally was in the area on Saturday and had some time to visit this station. Unfortunately, I wasn't driving the LEAF at the time. Luckily, I ran into sksingh there with his black LEAF.

Does anybody know whether Mitsubishi has officially changed their policy to allow weekend charging, or whether this Saturday availability was a lucky fluke? I'm going to be commuting to Anaheim for a Friday/Saturday/Sunday in a couple of weeks and having access to a Level 3 unit would be fantastic for me...

I have used the QC their four different times and talked to them about this. It is available any time. I have used it as late as 10 pm with no problem. It is sure nice to charge in 20 to 30 min. Bring your tablet and check your email or watch a movie.