Differences between Home Charger and Leaf Web Portals

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Frank

Well-known member
Joined
May 13, 2010
Messages
226
Location
San Diego, CA
I understand that the Leaf has its own web portal that can communicate with the owner's PC or compatible smartphone (although I'm not clear exactly what OS the Smartphone needs to be using). I believe that this communication uses a cellular data network. The home charger also seems to have a web portal that also can communicate with compatible smartphones. It appears that the web portal in the charger communicates via the home's wi-fi (one of the questions on the home charger questionnaire asked if the home has wi-fi). Do these two web portals provide redundant features/services, or do they each provide different information to the owner?
 
The car "talks" to the owner.

The "standard" Nissan-branded home EVSE (by AV) will (most likely) not data-connect to anything.

The "home" eTec EVSE (being used in the EVProject test) will require Internet access for the duration of the testing (about 2 years), it seems.
 
In the demo of the EVProject web portal, you can see charging status, and you can set charging time. The Leaf portal/app I believe will let you do the that, and also remotely turn on AC/heater.

The EVProject one gives you data about historical charging info. No idea if the Leaf one will do that.
 
I would like to be able to set the end-of-charge at a time, "tank" full, or N% of full.

If I only need 45% of "full" to get my errands done and get home, I would like to be able to set that percentage in the vehicle, before I start the L3 Quick-Charge.

Apparently there is no exterior indicator (other than 3 lights) of how full the e-tank is. Also, I do not want to be required to be "tied" to the car while it is charging.
 
I'm assuming that both the eTec EVSE and Leaf web portals can be accessed from an Internet connected PC. But has anyone seen what compatible smartphones are needed to access these two web portals? The eTec questionnaire had a question about what brand of smartphone that you have so it seems that they may not support all smartphones. I can't remember what brands were listed on the questionnaire but I know if did list specific smartphones. But for the Leaf web portal, I don't think I have seen any specifics on what type of smartphone you will need to access the Leaf's web portal. Having two separate web portals seems to be a bit confusing, especially if both web portals are not accessible from the same smartphone (e.g. iPhone needed for the EVSE and Blackberry needed for the Leaf).
 
I read that it's an "any web browser" type of interface. In that case, we'd need just a standard site and a mobile site.
 
DeaneG said:
I read that it's an "any web browser" type of interface. In that case, we'd need just a standard site and a mobile site.

Oh, that would work. But didn't they say something about a mobile app and that is why eTec asked about specific model smartphones?
 
I would have to believe they would support the iPhone, and most likely the android, as just those 2 covers at least %90 of the market.

There alread is an iPhone application out for the "ChargePoint Network", I already have my account, and the iPhone application running... I can see chargers in all different parts of the country, with only 1 near me :(
 
Hard to believe, maybe ... and don't start throwing "things" at me ... but even though I may be strongly interested in becoming a "LEAFer" ... I am not too keen on giving away a lot of $$$ to cell phone companies gouging consumers. Case in point ... my cell phone is 7+ years old, does not have bluetooth, still has analog (where needed), and I don't pay for any data packages.

So ... I would be interested in simple text messaging from the car to tell me "I'm full". And allowing me to text a "start heat" or "start ac" to it. I'd like to avoid the requirement of a smart phone.

Any one else in (my) camp ?
 
LEAFer said:
Hard to believe, maybe ... and don't start throwing "things" at me ... but even though I may be strongly interested in becoming a "LEAFer" ... I am not too keen on giving away a lot of $$$ to cell phone companies gouging consumers. Case in point ... my cell phone is 7+ years old, does not have bluetooth, still has analog (where needed), and I don't pay for any data packages.

So ... I would be interested in simple text messaging from the car to tell me "I'm full". And allowing me to text a "start heat" or "start ac" to it. I'd like to avoid the requirement of a smart phone.

Any one else in (my) camp ?

you are in the minority, I'm afraid. You will likely have to use the web portal from a regular PC, and perhaps it can send out a text message to a "standard" phone. How do you survive "in the dark ages" of communications ? :)
 
mitch672 said:
you are in the minority, I'm afraid. ... How do you survive "in the dark ages" of communications ? :)

I like email. I like personal contact (POTS & face2face, not "facebook"). I do SMS and video chat (skype). :)
 
LEAFer said:
Any one else in (my) camp ?

Yes, and no. I'm on a T-Mobile PAYG plan, because I don't use my cell phone that much, and don't do anything with data. However, I have been looking for an excuse to "get with it", and this may be it.

The only thing is....I would like to stay with a provider using GSM, because I like my phones to use SIM cards. I also like them to be quad-band and unlocked for when I go overseas and use the SIM cards from my alternate providers.
 
mitch672 said:
you are in the minority, I'm afraid. You will likely have to use the web portal from a regular PC, and perhaps it can send out a text message to a "standard" phone. How do you survive "in the dark ages" of communications ? :)

LOL. I've a non-smart phone as well (though not 7 yrs old).

I very consciously chose this - so that I wouldn't be chased by office emails everywhere :twisted:
 
not only do I have an iPhone (ported my home # to it and don't have a landline, was the only way to keep the cost somewhat in check), as my personal phone/data, but my job gives me a Blackberry as well, there is no escape :(
 
I, too, have a cell (not smart) phone, but it's only 3 years old, mainly because that's when I first got a cell phone. I just took whatever the cheapest one was that came with the plan. It has a "camera", but I think my limbs have more digits than it has pixels. I think I sent two test texts to my kids and got replies, but other than the Verizon text ads I get, I've never sent or received a "real" text message. I still have the default ring tone. The only other feature I've ever used, I think, is the alarm clock which actually works great when traveling. If it weren't for the fact both kids (out of state) are on our family plan (which we pay for) and call us more often because Verizon-to-Verizon calls are free and don't even count minutes, we probably wouldn't even bother to have cell phones. I don't have a laptop or any wireless network device other than the TiVo, which isn't exactly portable so I don't expect to be able to communicate with the Leaf when I'm away from my desktop and don't see the need, although I understand the benefit for those in the situations described above.
 
Rat said:
I, too, have a cell (not smart) phone, but it's only 3 years old, mainly because that's when I first got a cell phone. I just took whatever the cheapest one was that came with the plan. It has a "camera", but I think my limbs have more digits than it has pixels. I think I sent two test texts to my kids and got replies, but other than the Verizon text ads I get, I've never sent or received a "real" text message. I still have the default ring tone. The only other feature I've ever used, I think, is the alarm clock which actually works great when traveling. If it weren't for the fact both kids (out of state) are on our family plan (which we pay for) and call us more often because Verizon-to-Verizon calls are free and don't even count minutes, we probably wouldn't even bother to have cell phones. I don't have a laptop or any wireless network device other than the TiVo, which isn't exactly portable so I don't expect to be able to communicate with the Leaf when I'm away from my desktop and don't see the need, although I understand the benefit for those in the situations described above.
Ah, so there are still some of us cave men out there. I got my first real cell phone only a year ago, though I had a cheap pre-pay before that for emergencies only. Mine doesn't even have a camera, for which I'm grateful. It does support text messages, but I never use them, since I don't really know how to text and they would cost something like 25 cents apiece on my plan. Yes, the alarm clock is nice. Other than that, it's just a phone with a built-in address book, and that's all I want.

My computer is a laptop, but it rarely goes anywhere with me, so I can't imagine using it to talk to my car except from home. In fact, since it almost never freezes here, the only communication I can think of that sounds useful would be a message from the car asking if I really meant to leave it unplugged tonight.
 
planet4ever said:
..., the only communication I can think of that sounds useful would be a message from the car asking if I really meant to leave it unplugged tonight.
Feel better now knowing I'm not the only "cave man" ... ;)

That "unplugged" reminder is a good idea !

But again, I would like to see something I can do with simple TXTs. Like sending Verizon a short code to get your current balance (minutes used, etc). Similarly a "STAT" text message to the car with a summary in the reply. This would be especially useful if -- for example -- we just got invited for the evening ... I biked to work, the wife's away from the car ... I need to check status before I can accept the invite (and adjust depending on situation), etc.

Again ... I know I am asking to support the "lowest common denominator" cave man style ("no child left behind" :shock: ) dumb-phone owner :oops: ... but, hey, asking can't hurt !

(Fancy technology is all good and fine and has its place. But why use "bloatware" ("memory hogs", "network bandwidth hog", etc etc), if a much more efficient app can supply 75%+ of the functionality ?)
 
Yes, I also have a "dumb" phone.
My buddy (also Reserved a LEAF) has no cell phone.

Considering that I see about 30 types of phones for sale at Radio Shack, and similar numbers at Best Buy, etc., it is hard fo me to believe that just 2 types have 90% of the cell-phone market.
 
While I can understand not everyone has an iPhone or a Droid, the world, she is a changing, and as they say, "there is nothing sure in life except death and taxes", well I can add to that, "there is nothing sure in life except for change"

today, even lowly refrigerator are "web enabled", soon the Nissan Leaf will be as well, the "ChargePoint" EVSE's (made by Coulomb) are web enabled via a cellular data network...

face it, it's hard to get away from this, and the "everything connected to the web" is just going to explode with the eventual use of IPV6, even the power companies new smart meters are web enabled.

Google Powermeter:
http://www.google.com/powermeter/about/

some utliites already have them, San Diego Gas & Electric in the US:
http://www.google.com/powermeter/about/get-powermeter.html

you can also get whole house monitoring systems as well, that use Google Power..
http://www.currentcost.net/ and TED: http://www.theenergydetective.com/store/

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/massachusetts-mulls-smart-meter-pilots-5987/

http://www.smartmeters.com/the-news/499-national-grid-plans-smart-grid-test-in-massachusetts.html
 
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