Ecotricity motorway charging point query

[user 258]

Hi

I noticed one of these in a service station so have ordered a card. However, despite reading the faq I am still confused as to which rapid charge point I should plug into. The charge points seemed to have attached cables and the faq said the car was supported by more than one.

The types it says are supported are:
AC/DC Fast Chargers
AC Medium Chargers although it says I need my own cable for this

Any suggestions?

Kind regards
Mark

 

[jaapv]

Don't use fast charge too often. It is not really good for the battery. And far too expensive.

 

[user 258]

Hi

These charging points are free to use.

Kind regards
Mark

 

[user 258]

Hi

These charging points are free to use.

Kind regards
Mark

 

[jaapv]

If the experience over here is anything to go by, they won't be for long...

 

[Graham]

Good news and bad, the Ecotricty charge sites are free to use with their free swipe card. Bad news you either use the fast charge, 80%/30 minutes, where their cable connects to the right hand socket, or you need your own cable which you may also use for the home charging unit if you have the universal version with a socket but no FOC cable. I bought my cable from EV Connectors for about £150, much cheaper than the Mitsy £300! and you can get orange.

 

[Hypermiler]

Graham
Is that the type 1 to type 2 cable that I have just bought? I suppose it must be - will look up where their chargers are and apply for a card. My cable has a little hole for a padlock to stop someone pushing the trigger to release it from the car - I did wonder how you stop people making off with it when charging in public!
H

 

[jaapv]

Put one wheel on it....

 

[user 258]

Hi

If a tethered cable from a charge point fits the connector would I be right to guess that it will charge at the highest rate that the car and charge point support and if it fits then it had to be right and won't cause any damage?

Kind regards
Mark

 

[chrisevcharging]

Hi mark
The vehicle accepts rapid charge using dc - so you need the chademo connector the bigger of the two. Ac rapid is for vehicles that have type 2 connectors as they us ac to rapid charge.
You can connect your outlander to whatever power supply you want, the onboard computer will only accept 3.3kw charge. Don't be fooled into thinking that the more power you put to it the quicker it will charge - doesn't work that way. You can't damage your vehicle by connecting it to EV charge equipment as the communicate to each other - mode 3 charging. If they didn't like each other it wouldn't charge, simples.

 

[Fergee]

I used my Ecotricity card for the first time yesterday at Charnock Richards services in Lancashire and it really is very simple.
My card arrived within a week from Ecotricity after I had submitted the form on line. The CHADdeMO DC rapid charge took about 20 minutes from flat (20% I believe) to 80%. As I only took delivery yesterday it gave me 20 minutes to read part of the manual.

Just as an aside at no point did I have to swipe my card. It was in my hand but never got closer than 6" to the reader.