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-   -   Using public EV charging station for ebike (https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=1258105)

kracksmith 09-04-22 10:47 PM

Using public EV charging station for ebike
 
I just noticed there is an adapter to use between a public EV charging station to our ebike batteries provided the ebike charger can handle the 220 or 240 voltage. My ebike battery charger says 100v to 240v 4amps. So I assume this means i can use this adapter between the tesla charging station and my 100-240v charger to charge my ebike battery. Has anybody attempted this here? if so i'll have less of a battery anxiety riding far.

https://www.evseadapters.com/product...ter-for-ebike/

Leisesturm 09-05-22 07:23 PM

I don't know. If I was looking to top up my Tesla's battery and I saw an ebike in the charging bay I might just crush it with the front wheels and/or give the owner a spanking. There are must be dozens, if not hundreds of public and semi-public 120V outlets in walking distance of nearly every urban and suburban location why would it ever be necessary to use vehicle charging stations? Plus you will need to drag your charger around. Practical? Ride within the two way range of your battery. That distance is further than you think. Unless you are using a fast charger, you will not benefit much from a public charger. And if you are using a fast charger, you are taking days off the life of your battery with every use. $85 - $99? Plus the above ... I wouldn't do it.

kracksmith 09-05-22 11:01 PM

Well I just bought it knowing I would need this as an option. Yes I'll hunt for a AC charger first but if push comes to shove, I would need to charge from a Tesla charger. When riding with a friend or even alone I can gauge how far I can go with my AH battery capacity however if I'm in a group ebike ride going 40-80 miles, then I would need to find a charging place anywhere I can charge whether its a AC outlet somewhere or a Tesla charging station close by. I do use a slow charger for at home neighboring rides using 60% of the battery by not charging over 80% and not using below 20% but riding with ebike group rides I charge it 100% and drain it to 0% plus I would bring my fast charger (4amp) with me on these group ebike rides.

mschwett 09-05-22 11:39 PM


Originally Posted by Leisesturm (Post 22637447)
I don't know. If I was looking to top up my Tesla's battery and I saw an ebike in the charging bay I might just crush it with the front wheels and/or give the owner a spanking. There are must be dozens, if not hundreds of public and semi-public 120V outlets in walking distance of nearly every urban and suburban location why would it ever be necessary to use vehicle charging stations? Plus you will need to drag your charger around. Practical? Ride within the two way range of your battery. That distance is further than you think. Unless you are using a fast charger, you will not benefit much from a public charger. And if you are using a fast charger, you are taking days off the life of your battery with every use. $85 - $99? Plus the above ... I wouldn't do it.

I’m curious where those would be. outlets in public, just sitting there?

KPREN 09-06-22 08:16 PM

I tour with an E bike. What I have found is that power is more common than food and water nearly everywhere. It does not take long touring before you become adept at sensing where they are likely to be.
A tesla charger is not exactly the kind of place I would want to set and wait for a charge.

chas58 09-08-22 05:53 AM


I don't know. If I was looking to top up my Tesla's battery and I saw an ebike in the charging bay I might just crush it with the front wheels and/or give the owner a spanking.
I was gonna say the same thing. It sounds like Tesla owners get pretty pissed off if they see what they think is an inappropriate vehicle in their charging station. Possibly because those diesel pickup guys love to troll Tesla owners and watch the reaction.

kracksmith 09-08-22 08:41 AM

I am not a Tesla owner nor would I want to go that route for a vehicle transportation over combustion engine as it don't make sense, hybrid makes sense though. As mentioned I will only use the Tesla charger if I don't see any AC outlets, and I won't purposefully look for a Tesla charger without looking hard for a AC outlet. With that said, are Tesla or other public EV station always full or not too many of these, and will they really get that upset I use it for an ebike charge? I mean, there is not law stating I can't use the Tesla or public EV charger for my ebike, and both EV and Ebike owners has the same thoughts of going green right.

Ridinglurker 09-08-22 09:19 AM

Don't you have to be signed up or pay otherwise to use EV chargers? They don't just give out free electricity without having communicated with the car.

That signing up and needing apps is a big hassle for EV unlike gas stations where you just slide a creditcard.

You technically also shouldn't just plug into 120V outlets you find without the owners consent. That is theft. You slso should not pump gasoline out of someone's car without their consent. What makes you think you can just take electricity unless there is a specific sign allowing it?

kracksmith 09-08-22 09:23 AM

Your right too about public AC outlets. I don't know what to do now then if giving this choice it's better for me to find a public EV charger then, and it looks like I can just use my credit card. I'll just deal with the Tesla owners until I come up with a solution.

mschwett 09-08-22 09:29 AM


Originally Posted by kracksmith (Post 22640302)
..::I mean, there is not law stating I can't use the Tesla or public EV charger for my ebike, and both EV and Ebike owners has the same thoughts of going green right.

sure there are. lots of laws. the tesla superchargers are private property, the land is under private ownership, and using it without their permission is a bunch of illegal things.

as i understand it tesla has only piloted non-tesla use of their superchargers in a few locations, not including the US.

i’m sure some of the more generic ones are actually open to anyone who pays for the juice, but it’s worth noting they’re no more “public” than a gas station. open to the public, but private property.

kracksmith 09-08-22 09:41 AM

so i think this one is valid for all to use for electric charging provided we have a credit card to charge to, https://www.plugshare.com/

CliffordK 09-08-22 10:41 AM

J1772 is NOT a Tesla Charger!!!

Make sure you find the station that you need.

There is a bit of a mess of charging standards in the USA.

https://greentransportation.info/ev-...Connectors.png

J1772 is common for the Level 1 and Level 2 chargers (110V and 220V) that there was an early push to distribute to shopping malls. Yet it certainly isn't universal in the USA.

Teslas use a different type of plug.

The latest push is for DC charging stations (Superchargers). They push out far more power than your bike can handle.

While some chargers are free, most of them are now commercial and require some kind of subscription.

I haven't toured with an E-Bike. Plan ahead for the plethora of different outlets that are available such as RV plugs at campgrounds. I was at an exhibit with a group that had an E-Trike. They removed the battery and plugged it in at the restroom (which took forever to recharge).

Leisesturm 09-09-22 12:28 PM


Originally Posted by CliffordK (Post 22640470)
I was at an exhibit with a group that had an E-Trike. They removed the battery and plugged it in at the restroom (which took forever to recharge).

Exactly. The 120V outlets are out there. Supervised and unsupervised. The amount of electricity used is minimal and many of the first generation charging stations were free in light of that. Pun intended. That said, the need for too many owners of EV's of all sizes and shapes, is to want to treat them like gas cars that fill up when the tank runs dry, or nearly so. Big fail. Lithium batteries absorb power too slowly for that kind of use regime. A charger that forces power into a battery such that you can get a usable amount of power in, say, an hour or two is destroying that battery every time it is used. Ride within the range of your battery or don't bother with an e-bike or you will be as frustrated as the o.p. of this thread is. Long distance touring is not yet a use paradigm that can be supported by e-assist battery technology in 2022.

CliffordK 09-09-22 12:41 PM


Originally Posted by Leisesturm (Post 22641668)
Long distance touring is not yet a use paradigm that can be supported by e-assist battery technology in 2022.

It may not be too far off. Plan the trip for say 100 miles a day. Full Service campgrounds when one can (110V or 220v charging overnight). Occasionally snag a motel, and bring the bike in for 110V charging.

J1772 charging would only be for emergencies when you miss a campground. Or perhaps to top off when stopping at a restaurant.

kracksmith 09-09-22 12:43 PM

Thanks that was well said. I went to buy 2 of these batteries instead of 1 big one. Including my 8ah with these 2, it'll give me 24ah. With smaller batteries it'll be easier to carry and mount plus it can be brought with me to charge not only outside AC but inside AC as well. If not, Ill ride within my 24ah battery capacity in group ebike rides such as 30-40 miles limit. The EV adapter I bought would be for emergencies use, for one off EV charging but won't use it often like a gas station scenario.

https://bicyclemotorworks.com/produc...-bike-battery/

mschwett 09-09-22 01:27 PM


Originally Posted by Leisesturm (Post 22641668)
... Long distance touring is not yet a use paradigm that can be supported by e-assist battery technology in 2022.

i guess it depends how much support and how long of a distance. if i use my motor just to help with hills, strong headwinds, or the occasional bonk the range is 300+ miles. not that hard to plan a trip with a charging stop every couple days.

my longest single ride in which i used assist was 118 miles and i only used 93wh of power.

so it really depends what you mean by "supported by e-assist." used sparingly rather than to increase speeds constantly the tech is reliable, mature, and only imposes about a 10lb weight penalty.

kracksmith 09-09-22 02:37 PM

Others can answer your post but my 2cents is the ebike owner masses don't ride how an athlete would ride such as you. Your eibke gear weight is only 10lbs but my ebike weight is 47lbs but most ebikes are much heavier such as 65lbs and up. A non athlete pedaling just regular is a challenge let alone additional ebike gear weight would be close to impossible for greater distance without the throttle. I tried using more PAS or regular pedaling many times but it's tiring plus hitting the throttle is much more enjoyable. So for me, I like to use my ebikes to cover a larger distance with less pedaling effort to enjoy my outings, so not really using this for exercise but rather its for fun.

mschwett 09-09-22 02:42 PM


Originally Posted by kracksmith (Post 22641777)
Leisesturm can answer your post but my 2cents is the ebike owner masses don't ride how an athlete would ride such as you. Your eibke gear weight is only 10lbs but my ebike weight is 47lbs but most ebikes are much heavier such as 65lbs and up. A non athlete pedaling just regular is a challenge let alone additional ebike gear weight would be close to impossible for greater distance without the throttle. I tried using more PAS or regular pedaling many times but it's tiring plus hitting the throttle is much more enjoyable. So for me, I like to use my ebikes to cover a larger distance with less pedaling effort to enjoy my outings, so not really using this for exercise but rather its for fun.

fair, but the beauty of a bicycle is that once rolling it really isn't about weight as much as it's about speed. i think a lot of people are capable of riding a bike on level ground without assist at 10-15mph, even a fairly heavy bike. the smaller and lighter motors then unlock the ability to continue to do so up a hill, which i'd agree is beyond the reach of many/maybe most people, especially with a heavy bike.

KPREN 09-10-22 06:37 AM


Originally Posted by Leisesturm (Post 22641668)
Exactly. The 120V outlets are out there. Supervised and unsupervised. The amount of electricity used is minimal and many of the first generation charging stations were free in light of that. Pun intended. That said, the need for too many owners of EV's of all sizes and shapes, is to want to treat them like gas cars that fill up when the tank runs dry, or nearly so. Big fail. Lithium batteries absorb power too slowly for that kind of use regime. A charger that forces power into a battery such that you can get a usable amount of power in, say, an hour or two is destroying that battery every time it is used. Ride within the range of your battery or don't bother with an e-bike or you will be as frustrated as the o.p. of this thread is. Long distance touring is not yet a use paradigm that can be supported by e-assist battery technology in 2022.

If you have a large enough battery, charging fast enough can put enough power into the battery in an hour to make a big difference. My most usage for a single day was 4080 watt hours for 144 miles. Weight was over 400lbs into a stiff headwind. See the account here Wadsworth Ohio to Buckley Mi: Day 1: Off my game right from the start (topicwise.com)
I have learned a lot since and am lightening the load considerably. I intend to do the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route next summer unsupported. To my knowledge is has only be done with solar charging and considerable wait time. I don't want the weight times. I will be mostly camping and want 60-80 miles a day. The longest stretch without power is probably 135 miles. I will also have the 4 lb poodle with me. Care to join me? The gazebo in the background has power outlets to charge.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9246dfc1e4.jpg
Power at gazebo in square with coffee/bakery shop

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c181235fa0.jpg
Bike with dog and backpack for dog

Leisesturm 09-10-22 09:45 AM

Dude. OMG. You could make your life a lot easier if you lose the fatties and roll on something more reasonable like ... 2.4"? Even 2.8 'plus size' is plenty of cush for what you are doing.

KPREN 09-10-22 11:59 AM


Originally Posted by Leisesturm (Post 22642383)
Dude. OMG. You could make your life a lot easier if you lose the fatties and roll on something more reasonable like ... 2.4"? Even 2.8 'plus size' is plenty of cush for what you are doing.

Oh you mean like this picture charging at a park pavilion. Here I am rolling 29" Schwalbe G-One Al-Round 2.35" For GDMBR I am leaning towards Schwalbe Johnny Watt 29" X 2.6" on 42mm rims
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f733d18639.jpg
Park Pavilion Charge, Millersburg Oh

Leisesturm 09-10-22 07:35 PM


Originally Posted by KPREN (Post 22642509)
Oh you mean like this picture charging at a park pavilion?

Yes. Like that.


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