charging an EV at a campground

Reisender wrote:

3 tons wrote:
Another summertime issue in many campgrounds is sure to be that EV charging may preempt the ability of others to operate their air conditioning… As temperatures rise to to 100’s (uh-o :( !!), this is sure to test the mental metal of otherwise friendly fee-paying for services campers…

3 tons - mostly (happily!) :) off-the-grid…

(full disclosure, 400a/hr LFP, 660w rooftop solar - newly added 360w of portable MPPT PV..)

I read this twice and I’m not sure I understand. Why would using an RV pedestal to charge a car pre-empt someone else on another site from running an AC? Maybe I misunderstood this.

For starters, an AC unit for an rv, from that pedestal would hit 18-30 amps for only a few seconds before dropping down to about half those numbers, allowing others to similarly use the power source.
Your EV is a CONSTANT watt sucking plague drawing near the max wattage for every second possible.
Does that accurately describe the EV?
Yes I know the language seems harsh, but this is the root of the issue.
The long continuous draw of the EV charger is the problem.

3 tons wrote:
Reisender said, “When we charge in a campground we are almost always on a 30 amp site. Our car can’t pull more than 24 amps. Literally can’t trip the breaker. But our little trailer can. Between AC, hot water, fridge, converter, microwave etc etc. Easy to pop the breaker.”

Well, I’m old enough to recall the gas rationing of the 70’s (due to OPEC), snd the long lines at the service stations (even and odd days, etc) and saw more than one uber heated argument (and WORSE!)…Are we to suppose that human nature has by now evolved enough to avert such hostile interpersonal behavior??

3 tons

When the US went off the gold standard and the value of the dollar dropped relative to other currencies it just made the imports more expensive. Then came gasoline price controls.

There was never a shortage. The tankers were lined up at sea to unload and price controls limited what the oil companies were willing to spend. All we had was domestic oil and that was not enough to go around at the time.

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

Tvov wrote:
Wow... FIVE days to charge on a 120 outlet?? I knew they took awhile, but not that long. Then they switched to the 50amp, and the charging time dropped to 14 hours... yikes, still I did not know they took that long.

For some reason I thought a 120 outlet would be like an overnight charge, not 5 days.

My wife's electric car will charge overnight. But then again it's a PIHB and only has a 30 mile range. I believe it charges around 1.25kwh/hour. In any event she plugs it in when she gets home from work and it's at 100% charge when she gets up to go to work the next morning. This is on a typical 110 circuit.

AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT AN EV IS GOOD FOR.
Inner city/urban commuter. Beyond that they are useless to all but a hand full who are willing to mold their lives around charging the car for the next few miles.

time2roll wrote:

3 tons wrote:
Another summertime issue in many campgrounds is sure to be that EV charging may preempt the ability of others to operate their air conditioning… As temperatures rise to to 100’s (uh-o :( !!), this is sure to test the mental metal of otherwise friendly fee-paying for services campers…

3 tons - mostly (happily!) :) off-the-grid…

(full disclosure, 400a/hr LFP, 660w rooftop solar - newly added 360w of portable MPPT PV..)

Generally the EV can charge after the sun goes down and the A/C cooling load is reduced. Can we ever just get along?

Who generally will enforce such a policy? The charging police? Park Ranger? Buffo the clown? How about the honor system?

There are piles of rules, especially at state and fed campgrounds that go un-enforced. No alcohol and not bringing in outside firewood are two examples, for a whole myriad of reasons not the least is staffing levels. With today's me first mentality, which is inherent to a lot of the EV save the planet greenie crowd, good luck.

3 tons wrote:
Reisender said, “When we charge in a campground we are almost always on a 30 amp site. Our car can’t pull more than 24 amps. Literally can’t trip the breaker. But our little trailer can. Between AC, hot water, fridge, converter, microwave etc etc. Easy to pop the breaker.”

Well, I’m old enough to recall the gas rationing of the 70’s (due to OPEC), snd the long lines at the service stations (even and odd days, etc) and saw more than one uber heated argument (and WORSE!)…Are we to suppose that human nature has by now evolved enough to avert such hostile interpersonal behavior??

3 tons

LOL :). I hear ya. :).

Feel free to just write me off as a cynic, but my mind can’t undo what I witnessed in the 70’s…Trust that I wouldn’t at all mind bring wrong, but even before the days of Socrates, human nature seems pretty consistent and predictable - I thereby rest my case…

3 tons

toedtows said, “I agree. I think the "too much power for the campground infrastructure" argument is partially flawed.

It is correct in that if a person plugs in BOTH their RV and their EV, they are possibly putting more pull on the infrastructure than most other campers.

However, in that most campground infrastructures are ALREADY underpowered for campers' RV only usage, then the rare EV isn't really doing more than what is already happening on a holiday weekend in 100+ degree temps.

I think we can all agree that campground infrastructures are for the majority not able to handle the load for a campground at full capacity RV usage.

With more and more RVs using residential fridges, multiple ACs, multiple 120v appliances, etc, I doubt an EV only campsite is pulling more power than an RV only campsite. And, as most EVs are only capable of pulling small trailers, you aren't likely to see one campsite pulling power to charge the EV plus run 2+ ACs, 2 televisions, a microwave, coffee maker, hair dryer, electric fireplace heater, electric blanket, etc. “


Really?? I’m sure you’ll have no problem explaining such a uber rational position to an angry neighbor or two who’s suddenly prevented from cooling off their RV - this is where ‘the rational’ gets introduced to the Mr irrational…

3 tons - armed with bear spray - lol

3 tons wrote:
Another summertime issue in many campgrounds is sure to be that EV charging may preempt the ability of others to operate their air conditioning… As temperatures rise to to 100’s (uh-o :( !!), this is sure to test the mental metal of otherwise friendly fee-paying for services campers…

3 tons - mostly (happily!) :) off-the-grid…

(full disclosure, 400a/hr LFP, 660w rooftop solar - newly added 360w of portable MPPT PV..)

Generally the EV can charge after the sun goes down and the A/C cooling load is reduced. Can we ever just get along?

Reisender wrote:

PButler96 wrote:

Reisender wrote:

3 tons wrote:
Another summertime issue in many campgrounds is sure to be that EV charging may preempt the ability of others to operate their air conditioning… As temperatures rise to to 100’s (uh-o :( !!), this is sure to test the mental metal of otherwise friendly fee-paying for services campers…

3 tons - mostly (happily!) :) off-the-grid…

(full disclosure, 400a/hr LFP, 660w rooftop solar - newly added 360w of portable MPPT PV..)

I read this twice and I’m not sure I understand. Why would using an RV pedestal to charge a car pre-empt someone else on another site from running an AC? Maybe I misunderstood this.

Because there is a finite capacity in campground wiring, in most cases installed prior to today where everyone has to have a huge monster of an RV with 2 or 3 air conditioners, heat pumps, electric clothes dryers etc.

The vast majority of places I have been have had issues such as low voltage on crowded weekends etc.

Ah ok. I don’t know though. We drove a pusher for 18 years. On hot days with the various systems running that sucker gobbled up the electrons.

When we charge in a campground we are almost always on a 30 amp site. Our car can’t pull more than 24 amps. Literally can’t trip the breaker. But our little trailer can. Between AC, hot water, fridge, converter, microwave etc etc. Easy to pop the breaker. And if the voltage drops the trailer just pulls harder. The car automatically current limits to 18 or 12 amps if the voltage drops to 111 ish volts.

Jmho. Not an expert.

John

I agree. I think the "too much power for the campground infrastructure" argument is partially flawed.

It is correct in that if a person plugs in BOTH their RV and their EV, they are possibly putting more pull on the infrastructure than most other campers.

However, in that most campground infrastructures are ALREADY underpowered for campers' RV only usage, then the rare EV isn't really doing more than what is already happening on a holiday weekend in 100+ degree temps.

I think we can all agree that campground infrastructures are for the majority not able to handle the load for a campground at full capacity RV usage.

With more and more RVs using residential fridges, multiple ACs, multiple 120v appliances, etc, I doubt an EV only campsite is pulling more power than an RV only campsite. And, as most EVs are only capable of pulling small trailers, you aren't likely to see one campsite pulling power to charge the EV plus run 2+ ACs, 2 televisions, a microwave, coffee maker, hair dryer, electric fireplace heater, electric blanket, etc.

Reisender said, “When we charge in a campground we are almost always on a 30 amp site. Our car can’t pull more than 24 amps. Literally can’t trip the breaker. But our little trailer can. Between AC, hot water, fridge, converter, microwave etc etc. Easy to pop the breaker.”

Well, I’m old enough to recall the gas rationing of the 70’s (due to OPEC), snd the long lines at the service stations (even and odd days, etc) and saw more than one uber heated argument (and WORSE!)…Are we to suppose that human nature has by now evolved enough to avert such hostile interpersonal behavior??

3 tons