Christmas travel - help!

[Archev]

I've got a concert on the Friday evening. That's the problem. I volunteered to do a flute solo before I'd quite twigged what day it was, and I can't back out now. My original plan to do it on the Thursday lies in ruins. Setting off for an overnight journey following the concert isn't really on. I'd be a danger on the roads. And even if I got up at stupid o'clock on Saturday morning, I still wouldn't get to Penrith before the local rush started. And I'm not getting up at stupid o'clock on Saturday morning. With the packing I have to do, and the cat (packing for him is worse than taking a baby on the road, I tell you), I'll be lucky to get away by eleven (I intend to leave by ten, but...)

Also, there's an element of pride here. I don't want to arrive at my friends' house at a weird time of day, because I had to travel at a weird time because of my new electric car.

I'm just making up my mind to go to Penrith and park myself in whatever queue there is for these two Instavolts. At least in an EV I can keep the heater on.

Discussing Lee MacMaster's latest escapade on Twitter, someone said there had been five-hour queues for chargers in Cornwall in August. I don't really know if I believe him.

The “Charge of the Flautist and the Feline”
This epic tale has us on the edge of our seats.

 

[Rolfe]

Be careful. I might start telling you all about the (probably illicit) arrangement I made of John Rutter's "Shepherd's Pipe Carol" by finding the piccolo part from a reduced orchestration Rutter did himself, re-scoring that for flute, then removing these notes from the piano reduction in the standard carol book...

My teacher has played the piccolo part in a proper full orchestra performance, and he spent some time yesterday showing me the cheat fingerings for some of the tricky trill sections. I can't back out now! The choir is already learning the voice parts.

And that, readers, is why I have resigned myself to spending a significant slice of 23rd December in the car park of Booth's in Penrith.

 

[Grriff]

At least you won't have to cope with self-service tills (links to BBC News).

 

[Gomev]

I think that must depend on where you are and what the surrounding chargers are like. There are really only three sites that make any sense on this journey, and the one that has 12 connectors and so is least likely to be afflicted by queues is also the earliest, which still might not get me enough to get all the way to my destination. Charging speed will also be affected by a relatively high starting SoC. So if I charge there I might have to queue again anyway.

..

Unless of course everyone thinks the same. Last Christmas news items it was the big banks of chargers that had the queues and the little lonely just out the way chargers that were sitting empty.

 

[Rolfe]

Unless of course everyone thinks the same. Last Christmas news items it was the big banks of chargers that had the queues and the little lonely just out the way chargers that were sitting empty.

That had occurred to me too! Oddly though, the Carlisle Ionitys don't seem to come up on the radar very readily. They're at a service station called "Truckstop" which is generally flagged as not having facilities for private cars, and I had no idea they were there until someone commenting on that daft MacMaster video where he went to Southwaite for no readily apparent reason (four old Gridserve connectors, one a CHAdeMO) although he had said he was going to Ionitys for preference, asked him why the hell he hadn't gone there. (He left Southwaite and went all the way to Gretna instead, where he went for the four Ionitys there rather than the 12 Applegreens, and more mayhem resulted.) I said "what 12 Ionitys?" and was put right.

Another theory I have is that the naive wall-box people go out on the motorway and just think about the service stations, maybe not knowing about Booth's and places like that. They can clog up Southwaite and wait there if they like, I'm not even going there.

At least you won't have to cope with self-service tills (links to BBC News).

That's good. I wish more supermarkets would listen to customers in that respect. If I'm only going in for one or two things I might use one, but for a big shop they're pernicious. I'd rather wrestle with a recalcitrant BP Pulse charger than one of these things.

 

[Shrink Proof]

When some supermarket staff member tries to shepherd me away from the staffed checkout and towards a bank of unused self-service tills:-

"I'd rather not use them if you don't mind - they're designed to put supermarket staff like you out of work. Unless you'd like me to go along with that..."

 

[Archev]

When some supermarket staff member tries to shepherd me away from the staffed checkout and towards a bank of unused self-service tills:-

"I'd rather not use them if you don't mind - they're designed to put supermarket staff like you out of work. Unless you'd like me to go along with that..."

I just long to be asked for proof of age again

 

[Rolfe]

I remember a cross assistant at a W H Smith in a shopping centre somewhere telling me that was all wrong and they actually needed more staff with the self-service tills. Aye, right. She was certainly having to put everyone's purchases through for them, but obviously the idea was to get everyone used to DIY and then sack her.

I just long to be asked for proof of age again

Try getting on a bus...

 

[Archev]

Try getting on a bus...

I was going to take the freeby bus pass route to Tyndrum today (car went the wrong way the other day and ended up in Fife ‘cos the weather was better)
Forecast good for Tyndrum today and it is truly glorious, a powder of sugary snow setting the hills off against a perfect blue sky - just like always . Sitting having roast beef in the Welly . Delicious. Trying to decide which way to go back. The underfloor ’lecky store has around 90 miles so all is good.

 

[Rolfe]

Lovely! I just had to walk up the village to collect Caliban from the garage where they were sorting out the pig's ear they made of putting on the winter tyres (swapped two wheels) and it ain't hald parky. Lovely autumn colours on the trees. Perthsire will be looking its best.

 

[Gomev]

...

Another theory I have is that the naive wall-box people go out on the motorway and just think about the service stations, maybe not knowing about Booth's and places like that. They can clog up Southwaite and wait there if they like, I'm not even going there.

Precisely. Us'old hands' and I'm a relative newbie compared to quite a number on here used to avoid motorway chargers like the plague (unless you were Chademo). There was only the odd Ecotricity at service stations and they never worked anyway, so our mindset was always find the charger just off the motorway.
However as EVs have become so popular now the new owners, many of which I reckon have never researched before buying, have never had to consider this and blindly assume motorway charging should be as good as motorway fuelling..... only to be disappointed.

 

[Rolfe]

I went to Southwaite when I did the same journey in May and it was fine. Midweek, and I was the only car at the chargers. In fact I could have used some experienced help. But I don't think three CCS and one CHAdeMO is going to cut it at Christmas. They're only 50 Kw too, whereas the Booth's shop in Penrith has 125 Kw. I'm getting cuter at finding chargers that have a higher capability than my car, and so charge faster than the 50 Kw ones.

 

[Archev]

Lovely! I just had to walk up the village to collect Caliban from the garage where they were sorting out the pig's ear they made of putting on the winter tyres (swapped two wheels) and it ain't hald parky. Lovely autumn colours on the trees. Perthsire will be looking its best.

It’s been a glorious day but could have been even better. Just found out my daughter and her dog Ruby were out in the hills around Strathyre all day with one of her ladies walking groups so I missed a free lunch ?? - luckily she took a few pictures as I was just overawed (and driving)
Note the snow on the hills, I passed a car transporter with heavily snow covered cars, and all my local roads here are gritted tonight- take care out there people It’s coming for us.

 

[Archev]

I started today with 70% approx showing about 170 miles on the guessometer. Waze says 68 miles to the Green Welly stop in Tyndrum. It’s a lovely A road after a bit of M9 motorway and suitably twisty and hilly, just perfect. a wee twinge in the right foot can fairly put you past the trucks and tourists, especially on the really hilly bits like lovely. Glen Ogle, but reduces the range a bit. Then the Long downhills help by topping up a little.
So, when I reversed into the drive, the culmination of today’s beautiful jaunt had the GOM proclaiming four miles were available at about 3%. There was a hearty sigh of relief from both me and Magnette when I plugged the charge cable in. It was just about the tail end of my daytime (12:30 to 4:30) off peak period so nothing much was transferre, but the app says it’ll come back on at 8:00pm and the vehicle will be ready, fully charged and balanced, at 9:00 am tomorrow .
Now that gives me a dilemma as we’re told not to have these batteries sitting much above 80% for very long. So what direction / where can a bloke skive off to for a 10 to 20% run on a Saturday morning .
Dam - and I wanted to do housework as well.

 

[Rolfe]

Lovely pictures, looks like a great day out.

I'm finding the range of my LFP battery has dropped a lot in this cold weather, but I just take it into account when planning. I got back from Glasgow on 33% as opposed to my usual 47% a week or two ago. It will probably get worse, but I'm not worried. If it's looking tight (and I don't expect it to get that bad) I'll just hook up to one of the type 2 chargers in the car park while I'm there.

Winter is certainly threatening us here at 800 feet up. Hoar frost on the roof when I woke up this morning, and it's going to be sub-zero again tomorrow night.

I know that sigh of relief. At 4% and (allegedly) eight miles, when I plugged in to the village rapid charger on my way back from a jaunt to practise using the ACC. I needed an excuse for a joy-ride, you see. Caliban was overtaking at 80 when the SoC was at 5%, so I don't know precisely when these cars decide to become turtles. (I had indicated that I believed we had enough miles to get home at 10% though.)

 

[Archev]

Lovely pictures, looks like a great day out.

I'm finding the range of my LFP battery has dropped a lot in this cold weather, but I just take it into account when planning. I got back from Glasgow on 33% as opposed to my usual 47% a week or two ago. It will probably get worse, but I'm not worried. If it's looking tight (and I don't expect it to get that bad) I'll just hook up to one of the type 2 chargers in the car park while I'm there.

Winter is certainly threatening us here at 800 feet up. Hoar frost on the roof when I woke up this morning, and it's going to be sub-zero again tomorrow night.

I know that sigh of relief. At 4% and (allegedly) eight miles, when I plugged in to the village rapid charger on my way back from a jaunt to practise using the ACC. I needed an excuse for a joy-ride, you see. Caliban was overtaking at 80 when the SoC was at 5%, so I don't know precisely when these cars decide to become turtles. (I had indicated that I believed we had enough miles to get home at 10% though.)

Never had turtles show up or anything like that. But just as I turned off the M9 at Grangemouth I got a message on the driver screen not to accelerate rapidly below 5% or words to that effect. Other than than the remaining mile or two was uneventful.

 

[Gadget Geek]

I always though it was a tortoise for electric cars and turtles for electric boats.

 

[Archev]

I always though it was a tortoise for electric cars and turtles for electric boats.

They’ll be stuffed in America then ‘cos they seem to call them all turtles. Anyway look out for the Corries song about the guy who tows his tortoise home.

The Corries --- The Tortoise

Check out www.corries.com for Corries DVDs and CDs

www.google.com

 

[Rolfe]

Never had turtles show up or anything like that. But just as I turned off the M9 at Grangemouth I got a message on the driver screen not to accelerate rapidly below 5% or words to that effect. Other than than the remaining mile or two was uneventful.

Never saw that. I got a question at about 10% saying did I want to go into power-saving mode. I checked range and distance home and said no. Not another cheep out of the car till I got to the charger on 4%, including a very brisk overtake at 5%. But while at the charger I noticed several pleas to "charge immediately" had appeared.

Poor Caliban must have been getting worried!

 

[Archev]

I started today with 70% approx showing about 170 miles on the guessometer. Waze says 68 miles to the Green Welly stop in Tyndrum. It’s a lovely A road after a bit of M9 motorway and suitably twisty and hilly, just perfect. a wee twinge in the right foot can fairly put you past the trucks and tourists, especially on the really hilly bits like lovely. Glen Ogle, but reduces the range a bit. Then the Long downhills help by topping up a little.
So, when I reversed into the drive, the culmination of today’s beautiful jaunt had the GOM proclaiming four miles were available at about 3%. There was a hearty sigh of relief from both me and Magnette when I plugged the charge cable in. It was just about the tail end of my daytime (12:30 to 4:30) off peak period so nothing much was transferre, but the app says it’ll come back on at 8:00pm and the vehicle will be ready, fully charged and balanced, at 9:00 am tomorrow .
Now that gives me a dilemma as we’re told not to have these batteries sitting much above 80% for very long. So what direction / where can a bloke skive off to for a 10 to 20% run on a Saturday morning .
Dam - and I wanted to do housework as well.

Just noticed the car is now slurping hard on its feeding tube. That’s almost two and a quarter hours the Rolec charger says it’s been passing the power over and tells me that’s now 19.83 kWh in to the charge and still promises the car will be ready and raring to go by 09:00. So that’s a grand picture of the emerging clean world dominating travelers delight.
Now that will put me in the potential area of the dendroid demons trying to jump over my battery’s innards. As I said i shall need to reduce the power storage a bit to protect things. I’ve chosen the absolute perfect way to help the battery, save the planet and have some fun all at the same time.
I’ll drive to Lochgelly over in the Kingdom of Fife taking the long way via Kincardine bridge to check the progress with the destruction of the remnants of the coal power station at Longannet, the huge chimney of which was blown out of our view of the Ochil hills years ago. Then on to Lochgelly Raceway. There I’ll revel in the destruction of the dinosaur juice giants.
Yes I’m going stock car racing .
I’ll check out the difference in pollution churned out by their petrol burners, oil leaks, clutch and brake dust outputs etc etc and compare that to my delighted preferences for wind and solar generated motion and regen enhanced clean retardation.
My overriding dilemma is choosing whether to have lunch enroute there or dinner on the way home ?