Gonville
Well-known member
Journey two – long road south
Having detailed the exploration journey last Sunday it was time to make a journey of purpose from Sheffield to Farnborough in Hampshire. Apologies that this isn't the northbound Scotland trip.
Sheffield 07:01. Half term week, quiet traffic, that was the hope. Early start. Again a plan was necessary. All the charging points had been visited on Sunday to see which ones were working/not working. Attempting to avoid the rush hour around London. Checked Ecotricty map and the beta for latest status. Checked Plugshare.
Trowell Southbound 07:49. Arrive here with 46% which is good. In reality it would be possible to get to Leicester without a stop but this is a safety banker. 385v 110amps no sign of the low charge issue with the i3 warned about by Ecotricity. Leave at 8:02, 13 minute charge back to 78% down to 40amps charging current.
LeicesterForest East - Southbound 08:41. Arrive here with 52% and time for a tea and breakfast refuel. 390v 111A. Time for eating which will allow the rush hour flow to subside further south. I watch from the bridge to make sure that I am not blocking anyone. For the first time on a weekday I see a PHEV Outlander arrive. YT15 ESF. Leave a ChargeBump sticker. I have a feeling that the LEAF brigade all focus on weekend trips out, local commuting during the work day on local journeys. Set off and reach Daventry at 09:48 which is when I have recorded a consumption high (low) of 5.0 mi/kWh.
Newport Pagnell 10:13. Arrive with 56% start charging at 386V and 110A. Again a card is not needed as its not communicating with the internet. Today not needing to check the BMW site so check Beaconsfield status. CCS is marked as unavailable on the beta but Ecotricity Web map says its up.
South from Milton Keynes it looks like the M25 is still jammed and the radio says that it might be clear by 12:00. Traffic systems say leave M1 and go cross country to Beaconsfield however this would take a lot of extra time. I had planned to be at Farnborough for a coffee with colleagues before 13:00. Normally this would have worked but the go slow gets slower. Make a recalculation of how far it is to Farnborough and it looks like I can reach it without another charge session. Decide to stick with the M1/M25/M3. This results in missing my coffee slot but I rearrange for 16:30 and plan to go to my second meeting first. M3 is 50mph the whole way!
Farnborough 13:15. Later than expected a very slow journey but ultimately very efficient. Make use of a level 2 charger that was previously installed under OLEV and is powered by solar panels. The sun is out. Make good progress and arrive for my second meeting with a 73 mile range remaining. Complete my 2nd coffee meeting and set off north at around 19:00. Due to the late hour forego the opportunity to try the SSE charger at the Esso station. Irony. Tachometer says 4:41h travelled 196 miles 5.2 mi/kWh so far. M25 looks jammed so decide to reach for Beaconsfield rather than try to get back to Newport Pagnell as that northbound charger is reported as dead with some negatives on Plugshare. Make an unlucky decision to travel past the Legoland park. Massive jam northbound of all those grandparents on half term duty. I conclude that the mornings traffic peak being long past rush hour was due to the same on journeys to Thorpe Park and Legoland.
Beaconsfield 19:59. is really is a very nice service area but at this time of night it is completely overrun. Out the door queue for Starbucks. As a result of slow travel have 65% remaining. The CCS is problematic. Gives me the “precharging” stuck problem. Flashing red on the vehicle. This gives me an issue as I can’t get to Milton Keynes without a reasonable charge. I note that the last reading was 99% charge 384 minutes 18kWh? Who does that? I was reading the Plugshare comments and that suggested the old trick of starting the Chademo first to get things warmed up. Fans whir and it clicks and then errors. Then try the CCS again. As a hopeful idea I wiggle the plug, rather than lifting it as for AC43, and lo and behold it clicks in with blue flashing lights and we are away. I subsequently read that voltages are sensitive so I am thinking the connectors need a wee bit of abrasion to get a good contact at that initialisation stage. Again once its started no need to touch it. Drink water go for a wander. I come back to find an Outlander on the other post and a LEAF just arriving. Talk for a few minutes with the Outlander guy. He tells me the M25 was fine. Annoying. He travels from M23/M25/M40 commute every day and is topping off for 20 minutes. He stays with the vehicle as he knows it will take between 20 and 23 minutes and he wants to get home. He has saved £1000 in fuel in the first 5,000 miles and has use only three quarters of the 50 litre tank. Charges every night for £1. Wish him well and donate a ChargeBump tax disc and tell him about the beta site.
Milton Keynes - Northfield 21:40. I had intended to do Newport Pagnell North but chicken out and go to the point I reached on Sunday as a safer bet. Again the charger shows the previous session, must be Chademo as the cables on the other side have not moved since I left them, 300+ minutes 99% and some small number of kWh. I wonder if a Tesla has been here or if they just leave a LEAF on all during the working day? Milton Keynes is full of points but I haven’t recced off the M1 north of these services. Arrive with 59% thinking of how to bridge back to Leicester given that I have never ever made the LFE North CCS work in 4 times of trying. Charge at 391V 110A. Wait until I have it down to 13amps. Decide to visit the services.
Newport Pagnell - Northbound. I try to make it work with a wiggle but there is no success. Ecotricity map is correct. Standard “pre charging” error. Set off to Leicester but not sure if I can get to my favourite Trowell 81 miles away if LFE is bust again. 55 miles is not a difficulty with these temperatures and low consumption figures.
LeicesterForest East – Northbound 23:56. Arrive with 43% not quite enough to get to Trowell in the event of a failure. Start working out how many minutes on the AC I would need as it is already late. Fingers crossed for the Chademo trick and the circular wiggle. Guess what? That works. I am officially shocked and astonished and walk away from the blue flashing light for a coffee and bacon butty. All anxiety alleviated. 380V 110A. Stay for 34 minutes and 11.6 kWh.
Trowell Northbound 00:28. No other EVs. Cables again a mess. The phantom charger has been here before me. Display says 93%, 423 min. and 16.0 kWh. Who on earth is doing this? I have 65% at start of charge which is proably enough to get to Sheffield so next time will skip this if LFE works again. 378v 29A. Leave at 00:44 after 14 minutes and 6.3 kWh.
Sheffield. 01:31 much later than expected half due to traffic and half due to extra stops which I won’t need next time. Total stats 8:56m 380 mi 4.7 mi/kWh 43.7 mph.
Next - the journey North - Gateshead and Glasgow
Having detailed the exploration journey last Sunday it was time to make a journey of purpose from Sheffield to Farnborough in Hampshire. Apologies that this isn't the northbound Scotland trip.
Sheffield 07:01. Half term week, quiet traffic, that was the hope. Early start. Again a plan was necessary. All the charging points had been visited on Sunday to see which ones were working/not working. Attempting to avoid the rush hour around London. Checked Ecotricty map and the beta for latest status. Checked Plugshare.
Trowell Southbound 07:49. Arrive here with 46% which is good. In reality it would be possible to get to Leicester without a stop but this is a safety banker. 385v 110amps no sign of the low charge issue with the i3 warned about by Ecotricity. Leave at 8:02, 13 minute charge back to 78% down to 40amps charging current.
LeicesterForest East - Southbound 08:41. Arrive here with 52% and time for a tea and breakfast refuel. 390v 111A. Time for eating which will allow the rush hour flow to subside further south. I watch from the bridge to make sure that I am not blocking anyone. For the first time on a weekday I see a PHEV Outlander arrive. YT15 ESF. Leave a ChargeBump sticker. I have a feeling that the LEAF brigade all focus on weekend trips out, local commuting during the work day on local journeys. Set off and reach Daventry at 09:48 which is when I have recorded a consumption high (low) of 5.0 mi/kWh.
Newport Pagnell 10:13. Arrive with 56% start charging at 386V and 110A. Again a card is not needed as its not communicating with the internet. Today not needing to check the BMW site so check Beaconsfield status. CCS is marked as unavailable on the beta but Ecotricity Web map says its up.
South from Milton Keynes it looks like the M25 is still jammed and the radio says that it might be clear by 12:00. Traffic systems say leave M1 and go cross country to Beaconsfield however this would take a lot of extra time. I had planned to be at Farnborough for a coffee with colleagues before 13:00. Normally this would have worked but the go slow gets slower. Make a recalculation of how far it is to Farnborough and it looks like I can reach it without another charge session. Decide to stick with the M1/M25/M3. This results in missing my coffee slot but I rearrange for 16:30 and plan to go to my second meeting first. M3 is 50mph the whole way!
Farnborough 13:15. Later than expected a very slow journey but ultimately very efficient. Make use of a level 2 charger that was previously installed under OLEV and is powered by solar panels. The sun is out. Make good progress and arrive for my second meeting with a 73 mile range remaining. Complete my 2nd coffee meeting and set off north at around 19:00. Due to the late hour forego the opportunity to try the SSE charger at the Esso station. Irony. Tachometer says 4:41h travelled 196 miles 5.2 mi/kWh so far. M25 looks jammed so decide to reach for Beaconsfield rather than try to get back to Newport Pagnell as that northbound charger is reported as dead with some negatives on Plugshare. Make an unlucky decision to travel past the Legoland park. Massive jam northbound of all those grandparents on half term duty. I conclude that the mornings traffic peak being long past rush hour was due to the same on journeys to Thorpe Park and Legoland.
Beaconsfield 19:59. is really is a very nice service area but at this time of night it is completely overrun. Out the door queue for Starbucks. As a result of slow travel have 65% remaining. The CCS is problematic. Gives me the “precharging” stuck problem. Flashing red on the vehicle. This gives me an issue as I can’t get to Milton Keynes without a reasonable charge. I note that the last reading was 99% charge 384 minutes 18kWh? Who does that? I was reading the Plugshare comments and that suggested the old trick of starting the Chademo first to get things warmed up. Fans whir and it clicks and then errors. Then try the CCS again. As a hopeful idea I wiggle the plug, rather than lifting it as for AC43, and lo and behold it clicks in with blue flashing lights and we are away. I subsequently read that voltages are sensitive so I am thinking the connectors need a wee bit of abrasion to get a good contact at that initialisation stage. Again once its started no need to touch it. Drink water go for a wander. I come back to find an Outlander on the other post and a LEAF just arriving. Talk for a few minutes with the Outlander guy. He tells me the M25 was fine. Annoying. He travels from M23/M25/M40 commute every day and is topping off for 20 minutes. He stays with the vehicle as he knows it will take between 20 and 23 minutes and he wants to get home. He has saved £1000 in fuel in the first 5,000 miles and has use only three quarters of the 50 litre tank. Charges every night for £1. Wish him well and donate a ChargeBump tax disc and tell him about the beta site.
Milton Keynes - Northfield 21:40. I had intended to do Newport Pagnell North but chicken out and go to the point I reached on Sunday as a safer bet. Again the charger shows the previous session, must be Chademo as the cables on the other side have not moved since I left them, 300+ minutes 99% and some small number of kWh. I wonder if a Tesla has been here or if they just leave a LEAF on all during the working day? Milton Keynes is full of points but I haven’t recced off the M1 north of these services. Arrive with 59% thinking of how to bridge back to Leicester given that I have never ever made the LFE North CCS work in 4 times of trying. Charge at 391V 110A. Wait until I have it down to 13amps. Decide to visit the services.
Newport Pagnell - Northbound. I try to make it work with a wiggle but there is no success. Ecotricity map is correct. Standard “pre charging” error. Set off to Leicester but not sure if I can get to my favourite Trowell 81 miles away if LFE is bust again. 55 miles is not a difficulty with these temperatures and low consumption figures.
LeicesterForest East – Northbound 23:56. Arrive with 43% not quite enough to get to Trowell in the event of a failure. Start working out how many minutes on the AC I would need as it is already late. Fingers crossed for the Chademo trick and the circular wiggle. Guess what? That works. I am officially shocked and astonished and walk away from the blue flashing light for a coffee and bacon butty. All anxiety alleviated. 380V 110A. Stay for 34 minutes and 11.6 kWh.
Trowell Northbound 00:28. No other EVs. Cables again a mess. The phantom charger has been here before me. Display says 93%, 423 min. and 16.0 kWh. Who on earth is doing this? I have 65% at start of charge which is proably enough to get to Sheffield so next time will skip this if LFE works again. 378v 29A. Leave at 00:44 after 14 minutes and 6.3 kWh.
Sheffield. 01:31 much later than expected half due to traffic and half due to extra stops which I won’t need next time. Total stats 8:56m 380 mi 4.7 mi/kWh 43.7 mph.
Next - the journey North - Gateshead and Glasgow
