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Plugless...or is that being heretical?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by larryakoch, Nov 9, 2014.

  1. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    Most of the time I don't bother with it.
     
  2. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

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    The point being, good for you that you find no reason to plug in. But that is not the typical owner's experience nor attitude.
     
  3. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    Well, my "attitude" is my own business thanks. Being "typical" was never my goal.
    Neither was being "atypical" just to feel special. I just do what my logic decides.
     
    #43 GregP507, Nov 25, 2014
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2014
  4. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Admittedly I don't own a plug in.

    But I don't see much benefit to that product. You still need to park near the charge unit, and over the base. I think it would be more correct to define it as "Wirelessly Plugging In" as opposed to being "Plugless". Since absence of the wire and plug is about the ONLY benefits provided, I guess I default to the question, How hard is it to use a cord and a plug?

    I've never found it that difficult. And it's time tested and tried and true.

    Being "cordless" seems to be the direction of technological and commercial advancement. I would speculate someday, a product like this, simply IS the way it's done. But today? I think I'd save the bucks, and just use a cord.
     
  5. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    I plug in when it's convenient, but I don't go out of my way to do it. It's really not much of a deal in my opinion. If I'm getting the benefit of half a liter of gasoline every time I plug in, that's worth about fifty cents right now based on the price of gas here. I'll bend down to pick up a quarter, but I don't go out of my way to plug in my car for that.
     
  6. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

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    Plugging in probably takes about 15 seconds or less. 50 cents every 15 seconds is about $120 per hour. That's not a bad wage. What do you do that $120 per hour isn't significant?
     
  7. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    I don't factor in my personal time that way. I'll leave the cord in the car until I see an opportunity to plug in for free without a lot of hassle.
     
  8. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Think you are misunderstanding me.

    Talking about the "plugless" product from the original post. Not really debating whether you want or should "plug in".
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i don't see many people using wireless phone chargers. i wonder how popular they are? it seems so easy to just plug my phone in, i wouldn't even consider it, unless it came with the phone and no jack.
     
  10. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    They're popular with the same people who own Google Glass(es). It's gimmicky, but it doesn't save much time in a day, certainly not to the point of what it costs. You know how the phone tells you to unplug the charger to save power when it's finished charging? I wonder how much energy is wasted with wireless charging?

    I similarly question the value of wireless-charging a car. How hard is it to plug it in? If we are paying hundreds or thousands of dollars a year for electricity, how much is being wasted by using wireless charging? And why should we pay extra for something that costs us more money?
     
  11. TrinaF.

    TrinaF. Junior Member

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    I have to park on the right side of my three-car garage, as the other two spots are taken up with larger cars that can't fit very well on my side. The only electrical outlet in my garage is in the middle section. I have to do a bit of finagling to get my plug plugged into my car, up and over the car, and into the socket. The part that goes in the wall has been dropped a couple of times. I cringe every time I hear it. It's just not very practical, but I do it to get the extra 100 miles a tank I'm getting. Now, if I want to rip holes into my wall to bring an outlet over to my car, I'd do it. I don't particularly want to do that, however. Just seems easier to have something like this wireless thing.
     
  12. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    I carry a heavy-duty extension cord (10-gauge) with me, which some people claim is dangerous behavior. The cord is new and solid, so it seems ridiculous to me that it should be hazardous in any way; however it comes in handy sometimes, when it's just not possible to park by an outlet.
     
  13. TrinaF.

    TrinaF. Junior Member

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    Is there any issue with leaving the plug plugged into the electrical outlet? And I know the little note attached says not to leave it hanging in the plug, but I saw a video with it doing just that, from Toyota no less, so am wondering....... There's an outlet over my car that I could leave it plugged in, which would help me out tremendously! Yes, I'm lazy......
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    most leave it plugged in, if they don't take it with them to charge elsewhere. you don't want the weight of the brick pulling on the plug, that's what they mean by hanging. it has a little loop in the corner to fasten it to a hook.
     
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  15. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    In their infinite wisdom, they made it hard to plug in without it hanging from the plug. I never leave it that way, because it often partially pulls out of the socket, which is just asking for a bad connection. I usually find it something to rest on, to relieve strain on the plug.

    Great car, but some of the smaller things don't seem to have much thought behind them.
     
  16. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    As long as the CCID (the large brick with the lights and test button) doesn't pull down on the cord there's usually no problem. I used a bungy cord to hold the CCID up so there's no strain on the cord or plug. I've plugged and unplugged the 120v plug every time I've used mine.

    If you do decide to go plug less, it looks like you'll need a 240V line run as well. But the 240V line should future proof yourself as well.
     
  17. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Hey, if you want the product? You want the product. I'd still say for the majority of people, there would be little advantage to parking over a wireless conductor, that STILL needs it's wall counterpart installed and nearby, as opposed to simply plugging in.

    Even for yourself, having an additional outlet installed seems like a cheaper, less complicated response to the problem.

    As I realize, and said, cordless is NOW and the wave of the future. Less and less things require being plugged in. The new generation thinks cords and plugging in is archaic. Wireless is expected.

    I myself? Can handle an extension cord.
     
  18. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    Not just a fad? What about efficiency? RF emissions?
     
  19. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    I think the biggest advantage is that it's better for public charging, because it's much more vandalism-resistant.
     
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  20. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    ^ Speaking of public charging for plugless, maybe they could make it ICE resistant, so that if it gets ICED it screams like a wild animal.
     
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