Can You Charge at Work?

Yes.
And, if any of my clients want to charge here where *I* work, drop in. Hang out and bring a wireless toy like iPad or Laptop and charge away!

 

Sounds like a long way to go to charge up my car. I think I'd need a bigger battery.

 

Six L2 charging stations were recently installed at the university where I work. (Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA.) When I talked to them back in November about their plans, they said they would be offering it as a free public service. I live 15 miles from campus, so this could work out really, really well for me! It's hosted by a research group that does work on electric vehicles, including conversions of recent model Honda Civics. They're on the web at chargecard . org. Pretty cool stuff.

Joe.

 

i think it's mostly the comfort factor. big leather seats, quiet, smooth, powerful. what's not to like. they just don't buy into the whole environment/oil crisis/ mideast problem/ whatever. and $4.00 gas is cheap around these parts.

 

I can charge anytime I want since my office is 4 miles away from my house and our family owns the office.

 

The university told me that it's not them doing the charging, but Blink. It's some deal where the chargers themselves are free, and so is the labor involved in installing them (the local power company is also subsidizing it). But the deal is that blink gets to charge their normal rates for 1 year, at which point our university can switch to their own rates. I imagine if there was an easy way for our university to subsidize that charge they would as well. Our buildings and parking garages are plastered with solar panels, and we're one of the first universities in the country to have our own e-waste recycling plant. We evidently like the "Green" PR. We have some outlets in our parking garage, but it's mostly a structure for student parking. There are no outlets near my administrator reserved spot.

 

My Toyota Dealer just just sent me an email stating that an extension cord cannot be used - so you may want to check on the safety of using an extension cord . . .

 

Well, of course you *can* use an extension cord. You just need to make sure it can handle the amps. I think Toyota is afraid of people using cheap cords and creating fire hazards, and thus the manuals say to not use one at all.

 

If I lived I the local area of your Dealersip - That would definitely be an incentive to not cancel my pip that is on order

 

Those who charge at work, it there any way to assure your cable does not get pilfered? I don't see it being a "huge" issue, but while I am patiently awaiting my PiP I have been contemplating this. There are scattered 110v outlets in our garage, but I worry a touch about how to secure the cord.

 

I am lucky in that I can charge at work (and for free). Additionally, my company owns our building and it is in a rural area, where nobody but our employees (and a vendor or visitor) will walk through our parking lot: I'm not too worried about somebody walking off with my charger cord.

 

Agreed. Toyota doesn't want to take any chances. A cheap extension cord or a very long one could start a fire. They do not want to get sued so it is safer to just say not to use one, period.

I've plugged in at work for a full charge 10 different days now. The extension cord I'm using is rather long but it is a 12 gauge wire. It is outside on the grass. It could not start a fire there nor have I ever noticed it being warm. At home I do not need to use an extension cord. I would like to find a weather proof one (rain proof) for work.

 

Try:

1. http://priuschat.com/forums/toyota-prius-plug-in/105077-securing-charging-cable.html#post1495141
2. http://priuschat.com/forums/toyota-prius-plug-in/105077-securing-charging-cable.html#post1495197
3. http://priuschat.com/forums/toyota-...-monday-initial-observations.html#post1490437
4. http://priuschat.com/forums/toyota-...onday-initial-observations-2.html#post1490939

 

CA PHEV owners who wish to charge at work might be interested in:
Requesting California Workplace Charging Legislation | PriusChat

 

There's a 110v outlet on the side of the building where I work, so I asked a couple of managers if I can charge my car battery. They didn't care, so as long as I can get close to the plug, I charge the car.

 

We have 4 Chargepoint chargers in our office garage but they charge $2/hr. Fortnately there is free charging just a block away.

 

I can. It's free at my workplace.

We have Chargepoint EVSEs and I counted 10 J1772 handles for L2 charging. Some of them also are units w/a 120 volt outlet under a metal door. There are 2 usable ones of those but potentially 4, if one wants to park in spots marked as guest parking...

 

It's like getting a raise when being able to charge at work.

 

Unless your employer has the charging stations set to charge a fee, as mine does.