Electrify America Charging Station Problems

[JAMMan]

Thx MrDrMorgan I've been following this thread for a while!

Also - Thanks for your feedback, there are a number of EvGo stations nearby so I may frequent them a little now that I've established my account. Mostly, I had been sticking to Chargepoint which I've found to be VERY reliable and can authenticate using NFC from my phone. The EvGo could only be started with the physical card (which is apparently en route to me now via postal service) or the app on my phone. I preferred the NFC on Chargepoint since it doesn't require me to actually use the app, NFC relays all the CC and account info without me needing to even open the app.

 

[MrDRMorgan]

Thx MrDrMorgan I've been following this thread for a while!

Also - Thanks for your feedback, there are a number of EvGo stations nearby so I may frequent them a little now that I've established my account. Mostly, I had been sticking to Chargepoint which I've found to be VERY reliable and can authenticate using NFC from my phone. The EvGo could only be started with the physical card (which is apparently en route to me now via postal service) or the app on my phone. I preferred the NFC on Chargepoint since it doesn't require me to actually use the app, NFC relays all the CC and account info without me needing to even open the app.

I have a ChargePoint account too and ChargePoint J1772 and DCFC stations work just fine using their RFID card. Unfortunately, the closest ChargePoint DCFC to me is just over 20 miles away and there are not very many ChargePoint DCFC locations here in Central California. My closest EVgo DCFC is also 10 miles away too so most of my local charging is done at home. I also use the EVgo RFID card.

This does not prevent me from venturing out. I use PlugShare to locate chargers I know will work and then take off on another adventure. it has worked every time. My longest trip so far is to South Lake Tahoe and back from my home in Manteca, CA. This was a round trip of about 300 miles. That was in 2015. Today there are many more chargers along the route I followed.

 

[ElDobro]

Still waiting for the Walmart Supercenter charging stations to go live. It's been over three months now. Once they do, we'll see if they work with the Spark.

 

[MrDRMorgan]

Still waiting for the Walmart Supercenter charging stations to go live. It's been over three months now. Once they do, we'll see if they work with the Spark.

My experience so far is 100% failure to charge using Electrify America chargers manufactured by ABB. I have found and also verified that you can easily tell if the chargers at Walmart, or anywhere else, are ABB or not. Electrify America ABB chargers are square across the top and are also painted green in the open interior space at the top of the charger. BTC Power chargers have a rounded top and are not painted green in the open interior space at the top of the charger. If you have access to the charger(s), check the manufacturer's label on the side of the cabinet. I have had 100% success charging my Spark EV at a number of locations with Electrify America chargers manufactured by BTC Power. I have also tested an Electrify America charger manufactured by Signet and it worked too.

 

[JAMMan]

Still waiting for the Walmart Supercenter charging stations to go live. It's been over three months now. Once they do, we'll see if they work with the Spark.

Yea honestly at this point, there's no need to "wait and see" if they'll work. If it's by ABB it will NOT, if it's by BTC Power it will!

Also, it appears to me that most (maybe all?) of the newly manufactured EA stations (within the last 6-8 months) are being done by ABB. I'm wondering if they won the bid on the next rollout of stations. My relatively new station and most others I've seen going up are all ABB manufactured.

 

[MrDRMorgan]

Not all new Electrify America locations are ABB. A new EA location just opened in San Ramon, CA and it is BTCP. In Castro Valley, CA a new station is not yet powered up but is completed. It is BTCP too. Before a recent trip to Rocklin, CA, I studied PlugShare photos for charging locations along my route. I found almost all EA locations between my home in Manteca and Rocklin were EA chargers manufactured by BTCP. I stopped at four BTCP chargers and one Signet charger. They all worked. In fact, the Sacramento area is almost all BTCP chargers. There are a number of new EA locations going in along HWY 99 to the South of me. A few are BTCP but most are ABB. As there are obvious visual differences in the charger cabinets used by ABB and BTCP, I issued a request to Spark EV drivers to post, on PlugShare, photos of the charger cabinets or the manufacturer's label on the side of the cabinet. Some Spark EV drivers have started doing this.

I plan to visit the San Ramon, CA location this week and I am patiently waiting for the Castro Valley, CA location to be powered up for use. Both of these locations will make my weekly trip to Oakland and back much easier - especially during the winter months when I return home at night and also have to use the heater. Last week I tried just the seat heater and it worked much better than I thought it would.

Bottom line: I enjoy driving a Spark EV just as much today, if not more, as I did in May of 2015 when I first started driving a 2015 Spark EV 2LT.

 

[ElDobro]

From the photos, they're all the green opening ones, so by trying, I can officially notify EA that they don't charge my Spark.

 

[MrDRMorgan]

From the photos, they're all the green opening ones, so by trying, I can officially notify EA that they don't charge my Spark.

Post your charging attempt results when you can. Be sure to log onto the EA website and comment on your results too. But, please keep it civil. It wouldn't hurt to post on PlugShare too. EA and ABB are already aware of the problem but I sure would like all Spark EV drivers who can't charge at EA ABB chargers to let EA and ABB know that there is more than just one Spark EV driver (me) who wants the ABB chargers fixed. The goal is not to rake EA or ABB over the coals. Instead, we just want EA ABB chargers that we all can use to successfully charge our "Sparkies".

I have had great success with the EA chargers manufactured by BTCPower and one by Signet. And...the EA phone APP works great too.

 

[ElDobro]

This is the one I'm waiting for. A field of green towers.
https://www.plugshare.com/location/193079

 

[MrDRMorgan]

Interesting! Per one of the photos posted on PlugShare for this location, these are chargers manufactured by EFACEC. They look slightly different than the ABB chargers. I also noticed that the "holster" for the plugs are on each side of the cabinet. Please post your charging results when this site is powered up.

Have you tried the chargers at Target, 119 Promenade Blvd., Bridgewater, NJ? They look like BTCPower Chargers. Check PlugShare. There are posted comments suggesting some EV drivers are having problems.

 

[ElDobro]

I checked out the Target, but I was driving my Volt. The stations were all BTCP.

 

[MrDRMorgan]

I checked out the Target, but I was driving my Volt. The stations were all BTCP.

Thanks for checking. As I mentioned, BTCP chargers work great for Spark EVs. There may be some problems with the credit card readers. I signed up for an EA account and use the EA APP on my phone to activate a charging session. So far, the APP has worked.

 

[Ramerica]

Hey! I've also had this problem with my spark and got stranded in a small town that didn't have any other quick chargers. Had to get a tow to the next town over. The person AT EA support at least gave be a couple free sessions, but acknowledged it was a software issue and quoted from this exact thread lol. I hope it can get fixed soon! EA seems to be the fastest expanding DCFC network around me.

What was the location where you experienced the charging problem? I feel like I am getting stonewalled by EA as I request status reports - I get no response. Perhaps Spark EV drivers, who experience this same charging problem with EA chargers (ABB and not BTCPpower), should also start squawking to EA customer service. The more noise the better.

I really hope EA gets this problem resolved. The EA chargers from BTCPower seem to work great as I have had no problems charging using BTCPower chargers at a number of locations in the Sacramento area. Unfortunately, most of the EA chargers along HWY 99 in California are ABB chargers which currently do not work for Spark EVs.

It was the Walmart in Albany, OR

 

[MrDRMorgan]

Hey! I've also had this problem with my spark and got stranded in a small town that didn't have any other quick chargers. Had to get a tow to the next town over. The person AT EA support at least gave be a couple free sessions, but acknowledged it was a software issue and quoted from this exact thread lol. I hope it can get fixed soon! EA seems to be the fastest expanding DCFC network around me.

What was the location where you experienced the charging problem? I feel like I am getting stonewalled by EA as I request status reports - I get no response. Perhaps Spark EV drivers, who experience this same charging problem with EA chargers (ABB and not BTCPpower), should also start squawking to EA customer service. The more noise the better.

I really hope EA gets this problem resolved. The EA chargers from BTCPower seem to work great as I have had no problems charging using BTCPower chargers at a number of locations in the Sacramento area. Unfortunately, most of the EA chargers along HWY 99 in California are ABB chargers which currently do not work for Spark EVs.

It was the Walmart in Albany, OR

It looks like there are a number of BTCP and possibly Signet locations around the Portland area. I also saw a number of ABB locations too.

 

[ElDobro]

I stopped here yesterday to check out the charging station and it's a BTCP and free. I had the Volt again, so I plugged into the Level 2 charger while I walked across the street for a snack.
https://www.plugshare.com/location/19296

 

[SparkE]

I stopped here yesterday to check out the charging station and it's a BTCP and free. I had the Bolt again, so I plugged into the Level 2 charger while I walked across the street for a snack.
https://www.plugshare.com/location/19296

If this is "Nissan World of Red Bank", it isn't an Electrify America site, so I am a bit confused. Did you get the link wrong?

 

[MrDRMorgan]

Today, I drove my Spark EV 55 miles 1-way to the newly opened Electrify America location in San Ramon, CA. Nice location along one of my routes and IT WORKED!! It worked because they installed BTCP chargers. Thanks EA.

 

[ElDobro]

I stopped here yesterday to check out the charging station and it's a BTCP and free. I had the Bolt again, so I plugged into the Level 2 charger while I walked across the street for a snack.
https://www.plugshare.com/location/19296

If this is "Nissan World of Red Bank", it isn't an Electrify America site, so I am a bit confused. Did you get the link wrong?

Just showing that there's another variation of the BTCP charging stations.

 

[ElDobro]

I checked out the Target, but I was driving my Volt. The stations were all BTCP.

Thanks for checking. As I mentioned, BTCP chargers work great for Spark EVs. There may be some problems with the credit card readers. I signed up for an EA account and use the EA APP on my phone to activate a charging session. So far, the APP has worked.

How exactly does the APP work?

 

[MrDRMorgan]

I checked out the Target, but I was driving my Volt. The stations were all BTCP.

Thanks for checking. As I mentioned, BTCP chargers work great for Spark EVs. There may be some problems with the credit card readers. I signed up for an EA account and use the EA APP on my phone to activate a charging session. So far, the APP has worked.

How exactly does the APP work?

I have the APP installed on my Android powered cell phone. When I get to the location at which I want to charge, I pull up to an open charger, plug in and note the charger ID number located at the top front section on the charger. Then I open the APP, find my charging location on the map and select that location. Then I select the charger using the number at the top of the charger. This will bring up a screen that says ACTIVATE (you may have to scroll down to get to it). On the screen I slide my finger left to right to activate the charging session. You will see the activation start on the charger's screen. When I have finished charging, I use the App again to end the session. During charging, the screen on my phone mimics the screen on the charger.

You can go to Electrify America's website for more information. Go to EV CHARGING, CHARGING WITH US and then scroll down to Step 2.

I hope this short explanation helps you.

I just found out that EVgo also has an APP that I can use to activate their chargers. I will have to give it a try. Up to now, I have been using my EVgo RFID card which works great!