How to prevent mobile charger from being stolen?

[GDN]

A great idea up above with the padlock, but look at what Ford could have saved by doing the right thing and fixing this for everyone.

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[LightningMcqueen]

A great idea up above with the padlock, but look at what Ford could have saved by doing the right thing and fixing this for everyone.

I am not so worried about what they could have done. I am just really glad and happy with what they have done.

I have always driven a truck and I cant see myself driving anything else. i Like the EV not just for the environmental good. But because it is so quick and smooth and quiet.

 

[krusshall]

A great idea up above with the padlock, but look at what Ford could have saved by doing the right thing and fixing this for everyone.

Why is that the right thing?

There are various trains of thought across the industry whether to lock or not lock and when. I have now owned three EV from three different manufacturers and each has its own unique arrangement. For my use case, the Tesla locking arrangement was the most inconvenient.

The use case of preventing theft of a mobile charger (key word being mobile) when used outdoors and where one end can already be readily disconnected is just one scenario to consider and not a priority scenario in my book.

 

[GDN]

Why is that the right thing?

There are various trains of thought across the industry whether to lock or not lock and when. I have now owned three EV from three different manufacturers and each has its own unique arrangement. For my use case, the Tesla locking arrangement was the most inconvenient.

The use case of preventing theft of a mobile charger (key word being mobile) when used outdoors and where one end can already be readily disconnected is just one scenario to consider and not a priority scenario in my book.

This is about a lot more than just the mobile charger. Just wait until you are plugged into a DCFC charger and go off to eat, but someone else comes up behind you and unplugs you and leaves you without a charger.

I'll just say that if I have a charger and it is my truck I want it locked. I have the ability to unlock. I don't need anyone else anywhere doing that for me or deciding what needs to be done with my truck or car.

 

[krusshall]

This is about a lot more than just the mobile charger. Just wait until you are plugged into a DCFC charger and go off to eat, but someone else comes up behind you and unplugs you and leaves you without a charger.

I'll just say that if I have a charger and it is my truck I want it locked. I have the ability to unlock. I don't need anyone else anywhere doing that for me or deciding what needs to be done with my truck or car.

Goes both ways. What happens when you’re inconveniencing someone because your vehicle has completed the charge and you’re sitting in a restaurant and rather pay an idle fee or sleeping in your hotel room.

 

[hturnerfamily]

there are a few of 'us' who might be fearful of theft, although I don't know of any 'EVSE' theives, and the rest of us aren't concerned. There will also be the 'what ifs', if you want to live that way - the rest of us just plug in.

many campers are the same way - we see it at most any campground or rv park where 'rvs' and 'campers' are parked, whether for a single night, or for many, many nights - you can tell that they are fearful of the rest of us 'campers'. I'm not sure why, but I've yet in our years of traveling the country and camping, over 110,000 miles, that this is really 'any' problem. You can lock up your bikes. You can lock up your satellite antenna. You can lock up your surge protector. You can lock up your rv. If you wish.

 

[GDN]

Idle fees are on you along with any damage to your truck someone may choose to leave behind because you were an inconsiderate charger.

 

[GDN]

there are a few of 'us' who might be fearful of theft, although I don't know of any 'EVSE' theives, and the rest of us aren't concerned. There will also be the 'what ifs', if you want to live that way - the rest of us just plug in.

many campers are the same way - we see it at most any campground or rv park where 'rvs' and 'campers' are parked, whether for a single night, or for many, many nights - you can tell that they are fearful of the rest of us 'campers'. I'm not sure why, but I've yet in our years of traveling the country and camping, over 110,000 miles, that this is really 'any' problem. You can lock up your bikes. You can lock up your satellite antenna. You can lock up your surge protector. You can lock up your rv. If you wish.

I get it and truly I'm not trying to argue this to an absolute point.

What I'm getting at - all of us as early adopters get it and will do the right thing. After a million or two of these trucks (and all EV's are sold) and every Joe blow has one - it won't be as friendly. It won't be as nice a world.

I love my Tesla. Have had it almost 4 years. The first couple of years you found nothing but courtesy and common support among drivers. Now that there are a couple of million and you have every Joe driving one - the courtesy of charging and sharing chargers and not parking in an EV spot without charging, well you see it ever day.

The same even at my work - 16 chargers across campus. Tesla to Bolt, to Ford Hybrids. Every day at least one or two spots doesn't get ICE'd - they get EV'd. An EV driver parks there and doesn't charge.

I truly wish we could all be decent and courteous, but unfortunately that isn't our world these days, so you resort to just protecting what you can however you can.

 

[White Lightning]

Does the “Unlock Charge Cord” setting only apply to DC chargers (and Charge Station Pro)? This is my first EV and I have yet to use a DC charger with the Lightning and still haven’t received my CSP. The setting can’t be modified when it’s connected to the mobile charger.

 

[GDN]

Does the “Unlock Charge Cord” setting only apply to DC chargers (and Charge Station Pro)? This is my first EV and I have yet to use a DC charger with the Lightning and still haven’t received my CSP. The setting can’t be modified when it’s connected to the mobile charger.

Correct - only the DCFC's lock. A big oversight. All chargers should lock into the port.

 

[FlasherZ]

The physical standard for the J1772 connector expects all unlocking to take place at the handle, not by the vehicle. Some manufacturers created some lockable designs (and someone even created a special collar that will prohibit a J1772 connector from coming loose from the Tesla J1772 adapter). It's a pretty significant oversight, and the engineers figured the safest option was to allow disconnection and they really didn't consider malicious intent by anyone.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I'm not gonna live my life worrying about a glorified extension cord being stolen, or have my time be owned by fiddling with locks and such. I have no idea where there are keys for any of my properties, the front and back doors are always open whether or not we're home, even if away for months. When we buy a new tractor or other equipment for the farm, the first thing we do is put the key in and break it off, so it can never be lost. My boat keys are in the ignitions for every boat, and the jet ski cut-off's are kept in the switches. Wanna steal or vandalize something? Have at it. You will be captured on high resolution video from multiple angles, and if one of our staff are around, you may be looking down the barrel of a very large deterrent. If you live in a spot where theft or vandalism is a concern, visible video cameras, with signs announcing their presence is your best protection. Our Virginia driveway is just over a mile long. We are known to be armed, and have a shooting range that emits loud bangs from time to time, so folks know that at least some on the property are trained.

 

[davidf01]

The problem with locking it to the car is at public chargers people plug in and leave for days like at airports. The plug should unlock when the car reaches the programed charging level so somebody else can take it and use it. If its locked then it is not useful to anyone other the the car its locked to.

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