Electricity rates went up 64% - Time to work remote remotely!

[TheIglu]

Our effective electricity rates (supply + all other charges) was approximately $.28/kWh here in New England on National Grid until November 1st, when it went up 64% (thanks Putin...).

I work remotely 4 out of 5 days a week, but have a 160 mile round trip commute one day a week. Use about 6% a day from kid drop off/pick up on days I don't commute.

Electric bill was already up about $150 a month since I got the truck. Figure this will go up by 64%, and I'm a cheap prick, so I got creative.

Monday, dropped the spawn off, then drove to a local bike path parking lot that has two free Chargepoint stations. Turned on the hotspot in Green Lightning and worked all day. Went from 28% to 59%. Tesla parked next to me, left with her bags for the day to work, then came back late afternoon and said my truck was "really cool" and asked to take pictures. Another guy on a bike asked a bunch of questions about it, then came back later and took a unreasonable amount of pictures of it.

Yesterday, dropped the offspring off, then went to a neighboring town's public library. Free non-networked stations in their parking lot. Filled up to 80% there while working in the nice quiet library all day, with good wifi, in a nice sunny chair overlooking the parking lot. At least 6 people gawked at the truck for a while.

So far I haven't charged at home at all in November. Gunna do this a day or two a week and see how things go. It would be nice if local authorities fixed these chargers; 50% of them have been broken indefinitely. But can't complain, it's free juice and until I get solar in the spring (15kW system, DIY), then this will suffice. Plus it's nice to get out of the house when your spouse also works remotely in the room next to you, teaching elementary school music classes....


Who else has a system for gobbling up free electricity? Any other tricks for getting the precious zappy gas for free?

This is less about the money than about a challenge. I bet I can go a month without having to spend a dime on electricity for the truck....

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[eemri]

Wow, sorry to hear about the huge jump in electricity costs. Part of the reason I ultimately invested in solar panels was because 1) the cost of electricity doesn't seem to ever go down, and 2) I don't anticipate my electricity needs going anywhere but up over time.

I gotta say that I find the 'park all day at a free charger' rubs me the wrong way. But blame the game, not the player I guess. Between you and the Tesla, those stations were out of commission for the day and nobody else could use them. This is why we can't have nice things.

 

[Scott]

My ID.4 came with free Electrify America charging for 3 years. My grocery store has 4 chargers. I basically can handle my entire weekly power needs for my car by charging while I grocery shop 1 day a week.

 

[TheIglu]

Wow, sorry to hear about the huge jump in electricity costs. Part of the reason I ultimately invested in solar panels was because 1) the cost of electricity doesn't seem to ever go down, and 2) I don't anticipate my electricity needs going anywhere but up over time.

I gotta say that I find the 'park all day at a free charger' rubs me the wrong way. But blame the game, not the player I guess. Between you and the Tesla, those stations were out of commission for the day and nobody else could use them. This is why we can't have nice things.

So it's better to leave them unused like they are the vast majority of days?

We don't all live in a place where EV adoption is significant. I can count on one hand the times I've driven by these chargers and seen someone plugged in while I drove by ever day for 3 years on my previous commute. It wasn't until I had my truck that I ever stopped by and actually checked to see if they were turned on.

Also, if the broken ones were fixed -ever-, then there would always be open spots. And at 6kW, it's not like these are places people will stop and charge at in a hurry to get anywhere.

Most of the towns around here have free EV charging at municipal lots/city halls/libraries/etc.

 

[ads75]

I used a free park charger yesterday. Walked around for about 1.5 hours, added almost 25 miles. There was one other spot, empty. Might do it again this afternoon.

 

[NY_Rob]

Well you've already decided to go solar in the spring.. .so that's excellent news. You just have to get through this triple whammy winter (high electricity rates, high NG/Oil prices, high grocery costs) and it's all gravy after that!

If you can... add enough panels to be able to use mini-split A/C's or a heatpump for all electric heating too! If the only thing you can produce is electricity... run everything on electricity.

If you're up for another fun challenge.. cut cable!

 

[jebinc]

Our effective electricity rates (supply + all other charges) was approximately $.28/kWh here in New England on National Grid until November 1st, when it went up 64% (thanks Putin...).

I work remotely 4 out of 5 days a week, but have a 160 mile round trip commute one day a week. Use about 6% a day from kid drop off/pick up on days I don't commute.

Electric bill was already up about $150 a month since I got the truck. Figure this will go up by 64%, and I'm a cheap prick, so I got creative.

Monday, dropped the spawn off, then drove to a local bike path parking lot that has two free Chargepoint stations. Turned on the hotspot in Green Lightning and worked all day. Went from 28% to 59%. Tesla parked next to me, left with her bags for the day to work, then came back late afternoon and said my truck was "really cool" and asked to take pictures. Another guy on a bike asked a bunch of questions about it, then came back later and took a unreasonable amount of pictures of it.

Yesterday, dropped the offspring off, then went to a neighboring town's public library. Free non-networked stations in their parking lot. Filled up to 80% there while working in the nice quiet library all day, with good wifi, in a nice sunny chair overlooking the parking lot. At least 6 people gawked at the truck for a while.

So far I haven't charged at home at all in November. Gunna do this a day or two a week and see how things go. It would be nice if local authorities fixed these chargers; 50% of them have been broken indefinitely. But can't complain, it's free juice and until I get solar in the spring (15kW system, DIY), then this will suffice. Plus it's nice to get out of the house when your spouse also works remotely in the room next to you, teaching elementary school music classes....


Who else has a system for gobbling up free electricity? Any other tricks for getting the precious zappy gas for free?

This is less about the money than about a challenge. I bet I can go a month without having to spend a dime on electricity for the truck....

$.10/kWh here is Seattle area. Mostly hydroelectric generated too.

 

[zefram47]

Gonna have to be contrary here. You have the ability to charge at home. Leave the L2 chargers to those that live in apartments/condos and don't have the ability to charge at home and/or folks that actually need a few miles range to get somewhere. Especially for such a large battery vehicle and a hugely inefficient one at that, it's kinda dick to leave your truck at one for so long when you don't need it. I'll also jump on the bandwagon that free chargers shouldn't exist because it just leads to this sort of abuse.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Gonna have to be contrary here. You have the ability to charge at home. Leave the L2 chargers to those that live in apartments/condos and don't have the ability to charge at home and/or folks that actually need a few miles range to get somewhere. Especially for such a large battery vehicle and a hugely inefficient one at that, it's kinda dick to leave your truck at one for so long when you don't need it. I'll also jump on the bandwagon that free chargers shouldn't exist because it just leads to this sort of abuse.

They have just as much right to use it as anyone else does.

 

[TheIglu]

Well you've already decided to go solar in the spring.. .so that's excellent news. You just have to get through this triple whammy winter (high electricity rates, high NG/Oil prices, high grocery costs) and it's all gravy after that!

If you can... add enough panels to be able to use mini-split A/C's or a heatpump for all electric heating too! If the only thing you can produce is electricity... run everything on electricity.

If you're up for another fun challenge.. cut cable!

Can't cut cable if you've never had it to begin with!

Not an option out here in the woods. Haven't had any sort of broadcast TV in over a decade.

 

[NY_Rob]

Can't cut cable if you've never had it to begin with!

Not an option out here in the woods. Haven't had any sort of broadcast TV in over a decade.

Great!

I have work associates who are paying $300+/month for TV/Internet/Phone service

I put up a long range roof antenna for TV from NYC, I have free Ooma phone service and only pay $58/month for 500/500 fiber internet. It's amazing how much you can save if you get pissed off enough

 

[eemri]

So it's better to leave them unused like they are the vast majority of days?

We don't all live in a place where EV adoption is significant. I can count on one hand the times I've driven by these chargers and seen someone plugged in while I drove by ever day for 3 years on my previous commute. It wasn't until I had my truck that I ever stopped by and actually checked to see if they were turned on.

Also, if the broken ones were fixed -ever-, then there would always be open spots. And at 6kW, it's not like these are places people will stop and charge at in a hurry to get anywhere.

Most of the towns around here have free EV charging at municipal lots/city halls/libraries/etc.

The free charging infrastructure in Southern California is very limited. A shopping center I frequent quite frequently has two and the same two cars are always blocking them -- incredible that they're shopping and charging on all the same days when I do.

I certainly don't think they should go unused and if there's many to go around then I don't see a problem. My two local ones are frustrating to see. Fortunately I don't ever need to charge there, but someone else might hope to top up.

 

[COdogman]

If you work remote remotely is it like in another dimension? Do we each have a remote self doing remote work somewhere?

 

[TheIglu]

The free charging infrastructure in Southern California is very limited. A shopping center I frequent quite frequently has two and the same two cars are always blocking them -- incredible that they're shopping and charging on all the same days when I do.

I certainly don't think they should go unused and if there's many to go around then I don't see a problem. My two local ones are frustrating to see. Fortunately I don't ever need to charge there, but someone else might hope to top up.

Yeah, at one of the two locations I've tried, there is clearly a Model 3 that hasn't moved much... ever.

 

[zefram47]

They have just as much right to use it as anyone else does.

You sound like the type that will sit on a DCFC station until 100% with a line of cars waiting to use it.

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