Looking for charging solutions

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AssassinGT

Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2017
Messages
5
Hey Guys, I'm pretty desperate in terms of help. No where else to look as I do more research but the short story is :

I moved in with my fiance last week, it's been a few weeks of battling with the HOA at our Condo to try and get a 240v installed into the DETACHED GARAGE. After some electrician came out and the HOA meeting, that possibility is no longer possible as the condo complex is too old and they'd have to dig out some road and run a new wire because none of the garages currently have a 240 volt in it. So my juice box at my old house is useless. They're not willing to move ahead and help me so basically I'm SOL with them. We considered moving but with a wedding and everything coming up in the next 7 months it's really not something we have time to deal with or focus on.

I really don't want to sell the car as it's just been an absolute blast. I sold my E46 M3 for this car and never looked back. The i3 is everything i want in a car (Minus a bit more mileage) but I digress. What are some possible solutions you guys can think of to possibly look into charging everyday? I work 50 miles away from work and basically drain my battery to almost 1/4 everyday to get to work and back. I do have a REX model so it helps tremendously but as it is I do fill up gas every day.

My possible solutions are secretly running a 100 foot extension cord out of my office building and somehow trying to charge it on a basic 110 volt charger. Currently at home I'm using the standard 110v charger in the garage (the only outlet in the garage) so I'd have to buy another charging level 1 cord and plug.

I looked into the possibility of running solar panels on the roof of the detached garage but the HOA is looking into whether or not they will allow that either; but as it turns out it looks like my options are pretty grim. :[ Hope you guys have any newer solutions that might help?

- Andrew
 
That's actually kind of ingenious Bob, I didn't think of that. I'll take a look around! See what I find. Fingers crossed.
 
Look at Plugshare or Chargepoint, or one of the other charging apps and see if there's any places near where you work or live. Rather than parking right at work, there may be something within easy walking distance that you could use. Maybe keep a folding bike or scooter in the car to make the run a bit faster. Get a little exercise in the process, too, but not enough to be funky at work unless there's showers there you could use!

I don't know the current status for tax benefits, but there may still be an incentive for your workplace to install charging. It's worth bringing it up...may not end up fruitful, but you may not know until you ask.

I know there are methods to do horizontal drilling to install new pipes. That might be possible to install a conduit for electrical service rather than tearing up the pavement. Also, while obviously not as fast, even using the OUC that came with the car could charge it overnight. It wouldn't be possible if the existing circuit has to power lots of lights, but if the load isn't too large and you can install a receptacle, that might work. Same thing at work...sometimes, there are 120vac receptacles used for various reasons that you might get permission to use during the day while there.
 
Hey Jadnashuanh, I had thought of that but unfortunately the closest charger to my work is pretty far. I do have an electric unicycle so it would of been perfect to pop that in the back and jet to work but, the closest charger that is public is 2.2 miles away. There was one chargepoint charger right around the corner from me but, when I tried to charge there I had some guys from the building it was connected to come out and give me some unsavory treatment as their chargepoint is for employees only? Weird because it's on the app; but anyways so that happened. I could ask my work to see but i'd need to do some research on California incentives.

The best thing I can come up with is to just charge the standard socket volt in the garage with the BMW OUC that came with the car and then take it to work and secretly somehow run a 100 foot extension cord out of the building and charge up there? lol Seems like a ridiculous thing tbh, *sigh* the things we do for the things we love.
 
AssassinGT said:
So my juice box at my old house is useless.
If your i3 is a 2014 or early 2015 model, the included occasional use cable (OUC) has a 12 A maximum charging current, the maximum continuous current that a typical 15 A residential circuit should sustain.

However, if your i3 is a later model, the OUC's maximum current is only 10 A. With the regular household (5-15P) adaptor from eMotorWerks, your JuiceBox could charge at 120 V 12 A which would increase your overnight charging power by 20%. This assumes that the 120 V outlet in your garage is on its own circuit. Initially, you would need to monitor this outlet and the JuiceBox's adaptor plug to insure that they aren't overheating due to corrosion, loose wires, poor connections, etc., in the outlet. Replacing the outlet with a new commercial grade outlet would fix that problem if it exists.

If you installed your JuiceBox in your garage, your OUC could be used for stealth charging at work :D
 
AssassinGT said:
Hey Jadnashuanh, I had thought of that but unfortunately the closest charger to my work is pretty far. I do have an electric unicycle so it would of been perfect to pop that in the back and jet to work but, the closest charger that is public is 2.2 miles away. There was one chargepoint charger right around the corner from me but, when I tried to charge there I had some guys from the building it was connected to come out and give me some unsavory treatment as their chargepoint is for employees only? Weird because it's on the app; but anyways so that happened. I could ask my work to see but i'd need to do some research on California incentives.

The best thing I can come up with is to just charge the standard socket volt in the garage with the BMW OUC that came with the car and then take it to work and secretly somehow run a 100 foot extension cord out of the building and charge up there? lol Seems like a ridiculous thing tbh, *sigh* the things we do for the things we love.

Did you ever find a solution.. either at work or home to charging your car sufficient for your daily travels?
 
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