Devon M5 chargers
Discussion
I'm currently doing a trip from the middle of the country down to just beyond Exeter every two or three weeks in my Polestar 2. I have been stopping at Collumpton Ionity 350kw charges on the way down to top up to 90% and then doing the same on my return journey.
I have been setting the Ionity as the destination which I believe then sets the car to prepare itself ready for the charge before it gets to the charger.
I've been seeing a flow rate maxing out at around 130 kW, then dropping down as the battery starts to get nearer to 90% which I believe is all fairly normal
On Wednesday I did the same journey, same distance, roughly the same temperature (if anything a bit warmer recently), but the flow rates topped out at 35kw and stayed pretty close to that figure for most of the time I was on the charger.
There was no one out at the charges for the entire time I was there. After about 30 minutes I decided to experiment by switching over to 1 of the other charges immediately next door and got pretty much the same figure.
Just wondered if anyone else has had the same experience? - I can see on zap map there had been a few reviews over the last couple of weeks that seem to suggest that the flow rate has dropped.
On the way home yesterday I decided to stop at Exeter services and was really pleased to see that their new bank of 12x 350wk charges was now fully installed and all up and running. Really pleased to report that I topped out at 141kw hours flow rate - So it clearly isn't an issue with my car.
I have been setting the Ionity as the destination which I believe then sets the car to prepare itself ready for the charge before it gets to the charger.
I've been seeing a flow rate maxing out at around 130 kW, then dropping down as the battery starts to get nearer to 90% which I believe is all fairly normal
On Wednesday I did the same journey, same distance, roughly the same temperature (if anything a bit warmer recently), but the flow rates topped out at 35kw and stayed pretty close to that figure for most of the time I was on the charger.
There was no one out at the charges for the entire time I was there. After about 30 minutes I decided to experiment by switching over to 1 of the other charges immediately next door and got pretty much the same figure.
Just wondered if anyone else has had the same experience? - I can see on zap map there had been a few reviews over the last couple of weeks that seem to suggest that the flow rate has dropped.
On the way home yesterday I decided to stop at Exeter services and was really pleased to see that their new bank of 12x 350wk charges was now fully installed and all up and running. Really pleased to report that I topped out at 141kw hours flow rate - So it clearly isn't an issue with my car.
I was collecting my son and his friend from Stevenage station after they had been to a concert in London. It was a 210 mile round trip which I could have done on a single charge, but I was running a few minutes early so I called in at Baldock services for a go on the Ionitys.
My car can in theory charge at 150kw, but all I got here was 38kw. Initial SOC was 60% and ambient temp was 7°, so I was not expecting miracles, but I thought sub-40 was pretty poor. Strangely there were 6 numbered bays, but only 4 chargers. I was the only one there and I didn’t bother switching in case it was a charger fault. I let it creep up to 70% and cleared off.
My car can in theory charge at 150kw, but all I got here was 38kw. Initial SOC was 60% and ambient temp was 7°, so I was not expecting miracles, but I thought sub-40 was pretty poor. Strangely there were 6 numbered bays, but only 4 chargers. I was the only one there and I didn’t bother switching in case it was a charger fault. I let it creep up to 70% and cleared off.
Silverage said:
I was collecting my son and his friend from Stevenage station after they had been to a concert in London. It was a 210 mile round trip which I could have done on a single charge, but I was running a few minutes early so I called in at Baldock services for a go on the Ionitys.
My car can in theory charge at 150kw, but all I got here was 38kw. Initial SOC was 60% and ambient temp was 7°, so I was not expecting miracles, but I thought sub-40 was pretty poor. Strangely there were 6 numbered bays, but only 4 chargers. I was the only one there and I didn’t bother switching in case it was a charger fault. I let it creep up to 70% and cleared off.
What EV and do you know what charge you should expect at 60% SOC? It sounds very poor but some EV's do drop significantly once they get to 50% so I wonder how far below spec it was?My car can in theory charge at 150kw, but all I got here was 38kw. Initial SOC was 60% and ambient temp was 7°, so I was not expecting miracles, but I thought sub-40 was pretty poor. Strangely there were 6 numbered bays, but only 4 chargers. I was the only one there and I didn’t bother switching in case it was a charger fault. I let it creep up to 70% and cleared off.
This seems to be a common issue at some locations though, which is another thing that puts me off doing long distances in our EV and leads me to considering a smaller EV for daily duties and a secondary ICE car for everything else.
Sometimes the chargers will limit the supply due to a fault in the network supply to the chargers. It's possible they couldn't supply full demand so reduced their capability. Seen it happen quite a bit at service station chargers and will be something that will hurt when they are busy and everyone is relying on full speed.
TheDrownedApe said:
Now wondering which zap map user you are ????. Appnot updated but comments seem positive.
My ccoventry to St Ives journey now has a new stop
my user is StableArchitecture, but I left any comments on the columpton charger, but when I checked the reviews before heading back home they seem to hint at all of the charges running at a fairly slow rate. Just checked the reviews for columpton Extra services:My ccoventry to St Ives journey now has a new stop
Device 1: Slow charging 55kw (6 hours ago) and the comment from two weeks ago to say device 2 was only getting 35kw.
Device 2 only managed 35kw (6 days ago) and ver slow rate 36kw (1 week ago)
Device 3: Max changed 41 kw (1 week ago)
Device 4: only getting 32kw (5 days ago)
I'm a regular at Cullompton in my dodgy grey PS2. I have noticed similar, but could not accurately recount figures though as I'm usually stuffing my face on some cr*p in there.
Saying that, there is one of the four chargers that always has a perpetually 'pink' light on the top when the others are purple that always seems to give me poor performance, if it works at all. I've moved over to another charger and its been fine, come back 20mins later and someone else seems to be charging quite happily on it. Been like it for months.
From memory, I only recall seeing 100kW+ performance in the 20-50% range, then it tails off to around 50kW by 75% and 30kW by about 80%. Then I give up and crack on. I've never ever seen it much above 120kW at whatever temperature or state the battery is in so 150kW is b*ll*cks as far as I'm concerned. I only ever really need to be there for 20-40% charge which is rarely more than 20 minutes so it doesn't bother me.
What does bother me is that this site is getting busier and busier, so will be a nightmare this summer. I've found McDonalds at Cribbs Causeway and Taunton are quieter as not right on the M5 and have 150kW Instavolt, but an extra 10p per kWh over the 35p deal with the Plugsurfing card mine came with. Great to hear the Exeter Services ones are finally up and running, will give them a go in a couple of weeks.
Saying that, there is one of the four chargers that always has a perpetually 'pink' light on the top when the others are purple that always seems to give me poor performance, if it works at all. I've moved over to another charger and its been fine, come back 20mins later and someone else seems to be charging quite happily on it. Been like it for months.
From memory, I only recall seeing 100kW+ performance in the 20-50% range, then it tails off to around 50kW by 75% and 30kW by about 80%. Then I give up and crack on. I've never ever seen it much above 120kW at whatever temperature or state the battery is in so 150kW is b*ll*cks as far as I'm concerned. I only ever really need to be there for 20-40% charge which is rarely more than 20 minutes so it doesn't bother me.
What does bother me is that this site is getting busier and busier, so will be a nightmare this summer. I've found McDonalds at Cribbs Causeway and Taunton are quieter as not right on the M5 and have 150kW Instavolt, but an extra 10p per kWh over the 35p deal with the Plugsurfing card mine came with. Great to hear the Exeter Services ones are finally up and running, will give them a go in a couple of weeks.
SWoll said:
Assuming you're commenting on your P2 then you're getting about what should be expected as 150kW doesn't last long at all (8-17%) and will only be achievable in perfect conditions?
That graph looks pretty much spot on real word experience, and as I’m rarely sub-20%, explains lack of 150kWI’ve just posted another thread about my first charging experience. Whilst waiting I chatted to half a dozen other owners, a couple are regular visitors to Devon and Cornwall, both said charging network is terrible in the West Country and now they only take there ICE cars for those kind of trips. Which was very disappointing to hear, given that we often go down for weekends away in that neck of the woods.
TwoManyCars said:
I’ve just posted another thread about my first charging experience. Whilst waiting I chatted to half a dozen other owners, a couple are regular visitors to Devon and Cornwall, both said charging network is terrible in the West Country and now they only take there ICE cars for those kind of trips. Which was very disappointing to hear, given that we often go down for weekends away in that neck of the woods.
ive been up down and all around devon a few times in my model 3 LR from north of birmingham. I pop to darts farm supercharger and arrive with about 25-30%. Full charge in aound 35-40 mins and im off for anouther 250 miles round dartmouth, totnes, torquay, plymouth etc. The car was so efficient on my last visit i managed to go past darts farm on the way home and supercharged at gordano with 10% remaining. think its car dependent really, no issues if your in a tesla at all.
Richard-G said:
ive been up down and all around devon a few times in my model 3 LR from north of birmingham. I pop to darts farm supercharger and arrive with about 25-30%. Full charge in aound 35-40 mins and im off for anouther 250 miles round dartmouth, totnes, torquay, plymouth etc. The car was so efficient on my last visit i managed to go past darts farm on the way home and supercharged at gordano with 10% remaining.
think its car dependent really, no issues if your in a tesla at all.
Just googled Darts Farm chargers, who in their right mind would position them like that? Surely only a matter of time before someone bumps into one of those!think its car dependent really, no issues if your in a tesla at all.
TwoManyCars said:
Richard-G said:
ive been up down and all around devon a few times in my model 3 LR from north of birmingham. I pop to darts farm supercharger and arrive with about 25-30%. Full charge in aound 35-40 mins and im off for anouther 250 miles round dartmouth, totnes, torquay, plymouth etc. The car was so efficient on my last visit i managed to go past darts farm on the way home and supercharged at gordano with 10% remaining.
think its car dependent really, no issues if your in a tesla at all.
Just googled Darts Farm chargers, who in their right mind would position them like that? Surely only a matter of time before someone bumps into one of those!think its car dependent really, no issues if your in a tesla at all.
dgswk said:
Great to hear the Exeter Services ones are finally up and running, will give them a go in a couple of weeks.
Just got home after a Worcester <-> West Cornwall run in the Polestar. Did InstaVolt at McDonald’s at Cribbs Causeway on the way down (bad traffic, so charged early to let it die down a bit and did shopping at Morrisons next door), 4 bays, 2 in use.Did new Exeter Services this morning, wow, 12x full fat chargers and 3 or 4 smaller 50kw ones. 4 out of 12 big ones in use, and a Tesla charging there. Thought there was a Supercharger the other side of the motorway
Read somewhere they are opening an electric forecourt in Plymouth in the near future. Also spotted something being built which looked like an EV charging place at Cornwall Services, A30 Indian Queens as we went past this morning.
Excellent work Gridserve. KFC at Exeter too for breakfast
Perhaps the Tesla owner wanted a KFC too 
Apparently, its happening.....
https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-new...
https://www.gridserve.com/news-coming-soon/
I noted the Gridserve quote "The fastest possible charging – the site will include 32 charging bays, with batteries to support the maximum power requirements of all chargers simultaneously, with 20-30-minute chargetimes expected initially, and even quicker in the future."
So presumably, the batteries they refer to will be used to buffer demand at peak times by using supply in the early hours when its quiet? Hadn't heard of that before but it makes sense. 32 x 350kw is a good deal of power!
https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-new...
https://www.gridserve.com/news-coming-soon/
I noted the Gridserve quote "The fastest possible charging – the site will include 32 charging bays, with batteries to support the maximum power requirements of all chargers simultaneously, with 20-30-minute chargetimes expected initially, and even quicker in the future."
So presumably, the batteries they refer to will be used to buffer demand at peak times by using supply in the early hours when its quiet? Hadn't heard of that before but it makes sense. 32 x 350kw is a good deal of power!
Edited by dgswk on Monday 2nd May 16:40
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