CRL style "free" electricity

[scottorious]

I don't know if this has been covered but this idea crossed my mind and I thought I'd toss it out for others who might not have heard of this. Solar is sexy and generators are groovy but what if you can't afford either? Sure, you could wire up your alternator to charge your house battery but even that requires some technical know how. As a driver of an electric car, I use an app called www.plugshare.com which is a huge map of all the locations of places you can plug your electric car in. Most of the electric car plugs do us no good but on the desktop version you can filter out all the plug styles that don't work for you and find generic 120 volt plugs. Now obviously there aren't plugs available on every street corner or out in the wilderness but for some folks who are stealth camping cities it might be useful. With a charger and an extension cord there are plenty of places to get some free juice while you save up for your sexy solar solution. Won't work for everyone but maybe it helps someone. Cheers!

 

[RVtrek]

That site would have been really handy on my last trip! Awesome resource, thanks.

 

[John TF]

The reason for different plugs is mainly do to current / amp rating , most 120 AC outlets are limited to 15 amps , your going to be parked for a long time .

 

[VanKitten]

John..... you mean limited to 20 amps

15 amps in household use it just lights.

 

[scottorious]

True, won't be the most ideal for everyone but just maybe there's a plug at someone's local park and they can go get some free juice. There are also adapters for J1772 plugs to NEMA 14-50 and then from NEMA 14-50 to NEMA 5-15/20R. Some of the places in my immediate area would possibly pass as overnight boondocking locations. Just a thought for someone who can't afford solar or a generator but lugs a deep cycle around for a few things.

 

[highdesertranger]

where exactly are you going to plug in? I know you are not talking about stealing power, right? highdesertranger

 

[scottorious]

no, not stealing power at all. In my area there are several 120V outlets that are placed for folks with electric cars and they are free to the public. In Wisconsin over the summer I remember seeing several gas stations with 120V outlets that were free for electric cars. There are a lot of free 240V Chargepoint chargers around and some that aren't free but the cost is very cheap. With the proper adapter you could charge from them. I'm not advocating being a thief, that website www.plugshare.com is a database of plugs people have used. Some free, some not, some residential. Won't work for everyone but if someone was vandwelling in my hometown they could get by without solar or a generator just by using the free plugs.

 

[scottorious]

This is the description for a plugshare entry near my house

"This free Eton J1772 plug supplies 240V / 30A. Additional outlets on stand: two 14-50, one 14-30, six 20 amp 120 Volt circuits, plus four 120 V duplex outlets elsewhere in parking lot. Free parking. Available 24/7. No RFID necessary."

Within walking distance of a nice bar and all under the close watch of one of the old Route 66 "muffler men".

 

[RVTravel]

I think there is another thread on using electricity meant for vehicle batteries, not using it for an RV house battery. Probably get ticketed or towed for inappropriate use? Many or all will have signs stating only for electric vehicle parking (EV parking).

 

[highdesertranger]

so free to charge an electric vehicle(EV) is the same as charging a house battery? around me you are not allowed to park in the recharge station unless you have an EV. what if you are recharging your house battery and some one in an EV pulls up and wants to recharge? if these outlets are placed there to recharge EV's and you are using the power for a different purpose what do you call that? I think you should look into this further before encouraging people to do this. in my eyes it's stealing because you are using it in a manner that it is not intended. you must remember somebody is paying for that electricity. my 2 cents. highdesertranger

 

[scottorious]

In my eyes if there's a parking lot with 6 120 volt outlets and no signage saying EV only then I think it's fair game. I don't think it will work for everyone in every location but it might work for some. Doesn't this forum "encourage" or at least educate folks on how to skirt the law by living in a vehicle even if it's not entirely legal? If you checked out the website you'd see that it's just a database of plugs. Nothing mentions specifically that ALL the plugs must be used for EV and EV only. Some places might ask for a couple bucks and some places (like the town I mentioned) would probably be happy that you stopped there if you just visited the bar and had a drink or a meal. Some of the plugs are in parking garages that might require a fee, some at public parks. I was simply showing folks the database. Maybe there is a plug near someone that will work for them if they can't afford solar or a generator.

 

[John61CT]

> Some of the places in my immediate area would possibly pass as overnight boondocking locations.

Words mean things.

Boondocking means camping out in the middle of nowhere, definitely away from mains power, likely no other water/toilet etc services either.

 

[John61CT]

If this behaviour were to become more common, then they would start having to put in (expensive) measures to prevent it.

So if you want to be able to continue doing it, then stop encouraging people to do it.

And save up for the ability to be self-sufficient rather than being a parasite.

 

[scottorious]

LOL, thanks for the clarification. I always considered it to just be "camping" in an area not designated for camping. I'm still new to the scene. So the folks in walmart parking lot are not boondocking they are just "dry camping"?

 

[lenny flank]

Doesn't this forum "encourage" or at least educate folks on how to skirt the law 

Uh-oh...............

Anyway, I am not understanding why anyone would haul a battery around with them without already having a means to charge it.

 

[scottorious]

I'm still not certain how plugging into an outlet that's listed as free to the public is being parasitic? Some outlets are listed in parking garages. In my town you get the first hour free and each additional hour is a dollar. IF someone was forced into vehicle dwelling and could yet afford the luxury of solar or a generator then paying a couple dollars to park and charge might satisfy their current requirement for electricity. Other places might be fine with you plugging in if you patronize their establishment. All I'm suggesting is that if you can't afford solar and can't afford a generator and also can't afford a normal residence then you might find help on plugshare. It's just a database of outlets that others have found and successfully used. I can only truly speak for the few in my immediate area and I would suggest that the local climate towards someone plugging in would be acceptable. Many of the plugs have people checking in and left reviews. Some saying "ask the manager to make sure". It might work for someone and it might not.

 

[scottorious]

Uh-oh...............

Anyway, I am not understanding why anyone would haul a battery around with them without already having a means to charge it.

Am I wrong? This is a quote from the boondocking section of the website.

"[font=Arial, Georgia, sans-serif]If a city has passed an ordinance making this illegal, then we must be crafty in how and where we park so as not to draw attention to ourselves."[/font]

[font=Arial, Georgia, sans-serif]I have to think that there are some people out there who were forced to quickly make a decision to live in a car or a van. Some of those folks might be using their car battery and idling their car to charge because they can't yet afford the whole solar setup. I'm just suggesting that they could find another battery and a cheap charger and have a temporary stopgap until more substantial systems are bought.  [/font]

 

[scottorious]

Those folks who live in vehicles are by definition also parasites because they live on and use streets that they aren't paying property taxes for. I didn't realize what I was suggesting would be so offensive. I'm not forced to live in a way that bends the rules. I'm only trying to help those folks that are.

 

[DLTooley]

Power draw for a house battery compared to an electrical vehicle is quite minimal, as is the duration of connection. IF it is legal for an EV there is no reason to **presuppose** that it is not legal otherwise - especially with non vehicle specific plugs. I think it is of limited utility, but definitely not something to discourage. Electric availability is changing, that's a very good thing, and we have a say in how it does so.

 

[lenny flank]

Uh oh again.........