Charging outside the garage

[eastern refugee]

I have been charging in my driveway since February 2021. No harm to anything. What you will experience is lower total charge below 45 degrees and also above 105. In between is factory settings. I charge to 100% for two years daily and have ZERO degradation

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[david_quick]

These forums have been super helpful to me as a new user. I see the value now in plugging in every night and using departure times, especially when it’s cold. But between the stuff and my my wife’s car in the garage, it’s easier just to pull up parallel to the garage door and let the charging cable lay under the door. I laid a 2 x 4 on the ground to keep the door from closing all the way . However, this creates a little bit of a home security risk. So I jury rigged something to keep the door from being able to open further. On the Internet, there are all kinds of gadgets to protect your cable from garage doors. Some people even put a hole in their house wall, which is a no-go for me. Does anyone have a better way? And, is there any danger if it rains on the vehicle charger receptacle?

I live in one of the rainiest places in the US. My last car was a Volt. It was charged outside in the rain for 10 years without issue.

A few ideas:

if you own your home you can buy a charger and have it installed on the exterior of your garage where you can just plug it in.

You could have a receptacle installed outside if you just want to use the portable charger.

I’m surprised you can put a 2x4 under the door. Most door opener systems balk at an extension cable. I have gone something similar for my boat except I just pull the emergency release on the opener. My doors have locks on the runners so it’s not really a problem leaving it up a couple inches. Look into those locks.

Finally you could clean out there garage and use it for what it’s intended. You know parking cars ?. Or get a bigger garage?.

 

[timbop]

I got an RV cover from amazon and just cut a hole low on the wall below the EVSE, along with a clippercreek outdoor holster and coiler: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017KWL4I...VHRZ6QB0&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

[Fins160]

I only park outside the garage and charge at the family cabin with the Ford Mobile charger. It's a 1-car garage that's already taken up by my IH Scout. I just close the garage door on the cable, never thought about it twice. There's weather stripping on the bottom that just conforms around the cable, never noticed any damage. Maybe others' garage doors don't have that weather stripping?

Living in Arizona, I see neighbors park their $80k SUVs outside in the Arizona sun while their piles of junk sit inside. I know we don't really get rust here, but 2-3 years of Arizona summers is enough to destroy the plastics inside a car and the paint outside. It's been painful to see one neighbor purchase a brand new Tahoe and Silverado a few years ago and watch them bake.

 

[Machinator]

have mercy. I am going to start a thread for people who want me to clean out my garage LOL!

 

[generaltso]

I charge to 100% for two years daily and have ZERO degradation

All batteries degrade over time. I’m guessing that’s hyperbole? Or you haven’t actually checked?

 

[Machinator]

Generaltso best way to check? I got a data port scanner and Car Scanner says my state of health is 99%. (2023 battery)

 

[Art]

These forums have been super helpful to me as a new user. I see the value now in plugging in every night and using departure times, especially when it’s cold. But between the stuff and my my wife’s car in the garage, it’s easier just to pull up parallel to the garage door and let the charging cable lay under the door. I laid a 2 x 4 on the ground to keep the door from closing all the way . However, this creates a little bit of a home security risk. So I jury rigged something to keep the door from being able to open further. On the Internet, there are all kinds of gadgets to protect your cable from garage doors. Some people even put a hole in their house wall, which is a no-go for me. Does anyone have a better way? And, is there any danger if it rains on the vehicle charger receptacle?

I am in the same position as you. I have a two-car garage that neither car we own can get inside. (Junk)

My wife owns a Prius Prime and I have an MME.

Both are charged in the driveway by the same cable.

I have a Grizzl-E cable that is twice as thick as the Ford and Toyota supplied cable.

I must position the cable, so the sensors don’t detect it. It takes some effort, but the door closes completely.

 

[milepost1]

Yeah that's a pet peeve of mine too. People treat their garage like a storage shed and park their car outside. Car should get first priority to go in the garage IMO, junk is second to car parking. Then it cascades into parking in the driveway blocking the sidewalk, and then having to park in the street blocking the road and snowplows.

Mine too! Just went through this with my son. You have junk in garage, worth, let's be super super generous, it is not all junk but worth $5k. You leave your new $110k car outside and worry about it getting damaged? Just saw post for junk hauler. She has been paying storage fees for 3yrs and now looking for someone to take most of it to dump. If costs more to store a thing than replace it, cheaper to by a new thing if/when ever you need said thing. Most of your "priceless" heirlooms (junk) will be tossed from storage when you kick the can anyway. Lol.

 

[Ghost Ryder]

These forums have been super helpful to me as a new user. I see the value now in plugging in every night and using departure times, especially when it’s cold. But between the stuff and my my wife’s car in the garage, it’s easier just to pull up parallel to the garage door and let the charging cable lay under the door. I laid a 2 x 4 on the ground to keep the door from closing all the way . However, this creates a little bit of a home security risk. So I jury rigged something to keep the door from being able to open further. On the Internet, there are all kinds of gadgets to protect your cable from garage doors. Some people even put a hole in their house wall, which is a no-go for me. Does anyone have a better way? And, is there any danger if it rains on the vehicle charger receptacle?

I use these and placed them directly where the garage door closes. They are bolted down. I cut a small 10cm section at the end and take that part off when I have to charge so there's room for the cable run underneath the garage door.

https://www.amazon.com/Happybuy-1-C...1-1-5190daf0-67e3-427c-bea6-c72c1df98776&th=1

 

[Opa]

Yeah that's a pet peeve of mine too. People treat their garage like a storage shed and park their car outside. Car should get first priority to go in the garage IMO, junk is second to car parking. Then it cascades into parking in the driveway blocking the sidewalk, and then having to park in the street blocking the road and snowplows.

 

[generaltso]

Generaltso best way to check? I got a data port scanner and Car Scanner says my state of health is 99%. (2023 battery)

That‘s pretty much the best way at the moment.

 

[Pedro Diaz]

I can ONLY charge outside the garage. The charger is waterproof so why not. If I had a 220v outlet would be sweet but until then, I just plug by the front door.

 

[generaltso]

I can ONLY charge outside the garage.

Why?

 

[Garbone]

Our ICE truck inhabits our 1 car garage plugged into a battery tender. Our charger is mounted on the house and both our sleds live outside. I would just put the hole in the side of the garage if exterior mounting is not an option.

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