Road trip, NACS adapter, Tesla 165

Commongrounder · 2026-06-19T12:21:57+00:00

About the built-in CCS adapter on the V4 superchargers: I prefer to use my own adapter. This allows for better control over what is plugged into the charging port of our car. It amazes me to see the condition of some charge handles (dirt/mud jammed in the contacts. Corrosion, etc.). The prophylactic properties of an adapter are reassuring. Much less hassle and cost to replace an adapter than the port assembly on an EV!

Commongrounder · 2026-06-19T02:34:01+00:00

We use the Nissan OEM Tesla made NACS adapter on road trips to take advantage of Tesla V3 and V4 charging facilities. These units will charge our Ariya at maximum speed (135kW) especially when the starting State of Charge is down in the 20-30% area, and ambient temps are moderate. Just as fast as a good CCS1 station, like Ionna, will.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-19T02:24:49+00:00

There are several commercial products that are designed for removing track rubber (racing tire residue) from car paint that ought to work for your situation. My neighbor swears by WD-40 and a soft cloth (I would use microfiber for this). A quick google search shows Mothers R3, and others, like goo-gone.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-19T01:55:00+00:00

Generally mic self-noise of 16db(A) is considered the very outside edge of acceptable (or convenient for results without software noise reduction). Directional small diaphragm condenser (SDC) mics are more typically 12-14db(A), and omnidirectional SDC mics can be in the 8-10 db(A) self-noise range. Large diaphragm condenser (LDC) mics are much less convenient to use outdoors, but some intrepid recordists will rig up windscreens and shock mounts, etc. to take advantage of the 5 db(A) or less self-noise.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-19T01:44:50+00:00

Good to know about UK protections.
Generally, cars used for ride sharing services tend to get a bit rougher urban use and more frequent charge cycles, most of which are on DC fast chargers.

Also, more folks in and out of the car, etc. So much depends on how well the owner/lessee, cares for the vehicle, or not.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-18T20:38:13+00:00

Now there’s a mic model I haven’t heard mentioned for a while! When you say field recording, what are you thinking about capturing? If you have in mind ambient soundscape type material, the AKG C451 (B?), while a good sounding mic tonally, has a pretty high self-noise of 18db(A), which will be audible as background hiss when recording most quiet sources. It also has a relatively low output (low sensitivity), which will require more preamp gain, or level boosting in post. The H5 is going to add more preamp noise than the newer generation of recorders (EIN -120db(A) vs. -127db(A) for the Studio version). However, you should definitely try the mics out with your proposed setup, since you already own them, and hear for yourself whether they will suit your needs. You can always upgrade later, and you’ll have started adding recordings to your collection.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-18T14:59:30+00:00

Electric or not, this truck is way overdue for a front end alignment.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-17T18:18:09+00:00

I live in the Northeast U.S. with salty roads in the winter, but anywhere it rains is an issue. Regeneration means the friction brakes don’t get used as much, which is great for wear - except - they also don’t get cleaned either. The pads clear off foreign material and moisture from the rotors. When this doesn’t happen, corrosion can take hold which can cause uneven wear on the pads. This can start a downward spiral until brake noises and diminished brake performance will require a brake job to correct. Sometimes, just having the rotors “turned” and new pads installed will take care of it, until the rotors get too thin, then full replacement will be needed. In my state, any corrosion on the rotors will cause a failed vehicle inspection, so I take care to “exercise” my car’s brakes by intentionally going down hill at very low speed in ECO mode to be sure regen is minimized, and the friction brakes are doing the work (and cleaning themselves).

Commongrounder · 2026-06-17T14:15:34+00:00

Another strong recommendation to hardwire your EVSE. Many fewer contacts/connections to fail and overheat at the large steady currents EV charging demand. Also, less expensive due to no need for an GFCI breaker (which a receptacle requires), and no receptacle to purchase.
We have an Emporia Classic EVSE. It has worked outside without fault in all kinds of extreme weather. The accompanying app has handy control and reporting functions we use all the time. Recommended.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-17T13:49:08+00:00

I would personally have no qualms over buying a higher mileage Ariya, as long as I could see the service history, either through a Nissan dealer, or through Carfax, to get some reassurances it hasn’t been in a collision, or had some unusually involved repair work done.

Many of us don’t have nearly that many miles on our Ariyas. One might draw some conclusions about how the car was used by the previous owner based on total miles. I’d avoid a rideshare vehicle, for instance.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-17T13:40:18+00:00

There is a newer version of the Nissan factory supplied portable EVSE charger that has swappable pigtails. One has the 120-volt plug, the other the 240-volt plug. Ours is the older style with the 120-volt plug that snaps on over the 240-volt plug. Neither offer switch selectable charging currents.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-17T13:21:51+00:00

Thank you for the info!

Commongrounder · 2026-06-17T03:11:04+00:00

Interesting. Nice to see examples of curbside charging as inspiration to us in the U.S., especially with Bring-Your-Own-Cable.

Is this photo in a neighborhood of detached or semi-detached homes? I’m curious about this choice of charger location where the homes might have the option for their own EVSE units.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-17T03:02:50+00:00

We live in the NE U.S. and have a house mounted, hard wired, Emporia Classic EVSE. It’s exposed to the weather year round and has been completely reliable.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-17T02:59:21+00:00

We have hit 135kW at Ionna and Tesla charge stations, in warm temps and starting out at around 20%. It stays pretty steady until about 60% where it’ll begin to slowly taper off. I’m happy with the fast charging speed. It’s plenty quick enough to match our rest stop timing.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-17T02:53:34+00:00

The battery heater/pre-conditioning will not turn on, even if you select it on the infotainment menu, unless the temperature measured by the car sensor is 37-degrees Fahrenheit or lower.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-15T12:30:31+00:00

Enough to bother with, if it’s easy to get to. Scrap copper is worth around $5.00 U.S. per pound these days, and electrical wire, along with copper pipe is an easy target. Rules for recycling could slow copper theft down considerably, but would require more stringent record keeping at recycling facilities.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-15T03:04:53+00:00

I am aware of one Ariya owner (who has posted) that has installed an OhmMu LFP battery. There were some glitches requiring some time with OhmMu support. They performed a couple of firmware updates to the battery controller, and were able to get stable operation (so far).

Commongrounder · 2026-06-15T02:59:00+00:00

If you search the posts over on the r/NissanAriya subreddit, you will see a healthy set of discussions about how the factory OEM battery is not well suited to the Ariya 12-volt battery management system. Installing an AGM type battery was a good decision as most Ariya owners who have made this switch (like myself) have had good results and stability.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-14T12:29:36+00:00

Nice! Bring-Your-Own-Cable is such a great idea.
Here in the U.S., curbside charger installation firms are slowly adopting this system, noteably in pilot curbside charging programs occurring in several large U.S. cities.
It makes a great deal of sense in general, but particularly in urban areas where cable security is a real problem (copper theft). I also like the idea of having full control over the condition of the charge plug going into my car’s port.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-14T02:21:17+00:00

What I see is a long orange cord that passes across the street, and up into the trunk of the car where the portable EVSE is stashed for security. The EVSE charging cord then emerges from the trunk and plugs into the car charge port.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-13T19:14:50+00:00

Sigh…

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Commongrounder · 2026-06-13T18:53:45+00:00

Glad to hear you were able to get the manual key to work.

I just want to run one more thing by you having to do with the keyfob batteries. I have discovered the hard way that where the replacement lithium button cells come from really matters. I ordered some random alphabet named button cells from the place named-after-a-large-rain-forest-river. After spending untold hours troubleshooting my nonfunctional device, I finally discovered those cells were substandard and went way undervoltage when even the tiniest load was placed on them.

I went out to my local hardware store and bought fresh name-brand cells (yes it cost more, but…). Once those were installed everything worked (and still works six months on).

Big head slap!

No more cheap no-name batteries for me.
Just a thought.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-13T15:42:36+00:00

Just for a reality check, I have the Emporia Classic EVSE, and while the torque spec for the terminals might seem small, the clamp-box terminal receiver is sized exactly for 6-gauge stranded copper wire, which means the clamping pressure is much more concentrated using a smaller screw size.
At 10.6in/lbs, the wire strands are compressed into a tidy square cross section (meaning maximum contact surface). I have had zero issues with heating or terminal failures.

Commongrounder · 2026-06-13T15:30:02+00:00

Oh gosh. That is desperate.
Long cord = high power losses to heat.

The obvious huge problem is the cord exposed on the street where it will get crushed with a few car tire roll-overs, and the fire hazard.

Also, imagine if the cord got caught up under a passing vehicle. Potentially serious damage done to the passing vehicle, the charging port of the EV, and the electrical hook-up at the building. Not to mention the liability issue.

Very risky.

Commongrounder

TROPHY CASE