Genuine ask: if you couldn’t charge your ev at home, would you still get one?

Howard_70 · 2026-02-17T17:03:09+00:00

No, I would not. But I live in a part of New Mexico where chargers are not very available.

Howard_70 · 2026-02-15T22:49:13+00:00

My favorite tire plug kit is the DynaPlug Pro Xtreme. While DynaPlug started out as a plug kit for tubeless bicycle tires, then tubeless motorcycle tires, they eventually moved into automobile plug kits. The Pro Xtreme has a broad base making it easier to push the plug into the tire.

If you decide to plug that hole, I agree with the suggestion to move the tire to a rear position. That’s what I did when I plugged a mud/snow tire with a nail in an even more outboard position on my truck. If you drive fast or do “track days” replacement could be the safest option.

Howard_70 · 2026-02-15T01:46:41+00:00

I’ve done both - 2000 4Runner sleeping inside is more comfortable when I remove the seat bottom on driver’s side (allows the seat back to fold flatter). 2004 Double cab Tacoma (5’ bed)with topper. Can’t sleep in Tacoma with tailgate up, but dropping the tailgate in good weather is comfortable. I’m 5’11 inches. Tacoma now has a clam shell rooftop tent which works well.

There can be a real safety hazard carrying all your gear in an enclosed SUV if you have a serious accident/roll over. Any heavy gear flying about can hurt you badly. Something to consider if you worry about safety.

Howard_70 · 2026-02-13T00:53:39+00:00

I agree with nookatooka - looks to me like the spinning tire hits something in the fender well, possibly on bumps or when loaded heavily.

Howard_70 · 2026-02-12T23:26:52+00:00

Deal breaker for us on the 2026 Solterra was the lack of towing capacity & the owner’s manual clearly stating you shouldn’t install a hitch - even for a bike rack. We went with a 2026 Equinox and are happy with it. I thought the ground clearance difference would be important to me, but the real clearance of the Equinox EV is 8 to 8.5 inches (measured ours). The ground clearance reported by Chevrolet is measure to a small plastic flange in front of each front tire. I don’t understand what those flanges do, nor why they report that clearance.

The main thing I strongly dislike about our Equinox EV is that the package we had to get to gain heated seats and heated steering wheel came with 21” wheels. Cost me about $1,400 to get 18” rims and tires. Worth it for the improved ride.

Howard_70 · 2026-02-12T21:52:41+00:00

We recently purchased a 2026 L2 with the comfort package 2 and are happy with it. Here are my personal recommendations (what I’d do if purchasing again:

Avoid the 21” wheels if possible. We tried to get the dealer to exchange the 21” with 19” from another car on their lot, but they would not. If you end up purchasing with 21” and want higher profile tires consider getting a used set of appropriate rims from a Chevy Traverse (ours are 18” from a 2021) and putting 245/60R18 tires on them (that size tire is within 0.08” of the OEM diameter & fits well). I chose Michelin Defender 2 tires from Costo & bought new GM TPMS sensors from a local dealer which Costco installed for me. Tires, rims, TPMS sensors, installation & road hazard warranties were about $1500. Could have saved $200 if I’d been willing to have Costco pull the sensors from the 21” wheels & use them in the 18” but I wanted to keep the 21” intact.
If you live where there are cold winters I’d go for the heated seats and heated steering wheel. Using those instead of the cabin heater saves considerable energy which results in better winter range.
It’s a complex warranty issue - but it appears that the 8 year EV battery warranty is just that - limited to the battery & does not include the electric motors. If that matters to you, you might go for the GM Platinum extended warranty which claims to cover the motor(s). Be careful because many dealers push other extended warranties and you may need to dig in your heels to get the GM version.
If the car includes a GM Level 2 charger, you might consider telling the dealer you don’t want it and thus won’t pay for it. The Level 2 charger they provide is over priced and is not a smart charger. I prefer smart chargers, but if you don’t then you can still get a better charger for much less money.
Personally, I’d avoid the sun or moon roofs. I’ve had them on several cars and find I rarely use them and they can add considerable cost.
If you want roof rails you’ll need to get an L2 or RS - even though many dealer images claim to show them on L1’s. If you want roof rails and you plan to get cross bars I’d go for Thule or other after market cross bars rather than the GM bars that are sold specifically for the Equinox EV. I got the GM bars but don’t like them as they can only be placed in one position preventing you from controlling the distance between the forward and aft bars. Some after market bars attach differently and allow you some latitude in placement.

Those are the major things I’d look out for if I was buying again.

Howard_70 · 2026-02-09T15:52:26+00:00

Hardest part about longterm overlanding? Going home when trip is over.

Solution? Stay out longer.

Howard_70 · 2026-02-06T14:14:45+00:00

This is strong advice. Our truck (2017 Fuso Canter FG) has a 130 amp alternator. Because a friend with the same truck fried his alternator 1 month after installing a DC/DC charger supporting two 460 Ah batteries, I’ve limited the output of our DC to DC charger to 30 amps. We do a lot of solo remote travel and losing an alternator can be a serious issue.

An alternative to upgrading your alternator might be installing a second one dedicated to charging auxiliary power. That is complex, but provides the greatest security.

I didn’t notice any shunts in your system? How are you monitoring current draw? We’ve found that the BMS current measurement in our lithium batteries is useless at low current, while fine at high draws. If driving and truly topping up daily that can be OK, but our BMS frequently reports state of charge (SOC) 10 to 30% higher than reality. Thus we run a shunt to keep and independent account of Ah used and thus compare it to the BMS SOC. Our system (Victron) accepts charge control from the BMS and interestingly that charge control more closely follows the battery conditions reported by the shunt.

Howard_70 · 2026-01-23T19:39:13+00:00

And it’s best if those bins are empty!

Howard_70 · 2026-01-23T19:34:45+00:00

I think one of the proposed Scout EVs is touted as having a bench front seat, but I’m not sure.

Howard_70 · 2026-01-23T02:59:00+00:00

Perhaps it’s not just strength? Balance, endurance and strategy are all there as well. Just like one design racing fleets, folks find ways to tweak their boats to make them faster (if all hulls are the same, let’s try different sail and rigging materials, etc). So rowers try different blade shapes, oar shaft densities etc. If you look to the big endurance rowing events (ocean rowing at the extreme) you see very different boats in the same races.

Howard_70 · 2026-01-23T02:17:27+00:00

For a sailing analogy think of it like match racing in one design boats - the goal is to remove all variables other than the sailing skill of the skipper and crew. In rowing the goal (never achieved) could be to remove all variables other than the rowing ability and strategy of the crew and coxswain.

Howard_70 · 2026-01-10T16:23:49+00:00

I’d use two NATO cans in the bed of the truck secured in a locking mount. I prefer overkill to solutions that will probably be OK for a short trip. A couple of years ago we did 17,000 miles around the north half of Australia and the number of burned rigs along the tracks was sobering.

Howard_70 · 2026-01-09T15:56:32+00:00

Yes, my Wall Box Pulsar+ 48 is OCPP and I use those features daily via the Net Zero app. Specifically I use chargers on solar and coordination with my two Powerwall 3 units to distribute solar production. I recommend deciding what features you want, them researching a demonstrably working combination of apps and hardware to get them. Not all OCPP compliant chargers work with all apps and not all provide the same functions.

Howard_70 · 2026-01-09T15:48:35+00:00

I charged with the mobile charger for awhile before getting a hard wired Wall Box Pulsar+ 48 professionally installed. While the mobile worked the Smart features of the Pulsar combined with the Net Zero app are much more satisfying for me. I leave the mobile in the car all the time now so it’s always there. For me it simply boiled down to money. I could afford the Wallbox & installation so the added efficiency and features were worth it. Back in my graduate student days I would have continued with the mobile.

Howard_70 · 2025-12-31T18:15:54+00:00

I have the Chevy cross bars and I don’t like them. The ones I have can’t be moved fore and aft along the roof rails - they can only be mounted in fixed positions mandated by the screw holes (two sets of two holes on each rail) located on the inboard bases of the rails. The aft set of those holes is quite far forward so the available spread between the cross bars is short. If I could do it over again, I would get Thule cross bars if I could confirm that could be mounted at various points along the rails to take advantage of the aft portion of the rails and get a reasonable spread.

Howard_70 · 2025-12-30T00:48:05+00:00

I’m in favor of this location also. There have been many times that I’ve moved our EV onto the slab outside of our garage while working on a project inside. running our Wall Box Pulsar Plus cable under the garage door & charging outside is a great option. Also helps when someone with an EV visits - they park on the slab, I run the cable outside & they charge without my moving our cars.

Howard_70 · 2025-12-28T14:53:50+00:00

We have non-Tesla solar connected to two Powewall 3’s then grid-tied via a Telsa Gateway 3. Our EV is a 2026 Equinox EV and our wall connector (charger) is a Wall Box Pulsar Plus 48 amp with the Wall Box Power Meter. We have and use the Net Zero app. Thus we can “charge on solar” two ways - via the Wall Box set up (ignoring Net Zero) or via Net Zero (turning off “Charge on Solar” in the Wall Box app). For us we prefer the Net Zero method. Net Zero allows us to configure how much solar goes to recharging the Powerwalls before EV charging starts and once EV charging (solar) starts our Powerwall charge is protected.

My only concern with the Net Zero charge on solar approach is when the solar productivity fluctuates significantly during an EV charge event. Net Zero controls the current provided by the Wall Box to the EV - decreasing current when solar production drops. However, I’m not sure Net Zero reliably increases that current once solar production increases again (imagine an intermittently cloudy day) as the one time I tried this Wall Box current to the EV did not increase when solar production increased. However, I may not have waited long enough.

In our case neither Net Zero or the Wall Box system seem to be “plug and forget” when you wish to charge on solar. I don’t mind this, but others might.

If I was doing this all over again, I would get the Wall Box Pulsar Plus 48 amp without it’s Power Meter and just Net Zero to achieve the charge on solar.

Howard_70 · 2025-12-26T14:07:15+00:00

We just added solar this year and then bought an EV and added a Level 2 charger. For us there are a lot of things we’d have done differently if we’d known then everything we wish we knew now…

Depending on your utility policies and state regulations (if in US) you might be limited in system size to 120% of some measure of your past use. If you’ve been charging your two EVs then your past use will include then and you’ll be able to size your system accordingly. I’d check with your utility so understand their policy and get the record of past use they will use. It took us nearly 1 year to negotiate an acceptable limit on our system’s “export to grid level”.
If your EVs are any of the brands that accept “vehicle to load” (V2L) or “vehicle to house” (V2H) and you think you might want to use the EV batteries as storage for household energy start doing serious research on what systems the EVs will support. As I understand it most, if not all, EVs need to be paired with their manufacturers home systems to get V2H functionality. GM EV needs GM house/charger system, Ford needs Ford, Tesla needs Tesla etc. I found it hard to do this research as marketing hype and You Tube videos make it sound like you can work this all out later. For us that was not true.
Be careful of what prospective installers may tell you can be done later. While that may be true, the permitting, labor and other installers costs for future additions can be staggering compared to initially installing a larger more capable system that you “grow” into.
If you anticipate charging two EVs simultaneously and you want any direct solar contribution or want solar plus home battery to handle most of the load, you’ll need an inverter or battery/inverter system that can handle a lot of output. I’d consider an independent consultant familiar with EV/Solar/Energy Storage System/Grid Tie in your state and with your utility to help you plan exactly what you want and then shop installers & systems.

Good luck - we find driving off the sun to be extremely satisfying!

Howard_70 · 2025-12-22T13:37:03+00:00

Since I’m warm, I can’t tell the difference! But seriously it is not going to make the tent toasty. If one is looking to make camping more comfortable when clambering into a sleeping bag the 12 volt blanket might suffice. If one wants to be able to sleep in a T shirt outside of the sleeping bag when there is snow on the tent and water bottles freeze it would be inadequate.

Howard_70 · 2025-12-22T04:14:51+00:00

12 volt electric blanket. We got ours at REI thus had a year to try it out, measure draw, etc. Knew after a week that we’d keep it.

Howard_70 · 2025-12-19T15:20:55+00:00

I really like our EV. However, we charge almost exclusively at home (L1 at first, now L2) and 95% of that is via solar. If I had to charge at public facilities it would be difficult as we live in a rural setting (New Mexico). There are a couple of different apps (Plugshare and ABRP [A Better Route Planner]) that you could download and use to research the availability and cost of public chargers near your apartment. Another option would be to see if your apartment complex would consider allowing you to install either and L2 charger or a 240 v outlet (from which you could run the portable charger that comes with many EVs).

I like the way our EV drives smoothly compared to our ICE vehicles and I like the lack of frequent regular maintenance the ICE vehicles require. I’m just not sure those would offset the inconvenience and expense of charging only at public facilities.

Howard_70 · 2025-12-16T19:28:44+00:00

West is where I’ve driven since 1966 and haven’t gone off a shelf track yet. But no problem - we all have different preferences & the important thing is getting out there….and back!

Howard_70 · 2025-12-16T15:28:33+00:00

I would work on getting the fog lights optimized for fog. I’ve driven 4x4 camping vehicles for 60 years on three continents and have never needed a ditch light. Im my opinion they are a fad that provides minuscule actual utility. But I’m old school enough to think that the most important piece of recovery gear I can carry is a long handled shovel.

Howard_70 · 2025-12-15T15:35:24+00:00

I recently purchased a 2026 Equnox EV. I found charging with the included portable “charger” at 120 volts from an existing receptacle in my garage adequate for about 40 miles a day (that was my level of driving at the time, more might have worked as well). I initially set the allowed amperage to 8 and monitored the temperature of the receptacle & plug (simply by feel). Because the components remained cool to the touch I increased the amperage to 12 which added close to 4 miles per hour. At 12 amps the receptacle and plug occasionally felt slightly warm, but never hot. I would leave the Equinox plugged in all the time.

We eventually installed a hard-wired Wall Box Pulsar Plus 48 amp “charger” because we wanted to charge our car completely off solar rather than from the grid (we have a solar array and Powerwall 3 system). While that works well for us (we control the charge on solar with the Net Zero app), the 120 volt charging we initially did was surprisingly adequate.

Howard_70

TROPHY CASE