[Bob_B]

I had been using the Charge Point Harley-Davidson chargers quite a bit while traveling last year, but as I travel this spring, I'm finding that they are each losing communication a little at a time. I visited one last week that charged, but has no status on the Charge Point app. Others won't work at all and show no status on the app, while some have completely disappeared. This all started when I rode up to Hughesville, MD which is about 90 miles. The staff at the dealer assumed that the charger was still working because the digital display still worked. When I tried to start a session, nothing happened. I even called Charge Point and they couldn't connect to it. Thankfully there was a new level 3 charger at the library 5 miles down the road, because I was down to 8%. This was about two months ago, and this dealer is still waiting on the new modem to upgrade the charger.
Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[Ashveratu]

I have visited 3 HD dealers with chargers (all in Maryland) and none of them worked. One of the dealers sells Livewires (Rommel in Smyrna). On the other hand, I have found the Electrify America chargers to be quite reliable.

 

[Bob_B]

That's been my experience too. EA will have a charger down here and there, but they usually get them back up and running pretty quick. Charge Point seems to just sell their chargers to the different businesses like the H-D dealers, then they're on their own.

 

[Dave]

My local LiveWire dealer, Patriot Harley-Davidson, shared they had a visit from a LiveWire tech who said the modems on the ChargePoint systems are 3G and are being replaced with 4G cellular modems now that the 3G network is end of life. A few weeks I was able to successfully use the ChargePoint chargers at Rommel Harley-Davidson in Smyrna, MD and at Bull Run Harley-Davidson in Virginia by using my ChargePoint card (via my Apple Watch).

Prior to a road trip a few weeks ago I contacted Brandywine Harley-Davidson, 1241 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317 to make sure their charger was working. They said it was. Reviewing the feedback on the Plugshare app I now see many people have been unsuccessful with this station, although none appeared to riding a LiveWire.

I arrived on 13 May 2022 to charge and it did not work. I contacted ChargePoint and after a frustratingly long time the agent told me there was nothing he could do since the charger did not seem to be online. I went inside and talked to two people and was told that since they no longer sell LiveWire they have nothing to do with the charger and could not assist.

From my perspective I’m on an Harley-Davidson bike, at a Harley-Davidson dealer, with an Harley-Davidson branded charger. The charger should work.

I understand that there are dedicated LiveWire dealers out there, some of which are existing Harley-Davidson dealers and dealers that are not selling the product but still have the charging infrastructure in place.

In this case I was able to ride a few miles down the road to a Nissan dealer and they were extremely friendly in letting me use their free charger and to charge my iPhone in the dealership. Interesting contrast to the reception I received at Brandywine. Not that they were unfriendly, but the attitude was clearly “Not our problem.”

 

[Sargon]

I’ve used Electrify America level 3 chargers successfully as well. I did try a ChargePoint station but it wasn’t level 3 and level 1 was too slow to be of much use on a day trip. I love my LiveWire but agree that HDMC has dropped the ball in the service and support surrounding them. I incorrectly assumed when I bought it out of state that like my previous Harley if it said Harley Davidson on it I could get it serviced at my local dealer but they either won’t touch it or are prevented by the manufacturer. I contacted corporate office and they said that I could perform the 1k service myself but should be careful to document it and keep receipts so as not to void the warranty. Corporate responses to some of the concerns expressed in these forums would be a great service as well.

 

[Bob_B]

Not that they were unfriendly, but the attitude was clearly “Not our problem.”

That's so frustrating. You would think they would want their chargers to work after spending all the money for them, not to mention the money we paid for our motorcycles. I found this info on the ChargePoint website. If the station has a 3G modem, the charger owner just needs to email them to start the upgrade process.

 

[Dave]

Update to the ChargePoint app yesterday specially addressing how to use when their network is down Indicates there may be more to their network issues.

 

[tcypher]

side note, sometimes power cycling the charge station works as well, effectively rebooting the software.
The power switch is not always accessible, but at some of the dealers where I've experienced the same situ... that was what they did... threw the big red switch, waited a few seconds and turned it back on.

 

[Bob_B]

Since we were all promised two free years of charging at Harley-Davidson dealers, I think they should pause the two years until this is all fixed. I sent ChargePoint an email about this last week, and received a canned response. I haven't called Harley-Davidson about this yet, but I'll assume they'll just blame ChargePoint.

 

[tcypher]

...but I'll assume they'll just blame ChargePoint.

likely, since all the dealer is doing is providing real estate and access to their onsite power.
Everything else is ChargePoint's.

 

[Dave]

The ChargePoint at Patriot Harley-Davidson, Fairfax VA is finally working as it should! The 3G modem was replaced last week with a 4G model. Plugged in, tapped with my Apple Watch, and it authorized and started charging. Tapped again to stop charging. Sorry that I did not try the ChargePoint app but the dealer said they had their first live test earlier this week. Good news.

 

[Phaedrus]

Yep, I must have been the "first test," earlier this week.

It seemed to start to charge fine, by using the app and tapping with my phone. But, the tech took it off charge, and in for service, while I was away from the charger. And, they put it back on charge after servicing, using the service desk card. So I did not see whether it actually finished a fast charge using the app.

According to Charge Point, the charger should ask for an access code, if one uses the app and a cell phone. Patriot would provide the code. (This keeps random, non-Livewire, EV-owners from getting free charging ) But, the charger didn't query me for the code. So, maybe Patriot simply hasn't enabled the access code requirement, or maybe their charger would have timed out on me.

I'll try the app again the next time I am there. But regardless, their charger works if one asks the service desk to start it with their card.

 

[Dave]

Are you referring to the code from ChargePoint for the two years of free charging? IIRC I got that from CP by registering the VIN and entered it into the app and connected it to my account.

 

[Dave]

You still have your XR, Phaedrus? Still have mine

 

[Phaedrus]

You still have your XR, Phaedrus? Still have mine
View attachment 1015

Still do.

 

[Phaedrus]

Are you referring to the code from ChargePoint for the two years of free charging? IIRC I got that from CP by registering the VIN and entered it into the app and connected it to my account.

The ChargePoint help desk said that since the Patriod charger doesnt show up as a public charger, that Patriot would provide an access code for its charger. But I don't think Patriot has enabled the access code requirement, and their charger just seems to be open for unrestricted use. But I'm going to charge their with the app, later this week, and confirm that.

 

[Phaedrus]

So, I'm learning.

For publicly listed ChargePoint chargers, if there is a special or restricted use group, one can get access by applying to the group through the ChargePoint app. (I just got approved for the Livewire Riders Group and a couple of others that I qualify for.)

For private chargers, not publicly visible, one apparently needs to get the access code from the owner of the charger, then enter that code into the app, and get connected to use it. The ChargePoint customer service person seemed to think that the Patriot charger fell in this group.

And then there may be chargers that are just free to use. Patriot's seemed to connect to my bike using just the app on the cell phone without any authorization process, so it could be in this category.

I guess I'll figure out how Patriot's really connects, the next time I go in....

 

[Phaedrus]

And, I can't tell anything conclusively about what is needed to charge at Patriot HD, other than having a card or the app on your phone.

It works with the service department's card. It works with personal CP cards. It works with a cell phone with the CP app on it.

And it definitely works with CP for riders who sign up for the Livewire Rider Group as a connection.

It seemed to work the other day for me, before I connected with the Livewire group. But I really dont know whether it would have fully charged, since the service tech disconnected it whie I wasnt there.

And it definitely worked today using the CP app on cell phone and being connected to the Livewire group, but CP doesnt show any record of my charging activity.

What the heck, it works.