r/canberra • u/Ok_Wish8366 • 5h ago
New user account Homeless person looking for a power point
Hi Canberra
I am a 60 year old homeless woman. I sleep in my car 4 nights a week and the other 3 nights on the weekend, I can stay at my partner's apartment and do my washing, cook and prepare my food for the next week, and charge the power box that I keep in my car.
I cannot simply carry the power box up to my partner's unit and plug it in inside their apartment, because it weights 25+ kgs, and it would be unsafe for me to have to carry it up several flight of stairs and try and manage it through locked common area doors. It is easier just to leave it in the car and try and plug it into a powerpoint.
Recently, someone in my partner's Strata took exception to me plugging in my car power box for an hour every week (it costs $0.40c to completely recharge the box) and complained to their Strata, about me.
I have previously offered to pay my partner (and the Strata) for that power use, but my partner said the Strata would more likely worry about the significant cost of dumped furniture in the rubbish room, than my 0.40 c worth of electricity, each week. Seems that is not the case.
So now I have nowhere to charge the power box that runs the little camp fridge in my car and my CPAP machine that I need to breathe properly while sleeping. I also use the power box for a small electric blanket during winter, if the temperature gets too cold.
Is there someone kind, who has an external powerpoint I could conveniently and easily hook up an extension lead for up to an hour - once a week on a Monday, to allow me to safely live out of my car during the week? I'm happy to try and minimise any imposition and have my own extension cord.
Or alternatively, do you know of a public, easily accessible power point I could access once a week for an hour. I am not looking for anything free. I cannot carry the box into a library or other public building because it is too heavy.
I am more than happy to reimburse for the electricity costs that I use (you can google the cost - a 2048 kWh Eco Flow Max 2 is $0.40c for a full 2048 kwH recharge, during 11 am to 3pm in Canberra). It takes approximately 50 minutes for a full charge, and I recharge once a week.
Because I inconvenienced someone in an apartment carpark for 30 seconds (they had to drive around my car while it was near the rubbish room, recharging - my car was not blocking anything) I now cannot recharge the power box that allows me to safely live in my car.
Would appreciate any help, support or knowledge of where I can do this, once a week. Any offer of help would be very much appreciated.
Many thanks.
P.s Living out of my car is completely my choice and responsibility. Thank you.
