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We have a new transformer and distribution switch now!

AKA: "People's Republic of Santa Monica" That's a good idea about the front plate!

Went by this site yesterday, and parked in one of the stalls in the middle of holiday shopping traffic. No one else was parked there, ICE or Tesla!. The concrete pad for the utility transformer is in place, but no transformer yet. I would guess this site will go live after New Year's Day...

Fair enough; it's the "Mission Valley" Supercharger, located at the Fashion Valley mall. The former is a valid geographical location, whereas the latter is not, although there is a road adjacent called Fashion Valley Rd, as well as condos on the hill called Fashion Heights. I think the...

@BlueShift, time for the cone yet here?

Yes, this area is notorious for flooding during the rare occasion we actually see substantial rain. This is usually accompanied by the obligatory report of at least one driver attempting to cross closed roadways that are obviously flooded. +1 to the comment about Mission vs. Fashion Valley...

Well that's the Tesla title block on the drawings. No obvious, unique Tesla equipment in view yet (I guess). One would expect urban chargers here. The number of single family homes in all of Mission Valley, from SDSU to I-5, can probably be counted on one hand, with fingers left over (I'm...

General reminder/warning; apparently Santa Monica is one of those municipalities that looks toward the lack of front license plates as a way to fill the city coffers. Perfectly legal, understood. I'm sure the local enforcement team will be all over this location once it goes live. Word to the...

Maybe I missed the post, but does this site have the utility transformer and meter set in place? You can usually tell if the transformer is energized, by the "hum".

Interesting; first I've seen where the auto-transformers are mounted atop the rectifiers. Guess it saves space!

Guessing that law enforcement favors that arrangement. Gives them "probable cause" that a crime is being committed, and they can scoop up a few more DUI's that way, with people trying to sleep it off before actually driving. And, yes, the homeless problem has been fully mishandled by local and...

The crew was working on the secondary cabling, from the transformer to Tesla's main service panel. Appears primary side is already connected.

Indeed! Rectifier units are set up already, and the autotransformers appear not far behind. Should see individual pods set up soon.

Must not be referring to "organized crime", but the other kind.

Power Pack = energy storage? I've seen the autotransformers on sites without it.

So Tesla must conduct some kind of power quality study first, as those transformers must add several thousand dollars to the overall cost. Plus, the facility will incur more losses on their side of the meter, for life.

Interesting, seeing those auto-transformers on the site. These get installed on some sites, just ahead of the rectifier cabinets. The small white boxes that are almost square. Have always been curious why they are only used sometimes; they should all be getting 277/480 V three phase from the...

Let's see; how fast can concrete cure in West Texas in September?

Or, their hard fought for permit has an unusually short fuse on it.... Or, they want to finish it before the local dealers association finds out about it... Or....the contractor is really hungry... Or....? Anyone know which utility's service area this is?

Suggestion: bring the crew some decent burritos! They will really appreciate it! Great to see this route firming up.

Indeed! And not too far off I-10. Also noted what I believe to be a new Chademo just to the north; just wish it was further to the west! (I.e. West of Ozona)

Malls in west Texas; that's funny...someone needs to take a drive from El Paso to San Antonio.

Keep in mind, for any permitted customer electrical project, the local "Authority Having Jurisdiction" (city, county, etc.) is the agency responsible for completing inspections, and advising the utility when approval is granted, so that the project can have a meter installed, and energized from...

Thats an old Unocal gas station in the background! Remember it from my Cal Poly days. How fitting to now have such a different energy source now being dispensed from basically the same location.

That is a symptom of the extreme homeless problem that has gotten way out of control. Local and state politicians refuse to deal effectively with it. Very unfortunate, as the area is otherwise quite pleasant. Nowadays, we have beggars on almost every intersection, largely looking for drug and...

Indeed! Just as the old steam engine locomotives had limited range before needing more water and coal. And, I would guess the early airliners had limited range before needing to refuel.

Some kind of permanent plaque at the Ft. Stockton SC site would be great! "This location completed the first driveable all-weather transcontinental electric highway in North America, in 2018" (OK, perhaps optomistic). I can see it now attached to the outside of the equipment fence.

Have done Ozona to Van Horn a couple times in a MS 90D. Once in warm conditions, once in cold. Made it OK in both cases, but did not drive at prevailing speeds for at least part of the run. Minimal arrival range left between 10 and 20 miles.

Interesting; not seeing the familiar small cube-shaped autotransformers commonly found at other recent Supercharger projects. Perhaps they combined them into much larger units in the tall cabinets with the screen fronts. Would make sense to do it that way for this many pods.

With successful city inspection, the utility will energize and set the meter, but will NOT close the customer's main breaker. That last step will indeed be up to the Tesla folks.

Not likely the utilities are providing an odd (for them) voltage. They are certainly serving 277/480 Volt three phase. I've examined the nameplates on these transformers, and they seem to be single-winding (per phase) autotransformers with 480 V on one side, and 504 V on the other...

Maybe they can pull it off, if paving is done immediately. If they are using concrete instead of asphalt, some additives may be necessary to ensure proper curing in less than three days. An impressive site, nonetheless.

The revenue meter and CT's will be found inside the tallest white cabinets, just opposite the Tesla rectifiers. The small white boxes are autotransformers with taps for 480 V one side, and 504 V on the other. The need for these still escapes me. They have nothing to do with metering, however. I...

99% chance that is the transformer! Voltage and capacity are a match for a SC with eight pods. Probably just waiting on final inspection by the local authority before the utility will turn it on. Any day now, I'd guess. Can't think of anything else around there that would need 500 kVA of 277/480...

Or "kWh served!"

Agree. Tesla is simply doing survey work to determine which site will work best. Far too early to bother hotel staff, please! And, no way I see them doing more than one SC here, at least for a long time.

Difficult to say; wish we had a view of the other side of the rectifiers.

With the substation across the street, my earlier theory about the function of the dry transformers is clearly incorrect. Assuming the distribution feeder does originate from there (that is, it is not a transmission only substation), the line loss in Voltage would be quite minimal. Could it be...

Those are small, dry-type auto-transformers (single winding) designed solely for boosting the 480 Volt side. There has to be a larger, oil filled transformer somewhere, maybe overhead? Normally, this number of charging pods uses a 500 kVA line transformer. Not sure I've ever seen a SC site...

Looks like all it needs is the line transformer! Which utility serves Deming? El Paso Electric?

Yes, two times each direction (Ozona/Van Horn), in our 2016 90D. Worst outcome was arriving at Van Horn westbound with 16 miles left. Very likely your car will be providing speed warnings in that direction, but if you maintain 65 mph or slower during at least a portion of the run, you should be...

That's six to seven acres at a latitude of 32 degrees north.

Tyl, I think you mean 100 Megawatt-hours of energy (?). To get one Megawatt of power from PV panels, takes about 6 to 7 acres. The energy production will vary by latitude, season, configuration (I.e. Fixed or tracking), and of course long term climate with regards to cloud cover. I've only seem...

I think the speculation about PV panels is likely accurate. Maybe a copy of Kettleman City? Desert temperatures, while significant, would not likely drive Black and Veatch to go subterranean with equipment. It leads to many maintenance issues related to water entry. Even well designed and built...

Looking at how fast Tucson went live, anybody think this one will be commissioned by Thanksgiving?

We've done both directions in our 12/16 delivered MS 90D. Westbound is more energy intensive due to elevation changes and prevailing winds. Worst case out of two westbound trips was arriving at Van Horn with sixteen miles left. It does help to heed the speed warnings the car gives you, to keep a...

Real transformers have fins! Energization must be imminent.

Equipment looks really exposed here. Hope there is activity/security 24/7.

That's not a transformer, but a padmounted "medium voltage" electric distribution switch. From the decals on the cabinet, it looks like it is on the SoCal Edison system, as one would expect in this area.