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Enough Superchargers for Thanksgiving?
- Thread starter Garlan Garner
- Start date
mspohr
Well-Known Member
Visited three Bay area SC Thursday and Friday. No wait. Even the new Livermore station had open slots while the rest of the parking lot was jammed.
I agree, however let me change it a little.
Holliday traveling "reveals" the worst in some people.
Looks like California is the most congested area. Period. Not that we didn't already know that.
Tesla Supercharger network gets a rough test with Thanksgiving travels
Tesla Supercharger network gets a rough test with Thanksgiving travels
redscott
Member
A friend (S100D) reported a 35 minute wait for one of the 8 slots in Grants Pass, Oregon on Sunday in the early afternoon. Fortunately all 8 stalls were working, one of them was busted when I came through a month ago.
I-5 between Portland and San Francisco will be helped out a lot when the Roseburg, OR & Redding, CA open (both "scheduled" for 2018).
I-5 between Portland and San Francisco will be helped out a lot when the Roseburg, OR & Redding, CA open (both "scheduled" for 2018).
goldengate
Member
Atascadero, California and San Luis Obispo, California were both very busy all week. On Sunday the 18th I had to wait 40 minutes in a line of 7 vehicles for the SC. It was my first SC experience and I was sitting there wondering if I had made a terrible mistake buying a Tesla (this is after a mechanical issue a few minutes earlier that made us pull off the freeway and reboot). The trip back was fine except Salinas SC was offline so I couldn't see status, and another Model 3 cut me off trying to "race" me to the SC. Shaking my head.
As discussed in other threads, 101 really needs more capacity between Salinas and SLO/Atascadero. King City would be ideal.
As discussed in other threads, 101 really needs more capacity between Salinas and SLO/Atascadero. King City would be ideal.
xilex
Model P3D
Birdman325
Member
Another point of consideration is that even if there is an available stall, SC speed is greatly impacted based on paired use and likely, although I don't know this for a fact - number of stalls in use generally at the location.
I completed a recent Toronto - Montreal - Toronto trip this past weekend. I pulled into the Kingston supercharger (in the parking lot of a busy outlet mall) which is only a 6 stall - 4 were in use, and I had no choice but to pick a paired stall with someone. When I first plugged in, the speeds were pretty low and it was looking like it would take me more than an hour to "continue my trip."
I noticed that there was an S, two 3's and a X - 60. I had a hunch the 3s would be there less time so I paired with one of the 3s and waited in the car for a few minutes. Sure enough within 10 minutes, both Model 3s pulled out and a few minutes later, the S left. All of the other cars were gone except for me and the older X and my charging speeds shot up dramatically.
Likely just good fortune and timing, but I would have hated to have paired with the X, gone off to shop etc, and then have everyone else leave except for me and the X, and we are both getting reduced speeds when the rest of the spots were open. -
I completed a recent Toronto - Montreal - Toronto trip this past weekend. I pulled into the Kingston supercharger (in the parking lot of a busy outlet mall) which is only a 6 stall - 4 were in use, and I had no choice but to pick a paired stall with someone. When I first plugged in, the speeds were pretty low and it was looking like it would take me more than an hour to "continue my trip."
I noticed that there was an S, two 3's and a X - 60. I had a hunch the 3s would be there less time so I paired with one of the 3s and waited in the car for a few minutes. Sure enough within 10 minutes, both Model 3s pulled out and a few minutes later, the S left. All of the other cars were gone except for me and the older X and my charging speeds shot up dramatically.
Likely just good fortune and timing, but I would have hated to have paired with the X, gone off to shop etc, and then have everyone else leave except for me and the X, and we are both getting reduced speeds when the rest of the spots were open. -
FloridaJohn
Member
I stopped at four Superchargers over the holiday weekend in my trip from West Palm Beach, Florida to Charlotte, NC. I traveled on Tuesday and Saturday, mainly to avoid the increased traffic on Wednesday and Sunday, and also to hopefully miss any overcrowding at Superchargers.
I stopped at the Port Orange Supercharger on the way up and the way back. On the way up, I pulled into the last open spot in the bank of six Superchargers. While I charged, two of the cars pulled out, one new one came in, and when I was leaving I passed another car on it's way in.
On the way up I stopped at the Kingsland, GA supercharger. That one was mostly full (also a bank of six), but was never totally full while I was there, but there seemed to be a steady stream of cars going in and out. I was number four of six when I pulled up, and when I left it was still about that full.
On the way back I stopped at the Savannah, GA supercharger. That was the only one that was completely full when I arrived. I had to wait about five minutes until someone left. It is also a bank of six superchargers. When I left, there were a couple of empty spots, so it doesn't appear as if it was full continuously.
I also stopped at the Columbia, SC supercharger in both directions. Neither time was this bank of eight chargers full. There were three cars there on the way up, and only one other one on the way back.
This was my first long road trip in my Model 3, and overall it was a pleasant experience. Autopilot helped to while away the hours on the interstate. In my previous car, this trip took about 11 hours including one or maybe two stops. This time I stopped three times each way, and it took 12 hours. So about an hour penalty for traveling electric, although if the superchargers were better placed for my trip, I could probably do it in only two stops.
I stopped at the Port Orange Supercharger on the way up and the way back. On the way up, I pulled into the last open spot in the bank of six Superchargers. While I charged, two of the cars pulled out, one new one came in, and when I was leaving I passed another car on it's way in.
On the way up I stopped at the Kingsland, GA supercharger. That one was mostly full (also a bank of six), but was never totally full while I was there, but there seemed to be a steady stream of cars going in and out. I was number four of six when I pulled up, and when I left it was still about that full.
On the way back I stopped at the Savannah, GA supercharger. That was the only one that was completely full when I arrived. I had to wait about five minutes until someone left. It is also a bank of six superchargers. When I left, there were a couple of empty spots, so it doesn't appear as if it was full continuously.
I also stopped at the Columbia, SC supercharger in both directions. Neither time was this bank of eight chargers full. There were three cars there on the way up, and only one other one on the way back.
This was my first long road trip in my Model 3, and overall it was a pleasant experience. Autopilot helped to while away the hours on the interstate. In my previous car, this trip took about 11 hours including one or maybe two stops. This time I stopped three times each way, and it took 12 hours. So about an hour penalty for traveling electric, although if the superchargers were better placed for my trip, I could probably do it in only two stops.
Enough chargering stalls we had ..... the parking so other cars could access those stalls was another story.
A pretty thing cool though, I’m betting almost 50% we’re Model 3’s. Now they need to practice their backing skills
A pretty thing cool though, I’m betting almost 50% we’re Model 3’s. Now they need to practice their backing skills
Anyone charge at Allentown SC last night, 11/25? It was not showing up on the in-vehicle map at all and Google Maps said it was "closed." I avoided it because there was traffic on I-78 but just curious what was going on.
Wahbash
Member
East Coast - we used a supercharger near our hotel northeast of Hartford, CT while traveling for Thanksgiving. It had maybe 8 or 10 chargers I think. There were always a few Teslas parked there over the three days we stayed, but there were always a few spots open.
follow.johnny
FSD Beta Tester
Thanks for everyone's feedback and experience for their Thanksgiving travels. I wonder how things will be for the Christmas rush.
I'm planning to drive up to San Jose from LA the day before Christmas (Monday, Dec. 24) I'm going to plan the trip using A Better Route Planner A Better Routeplanner
Any other suggestions or things to plan for? I'm not sure how the weather will be driving up that week. Thanks in advance!
I'm planning to drive up to San Jose from LA the day before Christmas (Monday, Dec. 24) I'm going to plan the trip using A Better Route Planner A Better Routeplanner
Any other suggestions or things to plan for? I'm not sure how the weather will be driving up that week. Thanks in advance!
We charged at the Norfolk, VA Supercharger in the early afternoon on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. 4 out of 6 stalls in use and we managed to grab one that was paired with a nearly-full Model S, so we got a strong charge rate.
We stopped at Glen Allen, VA in the late afternoon on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. 8 out of 20 stalls in use with no problems finding an unpaired stall.
We also checked several nearby locations in the nav on the Sunday afternoon after Thanksgiving. Nothing was over 60% full.
We stopped at Glen Allen, VA in the late afternoon on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. 8 out of 20 stalls in use with no problems finding an unpaired stall.
We also checked several nearby locations in the nav on the Sunday afternoon after Thanksgiving. Nothing was over 60% full.
To follow-up - the SC stations in Yuma and Gila Bend were empty on Tuesday, and there was one Model 3 charging on the way home on Saturday. Compared to the gas stations we hit with our XC90, the SCs along our route were dead. Looking forward to utilizing these eventually.
Lost 1.5 hours in Quartzsite yesterday (Sunday) with 7 cars in line. This supercharger is a great example of a bottle neck. There are several superchargers coming from LA and or Phoenix. But in between, in the middle of the desert, there is only Quartzsite. No alternatives like on rest of the route. It is hard to skip this supercharger even with a Model S 100 or Model 3 LR. You would love a lot of time charging to 100% and driving slowly. You can't skip it with any X or 60/70/75/85/90 S driving just the speed limit.
What makes things worse is the total capacity of a site is usually less than the theoretical. In theory an 8 stall site has 4 chargers with each 120 - 145 kW. But when all stalls are in use, the total power is limited. I have seen that many times at full superchargers. If you add up the charge power of all cars charging it's not even close to the theoretical limit. That means all cars are charging slower than they could taking up the stalls longer, compounding the problem.
What makes things worse is the total capacity of a site is usually less than the theoretical. In theory an 8 stall site has 4 chargers with each 120 - 145 kW. But when all stalls are in use, the total power is limited. I have seen that many times at full superchargers. If you add up the charge power of all cars charging it's not even close to the theoretical limit. That means all cars are charging slower than they could taking up the stalls longer, compounding the problem.
The MX60D would only be charging at a maximum of 96 kW, so the worst you could do is about 40 kW even if they were empty and had just plugged in. The maximum time they are likely to charge is about 50 minutes, at which time they will still be drawing 30 kW when it shuts off. Not really a bad car to be paired with. Likely if they were there for as long as you indicate, they were not charging and were paying idle fees.
I'm surprised the wait was so long - when we go through Quartzsite, we always try to get in and out of there very quickly (usually less than 15 min in a S85) . We over charge at Indio or Buckeye in order to do that.
