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Pre-Conference BBQ, Thurs, 7/17
- Thread starter bonnie
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We'll miss you. And yes, logistics really only work for those driving cross-country or local. But hey, worth trying
.
If you're a Roadster owner and you haven't let me know you'll need to charge, please make sure I know beforehand. We should have plenty of electrons for everyone, but I want to make sure.
It will be clear where to park as you arrive. We want to get all the Model S together, along with the Roadsters (for photos), and all the rest of the local EVs, too. Currently about 80 people have let me know they'll be showing up. If you haven't RSVP'd yet, but are planning on coming, please let me know PRONTO. I need the headcount for the food and beverage.
It will be clear where to park as you arrive. We want to get all the Model S together, along with the Roadsters (for photos), and all the rest of the local EVs, too. Currently about 80 people have let me know they'll be showing up. If you haven't RSVP'd yet, but are planning on coming, please let me know PRONTO. I need the headcount for the food and beverage.
Include Jenny and me in! And Aurora and Borealis, too!
Vicariously, of course.....
No doubt we'll need as much cool air as you can send!
fyi - I notice that Tesla Motors has a cool pool accessory, just in time for the party. All the cool people will have one.
Shop Tesla Gear Plush Beach Towel
Shop Tesla Gear Plush Beach Towel
dirkhh
Middle-aged Member
rolosrevenge
Dr. EVS
Now I'm really curious about the rating of the distribution transformer feeding your house.
Well the Roadsters won't all be plugged in at the same time
. And the Model S will be using the local vicinity superchargers (Roseville and Folsom).
Yes, I, too, expressed that concern to Bonnie in email. I've participated two Roadster gatherings where we cooked the distribution transformer and PG&E had to come and replace it.
rolosrevenge
Dr. EVS
In both instances that I have experienced, the transformer did not blow up, it just overheated and caused the fuses that feed it to open. In the first instance, those fuses were like circuit breakers that just sprung open. In the second instance they were fuses that did drop down a few small parts (tubes about 3/8" diameter by a few inches).
In case it is of value to rolosrevenge, here are the details:
A group of us Roadster drivers exceeded the transformer capacity at the Dan and Cindy Phillips' house in Napa on a hot day in 2009 when there were two cars charging, one at 40A and one at 70A, plus the air conditioning running in their house and presumably also running in the one neighbor house also served by the same transformer. Just after the oven was turned on to warm some appetizers, the power went out, but all the circuit breakers on the home's panel were still on. Then we saw that the circuit breakers up on the pole had opened. Turning on the oven was probably not significant because the problem is the total heat build-up in the transformer, not the instantaneous load. The circuit breakers probably would have opened not much later even without the oven since the cars and A/C were continuing to run.
Then when five of us went to Yosemite in 2010 and charged at an RV park in Buck Meadow using 40A each we again exceeded the transformer capacity for the whole RV park. That didn't gain us any friends. I was more surprised by that one because the ambient temperature was cool so none of the RV campers would have had A/C running. I would have expected the load to be similar on a hot day with 25 RVs running A/C, but maybe the duty cycle of that load is low enough to not cause too much heat build-up. I think this particular RV park was built in the 1950's and some of the power distribution wiring appeared to be original, so the transformer might have been that old as well. I believe it is PG&E's policy, or at least their practice, to not replace transformers proactively but only when they fail.
In both instances, PG&E came out to replace the transformer with a newer, bigger one, but that takes several hours during which the power is out. Definitely puts a damper on the party.
rolosrevenge
Dr. EVS
Based on all this & disregarding the phone confirmation that the transformer could handle the load, I emailed PG&E engineering just to be on the safe side. They are evaluating and will get back to me within two days. That will give time to upgrade, if necessary. And if they get it wrong, I will have a name and email address.
Good news is that the pool will still work no matter what happens. The bbq will still be served. And we'll all still have a great time.
(I just had the hot tub repair folks here. Of COURSE it went out right before the party. It's the heater element. Brianman would never forgive me if the tub was out of commission. I am assured it will be up and running tomorrow. )
Another wonderful update: Georgianna (she shared wine with Elon last year) is bringing her friend from Petrified Forest Vineyard. Plus a case of their very finest red wine. We'll make sure everyone gets a taste. (And a friend from BevMo is making sure we have plenty of wine|beer|water. If you want anything else, bring it.)
Good news is that the pool will still work no matter what happens. The bbq will still be served. And we'll all still have a great time.
(I just had the hot tub repair folks here. Of COURSE it went out right before the party. It's the heater element. Brianman would never forgive me if the tub was out of commission. I am assured it will be up and running tomorrow.
)Another wonderful update: Georgianna (she shared wine with Elon last year) is bringing her friend from Petrified Forest Vineyard. Plus a case of their very finest red wine. We'll make sure everyone gets a taste. (And a friend from BevMo is making sure we have plenty of wine|beer|water. If you want anything else, bring it.)
