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They changed the blinker fluid and muffler bearings. As good as new!
Aren't they power company equipment and not Tesla equipment?
In almost all cases the utility company owns the transformer not Tesla.
Ummmm....folks, I think reddy and bevguy are referring to those three little transformers near the top of the distribution cabinets, which are on Tesla's side of the big green local utility transformer.
There is a name plate on the 750 KVA transformer listing the date of manufacturing of november 1997. That's the only transformer I see with a date on it. If that is what he is referring to that would belong to the utility company. If you are referring to the 3 little transformers that have a yellow 300 written on the side of them. That is part of the metering which also belongs to the utility company.
My mistake, then! I have always assumed that the distribution center hardware was the property of Tesla.
I drove by this morning on my way to work and was shocked to not be able to see the supercharger cabinets. They put up a wall around the electrical equipment. It's not a little wall either:
They haven't put a door onto the structure yet, so I took a picture inside. You can see the wiring looks to be complete for connecting back to the transformer (the door was open when I arrived - as was the door to the transformer as seen in previous pictures):
And they've made some progress on the charging stalls, too. Still no wiring run to the stalls, yet. Ignore the grey bar near the bottom of the picture - it is a glitch from my camera:
They haven't put a door onto the structure yet, so I took a picture inside. You can see the wiring looks to be complete for connecting back to the transformer (the door was open when I arrived - as was the door to the transformer as seen in previous pictures):
And they've made some progress on the charging stalls, too. Still no wiring run to the stalls, yet. Ignore the grey bar near the bottom of the picture - it is a glitch from my camera:
fwgmills
Member
A couple of thing surprise me...
1) They run 4 cables per output phase. I would have expected to see one set of cables from transformer to gray cabinet and the splitting/distribution would happen there. I guess having 4 cables instead of one huge one are easier to handle, probably cheaper per foot and offers some redundancy if one cable in a group fails.
2) They build that wall really fast! Must have had a whole team working it.
For the people talking about how old the transformer is, when you think about it copper and aluminum don't go bad. The only thing that could go bad would be the mineral oil and that could be added to the transformer just prior to shipping. The below video shows how pole transformers are built but even through they're bigger, I imagine that pad transformers are similar.
1) They run 4 cables per output phase. I would have expected to see one set of cables from transformer to gray cabinet and the splitting/distribution would happen there. I guess having 4 cables instead of one huge one are easier to handle, probably cheaper per foot and offers some redundancy if one cable in a group fails.
2) They build that wall really fast! Must have had a whole team working it.
For the people talking about how old the transformer is, when you think about it copper and aluminum don't go bad. The only thing that could go bad would be the mineral oil and that could be added to the transformer just prior to shipping. The below video shows how pole transformers are built but even through they're bigger, I imagine that pad transformers are similar.
There are two drain holes on the back, out of view on the left side of the most recent picture. They left two areas where water can drain out from the floor and through the foundation (in pipes). I'll try to get a picture of it next time.
Actually, here's a previous picture that shows it pretty well (if you look through the orange plastic fencing. They covered the drains with a plastic lid, but then they put a thin layer of cement on those when they poured the foundation. You can barely make out the covers as some of the white plastic shows through. There is a drain in the far left corner of the foundation and another one that is nearly even with the closest Supercharger cabinet.
Hey thanks for the explanation. Good to know they think of those details.
I drove by yesterday afternoon and noticed that they've completed the charging stalls. I assume the wiring is complete or they wouldn't have completed the covers. I didn't check behind the supercharger cabinets to see if the wiring there was complete, I'm just assuming. They need to rebar and pour the parking lot and the transformer still had its door open with cables hanging out, as seen previously, so there is still some work to be done.
They really should lock the supercharger cabinets.
Actually, I just happened to glance and notice that the cabinet closest to the entrance was unlocked, so I took a peek. The others were locked up with a combination lock.
They really should lock the supercharger cabinets.
Actually, I just happened to glance and notice that the cabinet closest to the entrance was unlocked, so I took a peek. The others were locked up with a combination lock.
24 hours later and they're nearly done with the parking lot - there's just one small section and curb that needs to be completed:
They also have been working on the enclosure. You can't really tell from this picture, but that is a thick, heavy door:
The transformer is still incomplete, but it's getting close now.
They also have been working on the enclosure. You can't really tell from this picture, but that is a thick, heavy door:
The transformer is still incomplete, but it's getting close now.
You're welcome. I've really enjoyed it, too. If I wasn't posting here, I'd still be checking by the construction site just as often, but I wouldn't have any like minded people to share it with.
zkmusa
Member
Yes, thank you for doing this. It's been great following along with you.
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