Supercharger - Buena Park, CA (removed from car nav 31 Aug 2018 but still operational, 8 V2 stalls)

[ecarfan]

Thanks for the photos. I changed the thread title to reflect the fact that this Supercharger location opening date now depends on SCE doing its part. So who knows when that will happen. I am sure that situations like this are frustrating for the Tesla Supercharger team, as the final step here is beyond their control.

 

[4SUPER9]

As difficult as SCE can be, I am familiar with several other companies (AT&T) that have notoriously bad customer service, but have dedicated teams to work with large clients. I would imagine that Tesla works with such a contact at SCE. Maybe even that is insufficient.

 

[otter]

Maybe it's just me. Does anyone else find it oddly fascinating that after more than a century has gone by, two companies named Tesla and Edison are having some difficulties in their dealings with each other?

 

[4SUPER9]

Maybe it's just me. Does anyone else find it oddly fascinating that after more than a century has gone by, two companies named Tesla and Edison are having some difficulties in their dealings with each other?

OMG, that is absolutely brilliant! I am stunned that this is the first time I have heard such a comment. My son did a "Living Biography" last year (5th grade) and I suggested Tesla. The school said that in all their years of doing this project, no one has chosen him before. He dressed up as Tesla and did a whole presentation, including all the battles that he and Edison went through.

 

[rfmurphy81]

I drove by Thursday night and the hoards of cars they had there the week before when I had a service appointment were mostly all gone. It seemed like half of the right side lot was empty and they only had a few cars parked in the Supercharger spots so it seems like they've been clearing out house for the end of the quarter. I saw what seemed to be activity towards the back on the left side where the service technicians work, so they must be pulling double shifts or something.

 

[Arizona S]

I drove by Thursday night and the hoards of cars they had there the week before when I had a service appointment were mostly all gone. It seemed like half of the right side lot was empty and they only had a few cars parked in the Supercharger spots so it seems like they've been clearing out house for the end of the quarter. I saw what seemed to be activity towards the back on the left side where the service technicians work, so they must be pulling double shifts or something.

About three months ago, I wondering in this blog if I would be able to use this supercharger for a Sept 10th date. I was assured by some that it would be no problem (coming from Arizona). I opined that this delay may be a parking spot problem and not an Edison problem. Other bloggers told me that I must be mistaken. I may have been right for now I am coming out again to LA on October 10th and this supercharger is still not open. Even Edison is not that bad!

 

[Bet TSLA]

Even Edison is not that bad!

What makes you think that?

 

[johnnyS]

I was at Buena Park service just yesterday and they said it could still be several weeks before the supercharger is energized. The staff on site did not really know.

 

[rfmurphy81]

I was at Buena Park service just yesterday and they said it could still be several weeks before the supercharger is energized. The staff on site did not really know.

There's a separate team that handles Supercharger construction and, when I was there last, my service advisor made it sound like they weren't very forthcoming to them with details. However, based on the speculation here, it sounds like the Supercharger team can't plan as much when the utility seems to be the wildcard. I'm curious what process is involved after construction has finished for SCE.

 

[tbleakne]

I'm curious what process is involved after construction has finished for SCE.

My photos bottom of pg 8 of this thread show the pads opposite the Service Entrance ready for the transformer. The 480V cables from the charger cabinets have been installed in underground conduit ready to connect to the low-voltage side. Most likely the HV cables from SCE have also been installed but not energized. SCE orders the transformer, which is very heavy, and it gets delivered and installed. Next the connection of the high voltage from SCE's circuit to the other side of the transformer is made. This voltage can be as high as 30KV. Finally a member of the Tesla SC installation team returns to test and commission the Superchargers. This last step takes only a few hours. At that point the SCs are live.

Note that Tesla is billed for all of this installation activity, including the cost of the transformer. They get a somewhat reduced price by buying the power "at voltage" which means they are responsible for any maintenance that the transformer requires. I believe they also get a reduction in demand charges.

For 8 stalls, a minimum of 4*120kW = 500kW transformer is required, although the newest SCs may be rated for higher power. I watched some of this install process when the 12-stall SC at Victoria Gardens, Rancho Cucamonga, was installed last year. In that case they installed a 2 MW transformer to allow for future expansion. It was huge.

If anyone visiting Buena Park for service or other reasons sees activity around those pads, post a photo.

 

[isaax]

If anyone visiting Buena Park for service or other reasons sees activity around those pads, post a photo.

My MS will be going in for warranty work this Saturday. I'll try to snap some photos.

 

[Maaz]

I was there today. Was told very confidently that the Superchargers will open in 2 weeks.

 

[tbleakne]

Great to hear. If anyone happens to be there when transformer arrives or is being installed, photos would be great.

 

[ermac318]

Was there for service this morning, big crane dropping the transformers behind the wood panels that hide the pad. Hopefully shouldn't be long now!

 

[gaswalla]

Yay. Just a few days more hopefully

 

[tbleakne]

Was there for service this morning, big crane dropping the transformers behind the wood panels that hide the pad. Hopefully shouldn't be long now!

Thanks for your report. Below is photo I took on Saturday, driving 30 miles each way through traffic, to see transformer installed. The lower cabinet in the shade in the rear is also new, not present in the photo Mark Z posted on pg 8 of this thread.

I wonder about the remaining empty pad in the middle, which has only a large conduit protruding. Hopefully this does not mean more work is required.

Label on this transformer rates it at 1000kW, 1 MW.

It is hard to see through the cracks of the strong enclosure for the 4 charger units, but I could see their label rating of 135kW. These appear to be a different design than earlier ones I have seen. I can't see for sure, but I believe ventilation air enters at the bottom and exits the top, which should be better than earlier units with ventilation on the side that have a tendency for the hot exit air to be sucked back into the inlet !

If these units can deliver 135 kW to a pair of charging cars, that will mean more power for the secondary charging car.

 

[ggr]

135 kW total has been standard for a couple of years now.

 

[sperrysburg]

Bueno Park is up and running. I am charging now. Unfortunately, all stalls are occupied. 2 stalls are blocked off with cones. I was told power was low for the pair so they just blocked them.

 

[SoCal Jimmy]

Buena Park is alive!!! Woohoo

 

[rfmurphy81]

Wow, did everyone show up suddenly to charge? What kind of kW are you guys seeing so far?