Supercharger - Goleta, CA (LIVE 6 May 2020, 12 V3 stalls)

[88911cs]

Well, they must have stopped only because it was raining, they are back at it today. Three guys in the area near the entrance to the shopping center, they were spreading gravel. Really hard to tell what's going on in there.

The stalls, all nine of the standing ones had the tops taken off, looked like more wiring was being done.

 

[smartypnz]

Ditto. My adaptor showed signs of overheating a few days ago @ 69 amps. Try limiting your charging current to 30 amps or so until this thing can be fixed. I will try to resolve this. Later.....

Yes, in the early years most of us were using 240 volt outlets installed in the garage (pre-UMC). However, it was discovered that repeated plugging of these was not the intention (being mostly used for dryers which never get unplugged). Eventually carbon build-up on the prongs due to minor arcing during plug/unplug process caused overheating (I think one Tesla owner had his garage burn down).
Everyone started paying attention to the adapters - solution (before the UMC's came out), was to spray the contacts with an electrical cleaner (a safe one).

Just sayin'

 

[Nosken]

Yes, in the early years most of us were using 240 volt outlets installed in the garage (pre-UMC). However, it was discovered that repeated plugging of these was not the intention (being mostly used for dryers which never get unplugged). Eventually carbon build-up on the prongs due to minor arcing during plug/unplug process caused overheating (I think one Tesla owner had his garage burn down).
Everyone started paying attention to the adapters - solution (before the UMC's came out), was to spray the contacts with an electrical cleaner (a safe one).

Just sayin'

Do you have a recommended cleaner?
Is this also good practice for the the car end of the UMC?
The Charge Port in the car?
Thanks

 

[2015 85D]

Don't use a spray cleaner. A wire brush or sand paper is the recommended method if the pins or sockets show signs wear or of buildup. The 240 Vac dryer outlet in your garage is rated and wired for 30 amps. If you want to use the 40 amp charger using your dryer outlet, you can rewire it with #8 wire to the distribution box, install a 40amp socket, and use a 50 amp breaker. This is safe and legal. I have a gas dryer, so the AC socket was not being used.

 

[Gray468]

However, it was discovered that repeated plugging of these was not the intention (being mostly used for dryers which never get unplugged). Eventually carbon build-up on the prongs due to minor arcing during plug/unplug process caused overheating (I think one Tesla owner had his garage burn down).

I assumed repeated plugging/unplugging was not intended for the dryer plug, so I had an electrician installed a “commercial grade” version designed for this activity. A year later our dryer koofered and I replaced it with a gas one... plugging/unplugging stopped.

My dryer line maxes out at 30 amps, so the Tesla will only draw 24. 17 mph charging is plenty for me. The cost to upgrade to 50 or more amps was prohibitive.

But given the local free charger melted my adapter, and your story, I will start checking the dryer socket for warmth.

 

[smartypnz]

But given the local free charger melted my adapter, and your story, I will start checking the dryer socket for warmth.

Yes, I remember those early days of constantly checking the adapter for heat - they did get warm and eventually turned it down to 30 amps. But then the UMC arrived and replaced the 40 Amp outlet with 50 Amp to a sub panel in the outside garage and a 6 AWG to the main panel. No more worries.

 

[smartypnz]

Don't use a spray cleaner. A wire brush or sand paper is the recommended method if the pins or sockets show signs wear or of buildup. The 240 Vac dryer outlet in your garage is rated and wired for 30 amps. If you want to use the 40 amp charger using your dryer outlet, you can rewire it with #8 wire to the distribution box, install a 40amp socket, and use a 50 amp breaker. This is safe and legal. I have a gas dryer, so the AC socket was not being used.

You're right - wire brush/sand paper is better, but hard to get to parts of the adapter - so a good contact cleaner makes up the slack - DO NOT USED WHILE ENERGIZED. And no, I don't have a recommendation and probably hard to find an electronics supply store (Radio Shack is history)

 

[88911cs]

Wel, here is the area at the entrance, no idea............Ambient guys were working on it, putting gravel in, done yesterday. Bonus pic is a Supercharger opened up. The other eight standing ones had their covers on again, this was the only one that didn't. It was lunch time, no one was around, I should have taken a picture over the fence, hindsight.....I should have sold nearly all of my portfolio a few weeks ago Except TSLA, which I would not have bet, since they have to shut down the San Jose factory.

 

[chriscasti]

Wel, here is the area at the entrance, no idea............Ambient guys were working on it, putting gravel in, done yesterday. Bonus pic is a Supercharger opened up. The other eight standing ones had their covers on again, this was the only one that didn't. It was lunch time, no one was around, I should have taken a picture over the fence, hindsight.....I should have sold nearly all of my portfolio a few weeks ago Except TSLA, which I would not have bet, since they have to shut down the San Jose factory.

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Interesting they have a masonry block holding down a plate. I am guessing they are putting one SCE transformer there as well as one near the Supercharger cabinets on the empty pad.

 

[88911cs]

I'll bet you're right.

 

[Gray468]

SCE announced a week or so ago that it is postponing non-safety related maintenance that requires power to be out. I wonder if this is a project they may postpone? Yes, it is construction not maintenance.... but .....

 

[Doves27]

thanks for the pictures

 

[88911cs]

Found this newly installed this morning. It’s not what is under the cover in the storage area, that’s still there. 10th charger completed.

 

[TerranApart]

That was a relatively quick transformer install, especially compared with the transformer installation delays many of the other SuperCharger builds are experiencing in PG&E service territory. Good on SCE to get this one placed so quickly.

Once the fences come down, I'd love to see a picture of the boiler plate sticker on the transformer to see the capacity.

The switchgear plaque says "1600A" which should be about ~1300kVA, so maybe we'll see a transformer in the 1000-1500kVA range.

 

[tjhmax]

With the transformer installed let’s see if they will be done and open in 2 weeks.

 

[88911cs]

I don't think they have power to the transformer yet, though I'm not sure. Posts 53 and 248 show where it comes from, they dug that area out, and bored to it. They poured a bunch of cement there, but I don't think whatever equipment they need is there yet. It might be in the storage area, pretty much all that's left is something large, under several tarps.

 

[chriscasti]

cannot wait to never have to drive to buellton or oxnard again! plus its spring and the bugs are out thiccc! I am going to drive by today n take a pic

 

[TerranApart]

I don't think they have power to the transformer yet, though I'm not sure. Posts 53 and 248 show where it comes from, they dug that area out, and bored to it. They poured a bunch of cement there, but I don't think whatever equipment they need is there yet. It might be in the storage area, pretty much all that's left is something large, under several tarps.

The vacant concrete pad may eventually be home to a pad-mounted equipment box, likely holding distribution switchgear. It would look something like this:

 

[88911cs]

I'll bet it looks exactly like that, if you look at the picture I took there is a manhole cover to the right, and the plate with the cinder block on it on the left. It, the plate, is actually bolted down at the moment.

 

[88911cs]

.......and it does look exactly like that.