Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Supercharger - Littleton, MA

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
work progressing nicely.

IMG_2140.JPEG

IMG_2139.JPEG
 
How many transformers are there? This one says 500KVA. How is it going to power twelve 250KW V3 Superchargers, even if not all are maxed out? Each of those 3 power cabinets are supposed to be 1MW capable, and able to power 4 charging stations each with no sharing.
 
Last edited:
One transformer. They could upgrade it to a larger one down the road if needed. Probably assuming the site won’t be full often.
Other V3 sites have also had undersized transformers as well - Fairfield CT NB for example which you would think wouldn’t make any sense given it’s on busy I-95.
 
One transformer. They could upgrade it to a larger one down the road if needed. Probably assuming the site won’t be full often.
Other V3 sites have also had undersized transformers as well - Fairfield CT NB for example which you would think wouldn’t make any sense given it’s on busy I-95.
This is the post I was referencing for Fairfield's V3 chargers. Supercharger - I95 Rest Areas, Madison, CT
 
One transformer. They could upgrade it to a larger one down the road if needed. Probably assuming the site won’t be full often.
Other V3 sites have also had undersized transformers as well - Fairfield CT NB for example which you would think wouldn’t make any sense given it’s on busy I-95.

500KVA for 12 stalls still seems too small though. All it takes is 5 stalls ramped down to about 100KW and it's still at capacity. I guess we'll find out when it opens and starts seeing some traffic...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tdreamer
500KVA for 12 stalls still seems too small though. All it takes is 5 stalls ramped down to about 100KW and it's still at capacity. I guess we'll find out when it opens and starts seeing some traffic...
Maybe that's what LELD had available and Tesla ok'd it in the interest of getting the site online, with a goal to swap it out when a larger unit comes in? I do agree 500KVA is tiny for a V3 site with this many stalls.
 
500KVA for 12 stalls still seems too small though. All it takes is 5 stalls ramped down to about 100KW and it's still at capacity. I guess we'll find out when it opens and starts seeing some traffic...
Oil-immersed transformers are allowed to be overloaded for periods of time. This is why (at least with Central Main Power) most 200 amp service you will see a 10KW transformer serving a house.

I would hope that Tesla has a way to monitor the Oil temp and if things get too hot back off what is being delivered and schedule a transformer upgrade.
 
Maybe that's what LELD had available and Tesla ok'd it in the interest of getting the site online, with a goal to swap it out when a larger unit comes in? I do agree 500KVA is tiny for a V3 site with this many stalls.

It just occurred to me that this is 3-phase 277/480v power and each power cabinet would be powered by one phase/circuit. I'm no power transmission engineer, but due to the phasing of each circuit, each cabinet could potentially pull close to full power from the transformer and not exceed the power rating of the transformer. So it may not be as undersized as we thought....