Found the Permit!
B-EL 18-0032 - 901 E Calaveras Bl
Description: Embassy Suites: Install (8) Tesla Supercharger cabinets, (16) Tesla charging stations, (1) QED Switchgear, (1) utility transformer, (1) 30 KVA transformer
Permit issued 2/1/18, applied for on 1/19/18, expiration date 7/31/18
Have requested the title to be updated to reflect 16 Superchargers now.
eTRAKiT
Searched for that permit # and I clicked on parent permit (which seems to list the site as a restaurant) and there are two children permits marked. There is a lot of comments included for changes and stuff that has yet to be approved. Like this:
Structural Comments:
1. Submitted structural calculation is for QED switchboard anchorage. Please show switchboard dimensions, weight, anchor locations, total number of anchors and anchor information on drawing as shown on calculation.
2. Provide anchorage calculation for 1320 Lbs. supercharger cabinet as shown on detail E sheet D-1.
3. Provide anchorage calculation for transformer, specify dimensions, height and weight on drawing. Seismic anchorage calculation is required for component weighs equipment 400 Lbs. or more.
4. Special inspection is required for epoxy and expansion anchors per CBC Chapter 17. See attached form. Please complete, sign and return special inspection forms to Building Department with the revised drawings and calculations.
I'm interested in what they tried and omitted. I would just use Pleasanton's manufacturer for this and see if that was enough (Simpson Ties).
E-1
1. Submit enlarged (¼” scale min.) dimensioned plan detail for the electric equipment showing compliance with CEC art. 110.26.
Even I know that. 3' clearance or something like that.
2. Provide Electrical vehicle charging equipment electrical data information, installation instructions, requirements and specifications CEC 110.3
They don't? That's straightforward stuff. Somebody got too efficient with their paperwork. A permanent undeletable electronic link ought to be enough (except that I was homeless when I was going to implement that standard so it doesn't actually exist -- oh well).
3. Show on plan the location of all required ready accessible disconnects CEC 625.42
Ok, every one of these items is obvious to anybody submitting plans. Either the plan check guy just gave a long list of things they should always do and they already did all of it except one little detail, or somebody forgot to send them all the paperwork they prepared. (Or someone just didn't do their job.)
E-3
4. Submit a letter from PG&E informing us of the available fault current at the main switchboard. Any approval is contingent to the maximum AFC as determined by PGE and that the switchboard and down stream panels match or exceed the AIC ratings shown on the plan.
I can see why such a thing would be more difficult city to city. I'm continually amazed at how each electrical installation is totally unique. This is just normal work requirement, and I don't fault anybody in particular. It does have to be done right. By now, I'd think they're good at this. Some cities probably ask for it in different ways than other cities. I'm surprised they ask for a PG&E letter, but that isn't too surprising since it may trigger PG&E to do their own review that causes the proper fault currents to be analyzed and properly provisioned. Still, it makes more sense the compliance clerk just listed the whole kitchen sink when only one item was slightly askew.
5. Show on plan the “service point” as defined in CEC art 100
6. Plan not showing 1600A 277/480V GFI main circuit breaker requires performance test and documentation CEC 230.95
7. Submit main service load calculations and a detailed summary in compliance with CEC art 230.42(A) as determined by art 220 parts III, IV,
8. Provide voltage drop calculations for installed feeder/branch circuit conductors per Energy Code 130.5 (C)
All stuff we expect they would have either already done or planning to do ... sheesh ...
9. Provide all electrical systems conductor identification on plan CEC 210.5
10. Provide Super Charger output voltage/ amperes on plan
Ha! I'm certain they list this sort of thing. Maybe it wasn't listed exactly as desired.
11. Without evidence that vehicle charging equipment listed not to back feed utility upon loss of utility voltage per CEC 625.46 requirements
Certainly that makes sense. It also brings into question how they'd provision for grid connected battery behavior.
12. Super Charger output conductors without overcurrent protection
Provide note on the plan indicating that the source of supply for switchboards and panelboards shall be marked to indicate where the equipment power supply originates CEC 408.4 B
13. Provide a note on the plan indicating that all new switchboards, panelboards, industrial control panels and motor control centers shall be field marked warning qualified personal of the potential arc flash hazards and the appropriate PPE required. per CEC art. 110.16 and NFPA-70E
14. Provide available fault current calculations in compliance with CEC art 110.9, 110.10 requirements
Please resubmit complete electrical sets of revised plans with all related changes clouded out. Also please submit a response letter (do not respond with see page number) with a response referred to each of the review comments above. Any new information or revision which is not related to the above plan check comments may cause additional plan check comments to be generated
I wonder if this is one of those things where all the plans were submitted with most of the information derivable from the plans and they just weren't in the right format, or someone didn't feel that the information was necessary, or it was done in a way that the city didn't expect, or there are actually 10,000 items that need to be reviewed and this is just a very small listing of only 0.14% error rate.
Architectural Comments:
1- The project is proposing two types of charger (Tesla super charge and Level 2) . The accessible parking and accessible path of travel to charging equipment shall be provided for both types .
a) Min. One Van accessible is required for Level 2
b) Min One Van accessible and one standard is required for Tesla super charge
As per 2016 CBC Table 11B-228.3.2.1
2- Show there is truncated dome at existing curb ramp in Tesla Super charge area.
That isn't English. It is, however, computer searchable:
truncated dome at existing curb ramp at DuckDuckGo
Further text searching revealed
Truncated Domes — To Use or Not To Use? and now for the first time I know why I'm getting Carpal Tunnel and spilling all sorts of heavy dangerous loads all over the place getting stuck on those damn bump strips.
I HATE THEM. Cripples strike again! I've spilled thousands of pounds worth of material nearby pedestrians with carts full of things on them going in and out of storage units, stores, and all sorts of other places that have them. I never keep my hands on carts any more because they will shake my bones and brake them, my flesh, my brain, etc.; I just accelerate the carts and let them get across the bumps without me touching them at all. Sometimes they almost hit cars that bypass and almost hit pedestrians. These stupid bump strips are
trecherous. They remind me exactly of the sloped "handicapped access ramps" that cause many broken legs and deaths in places that have freezing weather: the "handicapped access ramp" on the sidewak gets frozen water, a pedestrian who used to survive fine on a non-sloped sidewalk then walks across that ramp area but because it has a slope now they slip on it, they fall and hit their head and die, get brain damage, or break some body part. NOT OK. I'm tired of cripples crippling us.
3- Please note on sheet A0.1 “This sheet is for reference only”.
End of comments
So, overall, good news! They're in plan review. It should be ready to build within a year or so.
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Ahh, but wait: it has been "issued"; perhaps they can start work concurrently with plan corrections:
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Site observations:
The upper left star is the new parking charging, the lower left is the charging equipment, and the lower right are the nicer trees I wouldn't want disturbed. I've seen better trees, but at least those are the tall needle type that are indigenous and beautiful.
I did find something that could be a restaurant at the site being worked on (notice some concrete wall work):
The trees along the following pathway of marked areas of the parking area where they will probably install the charging connector plugs are little tiny low class trees, so I don't care if they rip them all up. (Nearby across the parking lot further from the building are some high class needle based evergreens that I wouldn't want touched without complete equivilent replacement.) I like the charging parking spot compromise between front placement where everyone will want to scratch your car and back placement far away from everything. In this case, it also avoids having to uproot the good trees in the furthest placement.
Here's a few views of the new equipment area:
To me, the electric switch cabinet and supercharger conversion units (AC-DC) look mounted (since they're all plumbed & squared, lined up, and oriented parallel), but it's hard to tell through the fence. Workers are here so I don't want to snoop.
