-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Supercharger - San Diego, CA (Qualcomm / Pacific Heights Blvd., 12 V2 stalls)
- Thread starter Cosmacelf
- Start date
-
- Tags
- California Supercharging USA
Graffi
Member
It is from the lounge at Kettleman City Supercharger. I will attach some photos from when I was there last weekend on a trip to Yuba City (North of Sacramento) and back. Notice that this was at 3:08 am and there was actually a slot open in San Diego with no waiting line (unless the one slot was out of service, in which case there could have been a line. Anyone who was there at the San Diego Supercharger at 3:08 am last Sunday morning wish to enlighten us?
It is amazing that San Diego us usually the Supercharger which has the highest amount of electricity provided to Tesla cars, but only has 12 charging stations, when those with 20 or more stations provide a lesser amount of electricity.
It is amazing that San Diego us usually the Supercharger which has the highest amount of electricity provided to Tesla cars, but only has 12 charging stations, when those with 20 or more stations provide a lesser amount of electricity.
Attachments
Typically if there is consistently 1/2 stall opened, then it means the stalls are out of order. Given the amount of charging these get, it makes sense they will go out faster and more often.
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
So in the spirit of thinking differently and avoiding the abysmal bottleneck that Tesla has foisted upon us in San Diego through continued catch-up SC deployment efforts in the Southwest Region...
I have a meeting east of San Diego tomorrow, which is to say Sunday, (leaving from the Beach Cities just south of LAX) which puts my northbound return right at peak saturated I-5/405 time. Which is to say during one of the peak times at the lone operating San Diego SC as well.
It's ~150 decidedly non-optimal miles each way, so I'm going to end up charging somewhere - even if I had a 100D or a Model 3LR, which I don't. Conventional wisdom would have me leave my humble abode with a full charge, complete the meeting and stop at the nearest SC during the trip back - that being the perpetually saturated SC at San Diego/Qualcomm.
Not gonna do it (Dana Carvey's Dubya voice). Wouldn't be prudent at this juncture.
I've got maybe a 40% charge at the moment. It's enough to get me to Clemente in the morning. I'll charge there, make the meeting east of San Diego, and then, depending upon how much time the morning charge takes at Clemente, will have the flexibility of hitting Clemente on the way back - or not, since it's likely traffic will be quite slow anyway.
Thus avoiding the San Diego, SJC and FV SCs - all known and occasionally egregious Sunday afternoon bottlenecks.
Not that Clemente is a completely safe bet - the last time I charged there with its 21 or so pedestals, at one point mine was the only S and the other 20 stalls were filled with Xs. That was a first. I should have organized a photo with FWDs raised, but given the proximity of that SC to shopping *sigh*, I doubt half the vehicles were occupied.
Anyway, for anyone new to the charging game who's reading this, perhaps consider a slightly different charging approach specifically to avoid known bottlenecks during known busiest times. Trading high risk/guaranteed hassle for lower risk, if you will.
I have a meeting east of San Diego tomorrow, which is to say Sunday, (leaving from the Beach Cities just south of LAX) which puts my northbound return right at peak saturated I-5/405 time. Which is to say during one of the peak times at the lone operating San Diego SC as well.
It's ~150 decidedly non-optimal miles each way, so I'm going to end up charging somewhere - even if I had a 100D or a Model 3LR, which I don't. Conventional wisdom would have me leave my humble abode with a full charge, complete the meeting and stop at the nearest SC during the trip back - that being the perpetually saturated SC at San Diego/Qualcomm.
Not gonna do it (Dana Carvey's Dubya voice). Wouldn't be prudent at this juncture.
I've got maybe a 40% charge at the moment. It's enough to get me to Clemente in the morning. I'll charge there, make the meeting east of San Diego, and then, depending upon how much time the morning charge takes at Clemente, will have the flexibility of hitting Clemente on the way back - or not, since it's likely traffic will be quite slow anyway.
Thus avoiding the San Diego, SJC and FV SCs - all known and occasionally egregious Sunday afternoon bottlenecks.
Not that Clemente is a completely safe bet - the last time I charged there with its 21 or so pedestals, at one point mine was the only S and the other 20 stalls were filled with Xs. That was a first. I should have organized a photo with FWDs raised, but given the proximity of that SC to shopping *sigh*, I doubt half the vehicles were occupied.
Anyway, for anyone new to the charging game who's reading this, perhaps consider a slightly different charging approach specifically to avoid known bottlenecks during known busiest times. Trading high risk/guaranteed hassle for lower risk, if you will.
I really feel fo you San Diego locals.... oh wait, you shouldn’t be charging there anyway 
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
I really feel fo you San Diego locals.... oh wait, you shouldn’t be charging there anyway
A common misperception.
Any and all non-garaged "locals" without access to charging at home or at the office in fact do have carte blanche at SCs, and have had that since at least 2014.
Now, *garaged* locals, not to be confused with *non-garaged* locals are clearly expected to charge at home, as most of them clearly do. It rather exemplifies the mantra that people are in fact more lazy than they are cheap - aka the sweet siren song of awakening with a full charge every morning.
The fly in the ointment for SCs near airports remains grandfathered livery. I met a long-time owner/operator a few years back who had just bought his 2nd Model S. Racked up 20K miles in not quite 5 months, due in part to quite a work ethic, an established clientele, and charging (his words) up to 4x/day at SCs due to airport runs (SD/OC/LA/Burbank/Ontario plus municipal/general aviation fields). Hence in part why Tesla changed the livery/rideshare policy last year.
Tangentially, not two weeks ago, I did hear a rumor of expansion at San Diego aka Sorrento aka Qualcomm but frankly don't believe it.
That Dieselgate money can't get deployed along with the major utilities' money (total of 15,000 chargers expected in CA as a collective result) soon enough. Right now, that recent Canadian cities' initiative is kicking California's butt insofar as useful charger additions are concerned. There is a bill pending in Sacramento, but I digress.
And so it goes.
Uncle Paul
Well-Known Member
If you have a business meeting East of San Diego, you could consider going North on I-15.
There is a Supercharger in Temecula, in the Promenade Mall. Another 20 miles up the road is the brand new 20 stall Supercharger at the Lake Elsinore Outlet Stores. Rarely more than a couple Tesla's charging there.
North of that are the Urban Superchargers in Riverside and the Ontario Superchargers in Rancho Cucamunga.
San Diego is such a problem because the lone Supercharger in in the middle of a dense office building and hotel area. It is constantly busy due to livery services, Qualcomm employees getting their daily charge and a ton of locals that choose to fill up there instead of at their nearby homes.
They used to offer charging at their UTC showroom, but had to stop it as it was, as well, being used by locals, getting some juice while they did their shopping. Left no empty spaces for travelers to get a charge when running low.
Most travelers just need a place to get an additional 50 miles or so charge, so they can do their running around in beautiful San Diego, before heading back up North
They are just about to open a new Supercharger in downtown San Diego, but I imagine that Qualcomm will continue to be mobbed due to it's super convenient location for locals.
Carlsbad cannot come soon enough either.
Tesla is hyper aware of this situation but for reasons unknown to me has not been able to get additional chargers on line.
There is a Supercharger in Temecula, in the Promenade Mall. Another 20 miles up the road is the brand new 20 stall Supercharger at the Lake Elsinore Outlet Stores. Rarely more than a couple Tesla's charging there.
North of that are the Urban Superchargers in Riverside and the Ontario Superchargers in Rancho Cucamunga.
San Diego is such a problem because the lone Supercharger in in the middle of a dense office building and hotel area. It is constantly busy due to livery services, Qualcomm employees getting their daily charge and a ton of locals that choose to fill up there instead of at their nearby homes.
They used to offer charging at their UTC showroom, but had to stop it as it was, as well, being used by locals, getting some juice while they did their shopping. Left no empty spaces for travelers to get a charge when running low.
Most travelers just need a place to get an additional 50 miles or so charge, so they can do their running around in beautiful San Diego, before heading back up North
They are just about to open a new Supercharger in downtown San Diego, but I imagine that Qualcomm will continue to be mobbed due to it's super convenient location for locals.
Carlsbad cannot come soon enough either.
Tesla is hyper aware of this situation but for reasons unknown to me has not been able to get additional chargers on line.
Graffi
Member
Just posted an update on the San Diego Downtown thread, with photos.
I wish that the El Cajon Supercharger would get higher priority. I am thinking that the best location would be at the Walmart Supercenter off of Los Coches Road and I-8. Easy freeway connection, and 24/7 restroom available, as well as shopping if you need to while charging. Great for visitors coming into or out of the San Diego area.
This location would have worked great for TaoJones.
I wish that the El Cajon Supercharger would get higher priority. I am thinking that the best location would be at the Walmart Supercenter off of Los Coches Road and I-8. Easy freeway connection, and 24/7 restroom available, as well as shopping if you need to while charging. Great for visitors coming into or out of the San Diego area.
This location would have worked great for TaoJones.
Tesla is NOT charging Model 3 owners for filling up at the Qualcomm SC. I wonder if that is because Qualcomm is paying the electric bill? Or because the availability of SCs in the local SD area is so impacted and Tesla is making it free for all? Great for Model 3 owners, but making an already crowded situation much much worse.
bkp_duke
Well-Known Member
If true, this is an extremely bad precedent to set. The locals that are willing to sit in line and clog up the charging station will then get super pissed when they start getting bills.
Kurt'sX
Member
I had to stop at the Qualcom charger today and found myself in line with 9 other drivers. All 12 chargers were occupied and the back up was at least 45 mins to get plugged in. Once we got a spot, top speed charging was only 38kw......making our stop almost 21/2 hours to get topped off to continue our trip. I can't wait for the new chargers to open, we are hurting here in SD!
Fusion
Member
What's good off times for this location or is there a line regardless throughout the day? Gotta start planning since I have two kids and it's not gonna be fun having to wait 1-2 hours.
Similar threads
