Supercharger - Smithfield, NC

[mociaf9]

H/T to @Mr. PlugShare and the Plugshare community for finding this one:

I found this one in my PlugShare browser. Still no photos of construction yet, and hasn’t seem to have gotten much attention on another NC Supercharger thread. Know anything about it?
1700 E Market St, Smithfield, NC 27577, United States
PlugShare

Using the address above to search on the Johnston County Building Inspections department's online permit search page, I was able to confirm that there is building permit for a supercharger at that Sheetz location in Smithfield (Johnston County Building Permit # 148005). Checking the inspections for that permit shows that it is currently under construction as confirmed by the Plugshare users who commented on the location (see the link in Mr. Plugshare's comment quoted above).

Address: 1700 E Market St, Smithfield, NC 27577
GPS (guess): 35.505023, -78.325722

@BlueShift @Chuq

 

[MarcoRP]

Good sleuthing!!! Now added on supercharge.info as under construction. Wish I’d looked through the permits before...

 

[Kewmpie1]

Smithfield native here. Until now, when discussing traveling in my car (I now live in NJ), I used Smithfield as an example of a place that would be difficult to visit for a period of time because it was smack in the middle of a "supercharger desert", and would require me to use about 20% of my battery just to get to and back from the nearest station. Well, so much for that example...

 

[RTPEV]

Smithfield native here. Until now, when discussing traveling in my car (I now live in NJ), I used Smithfield as an example of a place that would be difficult to visit for a period of time because it was smack in the middle of a "supercharger desert", and would require me to use about 20% of my battery just to get to and back from the nearest station. Well, so much for that example...

Switch to Lynchburg, VA if you need a good example of a fast charger desert, in a reasonably sized area. Granted, there are plenty of L2 chargers there, although if you are planning on staying around long enough to visit, even a 120V outlet might be sufficient to get you around the area as need be. I've certainly been in situations like this where it's 120V or nothin'. I suppose if you are looking for a true desert, the entire section of Virginia to the east of Lynchburg would certainly qualify. And it's not like US-29 and US-460 are small roads. Those are 4 lane divided highways (limited access in some parts), but because they are not interstates, it might be a very long time before fast charger networks arrive there.

 

[Kewmpie1]

Switch to Lynchburg, VA if you need a good example of a fast charger desert, in a reasonably sized area. Granted, there are plenty of L2 chargers there, although if you are planning on staying around long enough to visit, even a 120V outlet might be sufficient to get you around the area as need be. I've certainly been in situations like this where it's 120V or nothin'. I suppose if you are looking for a true desert, the entire section of Virginia to the east of Lynchburg would certainly qualify. And it's not like US-29 and US-460 are small roads. Those are 4 lane divided highways (limited access in some parts), but because they are not interstates, it might be a very long time before fast charger networks arrive there.

I see what you mean...

 

[mociaf9]

Switch to Lynchburg, VA if you need a good example of a fast charger desert, in a reasonably sized area. Granted, there are plenty of L2 chargers there, although if you are planning on staying around long enough to visit, even a 120V outlet might be sufficient to get you around the area as need be. I've certainly been in situations like this where it's 120V or nothin'. I suppose if you are looking for a true desert, the entire section of Virginia to the east of Lynchburg would certainly qualify. And it's not like US-29 and US-460 are small roads. Those are 4 lane divided highways (limited access in some parts), but because they are not interstates, it might be a very long time before fast charger networks arrive there.

Yeah, superchargers in Danville and Farmville would be really nice, but that's a bit OT for this thread.

 

[M3BlueGeorgia]

Switch to Lynchburg, VA if you need a good example of a fast charger desert, in a reasonably sized area. Granted, there are plenty of L2 chargers there, although if you are planning on staying around long enough to visit, even a 120V outlet might be sufficient to get you around the area as need be. I've certainly been in situations like this where it's 120V or nothin'. I suppose if you are looking for a true desert, the entire section of Virginia to the east of Lynchburg would certainly qualify. And it's not like US-29 and US-460 are small roads. Those are 4 lane divided highways (limited access in some parts), but because they are not interstates, it might be a very long time before fast charger networks arrive there.

You are getting one in Roanoke, which should be a big deal

 

[RTPEV]

You are getting one in Roanoke, which should be a big deal

Not when going between points north of Staunton, VA on I-81 and Durham, NC. Granted, Staunton helps, but that last 200 mile stretch means staying at Staunton for a good long time.

 

[SleepingPelica]

I would like one in Emporia, VA on I-95 and US-58. Not a requirement for me but would add some flexibility in where I charge. When traveling from DC south, I often feel the need to stop in Chester, VA even though my SOC is still around 50% instead of trying to make it to Rocky Mount, NC.

 

[myoung816]

Has anyone stopped by to get a couple pictures of how this site is coming along?

 

[MarcoRP]

Has anyone stopped by to get a couple pictures of how this site is coming along?

None yet. Want to be the first up? Last update was almost 2 weeks ago, when they were digging the trenches (no photos).

 

[myoung816]

None yet. Want to be the first up? Last update was almost 2 weeks ago, when they were digging the trenches (no photos).

If I lived closer than 300 miles away I would be happy to get pictures. But I will see if I have some family to possibly go there.

 

[MarcoRP]

If I lived closer than 300 miles away I would be happy to get pictures. But I will see if I have some family to possibly go there.

I was just pointing out the possibility. If you can’t make it, it’s not a big deal.

 

[RTPEV]

I went and visited yesterday. Here are my pictures. I will post some of these on Plugshare. I saw no evidence of co-siting any CCS/CHAdeMO charging stations there, so plugshare is definitely in error.

Looks like a standard 8 stall setup. ICE car practicing ICEing the spots already!

 

[MarcoRP]

I’m not able to see those photos, idk if it’s the same for everyone. Anyways, I found some photos on PlugShare (prob the ones you posted)

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Smithfield, NC

Along Primary Interstates: I-95
Along US Numbered Highways (<=5mi): US-70, US-301
Along Auxiliary Interstates: None

I-95:
From: Fayetteville, NC - 47.8 miles
To: Rocky Mount, NC - 46.5 miles
Diversion: 1.4 miles
From: Lumberton, NC - 74.7 miles
To: Chester, VA - 150.8 miles

Splits a 92.9 mile space on I-95. which was the 4th largest gap on I-95.

Tesla has gradually increased density along I-95. The largest gap* on I-95 is 109 miles between Savannah, GA and Santee, SC.

* If you treat Brewer, ME as being on I-95.

 

[RTPEV]

I was a bit skeptical that the way I shared the photos before would work, but it seemed to upload okay and is viewable on my end, but I guess they are "soft" links and not actual attachments. I'll try again here to post the missing photos:

 

[RTPEV]

Can someone familiar with Supercharger architecture describe what the equipment in this picture is? Specifically the large tall cabinet, and the 4 short boxes to the right?

 

[mociaf9]

Can someone familiar with Supercharger architecture describe what the equipment in this picture is? Specifically the large tall cabinet, and the 4 short boxes to the right?

View attachment 423133

From left to right: (1) Switchgear; (4) autotransformers (buck-boost transformers); (1) Supercharger cabinet.

• Switchgear- this houses the main disconnects and any fuses/breakers/etc. It's like the main breaker panel on your house, just for an industrial electrical set up and sized appropriately.
• Autotransformers- these are smaller, single-winding transformers that are used to lower or raise (buck/boost) the line voltage going to the supercharger cabinets by a relatively small amount.
  
• Supercharger cabinet- this houses the chargers (rectifiers) that convert the AC input to DC output that goes to the car.

The switchgear and enclosure is of a sleeker type from a new supplier that Tesla seems to have just recently started using more often. In most previous installations the switchgear has been much larger.

 

[pscarroll]

Went to the Sheetz Supercharger location today, no changes, spoke with a

cashier who said the pedestals are delayed a couple weeks till mid July.