Supercharger - Tumwater, WA

[Ruffles]

This who situation is strange. When I was there awhile back, the people inside claimed that Tesla didn't follow the construction contract. They didn't go into details but made it sound like the owner agreed to x number of chargers but Tesla installed x+y. This would be simple to check in their contract and if that is the case, Tesla simply has to remove some. Open and shut case. I doubt that is it however.

It seems much more likely that it was a popular stop and impacted parking more than anticipated. If that is the case, it's a little harder to determine the true impact to the business. I know I always buy from the stores that host chargers to "pay them back" for hosting them. I know many others do too. It's conceivable that more revenue is brought in from Tesla owners than if the chargers were gone and the spots were used by regular customers. Tesla may have a case that impact is minimal? At any rate, its a loose/loose situation because you don't want a negative relationship like that. I hope they can find a solution.

 

[camminich]

I was at this station just last week and watched a person try to park too much truck and trailer into one of the Diesel spots across from the chargers. I could here him complaining that the Tesla's were in his way. He had also hit the pumps causing the enter roof to rattle.

You've got to wonder if the shutdown was pushed by just too many non Tesla complaints, and as many other posters have noted just a lack a space. It's a great place to have the chargers, but the actual spots themselves are a bad place. That entire lot is just too tight and often crowded with interesting characters.

 

[acarney]

I really wish they had acquired the land next door and paved that and leased back to the store as additional parking, or made an arrangement with the store that if they acquired the land Tesla would pave it.

The funny thing is, those spaced were probably occupied most times anyway by cars and trucks that were going into the store, just now because people are sitting in the cars watching the chaos instead of moving out of the way as soon as they get to the car people are complaining...

 

[Janus]

I'm not sure how they're able to turn it off at all. That equipment is usually under lock and key. I've never seen an unlocked disconnect at a Tesla site that wasn't still under construction.

I imagine there's an upstream distribution panel which splits the power between the structure and the SC. I bet that's what the owner has a key to.

 

[Big Earl]

I imagine there's an upstream distribution panel which splits the power between the structure and the SC. I bet that's what the owner has a key to.

That would be atypical for a Supercharger site, which usually has a dedicated feed, transformer, meter and switchgear from the grid, independent of the rest of the property. There are a few exceptions, like some urban parking garages, but they’re few and far between.

 

[DSolie]

I was at this station just last week and watched a person try to park too much truck and trailer into one of the Diesel spots across from the chargers. I could here him complaining that the Tesla's were in his way. He had also hit the pumps causing the enter roof to rattle.

You've got to wonder if the shutdown was pushed by just too many non Tesla complaints, and as many other posters have noted just a lack a space. It's a great place to have the chargers, but the actual spots themselves are a bad place. That entire lot is just too tight and often crowded with interesting characters.

I agree with it being tight. I love people watching and that place is awesome for it. Every time I have been there, there has been an internal game in my head of "is that truck going to make it" when it comes to making the tight turn off of the last pump lane. Regardless though, that's a parking area. And if there wasn't a tesla parked there, there would be other vehicles (and if you look at how other people park their ICE cars there, probably more of a hazard to the tight turn trucks than the Tesla).

The Tesla stalls would have been better placed further down that row, more towards the entrance, or on a parallel to the NB on ramp.

 

[DarkMatter]

That lot is totally tight. I'm surprised folks with big trailers don't go around the back of the building and use the big pumps. They work well enough and the lines are rarely bad.

 

[camminich]

This station still seems to be hit-and-miss. Wednesday last week (10th) it looks like they had come cones in the spaces to block the area off, but then yesterday it was business as usual with 3 Teslas charging. Morning seem to be the safer time if you need to charge.

 

[goneskiian]

Just read a post on Facebook that said it's not even showing in the nav any longer.

 

[DSolie]

Yhea, that was me that posted it to the FB group. I didn't say Nav, it was only the app and website. It's showing on the website now, but not the app. I haven't checked Nav yet. I am equidistant to both the Lacey and Tumwater charging stations.

 

[TheRedBendY]

Interesting to stumble over this thread, just like I stumbled over the SC last week on our first road trip with our MY. I stopped there to get coffee and use the bathroom (knew the truck stop from previous ICE road trips) and was surprised to find a SC (I hadn’t paid attention to the map since technically we didn’t need a charge until we got to our destination at SEATAC.

But since it was there and since we had to park anyway, we refilled for about 15 minutes. There were a couple of other Teslas. And yes, the station does appear in the Nav app.

 

[DSolie]

It is showing in my app.. finally. Popped up last night.

 

[1100MCM]

I didn’t read this thread in its entirety but I used this supercharger last month and it was perfect: right off the freeway and at a travel stop so easy to use restroom and quick in and out. I didn’t quite understand what the issue is with the location but I'm not a local or a frequent user of it so I’d probably have a different perspective.

 

[Drivesolo]

I didn’t read this thread in its entirety but I used this supercharger last month and it was perfect: right off the freeway and at a travel stop so easy to use restroom and quick in and out. I didn’t quite understand what the issue is with the location but I'm not a local or a frequent user of it so I’d probably have a different perspective.

At times when there are a lot of ICE cars refueling and semis going in and out, that location is a hot mess.