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Supercharger - Watsonville, CA (LIVE 24 Jul 2019, 14 Urban stalls)

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pad for super chargers across from jiffy lube - no transformers - so no power - construction is complete -just waiting for power!
 

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@Ulmo You will be the point man for this location and thread.
:confused: uhhhhhhh o_O

Thank you, and oops!

I have to say that our champion Doctor4EV politely hinted on the reason I didn't naturally come across this myself; although at one point I did a tour of that exact location and surmised it might be a pliable location for a Tesla SuperCharger, the grumpiness of the locals there is close to the reason I make hay while the sun is shining elsewhere. However, I will attempt to catch up now that I have noticed!

Yeah - they're still under strict NDA's. Avoid pics of the workers.
I don't understand how being under a strict NDA either causes the workers to be grumpy or is a good reason not to take pictures of the grumpy workers. I do think workers there have a generally grumpy attitude, and I think it's endemic to that area, but I do not know why. I ran into the same issue with workers when I was very young, age 8, as well.
Construction workers become a lot less grumpy if you bring a 6-pack of beer with you...
I really wish this was totally legal and worked, and I'd be doing it every single time if so.

P.S., this is how my dad used to do it. Literally. He would tour construction projects and get information and other stuff from construction workers all the time using the beer method.

Edit: I’m here. No transformer yet. Everything else looks complete. Bring awareness in this location; if you don’t like that, I recommend using Monterey mall and Big Sur Ventana instead.
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Observations: high voltage PG&E cave underground. Security guard hiding in bushes. Pad still empty (we knew that already). 14 SC pedestals (we also knew that). Is this the same crew as Big Sur? Could be other nearby locations in their contracts? Walkways to local high density residential areas in two directions, park in third direction, many hobos.
 
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If you would prefer to be more relaxed and spend longer and charge at a CCS or Chademo with your Tesla, Nob Hill is just up the street with an EVgo. The clientele here at Nob Hill look more relaxed than at the superurban down the street. I used to come here with my Tesla Model S before EVgo raised their prices.
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Not a bad location, way off on the end of the parking lot, so as not to interfere with the shoppers. The nearby Starbucks is busy but within walking distance. Didn't interact much with the locals but the one lady was friendly, when we arrived we commented on the drastic temperature change (80 in San Jose to 63 in watsonville) that her daughter had made the same remark earlier. She laughed and seemed friendly enough. Not directly in the travel route and generally that area is overely congested with highway 1 south and 156 west merging. We found a longer path around both and got back on the road to big sur with little traffic. I love the mapping system in this car!
 
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It looks to me like the transformer will be located behind Target, and that what has been referred to as the transformer pad will actually be switchgear. Or maybe the high voltage will come from behind Target, and the pad really is for a transformer.
Is it unlikely they'd use two transformers? Are they comfortable putting high power lines right there if the transformer is in the Tesla shed?
 
The only pad I’m aware of is outside the shed. Sorry I’m not an expert at posting pictures in here. Since there is now a buried conduit going to the back of Target, it’s possible the transformer will go back there, and the pad (near the chargers but not in the Tesla cage) will be used for a switch.
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Or maybe the high voltage will come from behind Target, and the pad really is for a transformer.
Yes, that trench is going to be for the high voltage line from the mains connection point (presumably behind or on the other side of Target) to the transformer. The transformer will go on that empty pad in your next set of pictures (directly above this post). It is required to be outside of the fencing because the electric company requires unfettered access to it without having to get prior permission or assistance to enter the fenced area. The switchgear is already installed inside the fence. It is visible in Ulmo's pictures above. It's the big white cabinets with the red signs on the front showing the address and "Main Disconnect Inside".
 
I think the small white boxes in the first pic on entry #28 are mini transformers (there’s likely a better term) that may make a larger transformer unnecessary. I’ve seen that set up elsewhere.

Perhaps larger installations require both.

I think the small white boxes are boost/buck transformers, which are used for making minor adjustments to the voltage going into the actual charger cabinets. At least that was my understanding from reading other posts here...they seem to be pretty common in NorCal Superchargers, not sure about elsewhere. But the big green PG&E transformer is still needed.

Bruce.