Supercharger - Williamsport, PA

[RTPEV]

Overkill or not, V3 Superchargers are advertised as being able to supply 250kW to each and every vehicle that pulls up to one. Granted, I agree with you that statistically speaking, it's probably not likely that even 2 cars are going to be drawing 250kW simultaneously. Maybe in a similar vein to how ALL Supercharger sites are supposed to be 100% solar (or other renewable) powered (I don't think they are very close to that goal yet), maybe the full 250kW capability of V3 is an eventual PLANNED capability as stationary storage is added to each V3 site in the future as needs and ability dictate.

But yes, if the 350kVA is the total AC input of the unit, then without some kind of supplemental battery, the ~90kW per stall is going to be very disappointing if the site is moderately busy.

I suspect that the DC INPUT/OUTPUT section of the label implies that there is an additional 225kW of battery power possible (to get up to the 575kW of total DC INPUT power). Even then though, we're still only talking about 140kW per stall. I guess the other possibility is that the cabinet would support 575kW of battery power, PLUS the 350kW of AC power, to get to 925kW of total power.

I guess I'll have to try to research V3 Supercharger architecture in more detail.

 

[Tomcrocker]

I can pretty much guarantee that there’s no battery. The pictures I posted are of all the equipment cabinets there.

 

[RTPEV]

I realize this is getting off-topic for this specific Williamsport thread, but since the topic was brought up, I feel I may as well tie up a loose end.

I did find the following Reddit thread that contained some more information on the V3 architecture (First public Tesla V3.0 Supercharger Station goes live Wed 8pm : teslamotors) and it seems like maybe the marketing statements of the V3 Supercharger capabilities are in fact a bit over-inflated.

Here's my take on what the thread says and how it relates to the pictures in this thread.

(EDIT: updated based on additional information that I've found that present a more optimistic view of the total power available from the cabinet)

First, if you look back at some of the earlier pictures of the insides of the cabinet, you can see (from the top down) 5 thick components and 8 thin components. The 5 thick components are 70kW AC->DC converters that take the incoming AC power from the grid and convert it to DC which is put onto a DC bus shared by ALL cabinets at the site, and presumably any PowerPacks and solar panels would interface to this DC bus as well. That takes care of the AC Input section of the label.

An interesting tidbit is that the various cabinets at a given site are all connected together via the aforementioned DC bus. This means that even though each cabinet can only draw 350kW from the grid individually, it can in fact pull "spare" power from other cabinets or on-site batteries/solar panels if demand from its 4 stalls exceeds the 350kW, at least up to an additional 575kW. Alternatively it can share up to the 350kW it is pulling from the grid if demand is low at its 4 stalls. While not technically 1MW (only 925kW), it is at least close to that figure. This covers the DC Input/Output section of the label.

Finally the bottom 8 thin components are DC-DC converters. Each stall (or POST, as it is called) uses two of them. The thread called these 100kW, which would imply a limit of 200kW per stall, but given that we have seen charge rates >200kW, these must actually be 125kW units. So the POST DC Output section of the label covers this piece.

Of course the main transformer itself is limited to 750kW. This is more than sufficient to supply max AC power to the 2 cabinets on site, but even though the cabinets are technically capable of supplying close to 1MW each to their stalls, without on-site battery or solar, there won't be even be 1MW of supply across all 8 stalls.

I hope this clears up some of the questions we've had, without going too far off topic.

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

The Ashburn V3 charging site also only has a 750KVA transformer fr 8 stalls.

 

[Bobbo8]

A week and a half and no activity??? I thought everything was installed and just waiting for someone to turn it on????????

 

[Tomcrocker]

A week and a half and no activity??? I thought everything was installed and just waiting for someone to turn it on????????

You’re right. I go over nearly every day and still it is not turned on. Everything is done as far as I can see according to the contractor I talked to last. I guess it’s just a matter of time before they can schedule somebody to come by and turn the darn thing on. They don’t seem to be in any hurry!

 

[Syd]

Everyone on these boards is very impatient. There are lots of reasons they don't get turned on. It could be an inspection from the local government, it could be the local power company planning how to get the power there, it could be a delay on (name 1: transformer, access, auto transformers, ...). Lastly is the access by a tesla tech to configure it. They happen with the stars align, and it's always the standard project planning formula, take expected duration, multiple by 20 and add 2%.

 

[Tomcrocker]

Everyone on these boards is very impatient. There are lots of reasons they don't get turned on. It could be an inspection from the local government, it could be the local power company planning how to get the power there, it could be a delay on (name 1: transformer, access, auto transformers, ...). Lastly is the access by a tesla tech to configure it. They happen with the stars align, and it's always the standard project planning formula, take expected duration, multiple by 20 and add 2%.

I talked to the Tesla guy today he was working on the supercharging station. He said that 4 of the units is not “coming up”. He said he hoped to get them working and get the whole thing started by tonight. I got the impression that one way or another he was going to get the station working soon.

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

I talked to the Tesla guy today he was working on the supercharging station. He said that 4 of the units is not “coming up”. He said he hoped to get them working and get the whole thing started by tonight. I got the impression that one way or another he was going to get the station working soon.

Half is better than none.

Let us know if anything remains on please.

 

[Baby_yoda]

My wife drove by tonight and noticed that the lights are now turned on.

 

[Tomcrocker]

It’s up I charged there! Can’t be sure, but I may have been the first. It’s not in the “system” so I don’t think I got charged (money).
My battery was at about 60%, so, no demonstration of V3 capabilities.
The cord is kind’a stiff not surprisingly.

 

[YYZ-IAD]

hope you had a celebratory Hershey chocolate sundae inside Sheetz. They are good partner for Tesla in PA

 

[Tomcrocker]

hope you had a celebratory Hershey chocolate sundae inside Sheetz. They are good partner for Tesla in PA

I bought a Diet MtnDew and talked up Teslas for nearly 10 minutes with one of the store”s clerks.

 

[Tomcrocker]

Nope, I did get charged (money). I checked my account on the Tesla website. When I completed the charge tonight, the screen showed only my last charge in Harrisburg.

 

[Bobbo8]

It’s up I charged there! Can’t be sure, but I may have been the first. It’s not in the “system” so I don’t think I got charged (money).
My battery was at about 60%, so, no demonstration of V3 capabilities.
The cord is kind’a stiff not surprisingly.
View attachment 515213View attachment 515214View attachment 515215View attachment 515216

GREAT NEWS!!!!!! I WILL BE STOPPING BY ON MONDAY!! MAKES MY TRIP FROM FLORIDA THAT MUCH EASIER!!!

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Yeahhhhh buddy!

 

[MrCoffee]

Looks like it has also been added to the supercharger network. It’s on the Tesla site now.

 

[Craig_in_PA]

First V3 experience. Arrived with 135 miles so not going to get 250 kw. Got 82 peak.

PA is such a good deal because supercharging is by the minute. Whether 250 kw or 50, same rate.

 

[RTPEV]

First V3 experience. Arrived with 135 miles so not going to get 250 kw. Got 82 peak.

PA is such a good deal because supercharging is by the minute. Whether 250 kw or 50, same rate.

?

Not that great a deal if they are charging you minute rates assuming 150kW and you are only getting 50kW!

Fortunately Tesla does split their per minute Supercharging costs into tiers (below 60kW and above 60kW), but if you are at a V3 Supercharger and only getting 65kW, you are basically getting screwed.

 

[jab1617]

The in car navigation screen shows Williamsport supercharger as 'Unavailable'. Just curious if the stations are indeed charging vehicles and the navigation map is reporting incorrectly? Or are the chargers indeed not online?