Supercharging pain in rear

[oktane]

@Rocky_H: Spot on. Bad place to stop for my first road trip I guess? Got the dreaded "we're never taking the Tesla on a road-trip again."

As they say, you can only make one first impression.

Also, perhaps I was expecting too much, but there was no friendliness at the SC station from other car fanatics. Instead it was literally a bunch of people who looked miserable, asleep or bored to tears in their cars, not making eye contact. No friendly nods or anything remotely polite or social. Very strange clientèle.

 

[Rocky_H]

@Rocky_H: Spot on. Bad place to stop for my first road trip I guess? Got the dreaded "we're never taking the Tesla on a road-trip again."

As they say, you can only make one first impression.

Also, perhaps I was expecting too much, but there was no friendliness at the SC station from other car fanatics. Instead it was literally a bunch of people who looked miserable, asleep or bored to tears in their cars, not making eye contact. No friendly nods or anything remotely polite or social. Very strange clientèle.

Yeah, first impression problem is rough. I had my daughter with me on a trip in Oregon in my Tesla, and because of a few bad planning and scheduling pieces on my part, had some of the hardest, longest traveling I've ever done. She now thinks using a Tesla takes many hours to get anywhere.

It probably would have been possible for you to post a question on one of the Tesla forums to ask about which sites are currently having overcrowding and at what times or how to plan to hit a different one instead of this one, or or or... But yeah, most people wouldn't know ahead of time to do that until they get burned with a bad experience the first time like this and find out what they need to do differently. It's a tough slog trying to keep up with building Supercharger stations for the density of cars out there. But from long time reading on both forums for about 3 years, I have seen how this Supercharger growth happens. A crowding problem forms, and then they catch up. It used to be site X that was a constant stream of complaints, and then they built site Y nearby or doubled the number of stalls, and then the complaints from that site stopped. And then it was site G that was crowded, and then several months later site H opened and fixed that too.

So usually within several months to half a year, they get some additional resources built to spread the load from where the hot spots are showing up. It's just hard to keep fighting fires ahead of where they are appearing, especially when the whole process from site selection to permitting, to construction, etc. takes a few months at least.

I wouldn't really know from the dynamic of the people, since I don't live in the crowded busy SoCal or NorCal areas. Also, there may be an accidental dynamic that the people there know it's crowded and know that people are irritatingly waiting for them. They feel rushed and in a hurry so they can get out of people's way. So it's probably not a very comfortable easygoing environment for people to feel they can hang out and have pleasant chats.

 

[napabill]

@Rocky_H: Spot on. Bad place to stop for my first road trip I guess? Got the dreaded "we're never taking the Tesla on a road-trip again."

As they say, you can only make one first impression.

Also, perhaps I was expecting too much, but there was no friendliness at the SC station from other car fanatics. Instead it was literally a bunch of people who looked miserable, asleep or bored to tears in their cars, not making eye contact. No friendly nods or anything remotely polite or social. Very strange clientèle.

The vibe at cross country SC stops is very different from the several commute corridor SC's. Burbank, Dublin, San Mateo come to mind. You stumbled into probably the worse case SC. I've logged over 80 K miles (in all the western states) in the past 5 years and am on my second Tesla. Trust me, once you successfully do a SC road trip, you'll never take an ICE again.

 

[TexasEV]

@Rocky_H: Spot on. Bad place to stop for my first road trip I guess? Got the dreaded "we're never taking the Tesla on a road-trip again."

As they say, you can only make one first impression.

Also, perhaps I was expecting too much, but there was no friendliness at the SC station from other car fanatics. Instead it was literally a bunch of people who looked miserable, asleep or bored to tears in their cars, not making eye contact. No friendly nods or anything remotely polite or social. Very strange clientèle.

You really need to get out of California. In most of the country, a Tesla is excited to see another Tesla at a supercharger. (And their owners too). Kind of like a dog seeing another dog when it's going for a walk. At some California superchargers they're always full of locals and there are so many that the novelty of having a Tesla has worn off. It's the "California Camry".

 

[oktane]

Wise advice. Is there some sort of TMC decal or something so I can figure out who the cool people are at the SC?

 

[JasonA-EV]

It's the "California Camry".

You mean the "California Prius"

 

[artsci]

Taking a road trip in CA this weekend and needed to stop at the Burbank SC. I had about 60 mi rated range left and several hundred to go. Got the last open stall in the station with 3-4 cars waiting in line. My car was charging at a paltry 35 kW, with over 2 hours needed to make it to my next waypoint. Other SC gave me 115 kW.

This is not what I signed up for. My time is waaay more valuable then waiting 2 hours at a Starbucks in the ghetto for what would have been a 7 minute fuel stop.

I didn't realize that when all SC stalls are occupied they lower the output. What's the point of having more stalls?

Pretty eye opening. I probably won't waste time driving my Tesla on a road trip anytime soon. Hope instead of penalizing Tesla owners for idling he builds many more SC stations instead.

Happened to also be at the Porsche dealer this weekend with a friend. The $150k I paid for my Tesla buys a lot of Porsche. And I don't have to see all the miserable Tesla drivers camped out like bums sleeping in their cars at the SC stations.

That's one of the few disadvantages of trying to drive and charge in California. Out East we have none of those problems.

 

[bhzmark]

Come on @kort677. I know you disagree with practically all of my posts but really, this one?

Do you really "Disagree" that some ignorant people have inherited money? Plus, it was made tongue-in-cheek, like a joke. You know, humour, or humor, for you Americans. Har, har

You're responsible for most of my Dislikes (now Disagrees) here and I can take it, even though I never give you any and have even held out olive branches to you, but this one was just a little too much.

Unless, perhaps, you inherited your money...

Stop your suffering with the ignore button. Generous application of ignore results in a much better forum. I always use it thinking "why didn't I use this sooner"

 

[NikeWings]

Stop your suffering with the ignore button. Generous application of ignore results in a much better forum. I always use it thinking "why didn't I use this sooner"

I know this a men/mars and women/Venus thing but.......just stop keeping score guys.

 

[Canuck]

Stop your suffering with the ignore button. Generous application of ignore results in a much better forum. I always use it thinking "why didn't I use this sooner"

The ignore button would take away all of my fun. I thrive on conflict. I have a lot of issues from my childhood that I take out here on this forum!

@kort677 is a good guy -- just misguided... I take pride whenever he gives me a dislike. We are the exact opposite when it comes to most things (so a "Dislike" from him is good!) and there's nothing wrong with that. Some of my friends and family are right wing like him and while I disagree with them, I won't ignore them... (well, I often do, and act like I do, but I won't hit the actual ignore button... dialogue is always the best recourse... didn't Obama teach us that?)

I just want to, at the very least, earn my dislikes from him and this one I just can't figure out. Hopefully he will chime in and tell us all why he gave it to me. Does he really "Disagree" that some ignorant people inherit money?

Come on @kort677 -- inquiring minds want to know?

 

[JasonA-EV]

well I'd say that Tesla has to get something fixed with Burbank ASAP! I was there last night around 5:30 (short line waiting-2 cars only) and when it was my turn I pulled in the the 5th stall (3a).

My power constantly fluctuated from 0 to 40kw... stop at 0.. then ramp to 6,, jump to 20, then 80 then flutter down rampantly to 3 or 5 then 0... hold for a bit.. then 15kw... then 20.. etc,etc..

I knocked on the guy next to me in stall 6 (3b) and his P90d S was at 97% (taper so I should have all the power) and pulling only 8kw... I unplugged, tried again... same thing...

Talked to the lady in the new X in stall 4 (2B) and hers was fluctuating all around.

Went inside and told them and then took off and called as well but they need to fix Burbank! When I left it was 9 cars deep waiting!

 

[NOLA_Mike]

I knocked on the guy next to me in stall 6 (3b) and his P90d S was at 97%

When I left it was 9 cars deep waiting!

Am I the only one who gets a little irritated when reading these two things in combination? Not being all that familiar with California geography, is Burbank in the middle of nowhere such that you need to occupy a supercharger stall to get to 100% in your P90D to make it to your next charger or destination? (A rhetorical question)...

 

[NOLA_Mike]

My power constantly fluctuated from 0 to 40kw... stop at 0.. then ramp to 6,, jump to 20, then 80 then flutter down rampantly to 3 or 5 then 0... hold for a bit.. then 15kw... then 20.. etc,etc..

Tesla really needs to fix this before they start charging someone per minute for supercharging. In states that allow for billing by the kWh you shouldn't be charged for anything you don't actually consume but in the per minute states this is going to be even more agitating...

 

[tinanbran]

Tried SuperCharger the first time yesterday. I was not prepared for the shock. It took me 1 hour to charge from 150mile to 250mile for my S90D. The initial charge rate was like 10mile/hour, i thought the stall I use had issues so I moved to a different one. Quickly, I realized that cold weather was limiting the charge speed. After 30min, the charge rate goes up to 100mile/hour.

Way slower than I thought I heard from tesla.

Now, for winter driving and charging, prepare charge frequently and longer.

I have a 90D in Canadian climates and one thing I can tell you is the battery NEEDS to be warm or its slow to charge! also it slows down for the top "half" of the battery. If we are out we almost never supercharge past 85-90% as the top 15% can take almost as long as the ride from 10% to 85%. Avg time for us if we arrive with 10% is 25mins to get us to 80%. I have seen it take 2hrs the first week we got it we had it cold soaked and drove over to the supercharger before we left.... BIG MISTAKE! we should have gone when we arrived the night before while it was warm and it would have only taken 30mins top! Good luck and enjoy!

Our tip is just charge to what you really need to get to the next charge point with about 10% buffer and I think you will find it fast. I know we do.

 

[tinanbran]

Tesla really needs to fix this before they start charging someone per minute for supercharging. In states that allow for billing by the kWh you shouldn't be charged for anything you don't actually consume but in the per minute states this is going to be even more agitating...

it is addressed for Canadians on the website now as "tier" system

Supercharging

 

[JasonA-EV]

Am I the only one who gets a little irritated when reading these two things in combination? Not being all that familiar with California geography, is Burbank in the middle of nowhere such that you need to occupy a supercharger stall to get to 100% in your P90D to make it to your next charger or destination? (A rhetorical question)...

There's a ton of SpC's around now and I didn't know this guy's plan but being a long time EV'er I was kinda pissed when I peeked in and saw his screen

Anyways, you'd think Tesla has a group monitoring SpC power delivery quality or issues. I'd think something like this would popup on their radar!

People on the new plan will be getting pissed! I would have been better on a CHAdeMO at 50kw but went home and did my 10

The future is going to be interesting!

 

[TexasEV]

Tesla really needs to fix this before they start charging someone per minute for supercharging. In states that allow for billing by the kWh you shouldn't be charged for anything you don't actually consume but in the per minute states this is going to be even more agitating...

California supercharging is priced per kWh (0.20/kWh) so it won't be an issue there. If you're not getting kWhs , you're not getting charged. That doesn't mean they don't need to fix the problem, if course.

Maybe Burbank should be closed until Tesla gets it fixed? It would be a lot less frustrating for everyone, and it's not like there's a lack of places to charge in Southern California.

 

[apacheguy]

I have seen it take 2hrs the first week we got it we had it cold soaked and drove over to the supercharger before we left.... BIG MISTAKE! we should have gone when we arrived the night before while it was warm and it would have only taken 30mins top! Good luck and enjoy!

^this. Also note that pre-heating has basically no effect. I've tried it. It doesn't work. Additionally, if the car were smart it would fire up the battery heater at the supercharger when the pack is cold in order to reach optimal charge rate. It does not.

 

[AndreSF]

California supercharging is priced per kWh (0.20/kWh) so it won't be an issue there. If you're not getting kWhs , you're not getting charged. That doesn't mean they don't need to fix the problem, if course.

Maybe Burbank should be closed until Tesla gets it fixed? It would be a lot less frustrating for everyone, and it's not like there's a lack of places to charge in Southern California.

Dunno about closing this location, as while it's possible to avoid it, it is in the key point when traveling up/down Interstate 5. Needs to be fixed and Service Center cars should not be charging there (I'm sure they can add more L2 charging at the facility for that).

I did not see an answer from OP though on why he would just sit there for 2 hours and would not explore other options. He came with 60 miles rated range, Tejon Range is 65 miles away traveling north, and Buena Park is 32 miles away south.

 

[brianman]

Taking a road trip in CA this weekend and needed to stop at the Burbank SC. I had about 60 mi rated range left and several hundred to go. Got the last open stall in the station with 3-4 cars waiting in line. My car was charging at a paltry 35 kW, with over 2 hours needed to make it to my next waypoint. Other SC gave me 115 kW.

"Road trip in CA". You might have been in the same line I was in, on my roadtrip from WA state. The wait was relatively short, not sure why it's worthy of complaining.