Add to Powerwalls- w/o adding another Powerwall?

[zero2?]

Hi,

Looking for some advice on how to augment/increase my current powerwalls (2) storage without installing a third Powerwall, as I've been told this will break my current PGE contract and reset me to NEM3 (currently on NEM2). And I'd like to do this without any Electrician or permit work. I've been following EcoFlow and they seem to have a solution (EcoFlow PowerStream Balcony Solar System), but it appears to only be available in the EU. Does anyone know of a solution like this in the U.S. like this or something similar?

Thanks for any input!

 

[jjrandorin]

Buying another powerwall will not change your NEM metering contract. Its possible to add storage to an existing setup without changing net metering.

And I'd like to do this without any Electrician or permit work.

Whether you were doing this yourself or having "someone else" do it, it should have permits pulled, since you already have powerwalls. Teslas system is not going to interact with anyone elses battery at a whole home level. Perhaps you could buy a small battery backup for an individual circuit or something.

 

[zero2?]

Buying another powerwall will not change your NEM metering contract. Its possible to add storage to an existing setup without changing net metering.



Whether you were doing this yourself or having "someone else" do it, it should have permits pulled, since you already have powerwalls. Teslas system is not going to interact with anyone elses battery at a whole home level. Perhaps you could buy a small battery backup for an individual circuit or something.

thanks, but Im not expecting any addl battery capacity to interact with the tesla system, hoping it would just be additional input on the panel that devices use in conjunction with the powerwall supply. And I've been told that any addl permitting to the solar system resets NEM.. so really trying to avoid that.. not to mention the cost of another powerwall and the associated installation costs.

 

[jjrandorin]

thanks, but Im not expecting any addl battery capacity to interact with the tesla system, hoping it would just be additional input on the panel that devices use in conjunction with the powerwall supply. And I've been told that any addl permitting to the solar system resets NEM.. so really trying to avoid that.. not to mention the cost of another powerwall and the associated installation costs.

I will repeat again, that adding powerwalls only does not reset NEM. I have personal experience with this so can state it quite confidently. Adding additional solar + powerwalls will, adding additional storage does not.

I cant speak to installing an entire additional system that bypasses the entire powerwall system but is available for all the devices in the home, as that is definitely above my engineering knowledge. I just know that any such system would have to not interact with powerwalls at all and also not overload the panel itself.

I dont think its easily possible, and certainly not by a DIY home owner unless said DIY home owner installed their own solar + powerwall system. You cant tie non powerwall storage into the powerwalls, and you cant make it easily available to to all devices in your home without feeding it to your main panel, and main panels have power limits which tend to be reached during the powerwall install.

 

[bmah]

I will repeat again, that adding powerwalls only does not reset NEM. I have personal experience with this so can state it quite confidently. Adding additional solar + powerwalls will, adding additional storage does not.

Yep. I had 3 Powerwalls plus a Gateway 1 installed in 2019, but my account is still on NEM1 from my original solar install in 2010.

Bruce.

 

[zero2?]

Yep. I had 3 Powerwalls plus a Gateway 1 installed in 2019, but my account is still on NEM1 from my original solar install in 2010.

Bruce.

good to know.. thanks! Now if those powerwalls (and the installation) can just come down 50%

 

[arnolddeleon]

good to know.. thanks! Now if those powerwalls (and the installation) can just come down 50%

Did you calculate the cost including the tax credit?