Additional Battery for $18k

[skepticcyclist]

I found a local installer that will install another Power Wall (13.5 kWh) for $18k without having to add any additional panels. Did the prices of Power Walls really go up this much or are they charging way more than they should?

This does include installation. But they were the only company I found that would be willing to add a battery without adding additional panels.

 

[gaswalla]

the latter

 

[skepticcyclist]

the latter

Are you sure? All electronics have gone up a lot

 

[jjrandorin]

I found a local installer that will install another Power Wall (13.5 kWh) for $18k without having to add any additional panels. Did the prices of Power Walls really go up this much or are they charging way more than they should?

This does include installation. But they were the only company I found that would be willing to add a battery without adding additional panels.

The battery is either 7k or 7.5k. You dont need the gateway ( you have an existing one), but the gateway is around 1100 or so (thats what it was when i did my powerwall only install in early 2020.

There is normally a labor charge to get it installed, In this case they are quoting you 10k more than the parts (probably including tax). Draw your own conclusion with that.

My 2 powerwall install, through tesla (no panels) cost 18k "out the door" including tax, etc.

Powerwalls did not go up double the price. Single powerwall installs "from scratch" including gateway, were around 12k through a third party. Thats a "make me sell you one" price.

 

[skepticcyclist]

The battery is either 7k or 7.5k. You dont need the gateway ( you have an existing one), but the gateway is around 1100 or so (thats what it was when i did my powerwall only install in early 2020.

There is normally a labor charge to get it installed, In this case they are quoting you 10k more than the parts (probably including tax). Draw your own conclusion with that.

My 2 powerwall install, through tesla (no panels) cost 18k "out the door" including tax, etc.

Powerwalls did not go up double the price. Single powerwall installs "from scratch" including gateway, were around 12k through a third party. Thats a "make me sell you one" price.

Mine was also this price last year as well. Even they said the prices have gone up drastically over the last couple of months. Every installer I called pretty much quoted me the same price but wanted to also add more panels.

 

[ucmndd]

I just wrote a check to a third party installer for $25,600 for two Powerwalls, gateway, permitting, and main panel upgrade. And even that was inflated because that’s what they could charge under SGIP equity Resiliency.

$18k to add a battery to an existing install is bonkers. They just don’t want to sell you one without a full system and panels because that’s the only way they make money and their powerwall supply is almost certainly constrained.

 

[dailo]

Only reason why I went with Tesla for my install, no one can come close to the price. You would almost be able to get panels and a PW from Tesla at that price.

 

[jjrandorin]

Not even "almost".

You, me and OP are in CA. I went to teslas website for energy just now:

Of course, more panels could possibly change OPs NEM dates etc, but that price of 18k for 1 powerwall, installed or not, is pretty outlandish.

(edit : just noticed this was after incentives, 21k before, so you are absolutely right, "almost")

 

[skepticcyclist]

Yeah. Seemed high. Just for the heck of it I went to Tesla site to order a small system with 1 PW. The whole system with panels and PW was $19k.

 

[skepticcyclist]

Looks like no additional PW for me. Nobody will install an additional one without adding more panels.

 

[sunwarriors]

I think outside of Tesla, that doesn't sound too far off honestly. Only Tesla themselves can sell 2 powerwalls for $18k. I checked with a lot of places and 2 powerwalls were always closer to $23.5k-25k like ucmndd posted (not including solar panels). I'd be shocked if 3rd party installers can install 2 for $18k.

It really makes 2 Powerwalls no more expensive than 2 Enphase batteries (which has slightly less capacity, but is LFP).

 

[skepticcyclist]

They did say that 2 would be less expensive per PW, $13k each. Or if I ordered a small 8 panel array with it, a single PW would also be $13k

 

[ptdusn]

Looks like no additional PW for me. Nobody will install an additional one without adding more panels.

Have you tried Sunrun? I know they have PWs.

 

[skepticcyclist]

Have you tried Sunrun? I know they have PWs.

Yes. I called them first. They installed my current system just a little over a year ago. I thought this would be the easiest since they already have all my information. They would not install a battery by itself. They required a minimum of an additional panels and would end up costing me $34k. That is $10k more than my 19 panel, gateway, Enpahase combiner box, subpanel, and PW install from them just a year ago. This time they will only need to add panels, a PW connected to an already existing PW, and one more breaker to the Enphase box. It should be about $1k less, not $10 more

 

[skepticcyclist]

I think the companies here in CA are taking advantage of NEM 3.0 and raising prices to well over 50% of what they should be. This is not just for batteries. Panels as well. They know people are in a hurry and inventory is limited. They are trying to profit as much as they can before they too get hit by the downturn of installs and the eventual increase of inventory that they will have a hard time getting rid of.

 

[sunwarriors]

I think the companies here in CA are taking advantage of NEM 3.0 and raising prices to well over 50% of what they should be. This is not just for batteries. Panels as well. They know people are in a hurry and inventory is limited. They are trying to profit as much as they can before they too get hit by the downturn of installs and the eventual increase of inventory that they will have a hard time getting rid of.

Labor supply is also limited. I know when I spoke to my installer, he was booked everyday and had as much work as he wanted non-stop. It's literally endless work.

If they can do a job with $3k profit or another job with $13k profit, what would you choose? It's almost like everything else out there now honestly. Can't believe a bowl of pho can be like $13 when it used to be $5. Just paid gas for our ICE and it was like $60+ for half a tank.

Similar to small loans, small construction jobs or small solar installs are probably just not worth their time when they have some other customer paying more like $50k solar/storage system and are happy to even get it installed.

 

[ucmndd]

I think the companies here in CA are taking advantage of NEM 3.0 and raising prices to well over 50% of what they should be. This is not just for batteries. Panels as well. They know people are in a hurry and inventory is limited. They are trying to profit as much as they can before they too get hit by the downturn of installs and the eventual increase of inventory that they will have a hard time getting rid of.

Gotta make hay while you can…

 

[skepticcyclist]

I was on chat with Tesla explaining my situation and asked them what they could do. A project manager eventually called me (I was not expecting that) and tole me they can do a 10 panel system with a battery for $15k (after incentives). This is a better deal than a single battery for $18k. But I do not have room for another 10 panels

 

[h2ofun]

I was on chat with Tesla explaining my situation and asked them what they could do. A project manager eventually called me (I was not expecting that) and tole me they can do a 10 panel system with a battery for $15k (after incentives). This is a better deal than a single battery for $18k. But I do not have room for another 10 panels

Does you system had older panels that you would replace with better newer ones and meet they install 10?

 

[BGbreeder]

I was on chat with Tesla explaining my situation and asked them what they could do. A project manager eventually called me (I was not expecting that) and tole me they can do a 10 panel system with a battery for $15k (after incentives). This is a better deal than a single battery for $18k. But I do not have room for another 10 panels

So, could you do a 10 panel system, have the extra removed when the inspector complains, and save them as warranty units or sell them?