Any experience getting Tesla to "confirm" adding circuits to whole-home backup?

[BGbreeder]

Just ask for Tesla's load calculation submitted with the original permit for the install of the BLC. That's what I plan to do. Then when you want to add a circuit, confirm the added circuits still meets the load limits of NEC 220 based on original load calculation + added circuit. You can submit the permit yourself and show the electrician the issued permit.

Let us know how both parts of your plan goes. I am certainly interested to hear how it goes. Best of success!

 

[schan1w]

Let us know how both parts of your plan goes. I am certainly interested to hear how it goes. Best of success!

Will do! Unfortunately, I'm still stuck in permit approval. My city won't approve the backup switch because they say PG&E hasn't approved it. I may want to wait a month or two to see what happens. I hate the look of the gateway and extra panels w/o the backup switch. It will make my house look like an electrical sub-station.

 

[wstidolph]

Several people advised getting my expansion done or at least roughed in) before engaging with Tesla; and, Tesla has been really uncommunicative, which is kinda scary. Obviously the people who responded know more than I do, so I'm taking the advice: I cancelled the order, and I'll get my house more in order before I tackle backup systems. (Cancelling was really easy, even though I'm well past the "5 days" their Purchase Agreement mentions.) Thanks for coaching me, and I hope y'all will still be around and as helpful when I try again!

 

[jhn_]

My post isn’t going to help the OP unfortunately, but I’m curious if this is an issue specific to CA? We added a pool after our Powerwall whole house backup install and had the sub panel for the pool equipment added to the “backup loads” panel that used to be our main panel before the Powerwalls. No one gave us any grief about doing it and as far as I know we have no label saying loads cannot be added.

 

[wstidolph]

@jhn_ that's interesting - when was your original Powerwall install? (I'm wondering if the sticker is some recent artifact.) Did you, or anyone, have to do load calculations for the permit, get/use Tesla's data and calculations?

 

[jhn_]

Powerwalls installed end of 2019. Pool summer 2021. I wasn’t involved nor heard about anyone doing load calculations. Everything was just added to the 200amp former main panel that became the “backup” panel when the Powerwalls were installed (with their own panel) in between the grid and the original panel.