I have a 3.7 kw systems plus 2 powerwalls for SRP and am a Tesla solar expert .
I made a video to teach about how we use our powewalls hope or helps !!
I made a video to teach about how we use our powewalls hope or helps !!
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Arizona Powerwall Installs
- Thread starter Instaurare
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- arizona Powerwall Tesla Energy
Anyone have a lot of issues actually getting PTO?
For 2 weeks SRP was waiting for Tesla to provide the cert. in leiu of inspection, since my municipality didn't requrie one. I had to call tesla over and over to get them to send it. They finally received it, and SRP by end of the day sent out the email that the contractor can now schedule commissioning by going to the SRP scheduling portal. It's been over a week and still nothing. today my advisor said she's "checking with the utilities team if there's any updates from SRP"...I explicitly told her last week that "here's SRPs update, they have nothing more to do. The next action item is from Tesla. Can you confirm", and...astoundingly, she couldn't "confirm". She couldn't "see" that part of the process in the account. Which leads me to wonder, what is the point of a project advisor if they cannot at a minimum, at any given time, communicate the current status, and the next step?
In any case, venting a bit here. I've tried calling in numerous times, even trying to escalate, but seem to just get the runaround, and eventually the ship me back to my advisor, who appears to be useless. Any suggestions for getting escalation?
For 2 weeks SRP was waiting for Tesla to provide the cert. in leiu of inspection, since my municipality didn't requrie one. I had to call tesla over and over to get them to send it. They finally received it, and SRP by end of the day sent out the email that the contractor can now schedule commissioning by going to the SRP scheduling portal. It's been over a week and still nothing. today my advisor said she's "checking with the utilities team if there's any updates from SRP"...I explicitly told her last week that "here's SRPs update, they have nothing more to do. The next action item is from Tesla. Can you confirm", and...astoundingly, she couldn't "confirm". She couldn't "see" that part of the process in the account. Which leads me to wonder, what is the point of a project advisor if they cannot at a minimum, at any given time, communicate the current status, and the next step?
In any case, venting a bit here. I've tried calling in numerous times, even trying to escalate, but seem to just get the runaround, and eventually the ship me back to my advisor, who appears to be useless. Any suggestions for getting escalation?
Yes, it took a lot of babysitting on my part of the communication and "stalls" between Tesla Las Vegas, Tesla Local Install Supervisor, SRP, and even in my case the city inspectors. Everybody always seemed to think it was in someone else's court at various points, and only multiple calls (on multiple occasions) would get things moving while again when they all seemed to waiting for someone else. I'm sure they are all juggling many customers, and the processes between entities seems to leave lots of cracks for "next steps" to fall through.
ugh...so just been told...
"sometimes it takes 2-3 weeks to get approval from SRP, we're waiting on approval from SRP, this is in line, and plenty of other srp customers are fine, and you're still within the timeline, you're the only customer that is calling in every day for an update"
The reason I'm calling for updates is because every day I'm told I'll hear something by end-of-day, and then I don't, and because SRP said they're waiting for tesla to go into the portal to schedule it. Hence, both sides think the ball is in the other's court. This is beyond frustrating
"sometimes it takes 2-3 weeks to get approval from SRP, we're waiting on approval from SRP, this is in line, and plenty of other srp customers are fine, and you're still within the timeline, you're the only customer that is calling in every day for an update"
The reason I'm calling for updates is because every day I'm told I'll hear something by end-of-day, and then I don't, and because SRP said they're waiting for tesla to go into the portal to schedule it. Hence, both sides think the ball is in the other's court. This is beyond frustrating
And...now someone else that I talked with on the phone emailed me stating it would be 22 more business days for pto (yet they haven't actually scheduled a date for the final commissioning with srp).
Timeline this far
Ordered 7/13
Loan app completed 7/21
Lender DocuSign 7/23
Project advisor assigned 8/5
Sales tax issue corrected 8/11
Srp design approved 8/25
Install scheduled for 9/9 on 8/27
Inspection completed 9/10 (for powerwall only)
Design changes submitted 9/23 and approved 9/25
Multiple calls to tesla to get the CILC sent to SRP. Finally sent/approved 10/2 & 10/3.
Calls to get tesla to schedule commissioning with SRP 10/4-10/13 (unresolved)
10/13 - received email that it would be "22 days to get PTO" (which seems like an odd and long timeframe). This would make it 11/12.
Order to install was 58 days. (7/13 to 9/9)
Install to PTO is looking like 64 days. (9/9 to 11/12)
Is this a little ridiculous, or should I calm down here?
Timeline this far
Ordered 7/13
Loan app completed 7/21
Lender DocuSign 7/23
Project advisor assigned 8/5
Sales tax issue corrected 8/11
Srp design approved 8/25
Install scheduled for 9/9 on 8/27
Inspection completed 9/10 (for powerwall only)
Design changes submitted 9/23 and approved 9/25
Multiple calls to tesla to get the CILC sent to SRP. Finally sent/approved 10/2 & 10/3.
Calls to get tesla to schedule commissioning with SRP 10/4-10/13 (unresolved)
10/13 - received email that it would be "22 days to get PTO" (which seems like an odd and long timeframe). This would make it 11/12.
Order to install was 58 days. (7/13 to 9/9)
Install to PTO is looking like 64 days. (9/9 to 11/12)
Is this a little ridiculous, or should I calm down here?
Unfortunately, I think the answer is both. It is ridiculous that it should take this long, but it’s also not really out of the ordinary. There are a lot of moving pieces and different entities involved in getting from installation to PTO... your local permitting authority needs to do inspections, your utility needs to do their thing, and it just takes a while for everything to get coordinated. As I recall, I was about 10.5 weeks from install to PTO and I’ve seen other people who have had multiple month waits as well. But it’s kind of hit or miss. I’ve also seen people get their PTO only a week or two after install.
In the end all you can do is just keep following up with your project manager as much as possible (without being rude or annoying) and try to keep things moving. In my case I was also able to call my utility and ask them for their status, so I was able to make sure things were moving along. And, for example, when they told me that they were waiting for payment, I was able to call my project manager and let her know that the utility was waiting on tesla. I don’t know if it really helped, but it made me feel better at least.
Well, I got the actual appointment today, for Nov 12. I guess it is what it is. I think mainly my frustration came from being given expectations like "by end of week", and then multiple times "by end of day", which never happened, and when I would talk to both srp and tesla, and they'd both say they're waiting for the other, with srp being open to a conf call to get everyone on the same page, but tesla just saying they wouldn't do anything and just continue to wait, and not acknowledge whatsoever that both parties waiting on each other was a problem.
I guess I'll hurry up and wait. Bummed I missed all of the summer months, was hoping to see performance before I would have to worry about the dual peak times of winter periods.
ArizonaJon
Member
Dual peak times are problem for the TEG. It only does one peak time. I am in Tucson and we now have 6 to 9 am and 6 to 9 pm peak. With 2 PWs I have set my peak time from 6 am to 6 pm and it seems to be doing OK. Almost no peak time usage. Good Luck.
charlesj
Active Member
I was wondering when morning will be part of peak usage. Here it is.
WOW.
Now we need to bug Tesla to add multiple TOU period as it is here and will spread to other power companies.
After this, all will be peak?
My timeline:
Ordered 6/2
6/23 Loan approved
7/4 I Accepted design
7/5-7/22 back and forth with tesla and mosaic over confusing pricing and loan approved amounts. I agree to pay the difference after the confusion.
7/30 City of Tempe permits approved
8/5 SRP DER approved
8/8 SRP Project Plans Approved
8/14 Install appointment confirmed for 9/10
9/4 New Design approved (the details on the previous plan were incorrect)
9/4 Solar payments confirmed (again)
9/4 Sales taxes taken off
9/5 Solar installation was moved up to 9/7 and 9/8
9/7-9/8 Solar installation started, no power wall guys the first day. Second day power wall guys were present and installed all equipment but the power walls. They did not have time to finish, apparently they were supposed to be there 9/7 as well but got held up at a previous job so I had to schedule a follow up date for the actual power walls to be installed.
9/11 Powerwalls installed (3 of them) supporting conduit and circuit breaker box installed too.
9/11 Tesla informed me they had to resubmit the permits to Tempe because they submitted the wrong ones.
9/22 Scheduled for city inspection, passes. Documents were sent to SRP I was told there would be 2-3 weeks turn around time
9/29 I called tesla to see where I was on the permit process, told everything was submitted correctly and they're still waiting for SRP
10/20 I didnt hear anything for almost a month then randomly Tesla and SRP showed up at my house yesterday for commissioning. I called Tesla to see why I wasnt warned....I was doing extended testing
they told me they must have somehow failed to notify me on any correspondence with SRP and the scheduling team. I got PTO finally and have been off the grid for 24 hours now "officially".In all, the experience sucked. There was no consistent person to talk to and when they changed the process partway through to escalate to the Project Advisor my advisor was hardly there. Making me call the general line anyways. The communication between the departments was non existent. When I said their terrible communications makes me want to cancel because no one is on the same page, they just said "sorry to hear that".
At the end of the day, its done.. the install teams were great and answered all my questions and were very professional. Im happy with the product but not the journey. I knew it would take a while but not 4 months, I know I was very particular with the lay out. I remved some vents in the roof to allow for better panel placement. I used pvwatts.org to better calculate what the system would produce, I went up on my roof and got the degree of slope and the azimuth etc. things didnt match up to their quotes and they just told me my math was wrong and their estimates are backed by user data.
Sorry for the long post I figured I would share my experience with the rest of you.
I wanted to add to this.
After purchasing sep 18th, there was no contact. After they raised the price on the power walls they finally sent me a bill which was higher than what I initially agreed to. I had to reach out several times over the next 3 weeks and kept getting told to speak with my project advisor....who ironically never ever answered or emailed me back, or called me back.
After finally getting ahold of him, he gave me a bs answer about how it was only an estimate and the fact that the price I'm given now exactly matches the quote I'd get for the new price if the power walls, he said he didn't know.
Then I reminded him that in Arizona we don't pay taxes on our power walls, he admitted that was true and said he'd "submit something for me".
That was a week ago and I've heard nothing from him since. Again he isn't answering calls or emails. All I expect is the occasional update, not total silence. Or at least respond to an email.
Last thing he told me is that I might be ineligible because my roofing might be slate (I later found out its actually concrete so I am eligible, he has not responded to that).
Honestly, I'm amazed at how absolutely bad Tesla service is, for one of the richest companies.
I don't actually mind that it's delayed, I'm just upset about the lack of communication
After purchasing sep 18th, there was no contact. After they raised the price on the power walls they finally sent me a bill which was higher than what I initially agreed to. I had to reach out several times over the next 3 weeks and kept getting told to speak with my project advisor....who ironically never ever answered or emailed me back, or called me back.
After finally getting ahold of him, he gave me a bs answer about how it was only an estimate and the fact that the price I'm given now exactly matches the quote I'd get for the new price if the power walls, he said he didn't know.
Then I reminded him that in Arizona we don't pay taxes on our power walls, he admitted that was true and said he'd "submit something for me".
That was a week ago and I've heard nothing from him since. Again he isn't answering calls or emails. All I expect is the occasional update, not total silence. Or at least respond to an email.
Last thing he told me is that I might be ineligible because my roofing might be slate (I later found out its actually concrete so I am eligible, he has not responded to that).
Honestly, I'm amazed at how absolutely bad Tesla service is, for one of the richest companies.
I don't actually mind that it's delayed, I'm just upset about the lack of communication
Last edited:
gcsutton
Member
Thanks to BLRR I'm getting $2,400 removed from my Solar agreement. As discussed, they were taxing the Powerwalls and backup gateway.
charlesj
Active Member
I don't understand why Tesla continues to add the sales tax in AZ after all these times and number of removals continue.
Are they hoping to cash in on the unknowing public?
Are they hoping to cash in on the unknowing public?
destructure00
Active Member
Can any of you DM me a phone number for a contact who has been able to remove sales tax? I have called in several times and emailed a couple different people. Had a few "tickets" opened, where I was supposed to receive a call back within a few days. Crickets...absolutely no responses to anything. Would love to speak to an advisor who has actually dealt with this and can help review and possibly refund the $1346 in sales tax I paid.
gcsutton
Member
The SA said he submitted it internally and it took a week to get approved. Just called Service Advisor.
I build a pretty wild system:
Its a unix script that runs on private cloud instance.
It wakes up according to set schedule and sets reserve 0% or 100% for a list of Tesla acocunts:
I am also thinking to build private box for more security for Rasberry Pi:
The CRON job is as configured::
take 0 responsibility for this, just trying to help the group:
I have designed the Schedule as following
Respect US Federal Holidays _ shortcut for now: 100% Reserve:
Then there are summer and winter schedules that will set reserve mode as follows:
Summer (May - October)
4:45am - Reset Reserve to 100% Daily (MTWTHF)
1:45pm - Reset Reserve to 0% (M-F)
8:01pm - Reset Reserve to 100% (Friday)
45 4 * 4-10 1-5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py backup > logBackup.txt
45 13 * 4-10 1-5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py tou > logTou.txt
1 20 * 4-10 5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py backup > logBackup.txt
Winter: (November - April)
4:45am - Reset reserve to 0% Daily (M-F)
9:01am - Reset reserve to 100% Daily (M-F)
4:45pm - Reset reserve to 0% Daily (M-F)
9:01pm - Reset Reserve to 100%(Friday)
45 4 * 11,12,0,1,2,3 1-5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py tou > logTou.txt
1 09 * 11,12,0,1,2,3 1-5 /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py backup > logBackup.txt
45 16 * 11,12,0,1,2,3 1-5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py tou > logTou.txt
1 21 * 11,12,0,1,2,3 5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py backup > logBackup.txt
If you are interested to pilot please find or message me, and we can add your account.
This system works for Summer, Winter, and Holidays.
Its a unix script that runs on private cloud instance.
It wakes up according to set schedule and sets reserve 0% or 100% for a list of Tesla acocunts:
I am also thinking to build private box for more security for Rasberry Pi:
The CRON job is as configured::
take 0 responsibility for this, just trying to help the group:
I have designed the Schedule as following
Respect US Federal Holidays _ shortcut for now: 100% Reserve:
Then there are summer and winter schedules that will set reserve mode as follows:
Summer (May - October)
4:45am - Reset Reserve to 100% Daily (MTWTHF)
1:45pm - Reset Reserve to 0% (M-F)
8:01pm - Reset Reserve to 100% (Friday)
45 4 * 4-10 1-5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py backup > logBackup.txt
45 13 * 4-10 1-5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py tou > logTou.txt
1 20 * 4-10 5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py backup > logBackup.txt
Winter: (November - April)
4:45am - Reset reserve to 0% Daily (M-F)
9:01am - Reset reserve to 100% Daily (M-F)
4:45pm - Reset reserve to 0% Daily (M-F)
9:01pm - Reset Reserve to 100%(Friday)
45 4 * 11,12,0,1,2,3 1-5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py tou > logTou.txt
1 09 * 11,12,0,1,2,3 1-5 /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py backup > logBackup.txt
45 16 * 11,12,0,1,2,3 1-5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py tou > logTou.txt
1 21 * 11,12,0,1,2,3 5 python /home/ec2-user/powerwallDriver.py backup > logBackup.txt
If you are interested to pilot please find or message me, and we can add your account.
This system works for Summer, Winter, and Holidays.
My idea was build an automated scheduler for Tesla Energy Gateway that could run in the cloud.
Or Private box, private box requires buying rasberry PI and some learning about configuration of PI.
But:
In short:
It will automated the Battery Reserve level between 0 and 100% or what I call Backup and Time of use Modes.
These work according to SRP Schedules for
Summer (2-8pm)
Winter (double peaks , 5am-9am, 5pm-9pm)
This is a solution since Tesla does not handle the double peak very well and so I was trying to help folks quickly create a program they can run off box or in my cloud server that just does the automation.
I chose cloud at first, cause its quick and easy to run this stuff, I have 1 beta Test user, and am automating their powerwall settings for them for SRP.
It does require credentials so understand if you feel there is risk, that's why I am also looking at Rasberry PI solution.
The problem:
People want to automtae powerwall, people don't understand PI/Python/Coding/Configuration, so I tried to automate all that for them, so the only they have to do is set that initial schedule in Tesla 2x a year, and then my systems would take over.
