I have a 9.5kW system and 3 powerwalls on order. My main reason for the PW is for backup during a PSPS event (Planned Safety Power Shutoff - for those not in wildfire areas). Here is my thought process. Given:
If I had the EV on backup power, I could have it start to charge at a rate to push it over the 5kW overproduction. That way solar gets turned back on, the EV gets a little bit of charge, and the PW can start charging back up to 100%. This could be done manually or through interrogating the APIs and automating the charge rated through the Model Y API. I probably wouldn't spend the time to write the app though, I would do it manually.
What say you? Overkill? I also thought about just plugging in an electric space heater inside or outside (depending on the climate at the time), to push it over the "edge" for the inverters to come back on. But if I am going to have a Tesla EVSE installed, why not put it in the backup panel and let it top off the car and varying the charge rate if I can?
Or should I just throw an extension cord over my wall to my neighbors so they can plug in their fridges? Which I will probably do anyway, but that still might not get the solar turned back on.
- When a PSPS is announced Tesla issues a storm watch to allow the PW to charge off grid - hopefully to 100%
- If I am consuming 3kW and my solar is producing 7kW, solar will be shutdown. Now 100% of my power is coming from the PW until a point that the PW is at a far enough state of discharge to start charging and make up for the 5kW over-production.
If I had the EV on backup power, I could have it start to charge at a rate to push it over the 5kW overproduction. That way solar gets turned back on, the EV gets a little bit of charge, and the PW can start charging back up to 100%. This could be done manually or through interrogating the APIs and automating the charge rated through the Model Y API. I probably wouldn't spend the time to write the app though, I would do it manually.
What say you? Overkill? I also thought about just plugging in an electric space heater inside or outside (depending on the climate at the time), to push it over the "edge" for the inverters to come back on. But if I am going to have a Tesla EVSE installed, why not put it in the backup panel and let it top off the car and varying the charge rate if I can?
Or should I just throw an extension cord over my wall to my neighbors so they can plug in their fridges? Which I will probably do anyway, but that still might not get the solar turned back on.