Configure Powerwalls To Ignore Solar?

[NuShrike]

If you want to get Powerwall to ignore your solar production and just track your consumption, you need to set set the solar CTs to Load or Site with the correct sign choice.

When your have solar production, the main Site CTs detect your net consumption (consumption minus solar production), and so to calculate your actual consumption, the Powerwall adds your production from the Solar CTs to the main Site CTs to get your total consumption.

So setting the solar CTs to Load or Site with the correct sign should reproduce this behavior as far as calculating total consumption, while not telling Powerwall you have solar.

If you just disable the solar CTs, then the Powerwall will only see your net consumption.

Cheers, Wayne

P.S. I assume on step 6/12 in the wizard you deleted your solar generator?

I'll try that today, after I finish getting my app to talk to the local wizard-API. Looks like there's no way to set the backup_reserve_percent, from my usage of it. No matter what I set the value to, it's now always 5% when changing/setting to self_consumption mode.

Addendum: the wizard doesn't allow coexisting Site and Load CTs. They're exclusive modes to all the CTs.
eg. If any CT is set to Site, the only options available for any CT is Site/Solar/None. If any CT is set to Load (after resetting them all to None), then only options for any CT is now Solar/Load/None.

Yes, I tried deleting the solar-generator on that page of the wizard. The Neurio always says "4 CTs" no matter if they're physically connected. Neither affects locally restoring grid-charging.

 

[cwied]

I'll try that today, after I finish getting my app to talk to the local wizard-API. Looks like there's no way to set the backup_reserve_percent, from my usage of it. No matter what I set the value to, it's now always 5% when changing/setting to self_consumption mode.

What firmware version are you on? I have a script that sets the backup reserve percent and it's working fine on my Powerwalls with 1.35.2. Are you committing the change using /api/config/completed after sending the command?

 

[Ulmo]

Update: yesterday I had my equipment installed by Tesla, yay!

I also had a conference call with the installer's boss, a technical manager, and some people from Tesla's utility interconnection department. The basic answer from Tesla on my request was "this is not a supported configuration and we will not configure it as you suggest."

The lack of innovation at Tesla is why I don't like Tesla. This is a fraction of the speed of innovation that USA had in the 1940s and early in the century. They're lying when they say they are very innovative.

 

[Ulmo]

I'll try that today, after I finish getting my app to talk to the local wizard-API. Looks like there's no way to set the backup_reserve_percent, from my usage of it. No matter what I set the value to, it's now always 5% when changing/setting to self_consumption mode.

Addendum: the wizard doesn't allow coexisting Site and Load CTs. They're exclusive modes to all the CTs.
eg. If any CT is set to Site, the only options available for any CT is Site/Solar/None. If any CT is set to Load (after resetting them all to None), then only options for any CT is now Solar/Load/None.

Yes, I tried deleting the solar-generator on that page of the wizard. The Neurio always says "4 CTs" no matter if they're physically connected. Neither affects locally restoring grid-charging.

I've always have "solar", "site", "battery", and "load".

I'm on pw sw version 1.37.1.

 

[NuShrike]

If you want to get Powerwall to ignore your solar production and just track your consumption, you need to set set the solar CTs to Load or Site with the correct sign choice.

When your have solar production, the main Site CTs detect your net consumption (consumption minus solar production), and so to calculate your actual consumption, the Powerwall adds your production from the Solar CTs to the main Site CTs to get your total consumption.

So setting the solar CTs to Load or Site with the correct sign should reproduce this behavior as far as calculating total consumption, while not telling Powerwall you have solar.

If you just disable the solar CTs, then the Powerwall will only see your net consumption.

Cheers, Wayne

P.S. I assume on step 6/12 in the wizard you deleted your solar generator?

This worked for grid-charging when I physically moved the solar CTs around, as described.

However, this won't work well for normal self-consumption as the math gets weird.

I'll need to script setting the CTs in order to automate this.

 

[diyguy]

Ideally, I want:
Always charge EVs from the grid during off-peak rate schedule
Always charge Powerwalls from the grid during off-peak rate schedule
House consumes from PV system when being generated
Excess PV always goes back to the grid to earn credits
If house consumption is higher than currently producing solar, 2 cases:
1) If Powerwall capacity is > minimum %, draw from powerwalls
2) If Powerwall capacity is <= minimum %, draw from the grid

Yep, that’s my dream confirmation too.

Currently I’m completing the pre-Powerwall electrical upgrades. I wanted a copper bus so staying with a meter-combo wasn’t an option - I couldn’t find a EUSERC compliant one that wasn’t aluminum. So I decided to get a commercial grade 200 amp meter breaker, a separate commercial grade 200 amp main breaker panel, and a commercial grade 100 amp sub-panel for the PW backed up loads. Next week is the final city inspection.

I want to install a few grid tied PV panels so I can roll all this into one PV project for claiming the ITC. I’ve decided not to include the PW in my ITC claim because I can’t install enough PV to charge one. So I hope to use the PW for California’s Self Generation Incentive Program (SGIP). It’s currently undergoing revision and may be less burdensome in 2020. But the basic goal will still include incentivizing residential battery discharge during peak hours.

BUT I’m not sure if I can have PV tied into the meter breaker and a SGIP participating PW on the other side of the main breaker panel and still keep everyone happy. It seems simple enough - just don’t let the PW charge during Daylight hours. Any thoughts anyone?

 

[miimura]

If you are residential and you don't charge the batteries 100% from solar, you can't get the ITC on the batteries. Period. Well, let me rephrase, you can take it on your tax return, but under audit it would be disallowed and you would owe penalty and interest.

SGIP can be applied with or without solar as long as you cycle the batteries 52 equivalent full discharges per year under the current program.