Connected Solutions Real-World Experiences (MA - National Grid / EverSource)

[jsurpless]

Hey everyone

I was hoping that folks in Massachusetts could share their real-world experiences with Connected Solutions so far this year.

Asking because my mom lives in SE MA and has EverSource - her experience so far this year has been a bit disappointing. She's had overwhelming 3-hr events (18/20) with EverSource calling events almost every weekday for the last 3 weeks even when it was cool weather and/or cloudy out. This has resulted in only a 6.6 average kW discharge for the season which is a good deal lower than the relatively conservative estimates I'd made. Perhaps my estimates were too optimistic but also perhaps it has something to do with my estimates being based on National Grid events, as opposed to EverSource. Of course, they were also based on last summer so there's that possibility too.

So... could anyone share how their events are so far this year? I live in Bellingham and have National Grid - anyone out this way? I ask predominantly because I was counting on CS as a major offset to the cost of the PWs and this is weakening that offset.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[jsurpless]

Same here, but I’m on eversource. Had a 2hr event every day this week (7/11-7/15)

I’m on Eversource in Bedford, 2 hours each day this week for me too.

My mom's outside New Bedford on EverSource and has also had events each day this week

 

[jhn_]

Interesting event today. Not sure why it was an event day being in the 70s and raining. But since the Powerwalls were only able to fill to 67% with the limited sun today, the event started at 4pm and went only for one hour. Still at the max 15kw for my three powerwalls combined. So either blind luck or Tesla’s algorithm recognized that my optimal contribution would be only one hour at max rate and therefore my average from which compensation is derived was preserved.

 

[kb1ibt]

Similar for my 2 PowerWalls, 10kW for the 4pm hour.

 

[appleguru]

Interesting event today. Not sure why it was an event day being in the 70s and raining. But since the Powerwalls were only able to fill to 67% with the limited sun today, the event started at 4pm and went only for one hour. Still at the max 15kw for my three powerwalls combined. So either blind luck or Tesla’s algorithm recognized that my optimal contribution would be only one hour at max rate and therefore my average from which compensation is derived was preserved.

ISO ne showed a sustained high load today, likely due to the temp + humidity and lack of usual solar output to offset… but the load was also lower than forecast, with a peak much earlier than usual.

I ended up with a 2 hr event 4-6p, which actually output a tiny bit more than my usual events. My PWs got down to 19%.

Oddly, the small solar production in the time since the event was over has gone to powering the house and not back into the powerwalls like usual, which seems odd… maybe this was actually a 3hr event and they just output the max for as long as they could?

 

[manole]

Interesting event today. Not sure why it was an event day being in the 70s and raining. But since the Powerwalls were only able to fill to 67% with the limited sun today, the event started at 4pm and went only for one hour. Still at the max 15kw for my three powerwalls combined. So either blind luck or Tesla’s algorithm recognized that my optimal contribution would be only one hour at max rate and therefore my average from which compensation is derived was preserved.

The event was 2 hrs today in Connecticut from 4-6pm. If your 3 Powerwalls were discharging at 15 kW for one hour AND stopped at 20%, it’s likely the case that you’re average is 7.5 kW over that 2 hour period. IOW, not the full 15 kW. I don’t think Tesla accounts for how much energy your powerwall has right before the event starts, they simply assume everyone has a full 100% and discharge at a rate to get to 20% by the end of a 3 or 2 hour event.

 

[appleguru]

ISO ne showed a sustained high load today, likely due to the temp + humidity and lack of usual solar output to offset… but the load was also lower than forecast, with a peak much earlier than usual.

I ended up with a 2 hr event 4-6p, which actually output a tiny bit more than my usual events. My PWs got down to 19%.

Oddly, the small solar production in the time since the event was over has gone to powering the house and not back into the powerwalls like usual, which seems odd… maybe this was actually a 3hr event and they just output the max for as long as they could?

Confirming that at 7p the PWs started charging from solar again. Very odd.

(So maybe this was a 3hr event from 4-7p, but my PWs only had enough capacity to sustain full output for 2 hrs?)

 

[manole]

Confirming that at 7p the PWs started charging from solar again. Very odd.

(So maybe this was a 3hr event from 4-7p, but my PWs only had enough capacity to sustain full output for 2 hrs?)

View attachment 829950

Good point, I didn’t think of that - you’re right, it was probably a 3 hr event. Now you got me thinking many of the events last week were also 3 hrs long and we just thought they were 2 hrs. I really wish Eversource or Tesla had more transparency on these events via email at least.

 

[appleguru]

Good point, I didn’t think of that - you’re right, it was probably a 3 hr event. Now you got me thinking many of the events last week were also 3 hrs long and we just thought they were 2 hrs. I really wish Eversource or Tesla had more transparency on these events via email at least.

No, today was definitely weird. I think all the other days (except for 7/1) were for sure 2hr events as my PWs ended up around 24% or so (meaning they could have gone lower if the event was longer) and immediately started charging from solar again as soon as they were over.

 

[jsurpless]

Still no events for me in Bellingham this week and all of last week... very strange

 

[TORQU3]

I finally figured out what was limiting my battery output to match the house load during grid events. The settings were wrong! Energy exports has to be set to everything. Every grid event I've been trying to run am much useful electrical load as I can, running the dishwasher, dryers (with clothes that need to be dried), car charging, AC etc to maximize the connected solutions compensation. All I had to do was change the setting.

 

[solarAddict]

I finally figured out what was limiting my battery output to match the house load during grid events. The settings were wrong! Energy exports has to be set to everything. Every grid event I've been trying to run am much useful electrical load as I can, running the dishwasher, dryers (with clothes that need to be dried), car charging, AC etc to maximize the connected solutions compensation. All I had to do was change the setting.

View attachment 830601

How did you get to this screen? What version of app you have and what platform: iOS/Android ? I don't see in in my app on iOS. BTW, my system in Sef-Powered mode and it does not affect output during "events".

 

[TORQU3]

How did you get to this screen? What version of app you have and what platform: iOS/Android ? I don't see in in my app on iOS. BTW, my system in Sef-Powered mode and it does not affect output during "events".

settings --> powerwall --> scroll down.

iOS, Tesla app version 4.11.0

 

[cwied]

How did you get to this screen? What version of app you have and what platform: iOS/Android ? I don't see in in my app on iOS. BTW, my system in Sef-Powered mode and it does not affect output during "events".

The setting was added at the same time as grid charging, but is not enabled for everyone. I had to call Tesla to get them to enable it. It's been discussed in this thread New Powerwall Advanced Options [Toggles for charging from and discharging to grid from powerwalls].

I'm also somewhat surprised that this setting would affect grid events. I suspect that this may be an unintended side effect of adding the setting.

 

[TORQU3]

The setting was added at the same time as grid charging, but is not enabled for everyone. I had to call Tesla to get them to enable it. It's been discussed in this thread New Powerwall Advanced Options [Toggles for charging from and discharging to grid from powerwalls].

I'm also somewhat surprised that this setting would affect grid events. I suspect that this may be an unintended side effect of adding the setting.

Yea you would think for those participating in connected solutions it would be enabled during the grid services event by default.

 

[appleguru]

Today looked like another 3hr event, started at 4p and ended at 7p.

My powerwalls were full at the start, but got down to 20% by 6:05p or so. Is this normal? I would have thought they would run them at a lower discharge rate for 3hr events… they ran out right about when we hit peak demand today, which seems.. not desirable.

 

[manole]

I have a theory. I believe this year Eversource (or Tesla) is calling for 5 kW (per Powerwall) and maximizing peak instead of duration. But I believe they are counting all events as 3 hours even though we can tell many of them have been only 2 hours. I believe this because right on Eversource Connected Solutions home page it says the events are 3 hour (not 2 - 3 hours). So bottom line, I don’t think we’re going to get any favorability this year compared to last because the events are shorter and we’re putting out a higher avg kW. I will email their support now but can others do the same to see if we get a similar answer?

 

[solarAddict]

settings --> powerwall --> scroll down.

iOS, Tesla app version 4.11.0

huh? but I really mean wtf - I don't even have powerwall screen. amazing.
thank you for sharing though. was it added auto-magically or you have to ask someone?

 

[TORQU3]

huh? but I really mean wtf - I don't even have powerwall screen. amazing.
thank you for sharing though. was it added auto-magically or you have to ask someone?

I just have the standard app. Didn’t talk to support or ask for anything special. What do you see when you click on settings in the tesla app?

 

[solarAddict]

I just have the standard app. Didn’t talk to support or ask for anything special. What do you see when you click on settings in the tesla app?

 

[TORQU3]

That's strange! After the self powered and time based control option I have the energy exports option as well as the advanced options.

It might be worth a call to Tesla to see why you don't have this. Do you have the Tesla gateway as well (I assume you do since you have PW's)?