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Discussion: Tesla Energy / Auto Customer Service
- Thread starter jimm01
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- elon is an ass
Thanks for posting that. It does provide a bit of balance.
I think the impression that increasingly I'm left with about Tesla Service is its enormous variability. I've had great service on the solar system and cars and not so great service on both of those as well. And occasionally dismal service. It's frustrating to get that kind of variability especially if you start out with really great experiences with the more technically competent technicians and then you get stuck with somebody who doesn't know what they're doing or talking about.
Maybe this is all just a function of Tesla's crazy exponential growth and the fact that you really can't train people up in a short period of time particularly if they're not all that talented to begin with and the demand has forced you to hire people who are may be marginal in terms of technical skills to begin with. The guy who fixed our solar systems after the Gateway computer fried - Justin who's out of Tesla Energy Tampa - is like uber-competent. He's like a guru of solar systems. And the install teams were both highly competent but unfortunately the communication from the front office is not so good, particularly around warranty issues where they seem to work very hard to wiggle their way out of any major bills.
From (This is a rough idea of risk, though not exact; we are in a 0-0.75 hits/year zone and we average more like 3-8 nearby hits per year, and our power line crosses several local high points.)
I would look for a vendor with a reasonable warranty and guarantee; the MOVs used in surge suppressors come in all sorts of quality levels, and I think that this is not a point to necessarily pick the least expensive.
Of the whole house protectors (these aren't lightning arrestors, which are a different product), there are external versions that need a breaker and are wired in, (these would fit any panel with the right breaker) and there are versions that look like a large double breaker. The latter are panel specific by vendor, so you may or may not have the option to use them. Some of the external versions aren't weather resistant. So, if you have an outside main panel and can't get to the backside readily, you will need to find a weatherproof unit.
Once you have a guarantee that you like, I think that the key feature to focus on is how much energy can they absorb. 40-50kA is the typical floor, and ones with over 140kA are available. Some versions (e.g. Siemen's BoltShield series) can be doubled or tripled up for additional protection. All of them are likely to be toast if you get a nearby hit. My view is that it worth the extra cost to go for a larger unit. For me, tripling the surge capacity didn't even double the price. If you are having an electrician install it, the cost is likely to be less than the labor for many parts of the country. Some guarantees require a licensed professional electrician do installation, so check the fine print.
All the big manufacturers make them; Eaton, GE, Intermatic, Square D, Siemens, etc. Due to panel constraints and supply chain issues, I didn't use a snap-in arrestor, but I did consider them. I think the upsides are ease of installation, and the proximity to the bus bars (distance). The downside is usually smaller capacity(kA), but some (most?) can be double or tripled up. I ended up going with a Siemens FS140, (overview here). (I found it on sale for $224.) It was too large to fit inside my panel, so it was installed outside. The goal for the installation is to make the distance from the point of power entry to the arrestor as short as possible, which is why putting the arrestor in the panel has benefits, and why the arrestors (or the breakers for them) should always go in the first available slots.
I would view these items as consumables and expect to replace them every five to ten years depending on warrant/guarantee terms, and use. The core of almost all of them are MOVs, metal oxide varistors, which have nonlinear resistance to voltage, and start to ground higher voltages to ground at just above normal line voltage. They can do this for small surges indefinitely, but at some level cross into a level that begins to erode the device, reducing protection. Most modern surge protectors have alarm circuits to let you know that they have failed.
I hope that this helps.
YMMV...
All the best,
BG
Does anybody have a real way of getting anybody to help with Tesla? I totally regret going with them--got installed in November after almost a year and neither my Powerwall nor solar panels is working right since end of December. I'm generating nothing and Powerwall doesn't charge from grid during Stormwatch (like now) so I've been without electricity quite a bit this winter already when power went out. Put in a ticket for support three weeks ago and nothing. Solar panels department seems really nice but since I have a Powerwall they won't help me. I can never get anybody at Powerwall to help me. Really appreciate any help/advice.
Your best option is to drink heavily. Since Tesla's HQ relocated to Texas, I'd recommend Tito's vodka. Seems appropriate given the locale.
Tweeting Elon has a higher chance of success than posting on TMC.
I know these ideas sound stupid (drinking and tweeting), but it's because Tesla is not conventional so normal methods don't seem to work. There were news reports last year that Tesla employed some form of bot/AI to scan social media and look for disparaging comments aimed at Elon from disgruntled customers. It seems Tesla was actually helping customers who took the unorthodox approach to blast Tesla online with real complaints.
Of course, Tesla seemed to also add the condition that their helping the customer was under the premise that the customer stop posting negatively about Tesla online. This is probably illegal, but I don't think customers care as long as they get some service.
Anyway, the recurring theme is that Tesla will eventually help you. It is just on you to keep the pressure on. Good luck!
I am having a terrible time with my whole home solar and battery installation. Pre install everything was great. Project moved quickly, the techs were great. Then I paid my $60k bill and now I am being told there's limitations to turning it on with PGE. No due due dates, no updates, no communication for weeks. I guess they just expect me to sit here and wait. Tesla knew about this, didn't tell me (or others) about their issues with the Backup switch. I think they are committing fraud. I spoke to an attorney last night so we'll see.
I don't understand what is this new backup switch meter thing and why Tesla is using it instead of the Gateway 2. Does this switch really simply the install?
Does anyone on TMC actually have it installed successfully in the PG&E coverage area?
The backup switch MASSIVELY speeds up the installation. No more relocating loads, not more partial home backup, just connections from various generation sources (ESS and PV) land directly in the main panel and you're done. It is probably 16 man-hours of savings with the backup switch.
If one does a whole house install, like I did, I would MUCH rather have the GW2!! I know it is approved. I still do not understand why anyone would be a partial backup! I did not for my generator or solar or batteries. I am not stupid enough to run everything when the power goes out. Even if I were, so what, the batteries go dead. No big deal.
$$$ is the reason.
Many people buy just 1 battery. Those systems are incapable of backing up some whole-home systems.
I agree that I would not choose the Backup Gateway over the GW2, but this is part of Tesla plan to be able to sell and install these systems for so little installation cost.
Tesla is fine with you waiting for PTO, and they still get to charge based on the cheaper installation cost.
But that is my point. It is not about backing up the entire house. Its flexibility, and whats approved. If you have one battery, you should turn everything off anyways, other than your refrig
My point is that you can not per code put only (1) PW2 in the house with whole-home backup, then have a 40A air conditioner that you try to have on the backup circuit. You cannot have any circuits in a backup panel larger than (30A x #of PW). Ranges, electric furnaces, car chargers, dryers, and AC units can all have 40A or larger breakers, and therefore are not allowed to be on the essential loads panel of a system with just 1 PW.
PW+ however goes on a 50A breaker and avoids this limitation.
Oh ok so it's better for Tesla (assuming it's ever approved). But does anyone on TMC actually have the new Backup Gateway meter socket thing in the PG&E coverage area? Or is every Tesla solar who somehow got the Backup Gateway stuck in solar-purgatory?
Yes, I'm pretty sure successful PTO with the Backup Switch has been reported here. @dailo maybe? But I've also read here that PG&E is considering these installations as experimental and approving at a very slow rate.
I am very glad I have the Gateway 2, which I needed to have enough breaker space. But I still need Tesla to deliver a correct set of plans to the City so the installation can be inspected before I can even get into the PTO queue. I just sent the project advisor my own hacked up drawing of what the plans should show; we'll see if that helps.
>even though many of us have had positive interactions with Tesla
All three of you?
what a piece of garbage, Now my frunck does not open and though I told service that I got stuff in there that is urgent, they gave me an appointment in 3 days!!!!!
These people have no idea how ro run a good company!!!
The morning after I picked up my car my drive way wall all coolant. The car had leaked pretty much all the coolant.
Then there was the suspension fixed once, didn't work then again.
Now the frunck. I am lucky I had no medication in there.
A 17K Corolla would have had none if these issues.
very very poor car and company all together!!!!!!
These people have no idea how ro run a good company!!!
The morning after I picked up my car my drive way wall all coolant. The car had leaked pretty much all the coolant.
Then there was the suspension fixed once, didn't work then again.
Now the frunck. I am lucky I had no medication in there.
A 17K Corolla would have had none if these issues.
very very poor car and company all together!!!!!!
Soul Surfer
Cancervivor, tech geek & musician
Nice to meet you! Millions of Tesla owners can't be wrong (said with respect). I think if you show up at service, they have a way to pop the frunk open for you. Just don’t call them first. They are usually pretty good about that stuff. It would also be easier for people to assist you when you provide details like model; year and trim.
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