Does anyone have experience with a SolarEdge system (panels + battery) and a SolarEdge EV charger?

[tmoz]

I have two tesla cars in the garage and I just charge them manually when the sun is shining. I have a solarEdge system (for better or worse) and have been thinking about adding their EV charger which is supposed to be able to charge the EV from excess solar. SolarEdge software is still evolving as I type, so that is why I say "supposed".
So I'm wondering if anyone here is charging their teslas using a solaredge ev charger and if so, do you have any hair left, or have you pulled it all out in frustration already?

 

[mswlogo]

I set my off peak to 3PM and leave by to 3PM and it tends to use the Solar. Not perfect by any means but better than nothing.

 

[DrSmile]

I always question the usefulness of this... How many people have their car home during the day? I guess more since COVID, but I pretty much am never home when the excess power is being made. My Powerwalls would make it doable but thankfully NJ is still net-metering.

 

[mswlogo]

I always question the usefulness of this... How many people have their car home during the day? I guess more since COVID, but I pretty much am never home when the excess power is being made. My Powerwalls would make it doable but thankfully NJ is still net-metering.

I always question why people would bother with powerwalls if they have net metering.

 

[sunwarriors]

I always question why people would bother with powerwalls if they have net metering.

Other than the obvious outage protection, some places have pretty wide ToU rates. Last summer, SDG&E was at $0.833/kWh Peak (some plans are near $0.90) vs. $0.355 Off peak (Tier 2 of baseline). If you are never home when solar is around, but always home from 4pm-9pm and use the bulk of your power then, even having 1:1 may not be enough if you aren't over-producing and pull from the grid a lot.

There is also the very high possibility of more legislation. A way to weaken solar/no batteries/NEM1.0/NEM2.0 in CA is that if 90% of people have no storage, but only solar and think like you, the utilities can raise non-bypassable charges or fees from tapping the grid (off hours/any hours) as a way to get $$.

 

[DrSmile]

I always question why people would bother with powerwalls if they have net metering.

Really crappy electrical service is the answer for me.

 

[tmoz]

I work from home most days. No net metering and cheap electricity in AZ. Solar may barely break even for me in the long run. Peak rates from Nov to April are 12 cents per kWh. 5am to 9am and 5pm to 9pm. i went solar as I wasn't happy with Russia using natural gas as a weapon. I'm having fun looking at the tremendous data i get now that I can see what draws energy, how much and when. Most people would call that a headache, but it is fun for me at the moment.

 

[hey kupo]

We've had a SolarEdge system and charger since late '21. I tried excess solar for a while and it works fine. However, it's slow and less efficient. Now I just use the excess to get to 40a for shorter periods of time.

 

[CrazyRabbit]

I always question why people would bother with powerwalls if they have net metering.

Because I don’t believe I will keep getting net metering, and I was right. My co-op just ended it, but I will be grand fathered in for 10 years. They are going to start charging me for the Brazos bankruptcy for all energy delivered, so no longer 1:1.
They are offering a new plan, and all new solar will be stuck on this, where I buy at retail and then sell at their cost of electric. They did show a sample bill where the bought back at .09 $/kwh and buying at .14 $/kwh and balance carries forward indefinitely. Which if I use my batteries may pay off. Everyone really doesn’t believe the buy back rate they showed us.
But I’m a bit of a preper, so that is the real reason for batteries. New Covid is around the corner, and 100% fatal.

 

[tmoz]

We've had a SolarEdge system and charger since late '21. I tried excess solar for a while and it works fine. However, it's slow and less efficient. Now I just use the excess to get to 40a for shorter periods of time.

I'm assuming you don't have a battery (or maybe you do but it is not a solaredge battery?). Does the charger connect to the inverter at all, or just communicates with the inverter? I think their new bidirectional system would have to connect the charging station to the inverter, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[GregBallantyne]

I always question the usefulness of this... How many people have their car home during the day? I guess more since COVID, but I pretty much am never home when the excess power is being made. My Powerwalls would make it doable but thankfully NJ is still net-metering.

Lots of people do. The ones that don't are all looking forward to having that choice. One fine day the light bulb will illuminate for you too, at long last.