Help adding additional battery to existing system...

[ScubaSteve22]

No problem, its fun to help and I learn stuff too. My system at home wont be for a few months still so I cant really play with the settings and commissioning as much as I would like.

Having measured many of these there is no way its truly "as many as you want." 200A, 400A and 600A services all have a range of impedance that is possible, and likely based on distance to the transformer, and age of it.

Its been an interesting open question in my mind, so I am truly interested in a professional way not a trainwreck way. The effects of a too large impedance aren't well understood yet by myself from a practical standpoint with the Powerwall.

What size is your service anyway?

Appreciate it!

400amp.. waiting to hear back from installers on the actual number (assuming they logged it somewhere). But when I told them I wanted to add more they said I'm well within spec.

 

[SoCal Dave]

I've got a brand new Backup Gateway 1 sitting in a box... let me know if you're interested. The Tesla rep I was working with said there is no issue with my selling it and transferring warranty.

Hah, thanks for the offer. Unfortunately, my wife would kill me if I spent more after getting solar, repainting the house and getting it re-roofed this year.

 

[Vines]

Appreciate it!

400amp.. waiting to hear back from installers on the actual number (assuming they logged it somewhere). But when I told them I wanted to add more they said I'm well within spec.

Yea, likely you could do 5 with a 400A service unless you are way out there away from your transformer.

5 is where it starts to makes sense to stop usually because of the onerous reporting requirements from SGIP above 5. However it sounds like you have another supply, maybe some founders editions.

Anyway enjoy it!

 

[ScubaSteve22]

Yea, likely you could do 5 with a 400A service unless you are way out there away from your transformer.

5 is where it starts to makes sense to stop usually because of the onerous reporting requirements from SGIP above 5. However it sounds like you have another supply, maybe some founders editions.

Anyway enjoy it!

Transformer is super close to my panel actually so I think I'm good, but trying to get that number from the installer anyway just for my own knowledge.

 

[BrettS]

Just for anyone else thinking about attempting this, I suspect that Steve was able to get his self install done because he already had the gateway installed by an official installer.

This is all speculation on my part, but I suspect that installing a gateway from scratch and getting it associated with your tesla account would require interaction with tesla that couldn’t be done with a self install.

However, in Steve’s case the gateway was already installed and active and apparently it was able to recognize the new powerwall on it’s own.

I also suspect that there may be issues if he needs warranty support down the road, but hopefully he’ll never have to deal with that.

 

[flyguyjake]

onerous reporting requirements from SGIP above 5

Can you explain this? I currently have 3 Powerwalls and was looking into adding 3 more.

 

[ScubaSteve22]

Just for anyone else thinking about attempting this, I suspect that Steve was able to get his self install done because he already had the gateway installed by an official installer.

This is all speculation on my part, but I suspect that installing a gateway from scratch and getting it associated with your tesla account would require interaction with tesla that couldn’t be done with a self install.

However, in Steve’s case the gateway was already installed and active and apparently it was able to recognize the new powerwall on it’s own.

I also suspect that there may be issues if he needs warranty support down the road, but hopefully he’ll never have to deal with that.

Not sure about that... I have a brand new Gateway here I could test with if I get bored

Warranty is no issue.. Tesla has already added it to my account.

 

[ScubaSteve22]

Yea, likely you could do 5 with a 400A service unless you are way out there away from your transformer.

5 is where it starts to makes sense to stop usually because of the onerous reporting requirements from SGIP above 5. However it sounds like you have another supply, maybe some founders editions.

Anyway enjoy it!

...and yes, that is correct. Founders Edition craigslist find.

 

[Locash]

I'm thinking about self installing my Powerwall2 and Gateway if I dont find anyone to do it for a reasonable price, lol. I have a 16.4kw solar array going in right now and the solar installer wont touch it. Its either I install it or sell it at this point..

 

[Vines]

Can you explain this? I currently have 3 Powerwalls and was looking into adding 3 more.

Its part of the SGIP requirements through PGE. We hire a 3rd party to manage the reporting, because the requirements are not something we want to deal with.

Not sure this is applicable to your utility.

 

[flyguyjake]

Its part of the SGIP requirements through PGE. We hire a 3rd party to manage the reporting, because the requirements are not something we want to deal with.

Not sure this is applicable to your utility.

Can anyone on SCE confirm if this is a requirement?