How Good is Solar Power?

[Furfy]

Has Reality not hit you yet? since 5/2017 my solar panel is connected to the grid. I do not get a cent for feeding in the last 7,000 kwh. connecting my 60kwh Battery on wheels (Tessi) is not an option, is not allowed, or cannot be done. In winter I get about 300 Watt from the panel. Finding a company that buys solar elecrtricity in summer ans sells wind energy in winter, all for a reasonable exchange rate, or at all is out of question. I am very frustrated about what is talked about and what is actually available. Enjoy your hype ))

I'm assuming you are located in Logan QLD? If so, I'm located in Logan as well and have a similar situation as Vostok with my solar and PW2, combined with 1 x SR+ Model 3. I sell any excess power to the grid (through Origin) and produce a significant amount of power during winter as well? What you are describing doesn't sound right at all.

 

[Clemi]

I'm assuming you are located in Logan QLD? If so, I'm located in Logan as well and have a similar situation as Vostok with my solar and PW2, combined with 1 x SR+ Model 3. I sell any excess power to the grid (through Origin) and produce a significant amount of power during winter as well? What you are describing doesn't sound right at all.

I moverd to Hannover, Germany, last year, and took Tessi with me. But this is a terrible, different story: Worldwide Tesla service for money- or until now: Not at all

 

[Vostok]

Has Reality not hit you yet? since 5/2017 my solar panel is connected to the grid. I do not get a cent for feeding in the last 7,000 kwh. connecting my 60kwh Battery on wheels (Tessi) is not an option, is not allowed, or cannot be done. In winter I get about 300 Watt from the panel. Finding a company that buys solar elecrtricity in summer ans sells wind energy in winter, all for a reasonable exchange rate, or at all is out of question. I am very frustrated about what is talked about and what is actually available. Enjoy your hype ))

Um... I could possibly provide a more insightful reply to this if I understood it.

In what way has “reality” not hit me yet? My panels are grid connected and I get feed-in-tariff. In July my PV array generated 683 kWh, in November it generated 810 kWh. So very good generation in winter. No hype involved.

As to Tesla not supporting V2G, it is what it is. Elon is not a fan of it for some reason. The new Nissan LEAF supports it, if that’s your ambition.

 

[Shock-On-T]

My only complaint, such as it is, is that you have to sit in the car to dial down the charge rate, you can’t do it from the app as far as I can tell.

You can't (yet). This is a feature I would really appreciate.

 

[Shock-On-T]

The HWPC accepts hardwired commands to adjust the amperage. I plan to add a raspberry pi to mine as per:

I would be curious to know if the car adjusts up/down to the input amperage on the fly.
Eg, if I set my car to 20A, then set the rotary switch on HPWC to 16A I'm sure the car would drop to 16A, but if I then changed to switch to 32A would the car stay at 16A or go back up to 32A? I suspect it would stay at 16A.

 

[Shock-On-T]

This is like that crocodile dundee knife scene. My 30kw system has recieved enough FIT to have now paid itself off, and is rapidly approaching a lifetime production of 100MWh. About to celebrate the systems 2nd birthday. Fantastic investment!

You must the 3phase with that size installation. Does anyone know max install in NSW with AusGrid? All I can find is 5kW, which can't be right.
Asking as I'm about to spec a system for my new place. Currently single phase but happy to change to 3phase. Last place was 3phase and it's very useful.

 

[Shock-On-T]

Has Reality not hit you yet? since 5/2017 my solar panel is connected to the grid. I do not get a cent for feeding in the last 7,000 kwh. connecting my 60kwh Battery on wheels (Tessi) is not an option, is not allowed, or cannot be done. In winter I get about 300 Watt from the panel. Finding a company that buys solar elecrtricity in summer ans sells wind energy in winter, all for a reasonable exchange rate, or at all is out of question. I am very frustrated about what is talked about and what is actually available. Enjoy your hype ))

You should shop around, sounds like the energy company you are using is shafting you.

 

[tessiestraya]

You must the 3phase with that size installation. Does anyone know max install in NSW with AusGrid? All I can find is 5kW, which can't be right.
Asking as I'm about to spec a system for my new place. Currently single phase but happy to change to 3phase. Last place was 3phase and it's very useful.

Took a quick Google search but here you go.
Looks like it 5kW limit only for single phase, three-phase has some other great benefits too.

 

[Shock-On-T]

Took a quick Google search but here you go.
Looks like it 5kW limit only for single phase, three-phase has some other great benefits too.

View attachment 493225

Thanks. I've read that the "assess the network" testing they need to do for >5kW systems can be very expensive.
But technically 100A at 3 phase is 300 x 415 = 124,500W (124.5kW) so it shouldn't be a problem with larger systems.
I know it's not that simple, but it's around that ballpark.

 

[PJF000]

Great idea, hopefully the ideas get picked up?

Which email address are you using? I’ll copy and paste to the same address....

Try: [email protected]

 

[doggy1]

Three phase at 100A is actually 69kW not 124.5. You have taken the phase to phase voltage which is not correct.
Similarly, 32A three phase is 22kW.
This is at 230V per phase (nominal standard for Aus which used to be 240).
Regds,
Dave

 

[Didaho]

I would be curious to know if the car adjusts up/down to the input amperage on the fly.
Eg, if I set my car to 20A, then set the rotary switch on HPWC to 16A I'm sure the car would drop to 16A, but if I then changed to switch to 32A would the car stay at 16A or go back up to 32A? I suspect it would stay at 16A.

Is that how it behaves in every other multi HWPC installation?

 

[Didaho]

Is that how it behaves in every other multi HWPC installation?

Bit narky, I blame too much sugar in the afternoon tea cake ... Car stays at whatever maximum you've set on the charging screen and accepts whatever it's fed up to that maximum. My supply is 3ph so I just tried 8A, 12A and 16A with the car at 16A (80km/hr).

 

[paulp]

You must the 3phase with that size installation. Does anyone know max install in NSW with AusGrid? All I can find is 5kW, which can't be right.
Asking as I'm about to spec a system for my new place. Currently single phase but happy to change to 3phase. Last place was 3phase and it's very useful.

Yes on 3 phase, maximum size. Single phase is a maximum of 5kw system.

 

[paulp]

Thanks. I've read that the "assess the network" testing they need to do for >5kW systems can be very expensive.
But technically 100A at 3 phase is 300 x 415 = 124,500W (124.5kW) so it shouldn't be a problem with larger systems.
I know it's not that simple, but it's around that ballpark.

I’ve applied for 3 batteries, which is now considered a 30kw (solar) plus 45kw (batteries) system. This needs special calculations with a very expensive fee, albeit waived in this case. They also require a special changeover box which is adding significant cost. Its all based on the australian standard which is being made the national standard

 

[EcoCloudIT]

Took a quick Google search but here you go.
Looks like it 5kW limit only for single phase, three-phase has some other great benefits too.

View attachment 493225

Depends on your grid supplier, United in our area allows for 10Kw on single phase.

 

[jamesgo]

So we also have a Powerwall2 and the Model3. I haven't had to charge much from home yet but we're in Melb with AGL who has a electric vehicle power plan option. I was thinking from a efficiency point of view, it's probably best to pull off the solar if there is excess (during the day) or should we need to charge from the grid overnight I figure in Powerwall settings leave the Reserve setting to 10% and then it'll grid draw offpeak once the PW2 hits 10%. I guess during winter it'll be different.

 

[Vostok]

I plan to send Tesla these suggestions...

I've sent the suggestions through and had confirmation they were forwarded on to the relevant team. Fingers crossed...

 

[JayTee]

Just recieved our first electricity bill since doubling up the solar to 15kw.
$345 in Credit for the quarter and this is with pretty high usage with charging the Model S.

2 years ago this quarter was a $900 bill!
Winning!

 

[Vostok]

Just recieved our first electricity bill since doubling up the solar to 15kw. $345 in Credit for the quarter and this is with pretty high usage with charging the Model S. 2 years ago this quarter was a $900 bill! Winning!

Noice - very noice!

We’ve just switched to a new rateplan with 21c FIT (but eye-watering peak rates), and I now have my PW2 on “Cost Saving” mode. I’ll be very interested to see how that goes. Our two most recent quarterly bills were $79 and $105 with only 11c FIT and PW2 in “Self Powered” mode. Corresponding bills a year ago (pre solar) were $730 and $1034.

I’m not worried about the peak rates under the new plan, because with PW2, we used only 8 kWh of peak electricity for the entire previous quarter.

“Cost Saving” mode does slightly weird things sometimes, but mostly what is seems to do is:

• Minimise draw from the battery during offpeak hours (in fact sometimes the battery is charged from the grid - last night it was charged to 35% using offpeak power)
• Export more solar during “shoulder” periods rather than charge the battery. It will put the battery into standby at about 75% charge, export the excess, then when peak period starts at 2pm, recommences charging the battery but will still export some solar. PW2 sometimes gets to 100% after that but not always.
• Preferences using the battery at peak times once solar generation is less than demand.

This mode of operation reduces “self powered” percentages (only 54% for January, whereas previous months were > 80%), but as a 100% green power grid customer I’m not so concerned about that.

Ideally, I think the PW2 should have an option to operate in “self powered” mode at shoulder and peak times, and not discharge at all during offpeak (and charge from the grid if charge state is low). I’ll find out if this PW2 optimisation/arbitrage makes much difference to my bill in April