9.6 kW (24) Solar Panels with 2 Powerwalls. Crew was incredible. Insanley clean install. Took them 8 hours start to finsh. One of the solar installers even cleaned my gutters while he was waiting around. Simply blown away.
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Install Day!
- Thread starter TBrownTX
- Start date
You might want to check what your homeowners insurance carrier thinks of large homemade battery installations before you build your own.
I am on 6 Acres and my plan is to build a small shed to house the batteries away from my residence or garage in case of a thermal event.
Electric700
Active Member
Congrats TBrownTX! I hope the system is working well. Solar and EVs go so well together. You can easily have consecutive weeks of $0 to run your EV when you charge from a wind or solar-enabled house! Thank you for posting.
Thanks! Right now AC is killing me, but the free charging at work helps out a lot.
Tim
KennyBry
Member
@TBrownTX
I'm also looking at a solar install. The online estimate suggests a 14.4 kw system. I have a one floor 2200 sq ft house with 1 HVAC. So, this seems like overkill. I am in VA and summers are hot & humid. Could you let me know your sq ft, number of HVACs, and whether your 9.6 kw system is able to supply your daily needs? Thanks!!
I'm also looking at a solar install. The online estimate suggests a 14.4 kw system. I have a one floor 2200 sq ft house with 1 HVAC. So, this seems like overkill. I am in VA and summers are hot & humid. Could you let me know your sq ft, number of HVACs, and whether your 9.6 kw system is able to supply your daily needs? Thanks!!
What’s your monthly electric usage in kWh? Or your electric bill and the cost per kwh?
KennyBry
Member
Exactly the same system Tesla recommended for me. I opted to drop the panels back to 9.6kW and added a second PowerWall. My reason for doing so is that battery backup was the primary driver for me getting the system.
My house is also around 2200 sq ft and I have a single 5 ton HVAC unit.
I've only had the system for two months, and for a month and a half of that we have had 100+ degree days in Texas. I'm seeing about 40% offset as a result, with the AC unit running on a continual basis from about 2PM-8PM every day.
In the first half of June before the super hot temps, I was seeing about 60% offset.
Personally I feel my system is sized well. I expect in the spring/fall I'll be close to self powered, and will probably generate excess in the winter (heat is natural gas). I do have net-metering at full retail, but excess month to month is not credited.
Will see how it goes over time, but so far no regrets with the system I selected.
Tim
Last edited:
Average prior to install was 1,506 kw/mo in Texas. With AC and gas heating I see wild month to month swings with high use being 2629kW in the summer, and low use at 906kW in the winter. We pay 0.13 kWh and my average monthly bill was $199 prior to solar.
Tim
I should add that PVWatts calculator estimates average annual output for my system at 1,268 kw, with a peak of 1,479 kw in July and a low of 1,045 kw in December. I'm on track to generate 1350 kw in July so seeing about 9% less output than predicted by PVWatts this month.
Considering my average 1,506 kw/mo compared to my estimated 1,268 kw/mo, I figure I'll see an annual offset of about 75%. So my system will never make me "self sufficient" however I won't be giving away free electricity to the grid.
One important thing to note. I am an EV driver and charge my Tesla Model 3 at home, so those average numbers do include EV charging. Without the EV I suspect my offset might be as much as 20% higher, which I also feel good about sizing wise.
And one final thing to consider, I have seen Tesla sizing 12 kw and 14.4 kw systems with the 7.6 kw inverter. I don't "clip" with my 9.6kw system, but I have seen my output reach 7.6 kw on several occasions. Feels like more panels would not have been all that beneficial, at least for me.
Tim
Considering my average 1,506 kw/mo compared to my estimated 1,268 kw/mo, I figure I'll see an annual offset of about 75%. So my system will never make me "self sufficient" however I won't be giving away free electricity to the grid.
One important thing to note. I am an EV driver and charge my Tesla Model 3 at home, so those average numbers do include EV charging. Without the EV I suspect my offset might be as much as 20% higher, which I also feel good about sizing wise.
And one final thing to consider, I have seen Tesla sizing 12 kw and 14.4 kw systems with the 7.6 kw inverter. I don't "clip" with my 9.6kw system, but I have seen my output reach 7.6 kw on several occasions. Feels like more panels would not have been all that beneficial, at least for me.
Tim
Similar threads
