Install on Thu, request a quick answer

[SoCalSteve]

Hello,

My installer, non-Tesla, can do an install for me on Thu. I have two open breaker slots on the bottom (center fed panel). Can someone tell me if they need to kill power? My project manager says no but I’m paranoid since we are working from home!

Thanks!

 

[BrettS]

Is it solar only or solar with powerwalls? I believe that the power always needs to be cut for a powerwall install, but for solar only, as long as they don’t need to replace the main panel then there should be little or no power outage.

 

[trautmane2]

Length of power outage during install

 

[arnolddeleon]

You can't get a definitive answer. Is it theoretically possible, yes. It may even be likely but without knowing how the exact conditions the question is unanswerable.

In general it is safer for the installer if they kill the main power for at least a brief period of time. They may need to shuffle your loads, particularly because you have a center fed panel.

 

[SoCalSteve]

Thanks for all the quick replies everyone. Yes, it's a solar-only install; no PWs. Appreciate the link to the thread that someone else started! I should have searched for it. They shouldn't need to reshuffle any breakers, so we will see what happens. A quick outage is fine. Just didn't want to deal with a 2 hr outage with 2 screaming kids and an angry wife.

 

[isjka]

What happened?

 

[SoCalSteve]

Hi there, install went well. They didn't have to turn off power at all which was great. I didn't mention this earlier, but I had already moved some breakers around ahead of my solar search in order to free up space so they didn't have to move anything around; perhaps a careful electrician would turn off the main if this was required.

And since I have a center-fed panel, I freed up the bottom slots. I believe if you have a top fed or bottom fed, you have to free up the further slots from main breaker.