Issue with Go Off Grid Function

[bemyax]

This is with the android version 3.10.14. The new version is not yet available. However, the pairing/go off grid options have appeared.

This morning I decided to try out the new function. Going off grid was seamless, since the Powerwall was already discharging. The documentation indicates that whenever the load exceeds 5kw/7kw, the grid relay will instantly reconnect. This would be a great way to see what our limitations will be in a grid down situation.

Oops. I already know that starting up my A/C has an momentary load greater than 7kw. Continuous, it's about 2kw. So, let's test it. When I clicked on the air, I heard the gateway relay click. Then in that moment, I realized I heard the compressor on the refrigerator stop and restart. Going around to the furnace, I could see that it had rebooted. Looking at the app, still in off grid mode. After that, it was a matter of chasing down everything that reboots in a hard blink.

So this was an unfortunate, yet valuable, experience. If the grid is really down, I need to make sure the A/C won't try to run. ( I already know it's foolhardy to run the clothes dryer.) Has anyone else tried to push the envelope on the off grid test?

David

 

[RKCRLR]

Where I live I often lose power so I have the opportunity to test it quite often. I have done a variety of testing to find the limit (I have 2 Powerwalls). My clothes dryer uses propane so that isn't a problem. I have a 2 stage AC compressor and found it will start on low stage (I can lock out high stage) when the solar is producing as long as my spa and well aren't running. Once I've locked out the AC the well and spa can work normally (along with the rest of the house) but I don't know if they have ever tried to start at the same time. Once I've got the AC started in low stage it will continue to run and the well can start as long as the solar is producing.

So, if the power is out and it is hot, I start the AC when the solar is producing (I lockout the spa and make sure the well isn't running) and supercool the house. I then shut off the AC and until I need to repeat the cycle.

 

[mjptech]

Looks like the option in the v3 app disappeared now.. I had it and had paired my phone, but, checking now (since my system was upgraded to 21.31.1 not too long ago) and don't see it there.

 

[Bitslizer]

Looks like the option in the v3 app disappeared now.. I had it and had paired my phone, but, checking now (since my system was upgraded to 21.31.1 not too long ago) and don't see it there.

I was upgraded to 21.31.1 last night with app 3.10.14.

Still have go off-grid under customize

 

[macbeth]

I am trying to pair my phone with the powerwalls in the app an I keep getting an error? I can't test the Go Off-Grid feature until I can troubleshoot this Pairing issue. Has anyone else run into this phone pairing issue?

 

[Bitslizer]

I am trying to pair my phone with the powerwalls in the app an I keep getting an error? I can't test the Go Off-Grid feature until I can troubleshoot this Pairing issue. Has anyone else run into this phone pairing issue?

What phone app version and gateway version?

 

[macbeth]

What phone app version and gateway version?

Everything is resolved now. Not sure what happened over the few hours, but everything works.

 

[ericl]

You can go off grid by switching the gateway off and leaving the powerwall+ on.

 

[Electrph]

You can go off grid by switching the gateway off and leaving the powerwall+ on.

before there was this fancy new feature "old timers" on here would switch off main breaker from grid to go off grid
So i was thinking any advantage other than wear and tear on main breaker .. and ease of not having to walk back and forth to your original main panel as far as using this feature to simulate an outage ?

 

[BrettS]

before there was this fancy new feature "old timers" on here would switch off main breaker from grid to go off grid
So i was thinking any advantage other than wear and tear on main breaker .. and ease of not having to walk back and forth to your original main panel as far as using this feature to simulate an outage ?

I think that’s the big thing for me. Although other than simulating an outage the other use case I can see is during bad storms occasionally I’ll get some power fluctuations that will cause my lights to flicker, but sometimes it’s not enough to cause the system to switch off of the grid. Or it will switch off the grid, then switch back onto the grid a few minutes later and then switch off again shortly after that.

With this option I can just take my house off the grid for the duration of the storm and use my own nice clean power. Obviously I could have done that before by throwing the service disconnect, but in my case that’s outside on the side of the house, so I’m not gonna want to run out there in the middle of a bad storm.

 

[Electrph]

so I’m not gonna want to run out there in the middle of a bad storm.

i dont even want to run out there on a nice night

 

[h2ofun]

This is with the android version 3.10.14. The new version is not yet available. However, the pairing/go off grid options have appeared.

This morning I decided to try out the new function. Going off grid was seamless, since the Powerwall was already discharging. The documentation indicates that whenever the load exceeds 5kw/7kw, the grid relay will instantly reconnect. This would be a great way to see what our limitations will be in a grid down situation.

Oops. I already know that starting up my A/C has an momentary load greater than 7kw. Continuous, it's about 2kw. So, let's test it. When I clicked on the air, I heard the gateway relay click. Then in that moment, I realized I heard the compressor on the refrigerator stop and restart. Going around to the furnace, I could see that it had rebooted. Looking at the app, still in off grid mode. After that, it was a matter of chasing down everything that reboots in a hard blink.

So this was an unfortunate, yet valuable, experience. If the grid is really down, I need to make sure the A/C won't try to run. ( I already know it's foolhardy to run the clothes dryer.) Has anyone else tried to push the envelope on the off grid test?

David

Nope, why risk damaging something?

 

[Enginerd]

Can someone screenshot the Go Off Grid feature to show how to find it in the app? I'm not seeing it in version Android 4.1.1-667, and I'm not sure if I just haven't configured something properly.

 

[Tim-in-CA]

I get an error when PW is full or charging and solar production is high, warns me that if I go off grid, I may have a brief loss in power. Now, I've seen a brief power loss issue as well if I manually flip the main breaker in the same condition. Power in the house will glitch just long enough to cause devices to reboot. If I do the same during lower or no solar production, Go off Grid works as well as flipping the main service disconnect to off (seamless power transfer).

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Can someone screenshot the Go Off Grid feature to show how to find it in the app? I'm not seeing it in version Android 4.1.1-667, and I'm not sure if I just haven't configured something properly.

It should show up between Settings and Support in the app. You can also get to it by scrolling to the bottom of Settings.

 

[Enginerd]

It should show up between Settings and Support in the app. You can also get to it by scrolling to the bottom of Settings.

Thanks for the reply. I wonder what I'm missing.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Thanks for the reply. I wonder what I'm missing.
View attachment 721532

Good question! Did you ever have the option? If not, you might need a newer version of the firmware.

 

[SFOMike]

It should show up between Settings and Support in the app. You can also get to it by scrolling to the bottom of Settings.

I used to have GO OFF GRID in my App but last month (Jan 2022) I had a second PW installed and at the same time the replaced my old TEG1 with the new Gateway 2. Now the Go Off Grid option no longer shows on my App. How do I get it back?

 

[MorrisonHiker]

I used to have GO OFF GRID in my App but last month (Jan 2022) I had a second PW installed and at the same time the replaced my old TEG1 with the new Gateway 2. Now the Go Off Grid option no longer shows on my App. How do I get it back?

In v4 of the mobile app, I still see it located on the main screen, between Settings and Support. Also, if you tap on Settings and scroll down toward the bottom, you might see it there, above Pair Phone to Powerwall.

If you don't see it in either of those locations, you can try accessing the gateway via the IP address (that you'd need to get from your router).

 

[Steve2498]

In v4 of the mobile app, I still see it located on the main screen, between Settings and Support. Also, if you tap on Settings and scroll down toward the bottom, you might see it there, above Pair Phone to Powerwall.

If you don't see it in either of those locations, you can try accessing the gateway via the IP address (that you'd need to get from your router).

My system was installed a couple months ago and the go off grid option has never shown up in the app. If I log into the gateway directly, it does show up there.