Bass says that Solar City is already taking order for the Powerwall and notes that it offers two payment options. The 10 kWh Powerwall unit, which Tesla lists for $3,500 minus installation and without an inverter, starts at $5,000 (lease) installed by Solar City with an inverter and other extras.
My new solar and Powerwall installation
- Thread starter ecarfan
- Start date
-
- Tags
- Powerwall Tesla Energy
Is that for PowerWall 1.0? The PowerWall 2.0 is 13.5 kWh. The price there sounds much like PowerWall 1.0 pricing discussed last year.
Powerwall 2 Full Specs Reveal Cheap Storage And Limited Warranty
I just added a PowerWall to my existing SolarCity solar installation, mostly for disaster preparedness (ability to use solar output with utility out). Not surprisingly, they had trouble connecting to my wifi, it is located far from the PowerWall (though my inverters, which are further away, can communicate). Anyone have technical data so I can be better informed as to the setup?
Second, is there any way to monitor other than using the app (like a local web portal)? If there is wide ranging power outages, I won't have network access.
Second, is there any way to monitor other than using the app (like a local web portal)? If there is wide ranging power outages, I won't have network access.
jeffro01
Active Member
Where do you live by chance? In my area of CA with PG&E, they won't allow you to use your solar during a power outage...
Jeff
Jeff, I know you didn't ask me that question, but wanted to note that I am in San Mateo with PG&E and my solar/Powerwall system is configured so that if the grid goes down it automatically switches to supply my sub-panel circuits with power. In that scenario those circuits draw power from my Powerwall which is powered by my solar panels. At least I think I am describing that correctly.
jeffro01
Active Member
Very interesting... PG&E told me that wasn't possible and when my power goes out so does my solar...
Jeff
JSkrehot
Member
I'm in the bay area, if you do not have a Powerwall, you lose your power, even with solar, that way when PG&E is working on the lines, they cannot be electrocuted. With NetMetering, Powerwalls are not economically reasonable. I don't see how you can get your $$ back from them. If you want to be off grid, that is a different story. For most people, that would require multiple Powerwalls. I can't even remember the last non-scheduled power outage we have had and that lasted no longer than 30 minutes, and that is since 2009.
You're lucky then. I've had 6-20 hours of outage in each of the last 4 years. We have a lot of trees in the neighborhood and the electricity, phone, and cable are all on poles.
With the SGIP incentive, some arbitrage on the EV rate plan, and avoided cost of a backup nat-gas generator, I had little trouble justifying the PowerWall.
The key point with the PowerWall setup is that they put an automatic transfer switch so that when the grid goes out, the PowerWall, your solar, and your critical loads are separated from the grid. It maintains the grid safety and still allows you to keep your fridge, internet and some lights on.
You need to look into how to extend your network to the gateway. One solution is Ethernet over Powerline. You could also try a WiFi repeater. Enphase needs a network connection for their solar monitoring gateway, so they even private labeled an Ethernet over Powerline kit for their installers to use. They use powerline signaling to their microinverters, so their Ethernet over Powerline kit was selected so that it didn't interfere.
That may have come from an un-informed representative who "knows how solar works" but hasn't seen more complex hybrid systems. While some agents "represent" a company - they really represent their personal education first.
Yes but having a Powerwall or some sort of battery connected to your solar changes everything.
That is my understanding as well.
I did not buy my Powerwall to be permanently off grid. I want backup during outages (which occur every year) and to minimize my peak rate usage. Yes I am on NEM.
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
When we had the house rewrired we put CAT5 cables throughout - at least 4 per room, most rooms had 8 or 12. I have no idea if we will ever use them, but one line of thinking (for having 4) was that it was resonable to assume you would need two, maybe a third, and maybe one would turn out to be damaged - e.g. someone hung a picture! - so have redundancy. We have numerous WiFi repeaters too (solid walls, house not particularly small ...)
The kids complain all the time that they can't get WiFi ... I tell them to "plug in", no problem with reception of performance anywhere in the house when "plugged in", so that would be my recommendation if you get the opportunity. Embarrassingly we stuffed something like 20 miles of CAT5 in the the walls here, I hope it survives the lifetime of the building, and stays useful during that whole period, otherwise it will have been a bit of an eco disaster.
K-MTG
Sunshade Captain of TMC
We live in central Oregon. The ability to use our solar during loss of utility is why we bought the unit.
I have never been successful using a wifi repeater, at least in terms of getting good throughput. Maybe that won't matter for this application.. Ethernet over powerline is probably doable. Running more ethernet is possible but painful (expensive) in this old house.
brucet999
Active Member
All residential inverters output 240VAC.
Charging on a 50A 240V circuit takes 9.6kW. OP's 9.69kW nameplate rated system will likely produce no more than about 8.5kW AC after deducting inverter efficiency and correcting for lower panel output at 68ºF ambient temperature conditions; even less than that at higher ambient temps. But the goal is not to charge your car directly from the solar panels. The idea is to generate as much power annually as you use, the excess during summer months being used up compensating for the reduced production in winter months. That's how net metering works.
There is also a consideration of how the PoCo keeps score. Simplest way is simply kWh exported vs kWh imported during the course of a year. Some PoCos - maybe most - credit homeowners according to the time-of-use rate in effect while power is being exported or imported, so morning generation of power earns less credit than afternoon generation when higher peak rates are in effect. The same applies to consumption, so charging EVs in the middle of the night at lowest off-peak rates is best.
Power Wall batteries are not going to be useful for Tesla charging, since they are limited to a discharge rate of less than 7kW DC and only 14kWh of storage. Their primary value is in providing backup power to run essential circuits (fridge, phone and Internet access, and lighting) in event of power outage, or for time-shifting power use by charging up at low rate times and delivering power to the house at peak rate times. The latter is only cost effective in high rate locales like CA where peak rates can be as much as $0.45/kWh.
brucet999
Active Member
Is your PW set up to automatically switch over to supply critical circuits in case of power outage? If so, what circuits did you choose to protect? Presumably fridge, phone and Internet, lighting?
If you can power-manage (as Generac calls it) the AC, dryer and oven circuits, you could do the whole breaker panel for most homes. It's an easier wiring job. Most homes only have 1-2kw load, or less, without those big devices. If solar is able to power during the day and it is big enough, you can go off grid carefull simply with a 15-30 kWh battery for days.
Similar threads
