New Tesla Solar install .. some questions

[smaster553]

Glad I found this forum. New install completed 2nd week Jan 2021, got a written letter from Tesla in case the 26% is not extended they will extend me 4% discount for delays from their end. I must tell - either they are flooded or they work like this, they drop lot os things on the way

My questions -

- I have a 42 panel install with 2x SolarEdge invertors. I got the PTO today. I had deep scratches on 5-6 panels on install and since then trying to get them replaced. Is it a good idea to get replacement or scratches are normal during install. I have just paid them 50% of my invoice for this reason.

- I connected the black box and when today I turned on I could see Energy generation. As I do not have Powerwall, should I try connecting Ethernet (I know it has been answered in the forum) or as I do not have the TEG, I have to stay with the black box.

- Is getting the SolarEdge app working a good idea. Will that work without connecting to Ethernet (what Tesla sends to SolarEdge or will not work in my case

I will keep seeing this forum and come back and thanks in advance.

 

[h2ofun]

Glad I found this forum. New install completed 2nd week Jan 2021, got a written letter from Tesla in case the 26% is not extended they will extend me 4% discount for delays from their end. I must tell - either they are flooded or they work like this, they drop lot os things on the way

My questions -

- I have a 42 panel install with 2x SolarEdge invertors. I got the PTO today. I had deep scratches on 5-6 panels on install and since then trying to get them replaced. Is it a good idea to get replacement or scratches are normal during install. I have just paid them 50% of my invoice for this reason.

- I connected the black box and when today I turned on I could see Energy generation. As I do not have Powerwall, should I try connecting Ethernet (I know it has been answered in the forum) or as I do not have the TEG, I have to stay with the black box.

- Is getting the SolarEdge app working a good idea. Will that work without connecting to Ethernet (what Tesla sends to SolarEdge or will not work in my case

I will keep seeing this forum and come back and thanks in advance.

I do not understand. If telsa installed, should they have not setup all this stuff and got working?

 

[Electrph]

i can only speak to "deep scratches" .. i had what looked like deep scratches on many of my panels after install and was concerned .. i went up and rubbed a few w/ damp paper towel . were not actually deep just appeared from ground. first rain they were all gone. My experience of course yours may be different

 

[smaster553]

I do not understand. If telsa installed, should they have not setup all this stuff and got working?

The day of install they gave me the Black box and just told me to connect. They could not show me as the account was not setup to tb black box.

I am asking as I saw it here that direct SolarEdge monitoring is an option too.

That's why I asked if I can do it .

 

[smaster553]

i can only speak to "deep scratches" .. i had what looked like deep scratches on many of my panels after install and was concerned .. i went up and rubbed a few w/ damp paper towel . were not actually deep just appeared from ground. first rain they were all gone. My experience of course yours may be different

Let me see what the installers see when they come in to maintenance. There are many panels which have silicon chaulk dropped on them and I want that removed as those cells under the chaulk will never generate

I cannot step on tbe panels so don't know how to remove it.

 

[jjrandorin]

Glad I found this forum. New install completed 2nd week Jan 2021, got a written letter from Tesla in case the 26% is not extended they will extend me 4% discount for delays from their end. I must tell - either they are flooded or they work like this, they drop lot os things on the way

My questions -

- I have a 42 panel install with 2x SolarEdge invertors. I got the PTO today. I had deep scratches on 5-6 panels on install and since then trying to get them replaced. Is it a good idea to get replacement or scratches are normal during install. I have just paid them 50% of my invoice for this reason.

- I connected the black box and when today I turned on I could see Energy generation. As I do not have Powerwall, should I try connecting Ethernet (I know it has been answered in the forum) or as I do not have the TEG, I have to stay with the black box.

- Is getting the SolarEdge app working a good idea. Will that work without connecting to Ethernet (what Tesla sends to SolarEdge or will not work in my case

I will keep seeing this forum and come back and thanks in advance.

1. I would recommend trying to get the scratched panels replaced. I have no feedback on "whether it matters" but I would absolutely attempt to do it if I was in your position.

2. The "black box" is the device that monitors solar production. It does not matter consumption. As I said in your other thread, a powerblaster is what monitors consumption on solar only installs, and if you dont see consumption, you either dont have a powerblaster, or it was not configured. My bet is on " dont have", since tesla stopped installing those recently.

Getting the solar edge working is something people who have the solar edge inverters do, to see panel level monitoring. I dont have a solar edge inverter, but if I did, I would likely get it setup to see panel level consumption.

TL ; DR, you probably wont see consumption without a powerblaster, tesla doesnt install those anymore (its built into their new inverter), you can try to make them install one if they can find one for you, and setting up the solar edge app is some that do.

 

[smaster553]

1. I would recommend trying to get the scratched panels replaced. I have no feedback on "whether it matters" but I would absolutely attempt to do it if I was in your position.

2. The "black box" is the device that monitors solar production. It does not matter consumption. As I said in your other thread, a powerblaster is what monitors consumption on solar only installs, and if you dont see consumption, you either dont have a powerblaster, or it was not configured. My bet is on " dont have", since tesla stopped installing those recently.

Getting the solar edge working is something people who have the solar edge inverters do, to see panel level monitoring. I dont have a solar edge inverter, but if I did, I would likely get it setup to see panel level consumption.

TL ; DR, you probably wont see consumption without a powerblaster, tesla doesnt install those anymore (its built into their new inverter), you can try to make them install one if they can find one for you, and setting up the solar edge app is some that do.

I will let everyone know with pictures about the scratches ..I have just paid 50% of the invoice

I am not sure why they did not install the PowerBlaster as I remember the electrical tesla installer had said there is a part missing as in short supply that goes in the panel. Why would they not install a $43 part on a $30k install beyond me.

Neurio TPEK-1 - InverterSupply.com

I will tackle the SolarEdge monitoring once tbe above two are done. Open one battle at one time for peace of mind.

Thanks for the help.

 

[jjrandorin]

Tesla had a specific neurio part (which is now owned by a direct competitor) which might be some of the reason they no longer install it. You can try to get one, but dont "expect" to get one.

 

[DanB2]

It’s a good idea to get the SolarEdge app. That is how I found out Tesla did not properly pair one third of my panels and they were not producing at all.

 

[smaster553]

It’s a good idea to get the SolarEdge app. That is how I found out Tesla did not properly pair one third of my panels and they were not producing at all.

Would you know where on the SolarEdge Invertor do we plug the ethernet. I have a 8 port switch on the same wall as the invertors hence for me it is easy to canble.

Can I connect the Zigbee and Ethernet at tbe same time so Zigbee still connects thru the Black box to send data to Tesla while the Ethernet gives me SolarEdge monitoring

Thanks

 

[jjrandorin]

Would you know where on the SolarEdge Invertor do we plug the ethernet. I have a 8 port switch on the same wall as the invertors hence for me it is easy to canble.

Can I connect the Zigbee and Ethernet at tbe same time so Zigbee still connects thru the Black box to send data to Tesla while the Ethernet gives me SolarEdge monitoring

Thanks

There is a pretty long (fairly involved) thread that has some info about connecting the solar edge app through ethernet somewhere in it.

SolarEdge Monitoring w/Tesla Solar Panels (Using GWY10 Zigbee Gateway)

I dont have a solar edge inverter (my install pre dates tesla using them) so cant give you specific pointers or anything. I know that thread is long, but it covers pretty much what this board knows about the topic. Some of the later pages of the thread have some info about connecting ethernet, I think.

 

[adspguy]

Would you know where on the SolarEdge Invertor do we plug the ethernet. I have a 8 port switch on the same wall as the invertors hence for me it is easy to canble.

Can I connect the Zigbee and Ethernet at tbe same time so Zigbee still connects thru the Black box to send data to Tesla while the Ethernet gives me SolarEdge monitoring

Thanks

The ethernet connection is behind the front panel on the top piece of the SolarEdge inverter. I had the installers connect to this when they did the install with a cable I provided, they routed it to a nearby patch panel. If you have the small black Tesla gateway device, it will talk to the SolarEdge with zigbee (or similar protocol) and transmit data to Tesla. If you ask Tesla to get you a SolarEdge monitor account, they will set that up for you. Currently, Tesla is passing the data through to SolarEdge so you can use their app to monitor production. I haven't hooked up my ethernet cable to the network and am getting full data on SolarEdge's app. There was a period when Tesla wasn't passing the data on, but that seems to have been remedied. I was led to believe that the ethernet and zigbee won't work at the same time but I've seen differing opinions on that. Since I am getting data, I haven't bothered hooking up the ethernet cable, even though it would be trivial for me.

 

[smaster553]

The ethernet connection is behind the front panel on the top piece of the SolarEdge inverter. I had the installers connect to this when they did the install with a cable I provided, they routed it to a nearby patch panel. If you have the small black Tesla gateway device, it will talk to the SolarEdge with zigbee (or similar protocol) and transmit data to Tesla. If you ask Tesla to get you a SolarEdge monitor account, they will set that up for you. Currently, Tesla is passing the data through to SolarEdge so you can use their app to monitor production. I haven't hooked up my ethernet cable to the network and am getting full data on SolarEdge's app. There was a period when Tesla wasn't passing the data on, but that seems to have stopped. I was led to believe that the ethernet and zigbee won't work at the same time but I've seen differing opinions on that. Since I am getting data, I haven't bothered hooking up the ethernet cable, even though it would be trivial for me.

So you saying that the Neo black box first sends to SolarEdge and they send to Tesla. If that is the case I won't need the Ethernet cable.

I heard that if you connect the Ethernet then the Zigbee disconnects (hence the black box) and Tesla gets a notice that they cannot monitor.

I want SolarEdge access but still want Tesla monitoring.

 

[adspguy]

Data goes from SolarEdge inverter -> black box -> Tesla -> SolarEdge.com.
So without hooking up ethernet Tesla and SolarEdge work, at least for now. It works for me.

I've seen sources claiming that if you plug in the ethernet, the zigbee is disabled and Tesla doesn't get data, but some sources disagree. I can't say who is right, since I've not hooked up to the ethernet since I get both the Tesla and SolarEdge working without doing that.