No solar power (Solar City panels)

[JPP]

The only good part of a Solar City PPA is that if the system doesn't produce, you don't pay.

...and that's why I did a 64 panel 16kW Solar City install in 2013 under a PPA--I knew I would pay more in the end, but if the system did not produce power, that it would not be my nickel. A couple of years ago Tesla Energy replaced a SolaeEdge inverter that died (...and they figured out that it failed, not me).

Now I have 2 Powerwalls from Tesla Energy and all is linked together (...and I pay more attention to my solar production).

 

[Voyageur]

There's definitely no reimbursement for lost production.

Just to add another aspect of my experience, Tesla recently notified me that on May 1st they will charge me for 58.68 kWh of electricity production they attribute to the month of March. My system produced no electricity throughout the month of March, due to the broken inverter. The Tesla Billing Dept. refused to talk to me about this, referring me to Customer Service. The latter were nice, but admitted they didn't know why I was being billed for this amount and said they would talk to the Billing Dept. Hopefully this will be straightened out eventually. However, I thought it was rather ironic that, far from being reimbursed for lost electricity production, I am actually being charged for non-existent electricity production.

 

[Voyageur]

Tesla Scheduling called me from California on April 16th, presumably because they have received the new inverter from Solaredge. Unfortunately, there was no caller ID, and the Hiya app marked the call as suspected spam (usually it's right). I didn't answer, and the Tesla caller left a voice message telling me to call back at 650-546-8515 between 7 am and 5 pm PST.

I have been trying for the last week to return Tesla Scheduling's call. Each time, after 10-15 minutes on hold, a message announces that hold times are over one hour. Sometimes the call simply disconnects. This afternoon I stayed on hold for one hour and twenty three minutes, but no one ever answered. Meanwhile, I have been unable to contact anyone who would remove the false energy bill for the month of March. I really don't know what to do. Dealing with Tesla Solar service has been a nightmare, and my Solar panels continue to be merely decorative. I would never have signed up for SolarCity panels if I had had any idea it would be like this.

 

[Voyageur]

I just got off the telephone with Tesla home energy maintenance scheduling. A technician will install the warranty-replacement inverter at my home three weeks from now. I will have been without electricity production for a total of three months. Just so people know, the correct phone number to call to reach someone about scheduling the installation of a replacement inverter (once it has arrived at Tesla) is: 650-546-8404, no matter what phone number might have been left on your voice mail.

 

[sorka]

I thought about buying a spare inverter but since they are both under warranty, why would I? I got the replacement one in 4 days

From Tesla?????

 

[h2ofun]

From Tesla?????

Thank goodness I do not have Tealsa inverters. Got from Solaredge in days. And boy is SE support on the phone AMAZING!!

 

[sorka]

Thank goodness I do not have Tealsa inverters. Got from Solaredge in days. And boy is SE support on the phone AMAZING!!

I didn't ask if you had tesla inverters.

 

[h2ofun]

I didn't ask if you had tesla inverters.

Then whey did you ask from Tesla?

 

[sorka]

Then whey did you ask from Tesla?

I got my inverter from tesla but it's not a tesla inverter.

 

[h2ofun]

I got my inverter from tesla but it's not a tesla inverter.

sorry. Got directly from SE

 

[sorka]

I'm tempted to pick one up up on ebay:

Solaredge SE7600H-US000BNU4 240V 7600W HD-Wave Inverter for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Solaredge SE7600H-US000BNU4 240V 7600W HD-Wave Inverter at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

But I'd need to sign up for an installer account and provision and install the unit and then swap back in the one sold to me by Tesla just so that I can have a hot swappable backup ready to go. It's not a matter of if, but when given the SE units eventually all fail.

 

[Voyageur]

A Tesla service technician came to my house today and installed a refurbished SolarEdge inverter. It works, and my solar system is producing electricity again after 82 days of down time. Hurray!

 

[jjrandorin]

Appreciate you letting us know. Thats a heck of a long turn around, I agree.

 

[ccrowder]

Take a look at your solar city documentation. I know mine had a table of guaranteed output. (calculated every two years). If you missed 82 days of production it is likely they will need to compensate but you will likely need to bother them.