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Northern California PW installs BUMPED to 2020!!

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I had my 2 PW install scheduled for next week.
I worked my butt off pushing my project along through the crappy tesla communication and customer service.
I worked with my city building department to expedite my permit so that I could get installed by the end of the year.

Tesla called me 2 days ago and told me they have to reschedule me for a date in January. After a bunch of back and forth they are saying its because of the a death in the family of the ONLY electrician in the Livermore warehouse that does PW installs and that they are rescheduling ALL of the Northern California PW installs until after the new year, which sounds like BS from the "executive resolution" person that it got escalated to. They only offered me $500 off which doesn't cover the difference in tax rebate not to mention I wouldn't be able to claim in for another year.

I'm about the just cancel the project because it doesn't make financial sense to pay MORE because of an internal Tesla issue. PLUS Tesla is not taking any responsibility to try remedy the situation

I love the Tesla product but their customer service people and management is horrible.

Has anyone else in Northern California heard the same thing or also got bumped? Did Tesla offer you anything?
I seem to remember reading a post saying that someone got Tesla to discount the price to compensate for the reduced tax credit amount if they didn't install by the end of the year?
 
my project manager just told me today via email that i'm still scheduled for friday after next. this is in oakland. the project was initiated on 10/18 and is supposedly permitted.

there is a slight snafu with the PGE paperwork so they'll probably pin it on that if they tell me i'm delayed.

i keep hearing about this new fire code for 2020 which will make > 20kwh on an inside or outside wall illegal and require the batteries to be put on pedestals away from the house. i've never seen any official documentation about this... but if it is real it would likely turf my particular project, unless it is grandfathered.
 
Is this BS why appointments for solar/PW always take 6 weeks? There is one or a couple people that know anything in one location?

I’ve never gotten an appointment for less than 6 weeks in NoVA (team comes from Maryland) without escalating for an hour saying I’ve not had production for two months for my system on 16 months (which is true).

With Elon’s new goal of maximizing solar installs they need to get more people on board (and not just in California).

As to the OP, I would think they would want to at least eat the tax credit shortfall. The problems of scheduling near the end of rebate season!
 
i keep hearing about this new fire code for 2020 which will make > 20kwh on an inside or outside wall illegal and require the batteries to be put on pedestals away from the house. i've never seen any official documentation about this... but if it is real it would likely turf my particular project, unless it is grandfathered.

I was at the Tesla SC in Rocklin 3 weeks ago and I asked the two people working the information desk about the new fire code. They had not heard of it, but did tell me if I placed an order for two Powerwalls, I would be looking at a February or March 2020 install date.
 
Is it just me or will this new fire code make it next to impossible for most people to do the battery storage here in California. I do not see most garages able to fit 2 powerwalls if installed per the new code, and how would you install them outside keeping them 3 feet away from each other and any wall. Seems like over kill they went from doing this if your battery storage was 250kWh or more down to 20. Really!
 
Is it just me or will this new fire code make it next to impossible for most people to do the battery storage here in California. I do not see most garages able to fit 2 powerwalls if installed per the new code, and how would you install them outside keeping them 3 feet away from each other and any wall. Seems like over kill they went from doing this if your battery storage was 250kWh or more down to 20. Really!

I may end up working with our local utility (SMUD) and going with the LG Chem batteries. They are 9.8 kWh each and are wall mountable. I should theoretically be able to purchase 2 and still be under 20 kWh. SMUD said they offer more rebates with the LG Chem than they do with the Powerwalls...
 
I just investigated battery storage to have some blackout resilience, and if you want to have backup power when the grid is down, the only two options right now seem to be the PowerWall and Sonnen. From what I could tell, the LG batteries could discharge during a blackout, but they could not charge from solar while the grid was down - though not 100% sure on that, could never get a concrete answer one way or another.
 
I had my permit approved this week for 2 Powerwalls to add to an existing 2013 install SolarCity (now Tesla) 16kW PV system. My local Tesla Energy 'depot/warehouse' is in Martinez. I have an end-January install appointment (about 7-8 weeks out). Given the major crush of new orders after the 2nd really long PG&E PSPS (I ordered after the 1st 1-day version), I am happy to be getting them end-January. I would bet Tesla now has a 6 month backlog easy.
 
I just investigated battery storage to have some blackout resilience, and if you want to have backup power when the grid is down, the only two options right now seem to be the PowerWall and Sonnen. From what I could tell, the LG batteries could discharge during a blackout, but they could not charge from solar while the grid was down - though not 100% sure on that, could never get a concrete answer one way or another.

Well.... there are defiantly others; I'm getting ~18kWh of lead-acid batteries next week for ~$2500. I have a Magnum Energy 4448PAE I can AC couple to my grid-tie to recharge the batteries.
 
My 2 PW's were supposed to be installed on Monday. Two days ago Tesla called and said they were having "staffing" issues and could not do the install. I had checked before and the permit was pulled so it was all on Tesla at this point. My new appointment is in Jan and of course I miss the tax credit and potentially make it impossible to install on my garage wall if this new code is what is rumored.

The Tesla agent says they are trying to resolve the staffing issue but I doubt they can if it is real. On the tax front they have no solutions. They offered me nothing but condolences. They are investigating the code issue but feel it may be location dependant even though its supposed to be a California code so they are checking with my local building department.

I asked if I could pre pay (prior to 12/31) to ensure I get the tax credit and they are welcome to deliver the PW to my home and store them here to prove I did indeed take possession. Not sure if that totally satisfies the tax rule or not. They were checking on that.
 
Started the process here for my install back in September this year. Got told my install date is Feb 5. 2020. Was hoping for by end of the year install, like you.

Regarding the 20kW limit, from what I'm told, in some jurisdictions like Cupertino, if the permit is pulled before the end of the year, you'll be locked into the previous code guidelines.
 
my project manager just told me today via email that i'm still scheduled for friday after next. this is in oakland. the project was initiated on 10/18 and is supposedly permitted.

there is a slight snafu with the PGE paperwork so they'll probably pin it on that if they tell me i'm delayed.

i keep hearing about this new fire code for 2020 which will make > 20kwh on an inside or outside wall illegal and require the batteries to be put on pedestals away from the house. i've never seen any official documentation about this... but if it is real it would likely turf my particular project, unless it is grandfathered.

I think this might be the new code.

Challenges for batteries in the California fire code

Searchable platform for building codes
 
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Reactions: astrorob
thanks for the article about the fire code, that is informative.

i just checked oakland's database and my permit is in there... i hope oakland follows the same rules as cupertino. the permit should be good for 180 days so it looks like i've got till june to get it done.
 
Tesla's spec sheet lists UL 9540 certification, so the 3' spacing rule should not apply to the Powerwalls.

Cheers, Wayne

Thanks Wayne,

That would be a great relief for those of us looking at installing 2+ Powerwalls. However, the searchable code section in Brovane's post reads to me that after 20KW max the spacing rules are triggered and they must comply with UL 9540, not that UL 9540 system were exempt from the spacing rule.
 
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However, the searchable code section in Brovane's post reads to me that after 20KW max the spacing rules are triggered and they must comply with UL 9540, not that UL 9540 system were exempt from the spacing rule.
I don't see a reading that after 20kWh the battery storage array must be listed.

I do see that Exception 2 to 2019 CFC 1206.2.8.3 may be read in two different ways. 1206.2.8.3 says that the system shall be segregated into battery arrays not exceeding 50 kWh, and requires each array to be 3 ft from other arrays, and from walls. Exception 2 exempts listed preengineered stationary battery storage systems under 250 kWh. But does that just mean that a listed system can be segregated into 250 kWh arrays, rather than 50 kWh arrays, each of which must still maintain 3 foot separation, or that a listed system is exempt from the whole section?

I've been reading it the latter way, but I see that it can be read the former way. Always frustrating when the code language is open to interpretation.

Cheers, Wayne
 
Also, I believe that Chapter 12 of the 2019 California Fire Code simply does not apply to single family homes that may be built to the California Residential Code, rather than the more general California Building Code. See Section 102.5 of the 2019 CFC.

Cheers,
Wayne