Placed order for 16.32kW + 4 Power Walls system downgraded to 14.28 kW

[nwdiver]

I have a in home energy assessment scheduled for next week hoping I can see if there are any real energy issues with the house.

Have you considered a HPWH? That's ~3,000kWh/yr right there. That's like adding the 2kW of solar that won't fit.

Is there a "better" inverter I should be looking for or asking for?

No; Solar Edge is a top tier inverter. There are different inverters that are just as good but IMO nothing 'better'.

 

[pdx_m3s]

Have you considered a HPWH? That's ~3,000kWh/yr right there. That's like adding the 2kW of solar that won't fit.

Seconded. These things are crazy efficient. But if the OP has a gas weather heater, then it will just increase electricity usage, however, they will still be cheaper to run and much better for the climate.

 

[coney27]

Have you considered a HPWH? That's ~3,000kWh/yr right there. That's like adding the 2kW of solar that won't fit.



No; Solar Edge is a top tier inverter. There are different inverters that are just as good but IMO nothing 'better'.

Yea I have one of those already. Ill switch it over to hybrid mode this morning and see if there's any real adjustments in my energy usage over 30 days.

So i guess I'm still scratching my head on this one. Should I stop being apprehensive and place the order with Tesla or should I back out of the deal?

 

[m3-pw2]

@coney27, I don't know if this helps, but when I got my solar system panels, I looked at it from an investment perspective, and not to be fully independent from the grid. I have a 12.3KW system, and only 2 Powerwalls. The system is located in North East with Eversource, and we have net metering. It produces 14MWh per year. I oversized the system a bit because I planned to buy an electric car. But you're better off using all the electricity than getting 2 cents for each unused KWh in your March bill. I have also recently subscribed to Connected Solutions where Eversource uses my Powerwall storage for peak demand, and pay me each season for this service. This can help offset some of the costs of the Powerwall, and could pay for them in 4-5 years. This is especially interesting if you are planning to use them as Backup only.

 

[coney27]

@coney27, I don't know if this helps, but when I got my solar system panels, I looked at it from an investment perspective, and not to be fully independent from the grid. I have a 12.3KW system, and only 2 Powerwalls. The system is located in North East with Eversource, and we have net metering. It produces 14MWh per year. I oversized the system a bit because I planned to buy an electric car. But you're better off using all the electricity than getting 2 cents for each unused KWh in your March bill. I have also recently subscribed to Connected Solutions where Eversource uses my Powerwall storage for peak demand, and pay me each season for this service. This can help offset some of the costs of the Powerwall, and could pay for them in 4-5 years. This is especially interesting if you are planning to use them as Backup only.

Well i hope my system, if I go forward produces enough to atleast cover my household needs. But I will also look into connect solutions. Thanks!

 

[m3-pw2]

Well i hope my system, if I go forward produces enough to atleast cover my household needs. But I will also look into connect solutions. Thanks!

Here is the link https://www.eversource.com/content/...mand-response/battery-storage-demand-response. You'll need to pick the state you are in on the top right. CT and MA pays same rate, while RI pays more. So the rates are for average energy used for the season. With 2 Powerwalls, I had around 17KWh drawn in past two events. At the end of the summer, I would get paid 80% of the season rate * average KWh consumed over the events. The average would go down if they have events back to back on different days and there wasn't enough sun or the system is not big enough to fill the Powerwalls back to 100%.
Also, you need to account for taxes because they would be reported as income.

 

[Zorg]

If you haven't already, switching all your bulbs to LED is a quick way to save a lot of energy. 5 people at home not turning lights burns a ton of KWh over the course of a year. Otherwise, even if you don't cover 100% of your electrical needs, you'll still be better off covering 90% than 0%, and the planet will be better off for it.

 

[DrSmile]

If you are buying an electric car you should plan for a significant increase in consumption, so include that in your calculations. We have two Teslas and now that everyone is going back and forth to work again we're using as much power for the cars as the house uses!

 

[DoyleS]

If you use A/C and your system is older, the newer high SEER systems can reduce electrical during peak afternoons. We went from 10 SEER 5 ton to 18 SEER and savings is estimated at 40% lower. Its new this year so haven't seen the summer bills to compare with last year. For me it was a no brainer as my son owns a residential HVAC company.

 

[coney27]

Thanks for the replies everybody. I pulled the trigger today and placed my order and finalized my financing. Hope its a smooth ride from here.