Power wall energy management question

[surf40]

My daughter just got the power wall installed and running last week. Below she sent me this photo, and asked what is happening. She thought the solar panels would always feed the house first, and then draw from the batteries to make up the difference. But it is sending all the solar power to the grid, and running the home off the batteries. Why does it do this? It is 4:40 in the afternoon, and overcast due to the fires in SoCal.

 

[jjrandorin]

My daughter just got the power wall installed and running last week. Below she sent me this photo, and asked what is happening. She thought the solar panels would always feed the house first, and then draw from the batteries to make up the difference. But it is sending all the solar power to the grid, and running the home off the batteries. Why does it do this? It is 4:40 in the afternoon, and overcast due to the fires in SoCal.
View attachment 586448

Its likely it did that for just a few seconds as it was switching modes etc. If you ask her "how long did you look at it, and how long did it do that?" if she kept looking at it, the answer would likely be "oh it was like that for a few seconds".

The gateway modulates powerflow. Just guessing, but its likely that the home was running on solar power at the 2.9 kW figure, then the home demand jumped to 3.4 kW which could not be satisfied by the solar, and the gateway was shuffling around power like it does to re arrange the loads.

I am fairly certain it didnt do that for more than a few seconds.

 

[wjgjr]

What mode (under customize) is the gateway in? Conceivably, this behavior could be consistent with the cost savings advanced mode.

 

[aesculus]

To pile on to what @wjgjr said she probably wants Advanced > Balanced mode, which behaves like you stated.

 

[destructure00]

Yep, definitely need to know what mode it was in, and if anything time-based, if it was in Off-peak, shoulder, or peak time. Behavior is different in all of these modes and time periods.

 

[getakey]

that is consistent with Cost Saving mode. PWs will power house and let solar go to grid for Rate arbitration during Peak

 

[Tezzie]

that is consistent with Cost Saving mode. PWs will power house and let solar go to grid for Rate arbitration during Peak

I've been fiddling with modes and am wondering what the best setting for me would be. I've been using the Cost-saving mode (based on my non-peak hours 10pm-8am. This has ended up in having more of a carbon footprint (less self-powered). So now I'm testing Self-Powered Mode. That's when the Powerwalls supply energy at night, up to a certain reserve (for power outages) %.

I'm still not sure what Balanced mode does.

Right now we're on Storm Watch so I have to wait until that's over.