Oh brother... Thanks for the heads-up. I'll be sure to bug TECO once the system is installed to make sure they've got everything and are actually planning to do their part.
Powerwall 2 supply issues
- Thread starter Myke Hines
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Oh brother... Thanks for the heads-up. I'll be sure to bug TECO once the system is installed to make sure they've got everything and are actually planning to do their part.
boaterva
Supporting Member
I was told again this week 6-8 months. Of course, that was pre-sales, when it's the most optimistic. Eek.
PG&E could be threaten by so many ordered powerwalls in there utility sector maybe Tesla has been notified to slowdown the installation process until PG&E can some how figure out how this is going to affect the grid and distribution, just a thought!
I have somewhat of the same issues we signed contract last year. Had System installed Febr 21st. Turned on March 28th. Defective Powerwall only uses 4 to 5 kwh hours. Tesla won't give response on when it will be replaced. Reading this thread it seems may have to wait quite awhile to get it replaced. They seem to have huge problems. It was supposed to be in Warehouse April 9th but vanished. Not customer service does not want to talk. So Sad. Guess the Gigafactory here in Nevada is a Failure.
Yes, this Wed. TECO installed the Net Meter and I am up and running.
ModelIII
Member
Consider advising the FLORIDA Power Comission in Tallahassee of TECO’s foot dragging.
Update: TECO installed the meter and turned the system on themselves on June 25.
System Install : May 23
TECO Net Meter Install / System Turned on : June 25
Tesla officially activating the system : ???
Seems like it shouldn't take 2 weeks to activate the system on Tesla's end.
Babaron
Member
So, 3laine, did you receive the PTO? If so, and the system is turned on, is it generating power for your home? What does Tesla have yet to do, exactly?
Curious, as my site survey just finished and I am awaiting the final plans/contract for install from Tesla here in Sarasota. Trying to get an idea of how exactly everything will unfold.
Ron
Curious, as my site survey just finished and I am awaiting the final plans/contract for install from Tesla here in Sarasota. Trying to get an idea of how exactly everything will unfold.
Ron
Haven't received a separate letter for PTO, but when the TECO (Tampa Electric, for clarity) guy came and installed the Net Meter, my wife went out and talked to him and he turned the whole system on. So, my Tesla app shows that it's making power and sending it to the house/grid. That started working immediately after he turned it on.
However, the MySolarCity site still says it's waiting on electric company approval so the site isn't tracking/graphing my usage/production, and the Tesla app shows instantaneous, but no history.
Not sure if this is a normal procedure, though. My understanding was that I would get the PTO letter from TECO, then I'd tell Tesla, then they'd activate the monitoring and then tell me to flip the system on.
However, the person I talked to about activation a couple weeks ago now says she doesn't work in that department anymore so she can't update me on what's going on, so it seems a little unorganized at Tesla Energy right now, IMO.
My neighbor and I contracted for solar with a Powerwall 2 a year ago and we have been told probably not this year. A couple of weeks ago she finally had the solar installed without the Powerwall. I told them to forget it.
SSonnentag
Rocket Scientist
We ordered 3 Powerwalls back in November 2016. Our local power company finally approved the installation last month (June 2018), but now Tesla/Solar City is saying the systems are backlogged due to "high demand." I would think that seeing as how we had to have been one of the early reservation holders that we would be at the front of the waiting list, but I'm not getting that impression. It seems that we were only added to the queue once all the permits and approvals were in place. Disappointing. We're being told there is no ETA.
Our power seems to go out any time a cloud passes by. Just this week alone our power has already been out for a total of 5 hours.
Our power seems to go out any time a cloud passes by. Just this week alone our power has already been out for a total of 5 hours.
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Ed Hart
Member
I ordered two Powerwalls last year through Swell Energy, because I could not get a straight answer out of Tesla on what/how/when. Tesla's energy team was really floundering at that time. I provided a lot of energy use analysis, and Swell moved quickly to get the project approved under SGIP 2017 with SCE. Then...the waiting game began. Swell communicated frequently, giving the best knowledge they could, and it looked like September, 2018 would be the probable date. On 7JUN18, however, I got a call saying they had units and could install immediately. (I suspect there was a cancellation, but if so, it was my gain!) On 11JUN18, the team began a three-day installation process. It took a while to get city inspection, and will now take a while longer to get permission to operate (PTO) from the utility. But, we are up and running. A few app bugs are showing up (and will be fixed), but otherwise running very well and doing what was expected.
What was expected? We have two Teslas (S and X), lots of solar, and we are on time of use (TOU) with our utility, SCE. This means we pay $0.48/ kWh during the day, then $0.12 at night. So the goal is to charge the Powerwalls from solar during the day, then run the home from the Powerwalls until the nighttime rates kick it, at which time we charge the cars and run the pool pump. The Powerwalls have been doing that perfectly since installed.
Note that the cost balance calculation with the utility is based on the TOU rates both for receiving and sending power. The glitch I mentioned means I am only showing about half the solar being generated (yesterday our panels pumped out 72 kWh, but only 28 is shown in the attached charting), but you can see that the system is doing what was expected.
Here are some graphics of the system and how it is operating. I am pretty happy.
What was expected? We have two Teslas (S and X), lots of solar, and we are on time of use (TOU) with our utility, SCE. This means we pay $0.48/ kWh during the day, then $0.12 at night. So the goal is to charge the Powerwalls from solar during the day, then run the home from the Powerwalls until the nighttime rates kick it, at which time we charge the cars and run the pool pump. The Powerwalls have been doing that perfectly since installed.
Note that the cost balance calculation with the utility is based on the TOU rates both for receiving and sending power. The glitch I mentioned means I am only showing about half the solar being generated (yesterday our panels pumped out 72 kWh, but only 28 is shown in the attached charting), but you can see that the system is doing what was expected.
Here are some graphics of the system and how it is operating. I am pretty happy.
suwaneedad
Member
Terrific explanation and images. Do you think that a third powerwall would eliminate your overnight use from the grid? (Looks like it from the images you posted.) Once these products finally make their way to the Southeast, my hope is to get enough solar/battery capacity to reduce my grid use to net zero and potentially to cut the cord with the power company entirely (primarily because the local utility in Georgia is fighting so hard against residential solar).
Ed Hart
Member
Right question, suwaneedad. The rules in California are such that there is little incentive to send power back to the utility. We are incentivize to go to net-net zero, but not beyond. While the calculation for power going back into the grid is done at the retail rate for that time of day, if I oversupply, I will ultimately only be paid for the wholesale price that my utility pays for electricity, about $0.02/kWh. For example, my one-year "relevant period" just ended yesterday with a credit to me of over $1,900 in the retail-based calculation. After other charges and recalculation based on wholesale prices, I will only be paid about $100 for that over-generation.
A major goal of our Powerwalls is to allow us to ignore our usage rate and keep the home comfortable. In the past, due to the high cost of electricity in the hours after the sun goes down, we have had to minimize the use of AC and appliances until 10:00 PM, at which time the TOU rate drops by a factor of four. Now, we just let everything run, and the Powerwall assure us that we have balanced out our usage and can charge both cars with little worry about cost.
We are "a bit over the top" in terms of wanting a very complete solar-plus-storage system. But our goal of zero utility cost is working...and no gasoline bit, either!
A major goal of our Powerwalls is to allow us to ignore our usage rate and keep the home comfortable. In the past, due to the high cost of electricity in the hours after the sun goes down, we have had to minimize the use of AC and appliances until 10:00 PM, at which time the TOU rate drops by a factor of four. Now, we just let everything run, and the Powerwall assure us that we have balanced out our usage and can charge both cars with little worry about cost.
We are "a bit over the top" in terms of wanting a very complete solar-plus-storage system. But our goal of zero utility cost is working...and no gasoline bit, either!
Ed Hart
Member
So you haven't gotten PTO yet, but you have turned on the system and are operating it? I thought you had to wait for PTO.
Ed Hart
Member
I have not touched it. The installers left it running and monitored it from their office, I believe. When the city inspector came, he wanted to see that it was working and not causing any troubles. I also think that Tesla wants it running so they can monitor the system performance. I don't know if the utility can see it working before issuing the PTO...but I am sure they are not going to issue that very large SGIP incentive check to me without knowing that the system is working and doing what the utility wants it to do, which is help reduce the Duck Curve. The rules include a requirement to discharge the Powerwalls 52 times a year during peak load hours to justify its role.
@Ed Hart - There is something weird going on with your energy monitoring. The Solar should not have that sawtooth action on it. I can understand the Home usage doing that because of A/C cycling on and off, but not the Solar. Also, the value presented for Home is calculated and it should not be flatlining to zero. I see that you have more than one solar inverter - the Solar CT pair must be properly installed so both hot wires from both circuits go through both CTs and go through in the correct direction. Definitely have Swell's installer come back out to get that right.
Ed Hart
Member
Thanks, milmura. Correct on all counts. I will commit to putting up a new set of charts after the Swell folks get it reporting correctly. My solar puts out about 10 kW at this time of year. Swell has been good to work with, and they sub the actual site work to Solar Optimum; they also seem like a good outfit.
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