Powerwall Companion - updated Windows app

[tomho]

I was accustomed to using the installer/LAN access to Gateway1 method to monitor the Gateway from my desktop box. Gateway2 no longer has that interface. It has been replaced with the Tesla One installer app. Naturaly, this led me to your nice app to mind things.

Is Powerwall Companion compatible with Gateway2?

It can access my Tesla account with no problem, it knows the install date for the Gateway1, but I can't get it to connect to the Capacity History area. I know the IP is right and my desktop box is on the same network as the ethernet connection to the Gateway2 but it doesn't like the password for the Tesla account (or something).

Hi Brian -

I have a v1 gateway so I haven't tested this, but I've seen reports that while gateway 2 encourages you to use TeslaOne, it is still possible to access the gateway's web UI and API. See

https://www.reddit.com/r/Powerwall/comments/1b5h8ui/comment/kt87hkp

Powerwall 3 is another story; they removed the local APIs.

Tom

 

[bemyax]

Brian,, the password in Powerwall Companion is the last five characters of the Gateway serial number.

David

 

[VK2AAF]

Hi Brian -

I have a v1 gateway so I haven't tested this, but I've seen reports that while gateway 2 encourages you to use TeslaOne, it is still possible to access the gateway's web UI and API. See

https://www.reddit.com/r/Powerwall/comments/1b5h8ui/comment/kt87hkp

Powerwall 3 is another story; they removed the local APIs.

Tom

Thanks much for that, Tom.

When I connect a browser to the Gateway2 IP, I see this:

When I click the Continue button, it displays this:

I'm not on WiFI so I can't disconnect from the TEG AP. It's asking me to install Tesla One on a phone, which is of course inapplicable to a Windows machine.

The 'upgrade now' and 'upgrade later' words are not clickable links.

For what it's worth, I have tried installing Tesla One on my phone but it's not really useful for what I need to do.

There doesn't appear to be a UI in the Gateway2.


Cheers

-Brian

 

[tomho]

The 'upgrade now' and 'upgrade later' words are not clickable links.

For what it's worth, I have tried installing Tesla One on my phone but it's not really useful for what I need to do.

There doesn't appear to be a UI in the Gateway2.

Other posts have claimed that "upgrade later" works. I'm not sure why it's not clickable for you. Hopefully someone else with a Gateway 2 can help?

 

[VK2AAF]

Brian,, the password in Powerwall Companion is the last five characters of the Gateway serial number.

David

Hi David,

This doesn't work with Gateway2. I tried the last 5 of serial number as displayed in the Tesla app. This didn't get PWC to connect, unfortunately.

I found there is a password shown in the label on the body inside the door of the Gateway2.

However, this password didn't get Powerwall Companion connected, either. #lesigh

Cheers

-Brian

 

[VK2AAF]

Other posts have claimed that "upgrade later" works. I'm not sure why it's not clickable for you. Hopefully someone else with a Gateway 2 can help?

Aha. My NoScript blocker was disabling the links.

I did get in to the UI, had to change the Gateway pw with a power switch toggle, but now tyhe LAN access method is restored.

This also got PWC to connect.

The first Pw2 was installed 19/1/2018, which I presume TG119***** is the one showing 25% degradation (which is a bit disappointing...).

The second PW was installed in 1/2019, It's faring a lot better for only being in service one more year than the first.

The third was installed in 2023, so appears to be a bit over baseline capacity.

Thanks to everyone for their help! Mission accomplished!

Cheers

-Brian

 

[h2ofun]

Other posts have claimed that "upgrade later" works. I'm not sure why it's not clickable for you. Hopefully someone else with a Gateway 2 can help?

I have 2 gateways. I log into one, put in my IP and PW, and see batteries

I then change to the other GW, and it leaves the others IP and PW. So, can the IP and PW be saved per GW so do not have to go find and reenter?

 

[tomho]

I have 2 gateways. I log into one, put in my IP and PW, and see batteries

I then change to the other GW, and it leaves the others IP and PW. So, can the IP and PW be saved per GW so do not have to go find and reenter?

No, but you could save time by giving them the same password?

 

[h2ofun]

No, but you could save time by giving them the same password?

Still got to change IP, ....

 

[VK2AAF]

View attachment 1053618

Hi Tom (and everyone else),

TG119***BB was installed in 2018. It appears to be suffering excessive degradation.

T17G0***68 installed in 2019.

TG122***E1 installed in 2023.

Warranty is for 70% minimum at 10 years. TG119... is only 6-ish years in service.

If PwC gets degradation data from Tesla API, they'd already know about this (or at least be able to easily confirm it).

Wondering if I should try to get Tesla to replace TG119.. now (or soon).

Suggestions, anyone?

Thanks to all for your help.

Cheers

-Brian

 

[tomho]

Hi Tom (and everyone else),

TG119***BB was installed in 2018. It appears to be suffering excessive degradation.

T17G0***68 installed in 2019.

TG122***E1 installed in 2023.

Warranty is for 70% minimum at 10 years. TG119... is only 6-ish years in service.

If PwC gets degradation data from Tesla API, they'd already know about this (or at least be able to easily confirm it).

Wondering if I should try to get Tesla to replace TG119.. now (or soon).

Suggestions, anyone?

Thanks to all for your help.

Cheers

-Brian

I've not had any warranty issues myself so others can probably speak from real experience. But my take is:

• The value reported by PWC comes from the gateway so it can be used for warranty claims
• The warranty only kicks in if the capacity falls below 70%, so at 75% or 70.1% they likely won't do anything.

 

[VK2AAF]

I've not had any warranty issues myself so others can probably speak from real experience. But my take is:

• The value reported by PWC comes from the gateway so it can be used for warranty claims
• The warranty only kicks in if the capacity falls below 70%, so at 75% or 70.1% they likely won't do anything.

Thanks much for that, Tom.

I just found the serial number stickers under the left hand plastic panels.

I was wrong about the installation sequence. T17G.. is the 2018 installation, T119... is the 2019 battery and T122... is the 2023 battery.

I'm sure you're quite right about Tesla not being obligated to do anything before 70%.

However, I have a 6 year old battery at -2% and a 5 year old battery at -25% right next to it.

I think I can build a case for a 'major failure' under ACCC rules and surmount the Tesla warranty conditions.

Worst I can do is try and get a rejection on record.

Thanks so much for your comments and assistance.

Cheers

-Brian

 

[tomho]

I'm sure you're quite right about Tesla not being obligated to do anything before 70%.

However, I have a 6 year old battery at -2% and a 5 year old battery at -25% right next to it.

I think I can build a case for a 'major failure' under ACCC rules and surmount the Tesla warranty conditions.

Worst I can do is try and get a rejection on record.

You're right that you can definitely ask. Although if the battery is still functioning I think you may struggle with the "major failure" angle. However if it's lost 25% in 5 years it seems likely that it'll lose another 5% soon enough, and then there should be no argument.
Either way, it's great to have ACL in your corner!

 

[VK2AAF]

You're right that you can definitely ask. Although if the battery is still functioning I think you may struggle with the "major failure" angle. However if it's lost 25% in 5 years it seems likely that it'll lose another 5% soon enough, and then there should be no argument.
Either way, it's great to have ACL in your corner!

One thing I have found through the process of pushing Powerwall Support A/NZ to replace our Gateway1 with a 2 instead of waiting (literally) forever for them to locate a replacement Neurio meter- which is no longer manufactured- is they are malleable but their time frames have to blow out.

I have started the process with a detailed letter, anyway. I did quietly slip in the terms 'ACL' and 'major failure.' They notice things like this. They'll use Elon's 'do as little as possible' including the 'it's not a problem' tack until the customer sounds like a litigant. Cheaper to make an unhappy customer go away with replacements before they start arcing up on social media or filing notices of claim.

Thanks again, especially for PwC, It's great stuff. Most appreciated.

Cheers

-Brian

 

[tomho]

Hey all, there are some new releases of PWC coming through which may make things worse in the short term but better in the long term. I'll provide some technical details below for anyone interested, but the short explanation is that I need to improve some of the technical foundations that could result in some new or recurring bugs.

Regarding the Windows version, I've just pushed out v9.0.0 to a small percentage of users, and will ramp it up over time if there are no major issues. After spending a few years building the app in my spare time, the code quality wasn't where it needed to be, so I took some time to do a major rewrite. The main change was to pull out the Powerwall integration logic out of the UI code and into a reusable library. This will enable me to share this code with the Android version and some proper unit tests. It will also make it easier for others to reuse the code in their own apps/scripts if they so choose. There are also a few minor user-facing improvements in this release, but there's also a risk of some new bugs so please let me know if you see anything awry.

Regarding the Android version, I've pushed out v2.0.0 to the beta channel, which you can opt into on Google Play if you wish. It was built on Xamarin Forms which Microsoft has stopped supporting - so I needed to move it to the newer .NET MAUI framework, which is different enough that I needed to rebuild a lot of the app. I haven't integrated it with the new PowerwallCompanion.Lib library yet but I will be able to do that soon.

Please let me know if you see any issues with either versions, and thanks for your patience and support!

 

[VK2AAF]

You're right that you can definitely ask. Although if the battery is still functioning I think you may struggle with the "major failure" angle. However if it's lost 25% in 5 years it seems likely that it'll lose another 5% soon enough, and then there should be no argument.
Either way, it's great to have ACL in your corner!

I've not had any warranty issues myself so others can probably speak from real experience. But my take is:

• The value reported by PWC comes from the gateway so it can be used for warranty claims
• The warranty only kicks in if the capacity falls below 70%, so at 75% or 70.1% they likely won't do anything.

Hi Tom,

As you expected, I got a rejection from Tesla Support based on the strict terms of the warranty.

As you noted, the faulty battery will probably lose another 5% sooner than later.

Thank for your help!

Cheers

-Brian

 

[charlesj]

9.0... dropped today. Thanks for fixing that summary block to accommodate 5 digits and decimal point.
Just tested mid posting, it accommodates 4 decimal places, decimal and double digit also. Super.
I did have to reboot the app a couple of time. Now it is good.

By the way, what is the black hatched marking on summary page and charge level circle? Where it started from that day?

 

[tomho]

9.0... dropped today. Thanks for fixing that summary block to accommodate 5 digits and decimal point.
Just tested mid posting, it accommodates 4 decimal places, decimal and double digit also. Super.
I did have to reboot the app a couple of time. Now it is good.

By the way, what is the black hatched marking on summary page and charge level circle? Where it started from that day?

Thanks for testing! If you see any ongoing reliability issues, please let me know.
Hatching shows your reserved battery storage. Do you like the treatment?

 

[charlesj]

Thanks for testing! If you see any ongoing reliability issues, please let me know.
Hatching shows your reserved battery storage. Do you like the treatment?

It works well for me now just as before on the previous update. The initial opening was interesting for one or two refresh then all was good.
Yes, now that I know what the hatching indicates, it is great.
Thanks again.

 

[x20swan]

My Battery level looks less solid now. Is that intentional?

Ahh! That indicates the reserve level