Powerwall Townhome Install

[K-MTG]

I have a townhome in NoCal - while the main breaker is in the garage the utility meter is in a shared utility closet (with other units). I was told that it wouldn’t be possible to install a powerwall as a conduit would be needed between the utility meter and the main electric panel. Has anyone have any success installing a powerwall in a townhouse?
Otherwise I’ll see if I can just do solar. PG&E rates are significantly higher compared to SCE at my place in SoCal.

 

[zanary]

I have a townhome in NoCal - while the main breaker is in the garage the utility meter is in a shared utility closet (with other units). I was told that it wouldn’t be possible to install a powerwall as a conduit would be needed between the utility meter and the main electric panel. Has anyone have any success installing a powerwall in a townhouse?
Otherwise I’ll see if I can just do solar. PG&E rates are significantly higher compared to SCE at my place in SoCal.

I have three Powerwalls and Solar as well. In a end unit townhouse and no problems. I’m in NorCal and on PG&E.

 

[K-MTG]

I have three Powerwalls and Solar as well. In a end unit townhouse and no problems. I’m in NorCal and on PG&E.

Is your PG&E meter in a shared location or is it directly outside your unit? I was told a conduit would be needed between the electrical panel and garage and utility meter (which isn’t really possible in my scenario). Do you have HOA? Thanks!

 

[charlesj]

Hi.
Who told you that this cannot be done? What else is in the main breaker box in your garage, like all your home circuits?
I don't know why it could not be hooked up in the garage.
Is there a circuit breaker in the utility room too?
How large is the main breaker?
Is there a sub-panel inside the unit?
Am sure others with more knowledge will also chime in. Most may be restricted to their homes.

 

[K-MTG]

Hi.
Who told you that this cannot be done? What else is in the main breaker box in your garage, like all your home circuits?
I don't know why it could not be hooked up in the garage.
Is there a circuit breaker in the utility room too?
How large is the main breaker?
Is there a sub-panel inside the unit?
Am sure others with more knowledge will also chime in. Most may be restricted to their homes.

The energy advisor. The garage panel contains all the circuits of the home. The shared utility closet contains the power meter and main breaker but the only actual panel is in the garage (no panel in the utility closet or sub panel inside the unit).

 

[charlesj]

The energy advisor. The garage panel contains all the circuits of the home. The shared utility closet contains the power meter and main breaker but the only actual panel is in the garage (no panel in the utility closet or sub panel inside the unit).

Was that the Tesla energy adviser? Interesting as the panel in the garage can be moved over, the Gateway would get the wire that is now feeding that panel and from the Gateway wire to that moved panel and if need be, another panel.

The only thing that just came to mind is the relocation process, accessing and moving all the circuits in that sub panel(that what you have in there).
May need to cut into the sheetrock for re-routing all those wires.

 

[K-MTG]

Was that the Tesla energy adviser?

yup

 

[miimura]

The energy advisor. The garage panel contains all the circuits of the home. The shared utility closet contains the power meter and main breaker but the only actual panel is in the garage (no panel in the utility closet or sub panel inside the unit).

Sounds easy enough to me. Maybe the person you talked to did not understand the electrical layout.

 

[zanary]

Is your PG&E meter in a shared location or is it directly outside your unit? I was told a conduit would be needed between the electrical panel and garage and utility meter (which isn’t really possible in my scenario). Do you have HOA? Thanks!

II have a utility box where my PG&E meter is, my gas meter is, and my main panel is. This is a shared utility box for all utilities feeds (including AT&T and Comcast), but it is just for my unit and not shared with adjoining units. From that main panel, I then have a house sub panel that has dozens of breakers for my unit. That is located in the garage.

Tesla install a "load-center" panel in the garage and connected to it is the gateway, PV breakers, Powerwall breakers, and a feed that goes back to my house sub panel.

My install was done by Tesla themselves.

 

[K-MTG]

II have a utility box where my PG&E meter is, my gas meter is, and my main panel is. This is a shared utility box for all utilities feeds (including AT&T and Comcast), but it is just for my unit and not shared with adjoining units. From that main panel, I then have a house sub panel that has dozens of breakers for my unit. That is located in the garage.

Tesla install a "load-center" panel in the garage and connected to it is the gateway, PV breakers, Powerwall breakers, and a feed that goes back to my house sub panel.

My install was done by Tesla themselves.

Thanks for sharing. So did they have to run any wires (or modify anything) where the meter is located?

If they were able to do the install without running new wires between your meter (main electrical panel) and sub panel in the garage. I'll reach out again.

 

[bob_p]

We had a relatively large system installed a few months ago (44 solar panels, 4 PowerWalls).

Our Tesla-approved 3rd party installers used the existing wiring coming from our meter for their installation.

At the beginning of the installation, they had to shut down power to the entire house for most on a day to recable the meter and add the Tesla Backup Gateway between the grid power and the house breaker panels. This required mounting the extra boxes near the meter for the Gateway, a new Generation panel (with breakers for the solar inverters & PowerWalls) and a master generation switch (which turns off all of the solar panels and PowerWalls - something required by our local utility).

Most of the work was in mounting boxes and running cabling between them.

At least for us, no cabling change was needed at the meter.

As the installers stated - assuming the system works correctly - that could be the last time the power will be out inside our house...