PW drainage and ability to charge from the Grid questions - new install

[Vines]

I would not suggest trying to self commission. While it might be possible (assuming that all of the electrical work is done) I think at best it will just annoy your installers and at worst slow down your install when they come back to commission and set things up.

I was just thinking the same, not to mislead people. If you really don't know what you're doing you could mess things up.

Take any self commission posts above with this in mind.

If you don't have the PW Enable switch on, you will not get any storm watch charge. Unless you are planning to do something crazy like I posted above, just leaving the enable switch on on will at least take any storm watch charge.

@getakey I am curious though how many hours advance notice you get to charge before a PSPS event? Its good to know storm watch does charge them from the grid.

 

[tmc42]

I would not suggest trying to self commission. While it might be possible (assuming that all of the electrical work is done) I think at best it will just annoy your installers and at worst slow down your install when they come back to commission and set things up.

I saw a YouTube video. Lots of steps. I'll let them do the commissioning on 9/15, and hope we don't get impacted by PSPS, since we only have 15%. Perhaps if Storm Watch advances from "Standby" to the next state, the PWs can charge then.

It sounds like they did test the system and run on the powerwalls for at least a little while.

The total time running on PW backup were two tests, 12 minutes and 2 minutes. The drop was non-linear, about 9% over the next 24 hours, then 1% each day after. Maybe it is calibrating itself and took a while to subtract those 14 minutes of use during the install test.

 

[miimura]

If you want the PWs to charge from the grid with StormWatch, make sure the PW breakers are on too. When my system was first installed in 2018, one Powerwall breaker was off and there was no warning about it. It would only charge to 57% because only one PW charged to 100% while the other was sitting at the low SOC from installation.

 

[getakey]

@getakey I am curious though how many hours advance notice you get to charge before a PSPS event? Its good to know storm watch does charge them from the grid.

I got the storm watch sometime mid-morning. We have NWS fire watch starting 7pm tomorrow. Did not get notice abut PSPS, so it could be the NWS fire watch that triggered it. However, I am in one of the counties on PG&E PSPS watch list

 

[jjrandorin]

I saw a YouTube video. Lots of steps. I'll let them do the commissioning on 9/15, and hope we don't get impacted by PSPS, since we only have 15%. Perhaps if Storm Watch advances from "Standby" to the next state, the PWs can charge then.



The total time running on PW backup were two tests, 12 minutes and 2 minutes. The drop was non-linear, about 9% over the next 24 hours, then 1% each day after. Maybe it is calibrating itself and took a while to subtract those 14 minutes of use during the install test.

Nice to finally meet you, Mr. @SMAlset !

 

[tmc42]

Update: Still not activated, but on 9/15, when doing maintenance (commission Solar, install Sure Start, add Neurio CTs…), they turned on the inverter and charged the three PowerWalls to 78%. We put the PWs in backup-only mode in case of a power failure. The SOC has gone down 3% every two days — last night they were down to 66%.

• Does a 1.5% "vampire drain" per day seem reasonable?
• Is there a way to see SOC for each individual PW? The app only shows me one number.

 

[power.saver]

• Does a 1.5% "vampire drain" per day seem reasonable?
• Is there a way to see SOC for each individual PW? The app only shows me one number.

Yes, 1.5% is reasonable.
No, you can only see the aggregate SOC.

 

[Flyguy]

Now that they have a charge, I would just turn them off until you need them or your system is commissioned.