Solar Panels in Tesla App - missing screens/data

[birkey]

I recently got my Tesla solar panel installation completed and permission to operate was granted last week.

This (attached image) is all the data I get in my Tesla app. I don't have the "Energy Usage" or "Impact" screens.

Background:
- I have no PowerWalls or Tesla cars
- I do have Neurio Powerblaster installed (I visually saw the brick and CTs in my panel)
- Latest SW version of Tesla iOS app 3.10.2
- I'm on a NEM TOU plan with SDG&E (in San Diego)

Questions:
- Any ideas what I need to do in order to get the additional screens of data in the Tesla App?
- Could I remove the Powerblaster and replace with Sense? It'd render my Tesla App sorta useless but honestly, it's sorta useless already.

 

[bob_p]

Without a Tesla Gateway, the Tesla app may not have access to any additional data.

 

[birkey]

Without a Tesla Gateway, the Tesla app may not have access to any additional data.

I do have the Tesla (SolarCity) gateway. However, it probably wouldn't hurt to reboot it since I configured long before actually getting PTO. I'll give that a shot and report back. Thanks.

 

[bob_p]

With our new Tesla Backup Gateway (V2 - not the new gateway that looks like a mini-firewall), I've connected directly to the gateway using a browser on my phone and laptop and can verify the Gateway is connected to Tesla.

If it's not connected, you could run the diagnostics, and possibly re-run the installation wizard to verify the connection is made back to Tesla.

 

[birkey]

With our new Tesla Backup Gateway (V2 - not the new gateway that looks like a mini-firewall), I've connected directly to the gateway using a browser on my phone and laptop and can verify the Gateway is connected to Tesla.

If it's not connected, you could run the diagnostics, and possibly re-run the installation wizard to verify the connection is made back to Tesla.

No new data screens in my Tesla app after the gateway reboot (all of the lights indicate the gateway is operating correctly).

Is there any reason I couldn't just remove the Powerblaster and replace with the Sense equipment I have? Will it muck anything up with respect to my Tesla account if I don't have the Powerblaster in place?

 

[woferry]

I may be misunderstanding the setup / problem here, but if all you have is Tesla Solar and no Powerwall, all the app is ever going to show you is solar production. There is no Tesla sensor monitoring grid consumption, as that comes from the Tesla Energy Gateway that is a part of the Powerwall system (it's a big box that installs between your grid connection and backed-up loads, since it also contains the transfer switch that islands your circuits when the grid goes out). The Home Gateways simply get a ZigBee signal from the inverter(s), so they don't know anything other than what the inverter knows (i.e. solar production).

 

[cwied]

I may be misunderstanding the setup / problem here, but if all you have is Tesla Solar and no Powerwall, all the app is ever going to show you is solar production. There is no Tesla sensor monitoring grid consumption, as that comes from the Tesla Energy Gateway that is a part of the Powerwall system (it's a big box that installs between your grid connection and backed-up loads, since it also contains the transfer switch that islands your circuits when the grid goes out). The Home Gateways simply get a ZigBee signal from the inverter(s), so they don't know anything other than what the inverter knows (i.e. solar production).

I believe that Tesla installs a different box they also call a "Gateway" as well as a power measurement device (power blaster) with their solar installations to provide similar functionality to what we get with the TEG. See power blaster /neurio?

 

[birkey]

Yep, the Powerblaster has CTs connected to the hot-legs of grid - presumably to measure how much power I'm sending to/from the grid.

I'm supposed to have 3 screens of data but I only get 1
Tesla App Overview for Solar Panels | Tesla

 

[zanary]

I have two properties, one with Powerwalls +PV, and one just PV. On the just PV, I see the main screen showing the three circles (Solar, Home, Grid), along with the Impact and Energy Usage below it. I have both PowerBooster and the black "Solar City / Neo" gateway that reports in the data to Tesla over my internet connection at home..

URL = Tesla App Overview for Solar Panels | Tesla

 

[Psmoove]

I had this same exact issue with my setup a couple of months ago. I called Tesla and they sent a tech the next day. Turns out it was the PowerBlaster that was not correctly configured at installation. After he fiddled with it, the app updated to show the additional information. Give them a call.

 

[birkey]

I have two properties, one with Powerwalls +PV, and one just PV. On the just PV, I see the main screen showing the three circles (Solar, Home, Grid), along with the Impact and Energy Usage below it. I have both PowerBooster and the black "Solar City / Neo" gateway that reports in the data to Tesla over my internet connection at home..

I had this same exact issue with my setup a couple of months ago. I called Tesla and they sent a tech the next day. Turns out it was the PowerBlaster that was not correctly configured at installation. After he fiddled with it, the app updated to show the additional information. Give them a call.

Thanks folks, I'll give them a call tomorrow and see if I can't get a tech out here to resolve.

 

[birkey]

I provided Tesla support the EUI # from the Powerblaster and they registered it to my account.

Problem solved. Case closed.

 

[vadims1]

I sent you a PM, but also for others, what did you say when you called? Did you say you are not seeing the other screens with consumption and here is the EUI number from the Neurio W1-HEM?

 

[jjrandorin]

If it makes any difference to you guys (likely not, but) When solar city (now tesla) installed my solar in 2015, I also did not get any consumption data. I could see how much solar I produced, but not consumption.

I was told that "there was not room in your panel for the device which measures that" when I started inquiring about it a month or so after the install, and I let it go. Fast forward to now, and I just got 2 powerwalls. Since they put in a new panel with the powerwalls, I now have consumption data.

I didnt know what I was missing.. I love having this consumption data so would pay for it.

 

[birkey]

I sent you a PM, but also for others, what did you say when you called? Did you say you are not seeing the other screens with consumption and here is the EUI number from the Neurio W1-HEM?

Actually, I didn't end up calling... I had an email address handy and shot them an email. Here is a snippet from the reply I got:

"Thank you for notifying us that your Power Blaster is not reporting estimated power usage data to your Tesla mobile app. At your earliest convenience, please forward the MAC Address on the device so I can register it within your account. This should solve the issue."

Note: MAC and EUI are basically the same thing - at least they are used interchangeably here. EUI is the more correct/current name for it...MAC is the old school name for what is effectively the unique network address of the device.

 

[vadims1]

Actually, I didn't end up calling... I had an email address handy and shot them an email. Here is a snippet from the reply I got:

"Thank you for notifying us that your Power Blaster is not reporting estimated power usage data to your Tesla mobile app. At your earliest convenience, please forward the MAC Address on the device so I can register it within your account. This should solve the issue."

Note: MAC and EUI are basically the same thing - at least they are used interchangeably here. EUI is the more correct/current name for it...MAC is the old school name for what is effectively the unique network address of the device.

Aha. Very useful. What was the email you used? Was it the usual support email? Also, how did they expect you the get the MAC address? Basically, did they know you already took the panel off?

 

[vadims1]

Replying for my own closure. Seems sense.com would be a better choice for monitoring. I'll install and evaluate.

 

[vadims1]

Installed sense monitor and at $350 cost (solar monitoring included), this is far superior to what tesla app shows. I had alot of help from members here that led me to this solution, but it works alot better and provides a lot more accessible data than I anticipated. Highly recommend.

 

[jjrandorin]

Installed sense monitor and at $350 cost (solar monitoring included), this is far superior to what tesla app shows. I had alot of help from members here that led me to this solution, but it works alot better and provides a lot more accessible data than I anticipated. Highly recommend.

I love(ed) the idea of the sense monitoring solution, but from my searching it does not integrate well if you have a powerwall in addition to your solar. It seems to be fine with solar, but when you add a powerwall there seems to be difficulty in it measuring energy from the entire package of powerwall + solar.

 

[AJ0624]

Hey @birkey I'm in San Diego as well and got solar recently installed with the PowerBlaster and I'm seeing the same issue as you. However, when I called Tesla Solar support, they said SDGE does NOT allow monitoring of consumption, and they can't help me. I feel I should call again and mention that you were able to get your app showing the power flow.

Also, where do you find the EUI #? I see the Powerblaster breaker in my breaker panel. But not sure where to find that number?

Thanks!