Tesla Solar in Houston & Surrounding Area’s

[Jones1]

Are you sure the cable you used had all 4 pairs straight through (ie. full Cat5e or Cat6 cable)??? I went over to my brother in law's house and he said their laptop is super slow even though it's on Gigabit Ethernet. I looked at the cable between the laptop and the wall and I could see through the transparent plug shell that it only had 4 wires in the 8 positions, so it could only go at 100Mbit Ethernet speeds. I don't know where he got that crappy molded patch cable.

They also have 1Gig AT&T Fiber service. I'm only a mile away and I can't get it. I'm stuck with Comcrap.

My home builder. Had a contractor install my Cat6. The guy or gal installed the he wires backwards in the connector. I didn’t know until AT&T guy showed up to run the fiber line and setup my device there. He checked for me. Realized the issue. He was able to show me how it was supposed to go into the connector. He did a a few for me. He said they were supposed to charge for it. But he didn’t. He told me to call the builder. To get them to fix it. I didn’t. I went and got a cat5or 6 tool from my job. We use them on elevators for communication. don’t tell. . I did the rest. I could of made a mistake on the ones I did. Doubt it. I connected my MacBook to the back of the AT&T modem. With a dongle. I disconnected my Orbi. Rebooted the Modem. Did a few speed test. It was the same as it had been. When I did the test in my office down stairs. That’s when I called AT&T. I used to get the full speed from my Ethernet in my office. Not anymore.

 

[BGbreeder]

@Jones1 If you really want 1Gbit throughput you need a more powerful router. Even with its relatively powerful backhaul network, I think that that Orbi maxes out at 866Mbits/s.

I would encourage you to look at commercial, e.g. Small business type, routers. A number of the have residential simplicity in their UI, although with 100 clients, you may appreciate some of the "bells and whistles" on the more industrial versions.

e.g. Best small business routers (January 2023): top routers for work

I would look for a router whose backplane is good for at least two to three times the speed of your connection to allow for overhead, timing, and the inevitable reductions in speed as you turn on features like firewalls.

I would also invest in a cable tester able to test gigabit, and preferably 10Gb cables, so you are confident that you aren't throwing away speed on a cable with a less than perfect termination, or that was manhandled by your installer and damaged. One flakey cable can cause a lot of grief.

All the best,

BG

 

[Jones1]

My home builder. Had a contractor install my Cat6. The guy or gal installed the he wires backwards in the connector. I didn’t know until AT&T guy showed up to run the fiber line and setup my device there. He checked for me. Realized the issue. He was able to show me how it was supposed to go into the connector. He did a a few for me. He said they were supposed to charge for it. But he didn’t. He told me to call the builder. To get them to fix it. I didn’t. I went and got a cat5or 6 tool from my job. We use them on elevators for communication. don’t tell. . I did the rest. I could of made a mistake on the ones I did. Doubt it. I connected my MacBook to the back of the AT&T modem. With a dongle. I disconnected my Orbi. Rebooted the Modem. Did a few speed test. It was the same as it had been. When I did the test in my office down stairs. That’s when I called AT&T. I used to get the full speed from my Ethernet in my office. Not anymore.

I actually purchased the tool from Amazon. I have Two more I need to do. Thanks. That just the reminded me. @miimura You can also buy the line tester on Amazon.

 

[wiltoking]

Even without PTO got my first full day of winter production thanks to being able to get home early and use the EV to soak up some ions. Feeling pretty good because I beat my Pvwatts estimate for an average January day. Can’t wait for summer!

 

[Jones1]

Even without PTO got my first full day of winter production thanks to being able to get home early and use the EV to soak up some ions. Feeling pretty good because I beat my Pvwatts estimate for an average January day. Can’t wait for summer!

View attachment 895581

It was definitely a nice day. Had a pretty pure arch or wave. Only around 10:30am I must of had some large clouds. Not for long though. I picked up about 66kwh. I didn’t get a chance to put it in my EV. I will tomorrow. I’m at 25%. Waiting for about 9am to plug in.

 

[s0schen]

So span is pretty much set it and forget it but I like seeing how individual circuits change from day to day. I am a data hungry person though so I am in and out of both apps all day like an addict lol.

I love the span. Grid goes out and instantly the non essentials pop off and I get a notification with how much backup I have left. Then at 50% PW it will knock down to just my must haves. Support is amazing and overall experience is night and day different than Tesla. I highly recommend it. Especially since you only have 1 PW you’d benefit from it even more. I’m just trying to figure out if I can claim it as a part of my 30% tax credit as part of my solar even though it was done by a different contractor. Span said I could since it was same timeframe as my solar… but maybe I should ask a tax guy before I go getting audited haha.

I also use my Span app more. We have more than one Tesla vehicle so swiping past the vehicles to the energy page causes the default vehicle to change. Then when you send a navigation destination to the car from the phone it gets sent to the wrong car.

When I need more information I just use Powerwall Monitor.

 

[Jones1]

Update on the Fiber Modem/Router Replacement. It was my Fiber Modem. Slowing down my orbi.
I’m glad they sent me a replacement quickly. 2 days.
AT&T was also throttling my speeds. After the Chat with them. My speeds were still slow but no disconnections from Wi-Fi 10 times a day.

Wi-Fi is Fast now.

 

[wiltoking]

I also use my Span app more. We have more than one Tesla vehicle so swiping past the vehicles to the energy page causes the default vehicle to change. Then when you send a navigation destination to the car from the phone it gets sent to the wrong car.

When I need more information I just use Powerwall Monitor.

Need to look into how to run Powerwall Monitor, tried setting up an old iPad like @Jones1 but it can’t even be updated to the minimum needed iOS to the app. Actually got it to connect to the Gateway wifi and set it up in Kiosk Mode to only display the basic info but it gets timed out and have to log back in constantly. No set it and forget it. What setup do you have for Powerwall Monitor? Raspberry Pi?

 

[Jones1]

Need to look into how to run Powerwall Monitor, tried setting up an old iPad like @Jones1 but it can’t even be updated to the minimum needed iOS to the app. Actually got it to connect to the Gateway wifi and set it up in Kiosk Mode to only display the basic info but it gets timed out and have to log back in constantly. No set it and forget it. What setup do you have for Powerwall Monitor? Raspberry Pi?

Let me ask you. How old is the iPad you are using? I’m using a iPad mini 4. I believe.

Also. I don’t use the TEG or directly to Tesla gateway. Because my iPad Hass to be close. Like within 10 to 15 feet. Or it will disconnect.

 

[DrewHou]

I also use my Span app more. We have more than one Tesla vehicle so swiping past the vehicles to the energy page causes the default vehicle to change. Then when you send a navigation destination to the car from the phone it gets sent to the wrong car.

When I need more information I just use Powerwall Monitor.

Interesting to hear about these challenges. I just ordered a second Tesla yesterday to be EV only now. I didn’t even think about these potential issues.

 

[wiltoking]

Let me ask you. How old is the iPad you are using? I’m using a iPad mini 4. I believe.

Also. I don’t use the TEG or directly to Tesla gateway. Because my iPad Hass to be close. Like within 10 to 15 feet. Or it will disconnect.

It’s like an original iPad Air I think. Since the gateway is in the garage we get good TEG signal upstairs and in the kitchen. I have to re-log in to the portal after a while though.

 

[Jones1]

Need to look into how to run Powerwall Monitor, tried setting up an old iPad like @Jones1 but it can’t even be updated to the minimum needed iOS to the app. Actually got it to connect to the Gateway wifi and set it up in Kiosk Mode to only display the basic info but it gets timed out and have to log back in constantly. No set it and forget it. What setup do you have for Powerwall Monitor? Raspberry Pi?

It’s like an original iPad Air I think. Since the gateway is in the garage we get good TEG signal upstairs and in the kitchen. I have to re-log in to the portal after a while though.

Yes. I have to re-log back in. That pissed me off. Lol.

 

[wiltoking]

Yes. I have to re-log back in. That pissed me off. Lol.

This it how it looks at the moment:

 

[Jones1]

I have a iPad mini 2. I believe also. That I’m not using. I wanted to put that one directly in my garage mounted on the wall. I just never had time to do it. I might do it today. Check on eBay you may find an iPad real cheap or Amazon.

 

[EL0NTRK]

How is the TE plan working out do far @Jones1

 

[s0schen]

Need to look into how to run Powerwall Monitor, tried setting up an old iPad like @Jones1 but it can’t even be updated to the minimum needed iOS to the app. Actually got it to connect to the Gateway wifi and set it up in Kiosk Mode to only display the basic info but it gets timed out and have to log back in constantly. No set it and forget it. What setup do you have for Powerwall Monitor? Raspberry Pi?

Actually small correction. I’m running another version Powerwall Dashboard

It’s has a lot of improvements over the original code I linked and is being actively developed with new contributors. The developer created PyPowerwall that caches the flow graph and you can link to it without a password to show the power flow graph.

I am running it on a docker within an Ubuntu VM on FreeNAS/TrueNAS server. Probably not the most energy efficient to have my server constantly on but it’s more stable than my Pi’s currently.

 

[EL0NTRK]

Actually small correction. I’m running another version Powerwall Dashboard

It’s has a lot of improvements over the original code I linked and is being actively developed with new contributors. The developer created PyPowerwall that caches the flow graph and you can link to it without a password to show the power flow graph.

I am running it on a docker within an Ubuntu VM on FreeNAS/TrueNAS server. Probably not the most energy efficient to have my server constantly on but it’s more stable than my Pi’s currently.

If i have multiple gateways,do you know how the software will work?

 

[s0schen]

If i have multiple gateways,do you know how the software will work?

It handles multiple PW 2.5 inverters well. I have two and It automatically found the second inverter and lists all 4 strings. I think if you have multiple gateways (400 amp service?) you might have to run a separate dashboard for each gateway. You could run two separate dockers or VM’s and each one would track and show a separate dashboard. Just give each VM a different IP address and then you could use that to show both graphs on a single single screen with some html coding. I have a dak board type setup that I’m showing my flowgraph.

 

[wiltoking]

Actually small correction. I’m running another version Powerwall Dashboard

It’s has a lot of improvements over the original code I linked and is being actively developed with new contributors. The developer created PyPowerwall that caches the flow graph and you can link to it without a password to show the power flow graph.

I am running it on a docker within an Ubuntu VM on FreeNAS/TrueNAS server. Probably not the most energy efficient to have my server constantly on but it’s more stable than my Pi’s currently.

I’ve read we can set up docker on a Raspberry Pi and use an iPad as its monitor / keyboard etc. It just involves a lot of steps I will have to research hehe

 

[Jones1]

How is the TE plan working out do far @Jones1

I still haven’t received a bill or statement. I emailed Tesla. They replied back. Saying I will receive my invoice and payment options or credit. In the Tesla App. They told me it would be in the Tesla Banner. I don’t know what that means.
I mostly sell back at a small percentage of what I buy at. I’ve seen at the highest $3.50 per kWh to the lowest -.01
On average. I’ve noticed .02-.07
2 to 7 cent buy back. Not much. Unless there’s a grid demand. Then it rips to the $’s per kWh.
I’m buying at .141 that includes the delivery (center point fee).
So I know I will need to go a full year with the plan like any plan to know the true worth of it.
From 4-7pm you go on Solar and PW. To avoid paying the Peak rate of .24 cents.
Then you go on grid after 7pm
From anywhere around 12am-3am. I think it’s depending on your current usage or SOC.
You go on PW. Until the sun comes out. So you start the day or early morning really. On Self Powered. Around a 90-100%. I think that’s the idea of it. Then as the day goes. That percentage will drop. Depending on what you are using.