Now. Free nights looks more appealing to me. I can charge at night. Use the the PW through the night. Until about 7-8am when the PV is producing.
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Tesla Solar in Houston & Surrounding Area’s
- Thread starter Jones1
- Start date
I lowered my backup to 30% reserve. I rarely get long power outages. It’s a newer subdivision. They are still building homes. I believe my power outages are caused by Centerpoint working on the lines. My electricity will go out and come right back on sometimes. Now that I can grid charge. I don’t have to worry so much. 
I can top it up. If weather looks grim.
I can top it up. If weather looks grim.Yes, at that point you can "grid" charge the PW and charge your cars etc... This will also help during cloudy days and you'll probably end up with money as you'll never take from the grid (pay wise). I'm in Pearland and tried to get them to enable grid charging and still get no response. Anybody else in Pearland go grid charging?
I just noticed our signature w/ 1 PW. The free Nights may work for you, but you'll have to do the math to confirm. Here's why: a PW has to provide enough power for your home from sundown (low to zero production) until your free period kicks in and again from morning until sunrise. For me that's 8pm to 6am. My 2 PWs will generally cover given the capacity, but the catch is WHEN you have to draw from the grid.. it's super expensive. for me 2x as expensive at $0.26 per kWh. This this where they make their money.
Today in NW Houston 77433 is a good example of a very low production day with the overcast. As of this writing at 3pm CST, my 2x PWs is at 57% charged. Typically it would be fully charged this time of year and then exporting significantly since we're not running AC. (free grid donation since my plan doesn't net meter).
If I had 1 PW, my PW likely would be fully depleted or at least below my threshold. Which means I'll likely be pulling from grid right about now at the very expensive rates.. I've only generated 16.7 since sunrise this morning and my PW provided juice from my free period end (6am) until production. It likely wouldn't have provided enough PW to provide juice from sundown to the start of the free period. Even my 2x PW had a day where I was paying $2-3 for grid electricity. Like I said, not significantly but something to consider as you analyze your PW consumption if you were going to nerd out. Generally speaking I wouldn't go back to net metering hence my outreach to lock in the free nights for as long as I could just yesterday. For now I don't have to think abotu rates anymore for the next 48 months. All this is fresh analysis which I'm tucking away for the net 4 years.
Today in NW Houston 77433 is a good example of a very low production day with the overcast. As of this writing at 3pm CST, my 2x PWs is at 57% charged. Typically it would be fully charged this time of year and then exporting significantly since we're not running AC. (free grid donation since my plan doesn't net meter).
If I had 1 PW, my PW likely would be fully depleted or at least below my threshold. Which means I'll likely be pulling from grid right about now at the very expensive rates.. I've only generated 16.7 since sunrise this morning and my PW provided juice from my free period end (6am) until production. It likely wouldn't have provided enough PW to provide juice from sundown to the start of the free period. Even my 2x PW had a day where I was paying $2-3 for grid electricity. Like I said, not significantly but something to consider as you analyze your PW consumption if you were going to nerd out. Generally speaking I wouldn't go back to net metering hence my outreach to lock in the free nights for as long as I could just yesterday. For now I don't have to think abotu rates anymore for the next 48 months. All this is fresh analysis which I'm tucking away for the net 4 years.
So. You have call them and text daily. They will not respond. The customer service is under staffed. I was messaging them twice a day. I also emailed them three or four times a week. Once you get approval from Centerpoint. It’s on Tesla to update the app.
Oh no, that’s not acceptable at all. If that’s a plumbing vent, that’s wrong on so many levels. If you can, see what type of vent it is and where it leads to (help you gauge impact/area). Can’t see this shortcut passing inspection… in a typical installation, the modules/panels are installed around the vent (giving it room and space), or the vent is moved (way more expensive option). Good luck with this…
Ok. So with my one powerwall. I was thinking that free nights would stop around 5-6am. I was thinking I could charge the power around 3 am. It would last until the Sun is producing. I don’t know. I’m just guessing. Until I can try it out. Thanks.
Ok that’s a roof Vent? I couldn’t tell. The installer should have went around it.
I guess that is a plumbing vent. They told me they cut the vent and put the panel on top of it, and the one I saw is the cutoff piece. They are coming back tomorrow to wire the panels and will take that off the roof. Dose this sound right way to deal with the vent?
Plumbing Vent Under Solar Panel (Important Planning) - Solar Panel Installation, Mounting, Settings, and Repair.
Plumbing vents that exit on the roof of a structure can cause problems for installing solar panels, particularly if the vent is located in the optimal position for the solar panel. Is it possible to have the plumbing vent under ... Read more
solvoltaics.com
It looks bad but this article said it can be done. If the panels are 5 inches from the roof top. They can cut the vent down. My neighbor across the street used a non Tesla installer. They installed the panels around the Vents on his roof. His layout looks weird. Your layout looks better. Hopefully it doesn’t effect the ventilation.
My neighbor house photo. Sorry for the bad photo. I was trying to hurry. I didn’t want anyone to see me. Taking the photo.
DrewHou
Tesla S|3|Solar+PW
The truly free nights plan from reliant has changed up how I use everything. I get solar and battery do all the daytime work and then set everything to charge up at night. I have only turned on grid charging when it was those rainy days back to back. Not having to pay the Centerpoint delivery fees other than the 4.39 monthly charge is better than I can imagine. With FSD beta I have charged my car a lot more recently. The screenshot says it best… allll that power for only 26 cents.
DrewHou
Tesla S|3|Solar+PW
So they had to do the same to one of my vents as well to keep the aesthetics I wanted. They said the exact same thing to me that they cut it down and went over it. Mine didn’t look like that though at any point so I would say keep an eye on it.
Are Tesla new solar panels 420 watts per panel? I have 30 panels. So my system should be 12,600. I was thinking the panels were rated at 400 watts? I read online they are really 420?
DrewHou
Tesla S|3|Solar+PW
From my understanding the Tesla T420S panels are 420 watt but on my solar plans I have T400H panels which are 400 watt panels. Just depends on which panels they used on your install. Should be on your full set paperwork.
DrewHou
Tesla S|3|Solar+PW
I want it (Span). I also want the free nights. I don’t want to go back to reliant tho. After I paid to leave reliant earlier this year. I see I will produce more than I consume. If my average Bill is $20 after a year with MP2 then I will be content. $40-$50 I won’t be happy. To pay $200 now. After I have paid I think $150-$200 to get out of my Reliant contract. Is a wash for any plan I might change too. I think I’m going to wait 12 months. Maybe a free nights and Buy back plan will come out. I don’t see any right now. Or maybe Elon will come out with a Tesla Energy retail plan. I’m actually saving money with Tesla Vehicle insurance. If the CyberTruck comes out with Vehicle 2 Grid. Then I’ll be happier than a Tesla Customer on Delivery day. I can let my Wife drive my CT. I’ll drive the MYP. My wife works longer shifts. Less days in a week. I work more days in a week.
I love Reliant's chart above. I immediately called Reliant to lock into that 48 month plan as soon as I saw my week's usage and cost. Very similar to yours was enough to suck up the $200 cancelation fee.
The challenge I have and sounds like yours too. Is that I only have 2 PWs.. which limits my usage during the non-free period. You called it out. Must charge the battery to 100% to maximize if I'm expecting a rainy day after. You do it at 3am. I do it before sleep. Point is that we shouldn't need to do it all if possible. I wonder if there is an automation somehow that can get this done. Flip the grid charge. get to 100% .. then flip off.
DrewHou
Tesla S|3|Solar+PW
I added my powerwalls to Apple HomeKit via a 3rd party hub and still trying to figure this part out. Doesn’t seem to be a way to flip grid charge though that I’ve found. I’m still working on this part to figure it out.
I truly want two more PWs but I just can’t justify it…. Yet lol
Are you using Homebridge? If you figure out how to set up automation for grid charge, please let me know. I hope Tesla can native support this feature in the nearly future.
Similar threads
