Tesla Unveils New Tesla Brand Solar Inverter

[pdx_m3s]

I'm just curious, if the inverter label says Maximum Continuous Output (AC) 7.6 kW: 32A | 3.8 kW: 16A and the solar roof breaker is 40A, does it mean I have a 7.6 kW inverter or it means nothing?

Max continuous output in amps multiplied by 240 volts gives you your inverter size (power) in kW. So 32*240 = 7.68kW.

You need a 40 amp breaker as you can only feed an 80% continuous load through a circuit (40 * 80% is 32). Same reason you need a 60 amp breaker for a 48 amp continuous draw from a Tesla Wall Connector.

 

[wwhitney]

While a 3.8 kW and 7.6 kW units might share some labeling, one would expect an inverter unit to have an additional label clarifying if it's the 3.8 kW model or the 7.6 kW model. The breaker size strongly suggests the 7.6 kW model, but it's certainly possible that the wrong inverter got installed. Do you have monitoring, and does it show production exceeding 3.8 kW?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[robmich]

While a 3.8 kW and 7.6 kW units might share some labeling, one would expect an inverter unit to have an additional label clarifying if it's the 3.8 kW model or the 7.6 kW model. The breaker size strongly suggests the 7.6 kW model, but it's certainly possible that the wrong inverter got installed. Do you have monitoring, and does it show production exceeding 3.8 kW?

Cheers, Wayne

Just had my 12.4 system installed and have two of the Tesla inverters, one of each size. There are definite differences inside, size of wire, amount of connections, etc. They have two strings going into 7.6 and one string into the 3.8. They are pretty cool, water cooled, radiator and fan. I have hard wired them to my ethernet with no issue and while I am still waiting for PTO, I have "tested" the system and today on a nice sunny day, was generating 10.5 at high noon.. I am still trying to find out what I will be able to see stat wise when I connect to them.

So far so good...

 

[SaveOurPlanet]

That’s the thing, they never told me anything, must be in a hurry to another site. The PW guys showed me everything to charge up the batteries and how to shutdown, but no one showed me how to turn on the solar. I assume it is done because only a few guys came back to pick up their tools and ladders. Would it hurt if I just flip the breakers and disconnect to check?

 

[winfield100]

That’s the thing, they never told me anything, must be in a hurry to another site. The PW guys showed me everything to charge up the batteries and how to shutdown, but no one showed me how to turn on the solar. I assume it is done because only a few guys came back to pick up their tools and ladders. Would it hurt if I just flip the breakers and disconnect to check?

take initial pictures of the readings on the meters, just a suggestion
keep a spreadsheet for awhile
my system had a non-ratcheting meter that would spin in either direction on a 1:1 ratio
it got replaced by a meter where i sell excess at wholesale in the day and buy back at retail at night when i got my PTO

 

[socbrian]

Just had my 12.4 system installed and have two of the Tesla inverters, one of each size. There are definite differences inside, size of wire, amount of connections, etc. They have two strings going into 7.6 and one string into the 3.8. They are pretty cool, water cooled, radiator and fan. I have hard wired them to my ethernet with no issue and while I am still waiting for PTO, I have "tested" the system and today on a nice sunny day, was generating 10.5 at high noon.. I am still trying to find out what I will be able to see stat wise when I connect to them.

So far so good...

Did you enable the ethernet or tesla tech? I wired mine after my guys left and the webiu says ethernet not supported.

 

[beck.christopher]

Ethernet also shows not supported when mine was wired up. Electrician and QA folks on site said it needs a firmware update for Ethernet support to be added. I have it hooked up to wifi for now until Ethernet support is added. The backup gateway is also wired using Ethernet and that is working fine.

 

[robmich]

Ethernet also shows not supported when mine was wired up. Electrician and QA folks on site said it needs a firmware update for Ethernet support to be added. I have it hooked up to wifi for now until Ethernet support is added. The backup gateway is also wired using Ethernet and that is working fine.

I will have to jump into the UI. I had assumed it was working as I saw a light on my switch but I did not go into the router to confirm. Is there another UI available other than where you shutdown/startup the inverter and connect to it's wap? That UI is a bit limited and it is a pain to access.

 

[jhn_]

The UI from the local WAP is the only place other than the API to see which interfaces are connected.
Your switch light on the port connect to the inverter via Ethernet is a link light. It will illuminate if there is a good physical link with Ethernet controllers on each end. That doesn’t mean that Tesla has the inverter using the Ethernet port through software yet or that the Ethernet port is configured in a way to make it operable (ie - DHCP).

 

[robmich]

Is there an API available for the new Tesla Inverter?

Rob

 

[Uncle Paul]

Tesla is coming out tomorrow to replace (again) my Solar Edge inverter. First two failed immediately. Hope this 3rd one works System installed early January. Not yet functional.

 

[jhn_]

Is there an API available for the new Tesla Inverter?

Sorry I misspoke there a bit as I have only the gateway but not the inverter. I was referencing my gateway setup. That’s a really good question about API access to the inverter, and I have not yet seen an answer to it.

 

[robmich]

Question, I ordered PW's but I would imagine they are still a few months out. When Tesla installed my panels, I have a PowerBlaster and one of the little gateways. Since I have 2 inverters, do I need two of the gateways? The tesla app is pretty much half of what Sense is showing...

 

[h2ofun]

Question, I ordered PW's but I would imagine they are still a few months out. When Tesla installed my panels, I have a PowerBlaster and one of the little gateways. Since I have 2 inverters, do I need two of the gateways? The tesla app is pretty much half of what Sense is showing...

I believe you only need 1 gateway. I can handle lots of generation inputs

 

[SMAlset]

Tesla is coming out tomorrow to replace (again) my Solar Edge inverter. First two failed immediately. Hope this 3rd one works System installed early January. Not yet functional.

I know there were reports of the older screen display model having issues but not so much recent updated versions. The fact you have had two fail like that makes me wonder if something else in your system set up could be causing it and not necessarily related to SE equipment. We have a SE 7600 unit and it’s been working fine since PTO back in October. Hope your up and running shortly.

 

[MCNE]

I had my system finished about a week ago so I’m still waiting on CPS energy to give use permission to operate. I can’t test the system because the solar production meter is missing. I guess CPS will install that when the change out the main meter. I do have two of the new Tesla inverters and they installed a powerblaster device in my panel. They however stated it wasn’t working properly with the two inverters. Would be nice if that functionality was provided by the inverters. Also it appeared that the Ethernet and WiFi work in my devices. So I’m not sure what’s going to what when the system is turned on. We shall see.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

I had my system finished about a week ago so I’m still waiting on CPS energy to give use permission to operate. I can’t test the system because the solar production meter is missing. I guess CPS will install that when the change out the main meter. I do have two of the new Tesla inverters and they installed a powerblaster device in my panel. They however stated it wasn’t working properly with the two inverters. Would be nice if that functionality was provided by the inverters. Also it appeared that the Ethernet and WiFi work in my devices. So I’m not sure what’s going to what when the system is turned on. We shall see.

Are you sure you need a solar production meter to test your system? When we were waiting 6+ weeks for permission to operate, we didn't have any meters installed (grid usage or solar production). Since there were no meters, we didn't have to worry about solar production incorrectly being recorded as grid usage and our system worked just fine whenever we "tested" it out.

Anyhow, you could probably test your system but if you still have the main meter installed, you probably wouldn't want to test very long.

 

[MCNE]

Are you sure you need a solar production meter to test your system? When we were waiting 6+ weeks for permission to operate, we didn't have any meters installed (grid usage or solar production). Since there were no meters, we didn't have to worry about solar production incorrectly being recorded as grid usage and our system worked just fine whenever we "tested" it out.

Anyhow, you could probably test your system but if you still have the main meter installed, you probably wouldn't want to test very long.

There’s no power so I’m not sure how that would happen. I did hit the breakers and switch and sure enough...nothing. Tesla removed the continuity bar they had in the meter space to prevent powering up. That’s what they were using to test with.

 

[aswami]

Just had my 12.4 system installed and have two of the Tesla inverters, one of each size. There are definite differences inside, size of wire, amount of connections, etc. They have two strings going into 7.6 and one string into the 3.8. They are pretty cool, water cooled, radiator and fan. I have hard wired them to my ethernet with no issue and while I am still waiting for PTO, I have "tested" the system and today on a nice sunny day, was generating 10.5 at high noon.. I am still trying to find out what I will be able to see stat wise when I connect to them.

So far so good...

Did you have to do anything specific to turn on the Tesla inverter? I am waiting for PTO and I can't see my inverter turn on at all. The greenlight simply does not come on. Contacted Tesla support, and the person I spoke to would not help me one way or the other since I did not have PTO. I told her that I just want to test the system, and I suspect something wrong with my inverter or the way it is setup. But she just kept telling me to call back after I got PTO.

 

[aswami]

I had my system finished about a week ago so I’m still waiting on CPS energy to give use permission to operate. I can’t test the system because the solar production meter is missing. I guess CPS will install that when the change out the main meter. I do have two of the new Tesla inverters and they installed a powerblaster device in my panel. They however stated it wasn’t working properly with the two inverters. Would be nice if that functionality was provided by the inverters. Also it appeared that the Ethernet and WiFi work in my devices. So I’m not sure what’s going to what when the system is turned on. We shall see.

Do you see your Tesla inverters turn on with the greenlight flashing? I am waiting for PTO also, and my inverter does not seem to be working at all. Not sure if this is normal before PTO.