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Tesla: we need more control over our PowerWalls
- Thread starter Ulmo
- Start date
Yes, when I have tried to use time-based control mode this does seem to be what the Tesla algorithm does. One sunny day, and then the darn thing won't charge from grid until 3 days later. This is useless in the UK, since my solar generation can vary by 15kWh from one day to the next.
I don't think Tesla are worried about Powerwall sales at the moment, perhaps they would care more about the brand name? For me "Tesla" is now associated with poorly designed software, not a company I would depend on to get me safely into space or control my car using AI etc. But I don't want to harm their business, I just want to be able to communicate the problem to them and have them solve it.
The solution is so simple too - add one new parameter (to the API for the app for UI too) "off-peak reserve percentage" and adjust the firmware to charge the Powerwall from grid to that reserve level in any off-peak period. Users that want to then just adjust that percentage based on local knowledge e.g. set low when sunny day is anticipated or higher in winter or fog etc. Users that don't want to bother can just leave it to the current "best of last 3 days" time-based approach.
So please anyone, how can we get in direct contact with the Tesla team that write the firmware and get this fixed????
I’m on iOS but the only change appears to be the version number. I’m trying at the moment to set up a raspberry pi so that I can automate goi g to backup mode during off peak times.
Heidi who? I’m going to start to contact Tesla on this as the more pressure we can put on them to address this the better.
Heidi who answers the phone if you ring the Tesla helpline. I think she's in Holland probably, but it's the UK number. She also answered my email about it, and was very helpful on the phone over a smart meter problem we have (power leaking back to the grid at all times, about 60W, apparently down to Landis and Gyr meters).
She suggested I let the TBC system learn my habits, but it's pointless as John and others on here have been doing that for the last three years with absolutely no improvement....
She suggested I let the TBC system learn my habits, but it's pointless as John and others on here have been doing that for the last three years with absolutely no improvement....
I’ve implemented a manual work around on an old pi zero today from Git and yotube that manually switches between Tou and backup during my off peak period. A simple Cron schedule
Runs it . I’ll. See how that works tonight and report back.
I’ve also submitted a ticket to Tesla to ask that they look into giving a bit more control but as other people have said Im not hopeful that they will take any notice
Runs it . I’ll. See how that works tonight and report back.
I’ve also submitted a ticket to Tesla to ask that they look into giving a bit more control but as other people have said Im not hopeful that they will take any notice
Of course.
This is the link:
It’s actually very simple and these instructions are pretty good and even show how to set up the pi. I set up a pi zero in “headless” mode rather than 3/4 because it’s really really cheap (less than £10) and I had one in the cupboard, a 3 is about £35 if you have a keyboard and mouse already.
The only advice I’ve got is that it needs an account setting up to solve the Tesla Captura challenge and you need to put a £3 credit on this account which is not in the instructions on YouTube.
I’ve set up a really Simple CRON job (also in the instructions ) to match octopus go so I can share this if you want.
BTW it worked last night charging from zero to full in my off peak period at a rate of 3.4kw .
Interesting, my approach using scripts on RPi and self-powered mode is only giving 1.7kW charge rate and I had not come across GilbertSolar. At a glance at the code it looks like it only changes backup reserve percentage while staying in current mode. What mode you are running in @Gdotp time-based control or self powered? The app will show which mode is currently selected.
Also I wonder what setting backup reserve percentage to less than 100% but more than currently stored does while in time-based control mode? I'm half remembering it does nothing and thinking "100%" is a magic number.
I so wish there were common terms!
time-based control mode (app) = "autonomous" (API)
self-powered mode (app) = "self_consumption" (API)
EDIT: Ah ha the GilbertSolar script uses "tou" and "backup" as parameters meaning 0% or 100%
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Thanks Gdotp. I'll have a proper watch of it and come back to you, but yes I suspect that anything (like the CRON) that makes life easier for the person I have in mind to set this up for me would be welcome.
Please give me a few hours to watch the video and I'll come back after that.
Much appreciated!
Please give me a few hours to watch the video and I'll come back after that.
Much appreciated!
Having watched the video up to where he starts copying files (whose origin he doesn't explain) it then went way over my head. I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to do this even with help!
(Laters - ah, I realise that the files whose origin I couldn't work out are in fact available via a link below the video - dohhhh!)
(Laters - ah, I realise that the files whose origin I couldn't work out are in fact available via a link below the video - dohhhh!)
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@Gdotp I am also wondering if your experience of changing from zero to full in the off peak period at a rate of 3.4kw was a fluke. The scripts you use were written to prevent the Powerwall from discharging, and so the fact it charged and the rate could be because the Tesla algorithm decided from previous days data to do that last night. I am assuming you are in time-based control mode. Could you report on how things go on subsequent nights, especially if you get some solar some days. I hope it all works out.
I also wonder if charge rate behaviour depends on firmware version, could you say what version you are on now?
I also wonder if charge rate behaviour depends on firmware version, could you say what version you are on now?
I’ve been using time based control as the default so this solution works well as it simply switches the power reserve level from 0 to 100 and back. Doing this charged at full rate last night so it was more than enough to to fill it in the 4 hour slot. I also like it as it’s controlled with CRON so it will enable me to tinker with the schedule. So far so good.
I hope not! It did start charging the second the script ran and when I tested it earlier in the day it started immediately and stopped immediately so I’m hopeful. I’ll report back on tne next few days of usage.@Gdotp I am also wondering if your experience of changing from zero to full in the off peak period at a rate of 3.4kw was a fluke. The scripts you use were written to prevent the Powerwall from discharging, and so the fact it charged and the rate could be because the Tesla algorithm decided from previous days data to do that last night. I am assuming you are in time-based control mode. Could you report on how things go on subsequent nights, especially if you get some solar some days. I hope it all works out.
I also wonder if charge rate behaviour depends on firmware version, could you say what version you are on now?
I’m on 21.35.0.
Thanks @Gdotp, same firmware version here, I look forwards to hearing your experiences with interest.
I notice your screenshot (that found its way into my post quote) even shows it charged at 5kW for some of the time. I guess to get to 100% from 0% in 4 hours and "autonomous"/time-based manages the rate.
It is just that the FAQ says about forcing it to charge:
"However, should you have a specific need for more energy in the battery due to an event that could not easily be anticipated and is very much out of the ordinary for your home, it is entirely possible to switch to Self-Powered Mode and set the desired backup percentage."
Why does it say to use self-powered mode ("self_consumption") if just changing backup reserve percentage is sufficient? Does it mean time-based mode might do something else sometimes?
Shame Tesla are not prepared to be more transparent about what their firmware does, document the API and release logs fully, and implement some simple owner control over charging off-peak. I want too much!
@ xWren - I have much the same experience. I'm hoping to go down the Raspberry Pi route, but in the meantime I'm controlling everything by waking up at night and fiddling with the app.
In self-powered mode it charges at 1.7 kW, however for the last two nights using TBC mode it did what Gdotp's does, and charged at 5.0 kW for about an hour and a half, then dropped to 3 kW for a few minutes before stopping when fully charged. I thought that 5 kW shortened the life of the battery and was only used exceptionally.....
In self-powered mode it charges at 1.7 kW, however for the last two nights using TBC mode it did what Gdotp's does, and charged at 5.0 kW for about an hour and a half, then dropped to 3 kW for a few minutes before stopping when fully charged. I thought that 5 kW shortened the life of the battery and was only used exceptionally.....
Good to know @mw963 . Out of interest how low was the battery when you started charging? Did it have more off-peak time than it used, or was that higher charge rate the only way to get to the backup reserve percentage that you set in the cheap energy time period?
As for shortening battery life at 5kW rate I understand your concerns since the Tesla FAQ does say:
"The most efficient charging rate for the Powerwall is 3.3 kW. It will therefore charge at that rate when charging from the grid. This will keep battery degradation to a minimum. "
The implication is that any other rate than 3.3kW (e.g. higher or lower) will be inefficient and cause more degradation. Need someone with technical knowledge to confirm if that really is the case or perhaps this is just badly written.
Last night it was at about 40% in the early hours. Leaving it on TBC it didn't start charging at the start of cheap rate (in my case 01.30 - 06.30). At 02.30 I slid the reserve charge level to 95% and off it went, briefly at 1.7 kW and then the full 5.0. I think it could have got up to a high charge level at a rate of 3.6 kW, but it seems not to do that. One night (as I think I related upthread) I'd set it on TBC 80%, it went to 100% by 05.00, then stupidly decided to try and run the immersion heater and dishwasher (total 5.7 kW) when they came on at 05.15, instead of staying charged and letting the grid take the strain.
Heidi tells me via email that 5 kW charging rate does no harm, but seems excessive to me if it's not necessary. And it's so idiotic that the charge rate is hobbled at 1.7 kW when in self-power mode.
Heidi tells me via email that 5 kW charging rate does no harm, but seems excessive to me if it's not necessary. And it's so idiotic that the charge rate is hobbled at 1.7 kW when in self-power mode.
