watch your power meter after fitting a PW@

[JoeG57]

Hi Joe here from sunny Shellharbour south of Sydney.
We fitted a PW2 July this year and have found most days we have surplus power left in the battery.
We had not planned to fit a battery this year but were pushed by the drastic change lowering) in Feed in tarif.
our first bill after fitting showed a small purchase fall (winter so not unexpected)
our next bill saw a Massive bill as it seems the Line meter is reading the flow of power to and from the battery and (as i found out last night) even billing us for self consumption and Crediting generation overnight!
Our Solar/Battery installer is comming tomorrow to check the wiring (and correct any errors) as it would apear the Line meter CT's are fitted in the wrong place (significant changes were made with the PW2 instalation)
The installer has stated he will refund any costs due to the false readings.
For example overnight last night we were billed for 4kwh import and credited 4kwh export in the dark!
wilst totaly self consuming the battery.
Our electricity provider has agreed to put a stop on our account to allow the investigation and repair to occur
So hopefully this wll turn out a lesson and not a pain.
Lesson learned don't just look at the Tesla App and feel good also Take pics of your meter to prove it is wired up right

 

[Jjdsyd]

This is very troubling. But, how can you tell what you were billed for overnight? What provider is giving you that kind of granularity? Thanks in advance.

 

[paulp]

Hi Joe here from sunny Shellharbour south of Sydney.
We fitted a PW2 July this year and have found most days we have surplus power left in the battery.
We had not planned to fit a battery this year but were pushed by the drastic change lowering) in Feed in tarif.
our first bill after fitting showed a small purchase fall (winter so not unexpected)
our next bill saw a Massive bill as it seems the Line meter is reading the flow of power to and from the battery and (as i found out last night) even billing us for self consumption and Crediting generation overnight!
Our Solar/Battery installer is comming tomorrow to check the wiring (and correct any errors) as it would apear the Line meter CT's are fitted in the wrong place (significant changes were made with the PW2 instalation)
The installer has stated he will refund any costs due to the false readings.
For example overnight last night we were billed for 4kwh import and credited 4kwh export in the dark!
wilst totaly self consuming the battery.
Our electricity provider has agreed to put a stop on our account to allow the investigation and repair to occur
So hopefully this wll turn out a lesson and not a pain.
Lesson learned don't just look at the Tesla App and feel good also Take pics of your meter to prove it is wired up right

Are you signed up as part of a virtual power plant?

 

[JoeG57]

This is very troubling. But, how can you tell what you were billed for overnight? What provider is giving you that kind of granularity? Thanks in advance.

After getting the massive Bill I took pics of the Supply and export meter at sunset and sun rise whilst running on the PW2
Both meters indexed up by 4 kwh (which had been supplied by the PW2)

 

[JoeG57]

Are you signed up as part of a virtual power plant?

No just a normal Origin Solar maximiser customer

 

[JoeG57]

Pulled the main fuses last night Both meters stayed at current reading (elect comming today to investigate)
warmer night PW2 fell 60% all good
If I don't get reelution soon will pull fuses and stay off grid

 

[jgdc]

After getting the massive Bill I took pics of the Supply and export meter at sunset and sun rise whilst running on the PW2
Both meters indexed up by 4 kwh (which had been supplied by the PW2)

Is your supply 3 or single phase?

 

[JoeG57]

Interesting we have 3 phase supply but load only on 2
PW2 on main phase and only kitchen oven and Air con on other phase
My next plan is to pull 2nd phase fuse and run 24hr on main only to determin if the meter is cycling power between phases
No problems before we fitted the PW2
Time will tell
May be we will end up back on main phase only and leave other fuse outas we never go above 5kwh load

 

[jgdc]

Interesting we have 3 phase supply but load only on 2
PW2 on main phase and only kitchen oven and Air con on other phase
My next plan is to pull 2nd phase fuse and run 24hr on main only to determin if the meter is cycling power between phases
No problems before we fitted the PW2
Time will tell
May be we will end up back on main phase only and leave other fuse outas we never go above 5kwh load

I can't speak for your setup but I have 3 phase and how the system works in practice is exactly how you describe. If I was consuming 6kw evenly across the phases then 2 of them would be drawing a total of 4kw from the grid. The battery would then be powering the other phase with 6kw. 2kw for consumption and 4kw being exported. But the billing is net of this in real time. So, as far as the bill goes I am consuming nothing.

 

[paulp]

After getting the massive Bill I took pics of the Supply and export meter at sunset and sun rise whilst running on the PW2
Both meters indexed up by 4 kwh (which had been supplied by the PW2)

I had this same problem. Your pw2 should not be exporting if you are not on a virtual power plant. The only export that is possible is from your solar during the day. Fortunately I picked it up in the first couple of days. Tesla logged in and did something, and the problem no longer exists. You may have a different issue though, but if you simply call the tesla pw2 help line they will see if they can resolve it remotely for you. They have a lot of data available, way more than on your app.

 

[JoeG57]

I can't speak for your setup but I have 3 phase and how the system works in practice is exactly how you describe. If I was consuming 6kw evenly across the phases then 2 of them would be drawing a total of 4kw from the grid. The battery would then be powering the other phase with 6kw. 2kw for consumption and 4kw being exported. But the billing is net of this in real time. So, as far as the bill goes I am consuming nothing.

Hi JGDC
Yes that is how the system should work
Yhe installer has just left and after cross checking every CT and wire throughout the Tesla system he is 100% confident he is not at fault
(he installs both single phase and 3 phase units weekly averaging 40 per year)
so cntacted Origin and requested email notification of when the meter tester is sceduled
Time will tell

 

[JoeG57]

I had this same problem. Your pw2 should not be exporting if you are not on a virtual power plant. The only export that is possible is from your solar during the day. Fortunately I picked it up in the first couple of days. Tesla logged in and did something, and the problem no longer exists. You may have a different issue though, but if you simply call the tesla pw2 help line they will see if they can resolve it remotely for you. They have a lot of data available, way more than on your app.

Thanks PAULP
will try that as it is insane that the meter shows I exported 22kWh friday night whilst on a battery self discharge
sadly not on the old feed in tarif or would be happy!

 

[JoeG57]

So last night Main fuses pulled and meter dead so no change in totals
Tonight at sundown when on PW2 will pull phase 2 fuse (no issues as no night time load on this)
and see what the meter reads at sun rise
(this could turn out to be a long story)

 

[paulp]

Thanks PAULP
will try that as it is insane that the meter shows I exported 22kWh friday night whilst on a battery self discharge
sadly not on the old feed in tarif or would be happy!

I distinctly recall the problem as I was required to install a special (expensive) network protection unit to prevent battery exports, and all involved were a bit disturbed that exports from the battery were occuring.
Tesla battery technicians are based in Australia.....in Adelaide in fact.

 

[jgdc]

So last night Main fuses pulled and meter dead so no change in totals
Tonight at sundown when on PW2 will pull phase 2 fuse (no issues as no night time load on this)
and see what the meter reads at sun rise
(this could turn out to be a long story)

It sometimes turns out to be the dodgy new neighbours sneaking over to your fuse box with a 100 amp cable 'just to help power the lights' for their warehouse rave.

 

[JoeG57]

Last Night pulled 2nd Phase fuse - meter stayed on - No export over night but PW2 fell 40% and import whent up by 4kWh
so now set to 100% reserve and see what meter reads when PW2 back up only
Origin have no idea how long to test meter

 

[JoeG57]

I distinctly recall the problem as I was required to install a special (expensive) network protection unit to prevent battery exports, and all involved were a bit disturbed that exports from the battery were occuring.
Tesla battery technicians are based in Australia.....in Adelaide in fact.

I hear you but hard to export 22 kWh from a battery when it is feeding 4 kWh to house and all in the dark

 

[JoeG57]

It sometimes turns out to be the dodgy new neighbours sneaking over to your fuse box with a 100 amp cable 'just to help power the lights' for their warehouse rave.

Must have neen a quiet rave!

 

[JoeG57]

As Ned Kelly was Quoted as saying "such is life"

 

[paulp]

I hear you but hard to export 22 kWh from a battery when it is feeding 4 kWh to house and all in the dark

You are confusing your kwh and kw. The battery has a capacity of approx 14.5kwh. It has a maximum discharge of 5kw. Hence if you did say 4 hours of discharge thats 20kwh, but that exceeds the capacity so you’d also need some feed-in. The tesla system does feed-in at night from the grid if you set it to do so.

I’d be calling tesla. It free. Its easy, and the chances of it being your retailer meter are incredibly slim, especially when you consider it happened when you installed the battery.

i had another problem recently where the system ignored my solar and fluctuated the grid import to meet the house. I called tesla. They did something remotely, and suggested the problem wont re-occur.