Your system and usage mirror ours almost exactly. We are getting ready to add 2 PW2s to our Enphase PV system with micro Inverters. I wanted PW3s but was told they are not compatible with my AC-coupled Enphase system and we don't want to wait for that capability to materialize. Our grid is very stable here in southern IL, have gas heat/range and a fireplace. Our home is a 5-year-old high-efficiency small home and my math indicates 27 kWh of ESS should be more than enough even during an outage when the sun isn't out much. Our estimated cost for 2 PW2s is just at $16K after all credit/incentives. Great info and answers all my questions. Thanks
Just got a 20.5kW + 2 Powerwall 2 system installed and now waiting for permit to operate. I had no idea this even existed. Going to set it up once our system gets turned on. Thank you!
You should be able to operate your system before PTO and it'll just keep all your production behind the meter! Charge on solar is ideal for that kind of situation actually. Or is your utility forcing you to keep it off?
For the most part it's a sale pitch, yep. If you keep them long enough and they reach their payoff period (for us with expensive electricity rates it's only 5 years) the system will be "free" after that. You'll get the 30% federal credit, then a little extra if you can do VPP events...so it all helps. But realistically nothing will be completely free...
No, I just plug my Tesla in when I want to charge it. Since I drive to my shop pretty much every day and plug in when I get to around 30% - 40%, automation is not needed. My car will charge up usually by 3pm easily, and then the inverter goes dormant unless my batteries need toping off from the night before.
Always great content. Pretty sure you can get gas on good burritos as well (jk). Can you please include some of your utility company's rate plan (off-peak, mid-peak, peak, etc.)? Also are you able to analyze the cost difference from off-peak, mid-peak, and peak using the Tesla App? Finally, it would be interesting to see if the Powerwall return on energy cost for the 4pm to 9pm peak times is returning a greater value on average than the solar panels. Note: Here in So. Cal. for SCE, the 4pm to 9pm is the mid-peak for the winter period and peak for summer. Summer SCE Rates On-Peak (Weekdays Only) 4pm - 9pm 61¢ Mid-Peak (Weekends Only) 4pm - 9pm 49¢ Off-Peak 12am - 4pm 9pm - 12am 38¢
Haha! My brother made the same comment about the burritos!! I'll include our rate plan in the April update! We are on PG&E's E-TOU-D plan. Tesla doesn't break anything down in terms of cost savings during rate periods unless it's vehicle specific charging data. I'd have to figure out a way to compile the data for those periods...I'll try to do my best at some point but I can't guarantee it :)
I run my system in self powered all year. I adjust my backup level only. Usually run 100% self powered 0% backup from about March to October, then switch it to 60% backup 40% self powered when the solar production is too low to refill my daily use from the Powerwalls. We have east facing panels and crazy high peak rates so the 60/40 split allows me to avoid peak rates and still have a backup in case of an outage. We get charged non-bypassable charges of about a nickel per kWh even though we're net exporters, so I keep it in self powered to avoid those fees as much as possible.
Do you know if you have two Teslas and two Tesla wall chargers would charge on sunshine work via the load sharing? One of the best videos I’ve seen on load sharing was from Derik on RUclips but that was years ago.
At this point unfortunately Charge on Solar only works with one vehicle at a time. Pretty sure you could have the one running with regular charging settings, and the other using Charge on Solar and that would adjust via load sharing if draw was too great for the circuit
Your system and usage mirror ours almost exactly. We are getting ready to add 2 PW2s to our Enphase PV system with micro Inverters. I wanted PW3s but was told they are not compatible with my AC-coupled Enphase system and we don't want to wait for that capability to materialize. Our grid is very stable here in southern IL, have gas heat/range and a fireplace. Our home is a 5-year-old high-efficiency small home and my math indicates 27 kWh of ESS should be more than enough even during an outage when the sun isn't out much. Our estimated cost for 2 PW2s is just at $16K after all credit/incentives. Great info and answers all my questions. Thanks
Just got a 20.5kW + 2 Powerwall 2 system installed and now waiting for permit to operate. I had no idea this even existed. Going to set it up once our system gets turned on. Thank you!
You should be able to operate your system before PTO and it'll just keep all your production behind the meter! Charge on solar is ideal for that kind of situation actually. Or is your utility forcing you to keep it off?
Thanks for the updates. Should be installing 15kW, 4 PW3 soon.
That's going to be a monster system! Congrats!
I wish there was a toggle to prioritize the powerwalls over the car or the the other way around.
Agreed! I really don't understand why they don't allow you to set Charge on Solar to start after the Powerwalls reach a set percentage
I keep seeing "free" power walls and solar panels on the ads here and on TV. I'm guessing that is just a sales pitch.
Yes
But there is a 30% tax credit if you pay enough in federal taxes to take advantage. You can take it (split it) over two tax years which is nice
For the most part it's a sale pitch, yep. If you keep them long enough and they reach their payoff period (for us with expensive electricity rates it's only 5 years) the system will be "free" after that.
You'll get the 30% federal credit, then a little extra if you can do VPP events...so it all helps.
But realistically nothing will be completely free...
Nice setup. Recommend adding a Chargehanger...
Thanks! I'll take a look
1043 for us in Mar…Your still up 2-1! Love the charge on solar too.
How big is your array and where are ya located?
12kW. Mid Atlantic ….East West setup max production is 8kW. 2 powerwalls
I charge 100% off solar also but installed my own system, not a Tesla system.
Awesome! Do you use automation to control the charging at all?
No, I just plug my Tesla in when I want to charge it. Since I drive to my shop pretty much every day and plug in when I get to around 30% - 40%, automation is not needed. My car will charge up usually by 3pm easily, and then the inverter goes dormant unless my batteries need toping off from the night before.
Always great content. Pretty sure you can get gas on good burritos as well (jk). Can you please include some of your utility company's rate plan (off-peak, mid-peak, peak, etc.)? Also are you able to analyze the cost difference from off-peak, mid-peak, and peak using the Tesla App? Finally, it would be interesting to see if the Powerwall return on energy cost for the 4pm to 9pm peak times is returning a greater value on average than the solar panels. Note: Here in So. Cal. for SCE, the 4pm to 9pm is the mid-peak for the winter period and peak for summer.
Summer SCE Rates
On-Peak
(Weekdays Only)
4pm - 9pm
61¢
Mid-Peak
(Weekends Only)
4pm - 9pm
49¢
Off-Peak
12am - 4pm
9pm - 12am
38¢
Haha! My brother made the same comment about the burritos!!
I'll include our rate plan in the April update! We are on PG&E's E-TOU-D plan.
Tesla doesn't break anything down in terms of cost savings during rate periods unless it's vehicle specific charging data. I'd have to figure out a way to compile the data for those periods...I'll try to do my best at some point but I can't guarantee it :)
Hey! Thanks for sharing your experience. Wanted to ask which powerwall setting do you prefer: Full self powered, or time based control?
I run my system in self powered all year. I adjust my backup level only. Usually run 100% self powered 0% backup from about March to October, then switch it to 60% backup 40% self powered when the solar production is too low to refill my daily use from the Powerwalls. We have east facing panels and crazy high peak rates so the 60/40 split allows me to avoid peak rates and still have a backup in case of an outage.
We get charged non-bypassable charges of about a nickel per kWh even though we're net exporters, so I keep it in self powered to avoid those fees as much as possible.
Do you know if you have two Teslas and two Tesla wall chargers would charge on sunshine work via the load sharing? One of the best videos I’ve seen on load sharing was from Derik on RUclips but that was years ago.
At this point unfortunately Charge on Solar only works with one vehicle at a time. Pretty sure you could have the one running with regular charging settings, and the other using Charge on Solar and that would adjust via load sharing if draw was too great for the circuit