Home solar and powershare

[hemiarch]

There is Tesla as installer versus Tesla as equipment supplier. They are using a local installer who may have the parts on hand and a short turn around time.

I knew for sure I wanted a tesla system. I was just very unimpressed with them as an installer after months of confidence shaking interactions so I went with the most reputable large local company. If I have issues they are at my house the next morning. Tested that theory already a couple of times. No way that happens with Tesla . Equipment is still under Tesla warranty and installed by a Tesla authorized company.
There was a significant fuckup that happened. I was out of town the night before the install and had a flight cancel so they started without me at home. When I got there, all the mounts were drilled into the wrong side to the roof. I was pissed when I climbed up on the roof waving the plans at them like a war flag. Lol.
But they made it right. They redid the whole roof not on my dime and then reinstalled the mounts and even gave me a discount for my trouble.
It did take some rage calls to make that happen, but those would have been completely ineffective with Tesla.
I’d do it the same way again if given the choice.

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[StainlessVoyager]

Guys my solar installation is coming up in a couple days. I wanted to check if anyone knows about the powerwall3 update. Currently I am thinking to tell the installers to just remove PowerShare and do a clean PW install and solar and wait for Tesla to give us the ability to use the truck with PW.

 

[txtravwill]

Guys my solar installation is coming up in a couple days. I wanted to check if anyone knows about the powerwall3 update. Currently I am thinking to tell the installers to just remove PowerShare and do a clean PW install and solar and wait for Tesla to give us the ability to use the truck with PW.

No updates but still says "later in 2025" for software release. Of course it was once Spring 2024 even. We've been waiting.

You should be ok, just as long as they don't give up fully (which always is a chance of).

 

[StainlessVoyager]

True. What do you think I should do with the PS gateway. Try to sell it? Put it in storage. My installer was telling me he thinks he can wire it to feed Powerwallls first but I think it’s just a big complication that he thinks he can do and not needed

 

[mstatkus]

I'd check I think there is a % chance the Powerwall 3's use the Gateway 3. Since you already have one, unknown if they'd just opt to not connect the firmware (V2H) - also possible the 3V is Powershare so possibly SOL until they patch the firmware for wider support with the Powerwalls. That kinda sucks.

 

[mongo]

True. What do you think I should do with the PS gateway. Try to sell it? Put it in storage. My installer was telling me he thinks he can wire it to feed Powerwallls first but I think it’s just a big complication that he thinks he can do and not needed

Powerwall install requires removing the 3V Gateway (Unless Powershare is secondary backup, but then you wouldn't get Cybertruck helping the Powerwalls unless you re-wire the UWC)
Could sell to someone doing Powershare or donate it for a tear down video.
Can also use it as a fancy looking subpanel.

 

[mongo]

I'd check I think there is a % chance the Powerwall 3's use the Gateway 3. Since you already have one, unknown if they'd just opt to not connect the firmware (V2H) - also possible the 3V is Powershare so possibly SOL until they patch the firmware for wider support with the Powerwalls. That kinda sucks.

The installation instructions required removal of the 3V. I think the issue is it has a different isolation switch that brings in the neutral forming transformer and Powerwall Gateway doesn't do/ have that.

 

[StainlessVoyager]

Ok guys I need some help. Install guys are here. They said they plan to keep the PowerShare gateway and let’s say use it as a sub panel and they say if powerwalls are drained I could use the truck to back up this su panel. They are going to use a meter collar instead of a gateway. He said you already have PS gateway why remove it. We are bypassing it upstream. I don’t know what to tell him. It’s not exactly what I expected but I need to know what’s up. Help me out if you can. Now I am thinking this this Tesla backup switch vs gateway. Seems like I am getting a cheaper option. Not sure if I should push for a gateway. Help me out

 

[mongo]

Ok guys I need some help. Install guys are here. They said they plan to keep the PowerShare gateway and let’s say use it as a sub panel and they say if powerwalls are drained I could use the truck to back up this su panel. They are going to use a meter collar instead of a gateway. He said you already have PS gateway why remove it. We are bypassing it upstream. I don’t know what to tell him. It’s not exactly what I expected but I need to know what’s up. Help me out if you can. Now I am thinking this this Tesla backup switch vs gateway. Seems like I am getting a cheaper option. Not sure if I should push for a gateway. Help me out

That should be fine. The meter mounted backup switch connects to the Powerwall and handles isolation .
The Gateway 3V eithet gets its communication lines disconnected and becomes a dumb panel or stays connected to allow Powershare when Powerwalls are drained.
When the new software is released, the gateway comms would get disconnected for Powerwall + Powershare.

 

[StainlessVoyager]

When the new software is released. Would it only work with the gateway 3 or with the Tesla transfer switch as well? Do we know?

 

[mongo]

When the new software is released. Would it only work with the gateway 3 or with the Tesla transfer switch as well? Do we know?

It would be for Powerwalls with Gateway (not 3V) or Backup Switch and any Wall Connector on the backed up side of things.

 

[StainlessVoyager]

The guys are done. But now I have the issue where I have two homes. One old one that I had from PowerShare setup and new one with solar. When I plug in the car old one shows the car plugged in but new one doesn’t. Old one doesn’t show solar panels on the roof.
New one shows panels on the roof but no car plugged in.

Has anyone dealt with this before? Is that something they need to fix or it’s on Tesla end

 

[mongo]

The guys are done. But now I have the issue where I have two homes. One old one that I had from PowerShare setup and new one with solar. When I plug in the car old one shows the car plugged in but new one doesn’t. Old one doesn’t show solar panels on the roof.
New one shows panels on the roof but no car plugged in.

Has anyone dealt with this before? Is that something they need to fix or it’s on Tesla end

This is expected based on the installation.
Eventually, when Tesla releases the Powershare with Powerwall software, the Powershare communication lines will be disconnected from the UWC. Then the Powershare Home will get deleted (or at least the UWC removed ) and the UWC will get added to the home with Powerwall.

This could be done now, but you would lose the ability to run anything from Cybertruck via Powershare .

 

[StainlessVoyager]

This is expected based on the installation.
Eventually, when Tesla releases the Powershare with Powerwall software, the Powershare communication lines will be disconnected from the UWC. Then the Powershare Home will get deleted (or at least the UWC removed ) and the UWC will get added to the home with Powerwall.

This could be done now, but you would lose the ability to run anything from Cybertruck via Powershare .

Thanks, this makes sense. Only thing I think I am missing is charge on solar. Or at least I can’t find it in the app or car. I think it’s connected to the set up

 

[TyPope]

When it comes Powerwalls and PowerShare, life would be good with one or the other, and having both is definitely way overkill, at least for emergency backup. If you need Powerwalls because Net Metering isn’t available in your area (so that you can save solar power for when the sun isn’t shining or peak times so as not to overpay the utility), then you almost certainly don’t need PowerShare for backup.
Conversely, if you have PowerShare and solar, you definitely don’t need Powerwalls for back up…. (I have PowerShare and solar, and Net Metering.)

I have powershare. Wish I had Powerwalls because powershare won't run either heat pump on the house (we have 2). So, it basically runs some lights, the 220v water pump, oven, and microwave. It can get hot/cold in the house here. It'd be nice to have enough amperage to run the heatpumps but I am told the powershare can't provide that much power for compressor startup. Sigh. Next house, for sure.

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