Cutting Out The Fat Middleman (Qmerit) From Easy Powershare Installs

[kappaknight]

I have solar, but no batteries currently. Is it still worth it to add a Powerwall or two on top of the CT's batteries? Would doing to allow the grid to battery transition be more seamless?

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[Fabville]

Qmerit quoted me 11,000 to do my install. My current charger is 2 feet from my panel. Plenty of room for the PowerShare box as well. Absolutely insane. I am an electrician and that job is maybe 2-3k.

$11K definitely sounds like another extreme example of price gouging.

 

[Fabville]

Well qmerit quoted me 7900 for my install. Includes replacing current charger. Should I just do it? I don't know what other options I have.

Depending on your area, you can decline the quote and QMerit will assign another electrician to quote. I went outside of QMerit (poor customer experience) and contacted certified electricians on Tesla’s site. Still waiting for the PowerShare to go live though, my electrician is reaching back out to Tesla soon for troubleshooting.

 

[Fabville]

I thought there was a "poor man's" version of a Powershare wherein they would simply have a panel or device that-- in an emergency-- could plug into the Cybertruck's 220 volt outlet in the bed without the need for a Powershare unit at all. Maybe some MacGyver can chime in if that's even a possibility.

you can look at having a 50 amp manual transfer switch installed to run off the 220v in the bed. Same hardware that can be used with a 50amp generator. I was considering going that route at one point.

 

[bigmoose70]

I wish I had seen this picture before my install. Mine was installed outside and I ended up rebuilding my entire WiFi LAN just so it could get WiFi. That last brick wall was had to get past. I wonder why they put mine outside. ?‍

Has to be near your panel.

 

[Fabville]

Has to be near your panel.

I had a couple electricians insist mine would have to be installed outside. Went with one who actually recommended installing it inside (which is what I wanted anyways). Some might be lazy and looking to install whatever they think will be the easiest for them. Quotes I received were between $3,800-$6,900.

 

[stevehudd]

I went ahead and rejected the quote. I think it is interesting they don’t even ask you for feedback at all. They automatically switch to finding a different electrician.

 

[YukonJack]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share my recent experience with setting up a charging solution for my Cybertruck and how I navigated the process of choosing between a Qmerit installation and a generator cutover setup. It’s been a learning journey, and I hope this helps others decide how to navigate this.

I initially went down the Qmerit route to get my charging system installed. I was quoted over $14,000 by a 3rd party they work with. The proposal included a PowerShare and a full install package, but honestly, the price was outrageous. After researching a bit more, I decided to explore other options, including a generator cutover solution as described in some threads here.

Here’s why I pivoted away from the Qmerit option:

1. Cost: The Qmerit quote was over $14K, while my local electrician quoted me $2K for the entire job. This included the installation of the wall connector in an external garage.
2. Value: While I like the idea of a PowerShare system, it seemed unnecessary for my needs, especially at that price. A manual generator cutover offers more long-term value to my home. If I decide to move, I don't lose the PowerShare device, which would stay with the property. I suppose you could have it removed but you likely would need to put the generator cutover in its place since all the work is done already.
3. Emergency Setup: In an emergency, I don’t need an automatic cutover that kicks in within 2 seconds. I just want to power critical circuits until the grid power is restored—things like the refrigerator, lights, internet, hot water, and kitchen outlets. That’s exactly what I did: had 8 critical circuits diverted from the main panel to the cutover box.

Here’s what I ended up doing:

• My electrician installed a cutover box that’s set up for an L14-30P generator cable. This allows me to connect a generator manually to power the essentials. I had this put outside so that I can run the generator as far away from the house as possible to mitigate noise and CO2.
• Since the Cybertruck has a different connector, you’ll need to get an L14-50 to L14-30 adapter cable created to go from the Cybertruck to the generator inlet.

This setup has already paid off. We’ve been without power since last Friday when Hurricane Helene knocked down power lines and poles in my area. The infrastructure damage means we’ll probably be without power for the rest of the week, but thanks to this generator cutover, I’ve been able to keep essential systems running smoothly.

It's running between 0.8KW and 1.2KW and that drops battery range about 10% per day. I topped it off yesterday and drove 26 miles to find a Supercharge in operation. No lines. But I did pass several gas stations with lines - only a few had power to pump.

In summary, while the PowerShare system might sound appealing for some, the generator cutover was a much better and more affordable solution for my situation. I’d encourage anyone in a similar position to consider it!

Hope this helps someone else.

Cheers!

 

[mongo]

• My electrician installed a cutover box that’s set up for an L14-30P generator cable. This allows me to connect a generator manually to power the essentials. I had this put outside so that I can run the generator as far away from the house as possible to mitigate noise and CO2.
• Since the Cybertruck has a different connector, you’ll need to get an L14-50 to L14-30 adapter cable created to go from the Cybertruck to the generator inlet.

The Cybertruck will source 40A from the (nonlocking) 14-50 outlet in the bed. I'd suggest using a locking 50A SS2-50 on the house side. Otherwise, you run the risk (load or fault dependant) of either overcurrenting the cable/ L14-30 or tripping the inlet breaker (assuming it is 30A).

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/CircleRiver-Generator-14-50P-SS2-50R-Locking/dp/B0BL2KTH1R

Full kit:
https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/Reliance-Controls-EGD-Q510KIT/p13512.html

 

[Cyber_P]

Be careful before you pay that other guy and Tesla denies you the Power share capability. I think I've read that here.

Couldn't find the link. Happen to remember which thread? But the power share site quote doesn't hurt.

 

[Cyber_P]

Depending on your area, you can decline the quote and QMerit will assign another electrician to quote. I went outside of QMerit (poor customer experience) and contacted certified electricians on Tesla’s site. Still waiting for the PowerShare to go live though, my electrician is reaching back out to Tesla soon for troubleshooting.

Let me know. Doing the same. Local cert installer was more knowledgeable and reasonable.

 

[Cyber_P]

Called Tesla. Spoke to an energy consultant. Immediately "any certified installer".

 

[stevehudd]

Great to know. I only have one certified installer here. Hopefully they are agreeable.

 

[GatorCyber]

I just got my bid for Qmerit to install a Powershare Home Backup Bundle (Universal Wall Connector and Powershare unit) to take advantage of the Cybertruck's Powershare capability.

I already have a Wall Connector that was installed in 2017 for my Model 3 Performance, and it was installed without much difficulty or expense just feet from my electrical panel.

As many others have observed, the bid provided by Qmerit was obviously inflated and much, much more expensive than the going rate for electrical work like this. They bid the total job at over $4,000, and nearly $700 of that was to simply replace the current Wall Connector with the Universal Wall Connector-- even though the wiring and even the mounts are already in place.

I have two questions:

1. A guy I know at one of the service centers who's always been candid in the past told me Tesla might soon be allowing electricians outside of Qmerit's syndicate to do installs. Has anyone been able to successfully install-- and activate for use-- a Powershare unit installed by an electrician not part of Qmerit's syndicate?
2. I can tell that Qmerit is inflating the costs of electrical work, but I can't tell by how much (e.g. a percentage). Does anyone have any inside information on what the added padding is being applied by Qmerit? Or, alternatively, has anyone been able to have a bid done by Qmerit and by an electrician outside of Qmerit to be able to do an apples-to-apples comparison? It looks to me like they are adding at least 20-25% to the cost of of the actual hourly electrical work, but maybe someone here with knowledge can chime in and explain that the Powershare unit itself is really complicated and takes several hours to install.

Thanks in advance.

It's not just Qmerit.
Tesla approved electricians are charging $3k minimum. In my case it's a 3 hour job that my guy would do for less than $300 plus less than $100 in parts. He knows more about home electric than any Tesla approved solar installer

 

[stevehudd]

I had the only tesla certified installer come look today. He has done zero PowerShares so far. Ill post what he quotes.

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