Go Off-Grid function introduced for Powershare

[PungoteagueDave]

The Powershare Gateway is a 3V (V for vehicle) versus a Version 3 (V3).


The 3V Powershare Gateway does more. That's why it can run Powershare with a Cybertruck. It's a V3 plus neutral forming transformer plus TACO (Tesla Asset Controller).
In a Powerwall setup, the lead Powerwall is connected to the isolation switch in the Gateway. In a Powershare setup, the UWC powers and talks to the TACO and the TACO controls the isolation switch.
You can't have two controllers, which is why 3V and Powerwall are incompatible. Theoretically, a 3V could be downgraded to a V3, but it sounds like Tesla would rather the installer use the appropriate one versus field modification.

I will be able to run PowerShare from my Cybertruck with Gateway 3 according to the Tesla engineers, no PowerShare Gateway. They do not use 3V and V3 nomenclature anymore according to the engineers. It is just (either) PowerShare Gateway or Gateway 3. Still confusing IMO, but that’s how they are rolling. The Tesla website is still wrong in several respects for configuration.

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[mongo]

I will be able to run PowerShare from my Cybertruck with Gateway 3 according to the Tesla engineers, no PowerShare Gateway. They do not use 3V and V3 nomenclature anymore according to the engineers. It is just (either) PowerShare Gateway or Gateway 3. Still confusing IMO, but that’s how they are rolling. The Tesla website is still wrong in several respects for configuration.

Yeah, that should help.
The only constant is change.
https://energylibrary.tesla.com/doc...UID-06E01FB7-6567-47B8-8FFB-E944F6201EE3.html

 

[Gaximus]

In an actual outage, your solar would shut off due to the grid voltage and frequency being out of range. It would return after the truck starts powering the house.

I don’t believe that to be the case. I had to talk to Tesla support when getting mine installed and they said that the next update will support solar while the power wall is engaged. The voltage and frequency would be matched from the truck, there would be no difference of power coming in from the grid vs being powered by the truck. There are plenty of battery systems that do this now, including teslas battery system.

 

[mongo]

I don’t believe that to be the case. I had to talk to Tesla support when getting mine installed and they said that the next update will support solar while the power wall is engaged. The voltage and frequency would be matched from the truck, there would be no difference of power coming in from the grid vs being powered by the truck. There are plenty of battery systems that do this now, including teslas battery system.

Yah, I said solar works and returns once the truck kicks in. That switchover isn't instantaneous so the solar shuts down due to no grid initally. The load of the grid prevents overvoltage events versus just flipping the grid disconnect.

In response to:

But solar doesn’t turn off when the power actually goes off.

 

[Gaximus]

Yah, I said solar works and returns once the truck kicks in. That switchover isn't instantaneous so the solar shuts down due to no grid initally. The load of the grid prevents overvoltage events versus just flipping the grid disconnect.

In response to:

That Maks since. My solar combiner box needs power to run. Do you think that means once switched over to “off-grid” you could turn the panels back on?

 

[mongo]

That Maks since. My solar combiner box needs power to run. Do you think that means once switched over to “off-grid” you could turn the panels back on?

Exactly, solar should reactivate once there is a valid power waveform to sync to.

 

[FlyShacker]

My gateway was "field modified" as you said, by the 3rd party installer. I bought a gateway from the website when I ordered my CT, and the same time I bought the wall connector. The electrician installed that gateway, and called Tesla for several issues. His company had delivered the correct gateway with the Powerwall 3. But since he already had the wrong gateway installed, he got permission from Tesla to cannibalize (!) the correct gateway and stuff a lot of those components into the gateway he already installed! Man, this electrician is so familiar with this stuff that he ought to work directly for Tesla. Anyway, I *should* have everything installed as needed, just waiting for Tesla to release the upgrade for Power Share for Powerwall owners. (And an app update goes with that, my understanding.) If Power Share doesn't work at that time, my installer electrician will be out here again, once more into the gateways. What a mess, but I am confident all will work eventually.

 

[TyPope]

My truck can and does run most of my house when the power goes out. It goes out often... Anyway, how difficult would it be to add just a few solar panels to my system and how expensive is that? Assuming the panels went on my South Facing garage roof almost directly above my externally mounted charge point (with the distribution box on the same wall but inside the garage).
Basically, the most simple solar installation possible. Say, with 8 panels to help offset some electrical cost while not pissing my wife off too much... "Wait until we are in our forever house to put panels up"... Probably moving in the next year or two.

 

[TyPope]

My truck can and does run most of my house when the power goes out. It goes out often... Anyway, how difficult would it be to add just a few solar panels to my system and how expensive is that? Assuming the panels went on my South Facing garage roof almost directly above my externally mounted charge point (with the distribution box on the same wall but inside the garage).
Basically, the most simple solar installation possible. Say, with 8 panels to help offset some electrical cost while not pissing my wife off too much... "Wait until we are in our forever house to put panels up"... Probably moving in the next year or two.

TLDR: Can I add a couple of solar panels without needing a powerwall?

 

[mongo]

TLDR: Can I add a couple of solar panels without needing a powerwall?

Yes, but you need interconnection agreement with your power company and permits and shutoffs and all that stuff (depending on location).

 

[TyPope]

Yes, but you need interconnection agreement with your power company and permits and shutoffs and all that stuff (depending on location).

I already have that with my Powershare. My truck battery runs my house when my power is out. Don't the panels feed in the same way as my truck does? Probably a dumb question...

 

[mongo]

I already have that with my Powershare. My truck battery runs my house when my power is out. Don't the panels feed in the same way as my truck does? Probably a dumb question...

You didn't need an interconnect agreement with Powershare because it only runs when disconnected from the grid. Maybe there is a loophole if the system can never export...
Solar installs often require their own disconnect.

 

[TyPope]

You didn't need an interconnect agreement with Powershare because it only runs when disconnected from the grid. Maybe there is a loophole if the system can never export...
Solar installs often require their own disconnect.

As soon as I posted that, I thought it through and realized that my system disconnects, and THEN powers up the backup.

 

[hemiarch]

You can always build a little off grid system expressly to charge the truck and use PowerShare from it when you need/want it.

 

[FlyShacker]

I would like to add a comment for @TyPope. Please confirm this on your own! I have seen enough "just solar" installations (without Powerwall) to know that *some* are not allowed to power your house in a grid outage! You can use your solar power to power your house or charge your truck only while the grid works. But in a grid outage, you cannot tap the power of your own solar panels to run your house, unless you have a Powerwall or battery storage of some kind, at least in some situations. I would never agree to this. Please confirm this for yourself!

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