Powershare Gateway + Solar Do Not Mix

[Gundo]

Yep, have tested.
Works great.
Currently connected:

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[JayJay]

I just wanted to give everyone else the chance to avoid my mistake. I used my voucher on the powershare bundle since I was planning to do powershare only. They partnered me with a local solar company and I accepted the quote. A bit later while waiting for the bundle to arrive I decided to ask that company about getting solar as well. The price was right so I'm going ahead with it.

Now for the problem: the powershare gateway 3V doesn't accept a solar input. As a result I need a gateway V3 instead. So now I have an $1800 paperweight. If you are even thinking about solar you should reach out to local contractors before you get the bundle.

What's worse is when talking to my contractor he said the 3V and the V3 are nearly identical in build and price so this distinction in which accepts solar is an artificial limit placed on it by Tesla for some dumb reason. As it stands if you got the 3V installed for powershare then later wanted to add solar they would have to remove it to put up the V3.

I researched as best as I could, installing Powershare, solar, and a powerwall. I had the Powershare contractor assigned by Tesla install the Universal Charger ($650). Tesla then installed solar panels and a Powerwall 3. The sales material shows the Universal Charger connecting via the Powerwall 3. Now the Powershare contractor is working with Tesla engineers on how to connect the Charger and Powerwall and turn on Powersharing. Hopefully they will come up with a solution. I had informed both what my end objective was when I first contacted them. Tesla gave me a $2500 voucher because I did not require the Powershare equipment.

 

[mongo]

I researched as best as I could, installing Powershare, solar, and a powerwall. I had the Powershare contractor assigned by Tesla install the Universal Charger ($650). Tesla then installed solar panels and a Powerwall 3. The sales material shows the Universal Charger connecting via the Powerwall 3. Now the Powershare contractor is working with Tesla engineers on how to connect the Charger and Powerwall and turn on Powersharing. Hopefully they will come up with a solution. I had informed both what my end objective was when I first contacted them. Tesla gave me a $2500 voucher because I did not require the Powershare equipment.

Setup wise, the UWC (or any 240V EVSE) just needs to be on the backed up side of the Gateway (grouped with Powerwalls).
Functionality wise, you'll need the software which has not been released yet.

 

[PowersolUSA]

When it comes to choosing a solar installer, it's crucial to focus on quality and reputation rather than just a brand name. As a proud owner of a Tesla Cybertruck, I can vouch that Tesla makes incredible vehicles. The Power Share option adds more tools to the CyberTruck and is more valuable than the 6 months of free supercharging. However, You can add that without using Tesla PV solar.

Tesla Solar and the Powerwall don't measure up to what's available on the market today. Despite many poor ratings, people still go for Tesla Solar, likely because of the brand's strong reputation in the automotive industry. But solar isn't a car; it's a long-term investment in your home.

PV Solar technology works similarly across the board, but the difference lies in the quality of the installation. I own a solar company and we install solar systems for a company that sells Tesla. I can spot one of their installs from a mile away. Issues like poor airflow due to skirting on all sides can lead to discoloration of panels, which affects both aesthetics and performance.

Moreover, Tesla's backup batteries, made from the same cells (CATL) as many others, aren't necessarily superior. There are better options available today that offer more value and reliability.

If you have any questions, I'm not promoting myself—I'm only licensed in a handful of states—but I'd be more than happy to take a look at any proposals or plans you have to ensure you're getting a quality deal, from a reputable company. Sales reps seem to bend the knee to homeowners instead of getting them what they need, they tell them or even worse give them what they want. Just because you want the panels in the back doesn't mean that is the most optimal place. That is just an example I could go on like solar should not look like a game of Tetris lol.

Solar is a big investment—a smart investment. Solar done right is a smart, long-term, great investment. Don't just go with a name; make sure you're getting quality that looks good
*and will last. Hope y'all are enjoying your Truck as much as I do.

 

[flyinglow]

if you mean a safety switch, yes. If the grid goes down so does my solar so it doesn’t back feed and zap the guys down the road. I net meter so the grid is my backup battery and once a year they cut me a lowballed check for whatever is in the reserve. If someday day the appocypse is here I could disconnect the grid and feed the house. But luckily here power has never been off for longer then 1 hour in the 10 years or so I lived here.

You might be confusing a disconnect with a transfer switch. Solar inverters disconnect from the grid in an outage but only affect the solar system. Your home is still connected to the grid, just with the solar shut off. A transfer switch completely isolates the house from the grid - can be automatic or manual - and is what you see with generator installs. It prevents power going to the grid from your generator or other sources during an outage which could endanger line workers repairing the grid.

Some chargers/battery systems or vehicle to home chargers enable the solar to continue operating in an outage, but not all. The ones that do incorporate an automatic transfer switch and, if their isn't a home battery like the Powerwall in the system, a small battery to keep the electronics operating when the power first goes out.

Another post discusses the difference between Tesla 3V and V3 chargers. Only the latter will keep solar going according to that post.

 

[akenis]

I researched as best as I could, installing Powershare, solar, and a powerwall. I had the Powershare contractor assigned by Tesla install the Universal Charger ($650). Tesla then installed solar panels and a Powerwall 3. The sales material shows the Universal Charger connecting via the Powerwall 3. Now the Powershare contractor is working with Tesla engineers on how to connect the Charger and Powerwall and turn on Powersharing. Hopefully they will come up with a solution. I had informed both what my end objective was when I first contacted them. Tesla gave me a $2500 voucher because I did not require the Powershare equipment.

So you didn't really use the PowerShare contractor to set up Power Share. No free equipment, and he just wired the charger to your panel?

If Tesla installed a PowerWall, then they already installed a gateway along with it. Probably the V3?

If that's the case, then you are done and the PowerShare contractor is done and has nothing left to do.

Your system with PowerWall + Charger (on backed up load) is already to go for PowerShare when software updates.

 

[GatorCyber]

Do I need the $580 UWC if I plan on adding solar+powerwall in the future and want Powershare to work?
Or can I just get the $450 wall charger and not have to deal with the J1772 adapter I will never need?

 

[mongo]

Do I need the $580 UWC if I plan on adding solar+powerwall in the future and want Powershare to work?
Or can I just get the $450 wall charger and not have to deal with the J1772 adapter I will never need?

When you have Powerwall, any 240V EVSE (Tesla or not) will work with Powershare.

 

[rjmiller78238]

So you didn't really use the PowerShare contractor to set up Power Share. No free equipment, and he just wired the charger to your panel?

If Tesla installed a PowerWall, then they already installed a gateway along with it. Probably the V3?

If that's the case, then you are done and the PowerShare contractor is done and has nothing left to do.

Your system with PowerWall + Charger (on backed up load) is already to go for PowerShare when software updates.

I have a 60 panel array with 4 powerwall 2's and a gateway 2. All functioning perfectly and I want to use the cybertruck as additional resource. I hope you are right but the more I research this the more it doesn't make sense.

If this is true, all you would need to do is hook to ANY subpanel, main panel, etc as they are all electrically equivalent. As long as it is backed up. So you would be feeding the house through the main or subpanel without the gateway's control???

What about the RS485 communication wires? What are they for in this case?

This is highly questionable.

Thanks.

 

[akenis]

I have a 60 panel array with 4 powerwall 2's and a gateway 2. All functioning perfectly and I want to use the cybertruck as additional resource. I hope you are right but the more I research this the more it doesn't make sense.

If this is true, all you would need to do is hook to ANY subpanel, main panel, etc as they are all electrically equivalent. As long as it is backed up. So you would be feeding the house through the main or subpanel without the gateway's control???

What about the RS485 communication wires? What are they for in this case?

This is highly questionable.

Thanks.

The com wire isn't necessary for the "already have powerwall" scenario. I believe the PW will be able to communicate to the truck via power line communications.

I believe if you try to register for PowerShare via Qmerit, you will be denied because you already have powerwall..

Here are the details...

https://www.tesla.com/support/powershare

My truck got flooded.

 

[mongo]

I have a 60 panel array with 4 powerwall 2's and a gateway 2. All functioning perfectly and I want to use the cybertruck as additional resource. I hope you are right but the more I research this the more it doesn't make sense.

If this is true, all you would need to do is hook to ANY subpanel, main panel, etc as they are all electrically equivalent. As long as it is backed up. So you would be feeding the house through the main or subpanel without the gateway's control???

What about the RS485 communication wires? What are they for in this case?

This is highly questionable.

Thanks.

I believe the truck communicates to existing PW via wifi. At one point, the Powershare site said you could use any 240V EVSE. Now it says any generation wall connector.

 

[rjmiller78238]

The com wire isn't necessary for the "already have powerwall" scenario. I believe the PW will be able to communicate to the truck via power line communications.

I believe if you try to register for PowerShare via Qmerit, you will be denied because you already have powerwall..

Here are the details...

https://www.tesla.com/support/powershare

My truck got flooded.

I filled out the survey but never received anything from it.

I used my voucher to get 2 UWC and a bunch of misc stuff I probably have no need for.

The company that installed the solar,gateway 2 and powerwalls want to just install the UWCs to the backed up main panel and call it a day.

Just doesn't feel right though.

 

[akenis]

I filled out the survey but never received anything from it.

I used my voucher to get 2 UWC and a bunch of misc stuff I probably have no need for.

The company that installed the solar,gateway 2 and powerwalls want to just install the UWCs to the backed up main panel and call it a day.

Just doesn't feel right though.

You don't qualify for the equipment that's why you got the voucher

 

[txtravwill]

Do we still not have any update on the software that will enable PowerShare for those of us with existing v2 gateways, power walls, and UWCs? Desperately wanting this as we enter this next Winter season here.

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