PowerShare working, solar disconnected

[earthworm]

Wanted to share that it IS possible to get PowerShare for folks with solar - just so long as you're OK disconnecting it! We initially had solar connected and gateway was provisioned with knowledge of our solar system (gateway also showed power flowing to the grid during daytime when solar was running). This turned out to be a mistake and delayed my activation by almost 2 months. Right now the wires are capped off sitting inside my gateway. Plan is that once the gateway update comes through "later this year" to support solar, I'll be able to reconnect the wires to the breaker and all will be well.

Timeline:

• 12/28/23 configured my Cybertruck
• 1/4/24 got survey email for Powershare eligibility
• 1/29/24 got confirmation email that my home is eligible for powershare
• 4/22/24 picked up my Cybertruck
• 6/19/24 received email with my powershare $2500 voucher code
• 6/20/24 filled out qmerit info
• 6/21/24 got email from qmerit employee that they're sourcing someone in my area
• 7/2/24 installer was assigned to my project
• 7/25/24 installer called me to discuss the install, uploaded a quote to qmerit, I approved the quote for $6700
• 7/25/24 I noticed Powershare hardware appeared in the Tesla shop to order, so I used my voucher code for the gateway and wall connector
• 8/1/24 installer schedules installation appointment for 8/28/24
• 8/2/24 wall connector arrives in the mail at my house
• 8/15/24 gateway arrives in the mail
• 8/28/24 installers setup the gateway and wall connector. they didn't have the comm wire.
• 9/6/24 installer marks job complete and qmerit starts sending me payment requests - I explain the job isn't done yet. They call me back with several folks conferenced in and schedule a follow up appointment.
• 9/10/24 installer returns and installs the comm wire. Powershare option still doesn't appear, so we call Tesla. They explain since we provisioned the system as having solar, we can't use powershare. At my request, installer disconnects my solar and caps the wires, changes the provisioned setting as not having solar. Powershare still doesn't appear, we call back Tesla and they submit a ticket with engineering. Call back for ticket status and hear engineering denied because we "have solar." Call wasn't for nothing though, because they noticed the wrong wall connector was associated to my gateway. They were able to fix this over the phone. We stress that powershare would be really useful for the incoming hurricane and they say they'll escalate a new ticket to engineering.
• 9/27/24 I have a service appointment and add a concern for powershare and explain my home is ready to go - just waiting on the feature to be enabled for the truck. They close it saying "all foundation cybertrucks have powershare". My option still doesn't appear in the truck.
• 10/22/24 I see a notification to explore powershare home backup. I see in the app under controls that there's a powershare option. Powershare also appears under charging settings in the truck. I toggle that option on and it works great - whole house cuts over in about 1 second and AC is able to kick on just fine even without a soft start.

So that's it - no idea what I did, if anything, was the key to finally get powershare activated. My gateway firmware is still on the old version 23.44.906 so I know it's not that. Hopefully this info is useful to someone!

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[Woodrick]

Doesn't make sense why you would disable sola, the thing that reduces your bill and turn on Powershare, the thing that probably does nothing.

 

[earthworm]

Doesn't make sense why you would disable sola, the thing that reduces your bill and turn on Powershare, the thing that probably does nothing.

Where I'm located, electricity is unusually cheap at $0.08/kWh so the solar saves me maybe $40/mo.

We get a few hurricanes each year so this is where PowerShare is valuable to me. Worst case scenario for bad hurricanes, we're without power, internet, phone service for 2-3 weeks and there's a gasoline shortage. Superchargers usually come back online by day 2 so I can make a 30 minute trip to charge up the truck and power the house for 2-3 days while my friends spend a few hours to drive out of state and wait in line to get gas for their generators. I'm really looking forward to the gateway update to support solar, because I should be able to last a week.

Gas generators are a pain during extended disasters in the coastal south. PowerShare lets me physically ship power to my home and be immune to gas shortages.

 

[Pulaski]

We have solar that feeds back to the grid and we receive credits/reimbursement. Had Powershare installed in April. No issues.

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