Tesla Solar disconnected with Poweshare install, questions for those with Tesla Solar, powershare, and no powerwall.

[drsaab]

Before the CT, I had Tesla Solar with 2 Tesla inverters. They were connected to the main breaker panel with a line side tap in the main panel. I assume my panel did not have enough slots/amps left for an actual circuit breaker to be installed.

I got my powershare installed while I was away, and in the installation, my solar was disconnected.

The flow of power is from the city power to the net meter to the gateway and then from the gateway to the main 200 amp panel in the basement. The old wiring from the net meter to the main panel was removed and now new wire is in place with the flow of net meter to the gateway to the main panel.

They installed the 200 amp gateway with the new 60 amp UWC breaker in the gateway. That is the only breaker in the gateway. I will have to select the breakers I want to be turned on in the main panel if powershare is active. The breakers from the main panel I want to be backed up were not moved to the gateway.

They said they are not aware about how to connect the solar and they are advised to disconnect the solar on installation. I know software is not out that will allow solar to feed the gateway if power is out and maybe it will come out later in the year. But in the meantime, Solar should be operational when grid power is on and normal. I am not too worried if solar works when grid power is down, I will deal with that later when the software for that is released.

for those with Tesla, solar, Gateway, and UWC installed, Is it as simple as installing the line taps back to the new wires in the main panel coming from the gateway? Or should the solar breaker go in the gateway?

Also for those with 2 Tesla inverters, was it a 40 amp breaker?

I won't be doing any of this on my own but would like guidance before I reach out to the solar company to re-hook up the solar on what others have had completed.


Also, I have a new 100 amp sub panel now in the basement, so if I have an electrician move some breakers to that sub-panel, can one just install the 40 amp breaker in the main panel since there will now be room which is better than a line tap which was used in the past.

From reading the forum, it seemed putting the solar inverter breakers in the gateway would allow it to be future-proof if software releases to allow solar to operate when the grid is down.

Thanks in advance for any help/answers.

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[UberNoob]

I do have Tesla solar 15.2 kWh grid tied, 38 panels total. I do not yet have my beast and PowerShare. The solar inverters are the kill switch, if main power is lost the inverters are rapid shutdown. When power is restored, the inverters resume allowing solar back to the panel automaticallyim away on company business when i return Friday I’ll post pictures.
Both inverts feed to a sub panel, a breaker for each inverter. 40 amps I believe. The sub panel is then routed to a through safety switch, then feeds back to the meter panel with another breaker I believe 80 amps.

 

[mongo]

Before the CT, I had Tesla Solar with 2 Tesla inverters. They were connected to the main breaker panel with a line side tap in the main panel. I assume my panel did not have enough slots/amps left for an actual circuit breaker to be installed.

I got my powershare installed while I was away, and in the installation, my solar was disconnected.

The flow of power is from the city power to the net meter to the gateway and then from the gateway to the main 200 amp panel in the basement. The old wiring from the net meter to the main panel was removed and now new wire is in place with the flow of net meter to the gateway to the main panel.

They installed the 200 amp gateway with the new 60 amp UWC breaker in the gateway. That is the only breaker in the gateway. I will have to select the breakers I want to be turned on in the main panel if powershare is active. The breakers from the main panel I want to be backed up were not moved to the gateway.

They said they are not aware about how to connect the solar and they are advised to disconnect the solar on installation. I know software is not out that will allow solar to feed the gateway if power is out and maybe it will come out later in the year. But in the meantime, Solar should be operational when grid power is on and normal. I am not too worried if solar works when grid power is down, I will deal with that later when the software for that is released.

for those with Tesla, solar, Gateway, and UWC installed, Is it as simple as installing the line taps back to the new wires in the main panel coming from the gateway? Or should the solar breaker go in the gateway?

Also for those with 2 Tesla inverters, was it a 40 amp breaker?

I won't be doing any of this on my own but would like guidance before I reach out to the solar company to re-hook up the solar on what others have had completed.


Also, I have a new 100 amp sub panel now in the basement, so if I have an electrician move some breakers to that sub-panel, can one just install the 40 amp breaker in the main panel since there will now be room which is better than a line tap which was used in the past.

From reading the forum, it seemed putting the solar inverter breakers in the gateway would allow it to be future-proof if software releases to allow solar to operate when the grid is down.

Thanks in advance for any help/answers.

If your original main panel is on the grid side of the Gateway disconnect switch, there is no system level issue with solar being connected to the main (unpacked up) panel. There may be a wiring current limit reason though. Relocating loads to the Gateway should free up busbar capacity allowing the solar to be known breakers in the main panel.
How is the new 100A subpanel fed?

Solar into the Gateway may not be possible depending on the Powershare and solar inverter behavior. How many kW?

 

[drsaab]

If your original main panel is on the grid side of the Gateway disconnect switch, there is no system level issue with solar being connected to the main (unpacked up) panel. There may be a wiring current limit reason though. Relocating loads to the Gateway should free up busbar capacity allowing the solar to be known breakers in the main panel.
How is the new 100A subpanel fed?

Solar into the Gateway may not be possible depending on the Powershare and solar inverter behavior. How many kW?

I think it’s wired like the diagram attached

the sub panel is wired from the main panel
With a 100 amp breaker on the top left in the picture. Only a 30 amp dryer is on the sub panel currently .

the red and black wires are the solar wires coming in that used to be attached with those in line splicers pictured.

so I am thinking moving 40 amps to the sub panel and then adding a 40 amp breaker and attaching the solar inverters to the main panel here would work ?

the solar system is 11.2kwh and has 2 tesla inverters that I think are 7.6 each but only one wire comes in the house from both inverters as far as I can see .

 

[mongo]

I think it’s wired like the diagram attached

the sub panel is wired from the main panel
With a 100 amp breaker on the top left in the picture. Only a 30 amp dryer is on the sub panel currently .

the red and black wires are the solar wires coming in that used to be attached with those in line splicers pictured.

so I am thinking moving 40 amps to the sub panel and then adding a 40 amp breaker and attaching the solar inverters to the main panel here would work ?

the solar system is 11.2kwh and has 2 tesla inverters that I think are 7.6 each but only one wire comes in the house from both inverters as far as I can see .

Disclaimer: I'm not an electrician.

Gotcha, with the main panel fed from the grid side of the Gateway (post 200A breaker).
The problem with adding solar to the main panel is that the bus bars can theoretically see the full main breaker current plus the solar generation. In this case 200A + 40A.

Something that *might* work (check with your electrician) is feeding the 100A sub panel from the Gateway (backup side) placing the backed up loads there (UWC stays in Gateway for disconnection), downsizing the main panel breaker to 150A (maybe 175A if the panel has 225A bus bars) and then adding the solar to it.
If the main panel is the one I found online, you can put more double breakers in it if you are out of circuits.

Also, I'm no expert, but the low gauge wires paralleled with the main conductors on the 40A might be non-code compliant.

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