Can an existing Tesla install be retrofitted for third-party maintenance?

[Fruitcake]

Greetings,

i am once again having issues with my Tesla-installed PW+solar equipment, and once again I am having to deal with Tesla's infamous customer service, complete with the long wait times on the phone (when you can actually get someone on the phone) and the multi-week waits for onsite service.

I'm at the point where my "ideal" next step would be to junk everything about the system that is proprietary to Tesla (e.g. the gateway) and retrofit with commonly available commercial components that could be serviced by anyone, or at least by more than a single entity (e.g. Tesla).

When I have a plumbing problem, I can call any licensed plumber I want to come and fix it. If one plumber jerks me around or says it will take them a month to arrive, I can give my money to one of their competitors. I basically want the same with my battery+solar system.

Question is - is such a thing even possible? Anyone have any suggestions?

Fruity

 

[jjrandorin]

You must mean getting rid of both the gateway and the powerwalls since they are also proprietary. I dont think there is anything commercially available that will control them.

At that point you are looking at buying someone elses battery system (batteries + their control system) or possibly building your own if you are into that. There isnt anything that is going to control a tesla powerwall battery but the tesla gateway.

 

[miimura]

If you have SolarEdge inverters, you would have a hope of someone else handling it for you. However, SolarEdge knows they sold those inverters to Tesla and may not make it easy to go around Tesla. For example, a SolarEdge installer could set up SolarEdge monitoring for you. If you have Tesla inverters there's really no way around dealing with Tesla unless you rip and replace the inverters. As mentioned above, you need a Tesla certified installer to deal with the Powerwalls. I would imagine that most or all of those installers don't want to get involved with a system that Tesla installed, even if you paid them their typical hourly rate.

 

[Fruitcake]

Perhaps I chose my words poorly - I meant "proprietary" in the sense that "only one vendor will support it."

My issue is really support. I'd like to have more choices than just Tesla, whose support blows chunks.

Is there any such thing as a "completely open" system that any competent technician could maintain?

 

[Fruitcake]

You must mean getting rid of both the gateway and the powerwalls since they are also proprietary. I dont think there is anything commercially available that will control them.

At that point you are looking at buying someone elses battery system (batteries + their control system) or possibly building your own if you are into that. There isnt anything that is going to control a tesla powerwall battery but the tesla gateway.

>(batteries + their control system)

Isn't this the same problem basically? I buy LG chem batteries and their gateway, and now I'm stuck with LG and LG support?

 

[jjrandorin]

>(batteries + their control system)

Isn't this the same problem basically? I buy LG chem batteries and their gateway, and now I'm stuck with LG and LG support?

Yes, at least as far as I am aware of, anyway. Unless you do a home brew system.

 

[miimura]

I knew someone that had a solar installation business. He was willing to work on broken systems that were installed by companies that had gone out of business. This was a significant part of his total workload because not many installers were willing to take those jobs. That was before Tesla bought Solar City. At that time there were no vertically integrated installers like Tesla. Everyone was installing some combination of off the shelf components from vendors that sold to anyone. The homeowner just had to pay the labor if the equipment still had warranty coverage, even if the original installer went out of business.

Last I checked, LG just makes a battery system and doesn't make the inverters. So, in that respect you're not stuck with a vertically integrated system like Tesla. Also, LG always works with independent installers.

 

[Vines]

Greetings,

i am once again having issues with my Tesla-installed PW+solar equipment, and once again I am having to deal with Tesla's infamous customer service, complete with the long wait times on the phone (when you can actually get someone on the phone) and the multi-week waits for onsite service.

I'm at the point where my "ideal" next step would be to junk everything about the system that is proprietary to Tesla (e.g. the gateway) and retrofit with commonly available commercial components that could be serviced by anyone, or at least by more than a single entity (e.g. Tesla).

When I have a plumbing problem, I can call any licensed plumber I want to come and fix it. If one plumber jerks me around or says it will take them a month to arrive, I can give my money to one of their competitors. I basically want the same with my battery+solar system.

Question is - is such a thing even possible? Anyone have any suggestions?

Fruity

I recommend using a 3rd party Tesla approved installer and explain your issue to them. If you negotiate with them, they might pick up your service calls particularly if you added another battery or some PV.

This would still probably be cheaper than starting over and those smaller installers sometimes have better service.

 

[Fruitcake]

I recommend using a 3rd party Tesla approved installer and explain your issue to them. If you negotiate with them, they might pick up your service calls particularly if you added another battery or some PV.

This would still probably be cheaper than starting over and those smaller installers sometimes have better service.

I called Sunrun and they're basically not willing to touch it unless I rip/replace the entire solar part of the system (panels, inverters, etc.) I'm also not certain their support would be any better, from what I've seen in this forum and elsewhere. What's the point of swapping one indifferent service provider with another?

 

[Fruitcake]

I knew someone that had a solar installation business. He was willing to work on broken systems that were installed by companies that had gone out of business. This was a significant part of his total workload because not many installers were willing to take those jobs. That was before Tesla bought Solar City. At that time there were no vertically integrated installers like Tesla. Everyone was installing some combination of off the shelf components from vendors that sold to anyone. The homeowner just had to pay the labor if the equipment still had warranty coverage, even if the original installer went out of business.

Last I checked, LG just makes a battery system and doesn't make the inverters. So, in that respect you're not stuck with a vertically integrated system like Tesla. Also, LG always works with independent installers.

Know anyone like that in NJ?

 

[Vines]

Know anyone like that in NJ?

Unfortunately not. This seems a theme with large big box type installers. They are way hard to get back out there afterwards if an issue crops up.

Many installers have so much work, they can afford to not take the work that will be difficult. This is the downside of a cheap as possible $1500 PW installation in my eyes, when there aren't enough trained techs and installers to service the fleet afterwards.

In plumbing terms, this is a new full-function hot tub/ shower /sauna enclosure with complicated control circuitry. You can't just call in any plumber to fix it because they simply do not know how.

Most here get sick of it and wait and grumble, or try to fix it yourself.

Maybe describe what is wrong with the system?

 

[ptdusn]

I called Sunrun and they're basically not willing to touch it unless I rip/replace the entire solar part of the system (panels, inverters, etc.) I'm also not certain their support would be any better, from what I've seen in this forum and elsewhere. What's the point of swapping one indifferent service provider with another?

I would like to push back a little on this. Here in AZ, Sunrun's support is pretty good. I have no complaints.