Powerwalls (2) + Solar Panels (10kW) in Florida

[davidwpb]

I'm looking for some info/suggestions for future solar expansion after Tesla solar install. I'm very close to signing the Tesla agreement and I wanted to check one last thing. My solar panel layout is not ideal for energy production since most of the panels are facing east and west and due to trees around the house. Tesla advised they will not install on my adjacent barn which has no nearby trees and a nice big south facing roof. The barn also has 30 amp disconnect and sub panel fed from the main panel by the meter. I am hoping to add 24 panels which seem to work with the barn 30 amp subpanel (as two 15 amp circuits each to 12 panels), maybe 12 at a time just to make sure I can actually pull it off.

Tesla solar quote included Delta inverters and I was checking to see the easiest way to oversize them and add more panels later. That seems like it would be pretty complicated, even if I know now exactly how many panels I want to add in the future, since I need to try to convince Tesla to do something they would probably rather not do (design for later expansion to their system by someone other than Tesla). Then I started thinking about Enphase microinverters when I read a post that someone had those installed a few months back from Tesla.

Can anyone share details about their Tesla + Enphase system design or anything regarding solar panel addition to Tesla install.

Do Tesla Solar + Powerall installs with Enphase include Envoy or similar monitoring in addition to Tesla app or does Tesla use their own software to track solar production. I want to avoid two monitoring systems and having to ask Tesla to add panels to a system since they didn't install the new panels. Hopefully Tesla uses Envoy and I can just tell Envoy about the added panels with having to explain it to Tesla.

 

[gpez]

Do Tesla Solar + Powerall installs with Enphase include Envoy or similar monitoring in addition to Tesla app or does Tesla use their own software to track solar production. I want to avoid two monitoring systems and having to ask Tesla to add panels to a system since they didn't install the new panels. Hopefully Tesla uses Envoy and I can just tell Envoy about the added panels with having to explain it to Tesla.

Did not use Tesla directly but have a Powerwall + Enphase IQ6/Envoy. The Envoy has its own monitoring, I've found it to be so-so. Biggest drawbacks is that it is not in real time (only updates every 15 minutes) and has its own crummy app. The advantages are it knows the power output from each panel + microinverter and can report to you if there are problems. I got an email during a snow storm where some of my panels were covered and others weren't so it thought there was an issue. These days I almost exclusively use the Tesla app as it has everything in real time including solar, Powerwall, utility, and home consumption.

 

[davidwpb]

Did not use Tesla directly but have a Powerwall + Enphase IQ6/Envoy. The Envoy has its own monitoring, I've found it to be so-so. Biggest drawbacks is that it is not in real time (only updates every 15 minutes) and has its own crummy app. The advantages are it knows the power output from each panel + microinverter and can report to you if there are problems. I got an email during a snow storm where some of my panels were covered and others weren't so it thought there was an issue. These days I almost exclusively use the Tesla app as it has everything in real time including solar, Powerwall, utility, and home consumption.

Thanks! Seems like Envoy is likely a waste of time/money. Tesla just responded that they will not do Enphase on my install, but did offer Solar Edge inverter with optimizers at no extra charge. I'm planning to add solar with Enphase microinverters and may just get the Envoy monitoring since after tax credit its just $350. Even if I don't end up getting Envoy, it seems that as long as everything is wired properly, the Tesla Gateway will monitor and adjust as if the new solar was part of the original install. Seems like the Tesla Gateway just measures current flow direction and whether the grid has power or not. But, I can't tell for sure even after reading the installation manual for the Powerwall/Gateway.

 

[cwied]

Seems like the Tesla Gateway just measures current flow direction and whether the grid has power or not. But, I can't tell for sure even after reading the installation manual for the Powerwall/Gateway.

The Tesla Gateway uses a Neurio to measure two of grid, solar and load current. The Powerwalls know their own current, presumably. The unmeasured current is calculated based on the sum of the others. If the Powerwall is installed measuring solar production, it'd be important to make sure that the wires from both solar installations go through the CTs.

I use the third-party site pvoutput.org for long-term data analysis since Tesla's app doesn't have great reporting capability. Tesla's app is fine for real-time numbers, though.

Here's an example of the kind of data I can track on pvoutput.org:

 

[Dan123]

I'm looking for some info/suggestions for future solar expansion after Tesla solar install. I'm very close to signing the Tesla agreement and I wanted to check one last thing. My solar panel layout is not ideal for energy production since most of the panels are facing east and west and due to trees around the house. Tesla advised they will not install on my adjacent barn which has no nearby trees and a nice big south facing roof. The barn also has 30 amp disconnect and sub panel fed from the main panel by the meter. I am hoping to add 24 panels which seem to work with the barn 30 amp subpanel (as two 15 amp circuits each to 12 panels), maybe 12 at a time just to make sure I can actually pull it off.

Tesla solar quote included Delta inverters and I was checking to see the easiest way to oversize them and add more panels later. That seems like it would be pretty complicated, even if I know now exactly how many panels I want to add in the future, since I need to try to convince Tesla to do something they would probably rather not do (design for later expansion to their system by someone other than Tesla). Then I started thinking about Enphase microinverters when I read a post that someone had those installed a few months back from Tesla.

Can anyone share details about their Tesla + Enphase system design or anything regarding solar panel addition to Tesla install.

Do Tesla Solar + Powerall installs with Enphase include Envoy or similar monitoring in addition to Tesla app or does Tesla use their own software to track solar production. I want to avoid two monitoring systems and having to ask Tesla to add panels to a system since they didn't install the new panels. Hopefully Tesla uses Envoy and I can just tell Envoy about the added panels with having to explain it to Tesla.

To monitor production, Tesla installs two CT (iron rings) somewhere between the inverter and where it connects with your panels. I think you should be able to connect a second set of those CT monitors to your new panel.

Envoy does provide instantaneous power, but just not in their regular phone app.