Solar/Powerwall: Turning it off and on again

[offandonagain]

I'm dealing with a Tesla inverter issue (sigh). Tesla is coming to replace it, but while debugging this issue I realized it seems to be really hard to power the system down -- pretty much all the LEDs stay on?!

I have a Tesla solar system with PW+, PW2, and Gateway 2. My process for power-cycling is:
1. Push the DC disconnect (the big red button next to PW+).
2. Flip the switches on the side of Powerwalls.
3. In the gateway, flip the breakers for both Powerwalls and the main breaker (in the gateway).
4. For good measure, flip the gateway breaker in the main panel.
5. Wait for 5 min.

Now at this point, I would expect the system to be fully down. However:
1. The green lights on the side of Powerwalls are still on.
2. The green light at the bottom of the PW+ inverter is still on. (The Neurio light at least is off.)
3. The green and blue lights behind the reset hole on the gateway are still on. And I can tell the gateway wasn't shut down or even reset because I track its uptime.
4. House at least is without power.

Is this expected? I'm not sure I'm actually turning it off and on again (and yes I realize this is very apropos my username). Do the batteries just keep powering all devices despite the switches being off?

I spoke to Tesla installers that were investigating the inverter issue and they seemed surprised by this too. (They seem to either not power the system down and use "stop system" in their app, or do more invasive disconnects behind the gateway doors that I'm not going to mess with.)

 

[ucmndd]

I’ve noticed the gateway at least appears to have a small onboard battery that can take 10+ minutes to drain before the internal LEDs go off.

 

[Vines]

I'm dealing with a Tesla inverter issue (sigh). Tesla is coming to replace it, but while debugging this issue I realized it seems to be really hard to power the system down -- pretty much all the LEDs stay on?!

I have a Tesla solar system with PW+, PW2, and Gateway 2. My process for power-cycling is:
1. Push the DC disconnect (the big red button next to PW+).
2. Flip the switches on the side of Powerwalls.
3. In the gateway, flip the breakers for both Powerwalls and the main breaker (in the gateway).
4. For good measure, flip the gateway breaker in the main panel.
5. Wait for 5 min.

Now at this point, I would expect the system to be fully down. However:
1. The green lights on the side of Powerwalls are still on.
2. The green light at the bottom of the PW+ inverter is still on. (The Neurio light at least is off.)
3. The green and blue lights behind the reset hole on the gateway are still on. And I can tell the gateway wasn't shut down or even reset because I track its uptime.
4. House at least is without power.

Is this expected? I'm not sure I'm actually turning it off and on again (and yes I realize this is very apropos my username). Do the batteries just keep powering all devices despite the switches being off?

I spoke to Tesla installers that were investigating the inverter issue and they seemed surprised by this too. (They seem to either not power the system down and use "stop system" in their app, or do more invasive disconnects behind the gateway doors that I'm not going to mess with.)

I notice you arent resetting the Gateway, with the reset button, is that intentional? I would also reset that as long as you have grid power to get it alive again after the reset. If you reset it with everything off like that, and the grid is down, you will have to jump start it with an external 12v source.

 

[offandonagain]

I’ve noticed the gateway at least appears to have a small onboard battery that can take 10+ minutes to drain before the internal LEDs go off.

Thanks, that explains part of the mystery.

I notice you arent resetting the Gateway, with the reset button, is that intentional? I would also reset that as long as you have grid power to get it alive again after the reset. If you reset it with everything off like that, and the grid is down, you will have to jump start it with an external 12v source.

Ah, I assumed power-cycling would obviate the need for resetting. I tried a gateway reset in the past, but without the rest of the power-cycle process. Maybe this also explains why it's hard to shut down the gateway -- it would be disruptive in an off-grid scenario. I assumed the Powerwalls would power the gateway, but I realize there's a cold-start problem.

Any thoughts on the PW+ inverter? That's the component that's causing issues, and I'd like to confirm it's shut down before bringing everything back up again. Would a gateway reset accomplish that?

 

[Vines]

Thanks, that explains part of the mystery.



Ah, I assumed power-cycling would obviate the need for resetting. I tried a gateway reset in the past, but without the rest of the power-cycle process. Maybe this also explains why it's hard to shut down the gateway -- it would be disruptive in an off-grid scenario. I assumed the Powerwalls would power the gateway, but I realize there's a cold-start problem.

Any thoughts on the PW+ inverter? That's the component that's causing issues, and I'd like to confirm it's shut down before bringing everything back up again. Would a gateway reset accomplish that?

Once the grid is down, generation breakers are shutoff and the gateway is reset, none of the system should be energized, and any lights should be only residual.
It is interesting that you have both the GW2 and the PW+ since both of them have a site controller. Usually PW+ and backup switch is the preferred pairing,

It's possible the controllers are both trying to dominate and the one in the PW+ (if it has one, there is a non-controller option) needs to be unplugged. Once you reset the gateway (after turning the ess and PV off, then turning off the main breaker), all lights should go out.

I believe in this configuration the GW2 should be the site controller, but am not your installer so take my words as opinion more than all fact. We don't currently install PW+ so my experience is limited.

 

[offandonagain]

Once the grid is down, generation breakers are shutoff and the gateway is reset, none of the system should be energized, and any lights should be only residual.

I confirmed that resetting the gateway at the end of the power-cycle process turns off all the lights. Thanks!

It is interesting that you have both the GW2 and the PW+ since both of them have a site controller. Usually PW+ and backup switch is the preferred pairing,

My system was installed Mar 2022 in PG&E land, I think backup switches were pretty new at that point and ran into some issues with PG&E. I'm actually happy I got this combination. GW2 means I was able to use the system in self-consumption mode during the long wait for PTO (without having to wait for PG&E to install the backup switch). And PW+ gives me more visibility into string performance vs. a standalone inverter.

It's possible the controllers are both trying to dominate and the one in the PW+ (if it has one, there is a non-controller option) needs to be unplugged. Once you reset the gateway (after turning the ess and PV off, then turning off the main breaker), all lights should go out.

I believe in this configuration the GW2 should be the site controller, but am not your installer so take my words as opinion more than all fact. We don't currently install PW+ so my experience is limited.

I'm pretty sure GW2 is my sole site controller, based on gateway API responses and the fact that I have a single TEG wifi network broadcasting which matches the serial number suffix of the GW2.

As far as my issue goes, it seems to be an inverter gone bad (the system was running fine for 1.5 years). After I properly power-cycled the system, PV generation actually came back up, but it seems to intermittently shut down again. I see some string and inverter alerts (PVS_a044_FaultStatePvStringSafety and PVAC_a014_PVS_disabled_relay).

Based on past investigation from Tesla, I suspect it's actually some of the MPPT ports for my parallel string that have gone bad. I'm tempted to just disconnect that string during this LONG wait to get Tesla to replace the inverter...

 

[Vines]

I confirmed that resetting the gateway at the end of the power-cycle process turns off all the lights. Thanks!



My system was installed Mar 2022 in PG&E land, I think backup switches were pretty new at that point and ran into some issues with PG&E. I'm actually happy I got this combination. GW2 means I was able to use the system in self-consumption mode during the long wait for PTO (without having to wait for PG&E to install the backup switch). And PW+ gives me more visibility into string performance vs. a standalone inverter.



I'm pretty sure GW2 is my sole site controller, based on gateway API responses and the fact that I have a single TEG wifi network broadcasting which matches the serial number suffix of the GW2.

As far as my issue goes, it seems to be an inverter gone bad (the system was running fine for 1.5 years). After I properly power-cycled the system, PV generation actually came back up, but it seems to intermittently shut down again. I see some string and inverter alerts (PVS_a044_FaultStatePvStringSafety and PVAC_a014_PVS_disabled_relay).

Based on past investigation from Tesla, I suspect it's actually some of the MPPT ports for my parallel string that have gone bad. I'm tempted to just disconnect that string during this LONG wait to get Tesla to replace the inverter...

Ok, sounds like you know more about your issue than I do. I was certainly just stabbing in the dark blindly as I am not a PW+ expert.