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Tesla Solar in Houston & Surrounding Area’s
- Thread starter Jones1
- Start date
Nice that they're offering that expansion discount now that brings additional Powerwalls down closer to mainly just the additional equipment, and not like a fresh new install. Though that pre-discount installation price of $2300, if that's what they're charging in Houston for a fresh PW install sans solar - jealous, it's still $6700 here in California!
Wow. That’s a lot. They only send one person too. Material should not cost that much.
Awesome!!! Thanks Jones1. Here are my questions
Had my powerwalls installed 45 days ago and hesitating to join Tesla Electric program. I am hesitant to jump on because their rates is currently higher than mine (their rate is at 7.7 off peak and 12.4 peak currently in Houston, while my rate is 5.4...all before TDU's 5.4). My contract expires next year in May and there is very little chance it will be that low. Only downside I do not get paid or even netmetered for my production sent to the grid. Changing plan to be netmetered would raise my rate to 11 right now with my provider... I am modeling my daily consumption from last year and the production of my panels I am landing in a slightly positive outcome to keep my current plan. But this is based on wrong assumptions that I would only send to the grid when my powerwall is full. So, my questions are :
Had my powerwalls installed 45 days ago and hesitating to join Tesla Electric program. I am hesitant to jump on because their rates is currently higher than mine (their rate is at 7.7 off peak and 12.4 peak currently in Houston, while my rate is 5.4...all before TDU's 5.4). My contract expires next year in May and there is very little chance it will be that low. Only downside I do not get paid or even netmetered for my production sent to the grid. Changing plan to be netmetered would raise my rate to 11 right now with my provider... I am modeling my daily consumption from last year and the production of my panels I am landing in a slightly positive outcome to keep my current plan. But this is based on wrong assumptions that I would only send to the grid when my powerwall is full. So, my questions are :
- does TE drain your battery ONLY when export rates are higher than peak rates PLUS TDU (12.4+5.4=17.8)? This means that I would be ok to drain as drawing from grid in peak rate would still be cheaper than what I got paid for my export
- can you still control 100% your backup reserve? When it is stormy, I always raise it from my normal 20% to 80% or max depending on sun forecast following day. In the summer I would keep it probably full on days with risk of severe weather. The Storm Watch does not work, I tested it, so I want the ability to manually control my backup reserve.
- does TE charge the battery on top of solar production during day time low rate in the intent to drain it during peak time to maximize trading margin? The reason I ask is that during the winter months my battery gets full every day, but my model tells me that by June it will not fill up fully anymore and during July and August it won't refill at all probably. My daily summer consumption is about 140-200 while planned production is 80. So I could imagine TE filling up my batteries from the grid and draining them around 4pm when rate spike. Obviously ok, as long as filling up rate (probably non-peak) + TDU is lower than export rate.
- Why did you leave the program?
TE will drain your battery to the reserve set when the price per kilowatt hits a set sell price. If your PW is full and you are producing solar. It will not drain your PW. It will only take the extra solar production. You can also move up your reserve to stop TE from draining your PW.
I would buy low. Charge from grid. Charge my PW. Then sell it around peak time. TE controls the selling. You control the reserve.
Storm watch. Sucks. It works sometimes. Usually after the weather is bad.
You control 100% of your backup. If yo set the reserve level to say. 80/20. 20% will be controlled by Tesla.
I left the program. Because Tesla hasn’t been approved to use PW+ or PW3. For Centerpoint VPP.
My average Bill for the year was around $50- $70. That’s charging one EV daily. Commute is around 75-80 miles a day. What I paid in bills. Was what it cost me to charge.
With VPP. Tesla Electric prioritizes your PW. You get paid $10 per PW monthly. Plus buy backs. I have two coworkers. That have PW2’s. They are in VPP. They have a large credit of $300 and $500 they can cash out. It’s great for them.
For me. I switched to Just Energy free nights. So I pay nothing. But I can’t cash out my credits.
Also. Tesla Electric or Tesla. Won’t let you charge at night for free. If you have a PW. They only allow free charging for new customers that recently purchased a Tesla.
The first thing you need to decide is.
1) When do you charge
2) Do you have PW+,PW3 or PW2. PW2 will get you in VPP.
3) How many PW’s do you have? Can you sell back enough and still have backup.
I just got 2 more PW2’s installed. I’m still waiting for VPP to open up. So I can go back to Tesla Electric. I can see how more valuable it would be. If I could get in.
It use to show like that last year. Then after an update it changed. I do have Tesla Inverter and gateway.
Past
Thanks a lot!!!TE will drain your battery to the reserve set when the price per kilowatt hits a set sell price. If your PW is full and you are producing solar. It will not drain your PW. It will only take the extra solar production. You can also move up your reserve to stop TE from draining your PW.
I would buy low. Charge from grid. Charge my PW. Then sell it around peak time. TE controls the selling. You control the reserve.
Storm watch. Sucks. It works sometimes. Usually after the weather is bad.
You control 100% of your backup. If yo set the reserve level to say. 80/20. 20% will be controlled by Tesla.
I left the program. Because Tesla hasn’t been approved to use PW+ or PW3. For Centerpoint VPP.
My average Bill for the year was around $50- $70. That’s charging one EV daily. Commute is around 75-80 miles a day. What I paid in bills. Was what it cost me to charge.
With VPP. Tesla Electric prioritizes your PW. You get paid $10 per PW monthly. Plus buy backs. I have two coworkers. That have PW2’s. They are in VPP. They have a large credit of $300 and $500 they can cash out. It’s great for them.
For me. I switched to Just Energy free nights. So I pay nothing. But I can’t cash out my credits.
Also. Tesla Electric or Tesla. Won’t let you charge at night for free. If you have a PW. They only allow free charging for new customers that recently purchased a Tesla.
The first thing you need to decide is.
1) When do you charge
2) Do you have PW+,PW3 or PW2. PW2 will get you in VPP.
3) How many PW’s do you have? Can you sell back enough and still have backup.
I just got 2 more PW2’s installed. I’m still waiting for VPP to open up. So I can go back to Tesla Electric. I can see how more valuable it would be. If I could get in.
Who set the sell price above which TE starts exporting ? If me, I am ok, I would set it at 17.9 (the 12.4c peak time plus 5.4 TDU) but if automated by TE is it always above 17.9c
I have 2 PW2 so qualify (got the banner) but it is a one way street because once I leave my 5c plan (total with TDU at 11c) there is no coming back, the cheapest I can see now is 8-10… hence I am hesitating and want to ensure I am thinking right. I charge daily my EV but I am more worried about my summer 120 kWh daily consumption which my solar production will not cover
@iahgva since you don’t have the Tesla inverter. You can get in VPP. So that’s $20 per month.
Now for the Conspiracy.
In other threads on TMC. People believe Tesla Electric. Will only let non Tesla Solar installs in to VPP. Because Tesla doesn’t have to cover your PW warranty. I’m not that convinced. It’s true. So if you have a good warranty through your installer. The. You are covered.
The Discharging and Charging. Will degrade your battery faster.
Now for the Conspiracy.
In other threads on TMC. People believe Tesla Electric. Will only let non Tesla Solar installs in to VPP. Because Tesla doesn’t have to cover your PW warranty. I’m not that convinced. It’s true. So if you have a good warranty through your installer. The. You are covered.
The Discharging and Charging. Will degrade your battery faster.
Not a problem. I knew nothing about Solar. Until I moved to this side of the Forum. I couldn’t find any info on Solar and PW in our area. So I started this thread.
Tesla electric sets the sell price. It gets triggered at .30. It use to.
You can try TE and cancel. No fee.
if you can’t charge your Tesla during solar production times. Then you may want to go free nights. Charging my MYP. Cost more than running my HVAC.
Just Energy
Referral Code :
16A3166
You get $100 credit. I get a $100 credit.
if you can’t charge your Tesla during solar production times. Then you may want to go free nights. Charging my MYP. Cost more than running my HVAC.
Just Energy
Referral Code :
16A3166
You get $100 credit. I get a $100 credit.
Interesting angle and fuel for conspiracy theorists indeed…I did not realize my Powerwall warranty was not coming from Tesla but the installer… learning daily…@iahgva since you don’t have the Tesla inverter. You can get in VPP. So that’s $20 per month.
Now for the Conspiracy.
In other threads on TMC. People believe Tesla Electric. Will only let non Tesla Solar installs in to VPP. Because Tesla doesn’t have to cover your PW warranty. I’m not that convinced. It’s true. So if you have a good warranty through your installer. The. You are covered.
The Discharging and Charging. Will degrade your battery faster.
I would look into it. I was under the impression that it would be the manufacture covering the warranty. Not sure for every solar company.
You should be rewarded for setting this up, I learned more here in 10 minutes than hours lost on internet and looong minutes chatting with customer support… so congrats and thanks.
yes. I know. In Texas. You only learn from the door to door solar selling vultures. It’s all a secret.
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