Powerwall 3 vs EG4 18k to run my shop

[watchdoc]

There will be Tigo or some other devices on the panels with a Tesla install too.
The 18k has the keep alive transmitter built in, the 6000XP does not.

You need to familiarize yourself with the building and electrical codes in use in your area, the building department is not there to advise you only to tell you yes or no and they will only do that with engineered plans.

Looks like the Powerwall 3 uses MCI's (1 for every 3 panels). So I would need 6 for 18 panels according to the Tesla installer.

From the DIY stand point and using EG4, Its difficult to come up with a full system list to submit to engineers to even give me plans.

 

[Zwy]

Those tree are across the street approx 100 yards away and my shop is two stories tall. Thanks for the link. I'll dig deeper.

Another survey tool is called Sunshine Compass, I use the android version on my phone. It will show the location of the sun in the sky at various dates and times. I do not know if anything is available for Iphone.

 

[ImAnIdiotPleaseBePatient]

Definitely don't do the un-permitted route. The paperwork and permitting portion was an absolute nightmare for me, it was only at the end when I was pulling my hair out I learned about a company called Vector Engineering. I was struggling with the inspector wanting stamped engineering plans for trusses, a very specific site plan and a few other things that were completely unattainable for a homeowner. I paid $125 for everything I needed through them and it was done in 2 days.

If I were to do it over again, I would have gone with them from the beginning, I think the entire "package" for them to do everything permit wise was about $300, it's a no brainer. I'm not sure if you "have" to be a contractor or not to hire them, fortunately I am and I set up an account, so if they won't let you, let me know and I'd be happy to assist.

That offer goes for everyone on the forum, I'm not asking for a single dollar, I'll do the back and fourth for free. I know the permitting process is/was what has stopped so many of us from moving forward and I can say this place sincerely made it easy. I'm sure there are others out there, I only found out about this company because my inspector informed me 'off the record' that they handled 80% of the solar permits he inspected in our area.

Wow, that is amazing! Definitely will keep this is mind for when I do my build at the house I'm at. Saving this!

 

[watchdoc]

2025 Update for those that are curious.

WE MOVED a couple miles away and I just signed a contract with 8Msolar out of Raleigh for Powerwall 3 System with 9.6kw of roof mounted REC 460watt Alpha pure panels for $33k installed with 25 year warranty on everything except the powerwall and gateway 3 (those are 10 years). REC panels and pegasus racking come with 25 year labor warranty as well. We added a Tesla universal wall charger for our current EV with hopes of upgrading to a new Tesla with Powershare in the near future (but not the cybertruck).

Why did we decide to go this "retail route"? It comes down to insurance, permitting, appraised value, and new net billing rules from my utility.

Insurance. Our insurance carrier (Erie) made it very clear that if we didn't get everything permitted and installed by a licensed contractor, we risked losing coverage.

Permitting. My county permitting office isn't DIY friendly and made a point of politely telling me "we don't answer questions or provide guidance for DIY people".

Net Billing. Greenville Utilities came out with a new plan that charges 10.2 cents per Kw and pays 5.8 cents when you sell back. No demand charges, No TOU, No extra meter charges, No higher base rates, etc. They did this in response to being listed as one of the least solar friendly utilities in the state.

Appraised value. One of the things we learned when buying this house (and selling our old one) was how much value solar can add. The first question people would ask about my lil Growatt system was "Does it come with the house?" Keep in mind, this was a cobbled together ground mount system that wasn't permitted. This led to multiple realtors telling us how professionally installed systems added real value to homes not unlike a pool or other premium ammenity.

We shopped around all the Tesla certified installers that would serve our area and let them fight it out. We got quotes as high as $42k and as low as $29k. We ended up choosing 8mSolar based on reviews and their premium products. We could have saved a couple grand with cheaper panels but I'm very happy with our choice of the REC Alpha Pure. We figure we spent about 10 grand extra by going this "turn key retail route" vs trying to install an EG4 system and contracting out the panel install and electrical work separately.

We still plan to install the small 3kw Growatt ground mount system Ive been flying under the radar with for the last several years at my shop but we are very happy with the Tesla/REC system for our primary residence.

We are currently in the permitting stage but I will post pics once the system is up and running.

 

[robby]

Thanks for coming back and updating the thread.
I can see where having a Tesla Power Wall would add instant value to the House.
It is a brand name that most people are very familiar with. I hear they work very well but the price is out of range for many people.

 

[watchdoc]

I forgot to mention a few other important factors for us.

A big Sol Ark 15k system is my dream but we could only get a few quotes and they were all WAYYYY higher than anything else. Same goes for dcbel and franklin.

EV charging, Charge on Solar, and bi directional charging were very important features to us that Sol Ark and EG4 don't offer. We ruled out Solaredge early on due to reliability issues and poor battery integration. Enphase does offer Charge on Solar using their EV charger but their bi directional charging is still vaporware at this point and their battery eco system is expensive and takes up too much space. We tried to get a quote on a PointGuard system but couldn't find a dealer in our area.

 

[Kevbarrett]

I'm in Eastern NC, specifically Pitt county. We are sort of a solar black hole county due to an unfriendly permitting debt and terrible net metering rules.

A single Powerwall 3 is $8400 and you can get $500 off with a refferal code. You get $1100 off each power wall when you buy more than one.

Yes, I could get a cheap grid tie inverter but again, terrbile net metering policies (higher base rates, demand charges, and less than wholesale payments) make it pretty dumb. Really aiming for a Zero export or self consumption system.

A single Powerwall would likely run everything just fine. Honestly, I'm hoping my next EV is bidirectional so that would be my battery storage.

If you don't mind me asking, where can I get a powerwall 3 for $8400?

 

[watchdoc]

If you don't mind me asking, where can I get a powerwall 3 for $8400?

If you go to the Tesla website and configure a 10kw system with a single Powerwall 3, the Powerwall price is $7,770 and a total system price of roughly $33k before tax incentives. I ended up signing a contract with a local Tesla certified installer for a 10kw system with premium REC 460 watt panels, a single Powerwall 3, AND the Universal wall charger for $33k. North Carolina utilities currently don't offer the Tesla meter collar so I had to opt for the Gateway 3. I will likely add an expension battery in the future.

Another way to look at it is... I was quoted $21-$25k from multiple installers for a 10kw "solar only" system (enphase, solar edge, tesla). Going with a Powerwall 3 system was roughly 10 grand higher.

I ended up going with the best local Tesla certified installer based on price, reviews, and warranty. I could have saved a couple more grand going with the cheapest quote but chose to pay a premium for a top rated installer.

Quotes for Franklin, Sol Ark, and dcbel were significantly higher than Tesla.