Smart Solar Charging

[jesaf00]

I’m not understanding your question. Do you already have an EV charger and want to know where to connect it or want a suggestion on EV chargers that take advantage of excess solar charging?

Sorry, yes, I have a charger but would replace with Emporia if this can work to charge off of excess solar.

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[markboris]

I don’t see why you couldn’t use the Emporia EV charger to charge on excess solar. Mine does as soon as the batteries are topped of every morning, the charger starts charging the Mach-E when there is 1400W or more excess solar.

 

[Maquis]

I don’t see why you couldn’t use the Emporia EV charger to charge on excess solar. Mine does as soon as the batteries are topped of every morning, the charger starts charging the Mach-E when there is 1400Kw or more excess solar.

1400KW?

 

[jesaf00]

I don’t see why you couldn’t use the Emporia EV charger to charge on excess solar. Mine does as soon as the batteries are topped of every morning, the charger starts charging the Mach-E when there is 1400Kw or more excess solar.

Thanks so the EMPORIA LEVEL 2 EV CHARGER WITH LOAD MANAGEMENT should be what I want for charger and sensors in my main panel? Also, does it look like the regular 50amp CTs will be big enough for the diameter of the solar incoming cables?

 

[markboris]

1400KW?

Sorry, 1400W. Changed my post

 

[markboris]

Thanks so the EMPORIA LEVEL 2 EV CHARGER WITH LOAD MANAGEMENT should be what I want for charger and sensors in my main panel? Also, does it look like the regular 50amp CTs will be big enough for the diameter of the solar incoming cables?

Yes it should. As long as they are not wider than 10mm.

 

[ridgebackpilot]

I have a similar solar installation and the Emporia charger works well for me. My utility allows me to connect to my smart meter electronically, so I don’t have to use the wired energy monitor.

In the winter, I usually don’t have much excess solar energy left after charging my Powerwalls. But for most of the year, I generate plenty of excess solar power, and the Emporia charger routes it directly into my EVs.

 

[markboris]

Michael, we have similar setups/energy usages and unfortunately, probably the same utility company (PG&E). Unlike other utility companies that will cut you a check for your overage (credit) it will just disappear come true-up time. My true-up month is April and right now have a $1600+ credit with them so I just changed my Powerwall setting from Self Powered to Time Based Control to start using up some of my credit. Really sucks we don’t get a kick back from them.

My friend in Arizona just got a $500+ check from his utility company, APS. He also gets paid over three times what we get for sending PG&E excess solar which they only pay us $.03 per kWh. ?

 

[ridgebackpilot]

Mark: I didn’t realize that about PGE! My solar array is significantly smaller (36 panels) and less efficient than yours, so I don’t produce as much excess solar power. Thus my losses to PGE wouldn’t be as great.

Also, I buy my power from a community energy organization, Central Coast Community Energy. I’m not sure how that will affect my true-up; my first true-up with them will be next summer. Of course, I still pay PGE a fee every month for energy distribution.

I would hope that C3E, and PGE, would at least credit us for excess power sent back to the grid, even if they don’t write us a check at true-up. I could certainly use that credit during the winter months. By the way, I do get a check from Tesla every year for selling power to them during summer grid emergencies. I imagine you get a larger check from them if you participate in their Virtual Power Plant program.

 

[markboris]

Mark: I didn’t realize that about PGE! My solar array is significantly smaller (36 panels) and less efficient than yours, so I don’t produce as much excess solar power. Thus my losses to PGE wouldn’t be as great.

Also, I buy my power from a community energy organization, Central Coast Community Energy. I’m not sure how that will affect my true-up; my first true-up with them will be next summer. Of course, I still pay PGE a fee every month for energy distribution.

I would hope that C3E, and PGE, would at least credit us for excess power sent back to the grid, even if they don’t write us a check at true-up. I could certainly use that credit during the winter months. By the way, I do get a check from Tesla every year for selling power to them during summer grid emergencies. I imagine you get a larger check from them if you participate in their Virtual Power Plant program.

I assumed you were on PG&E too but yes, they and your C3E should credit you for excess solar even if you don't receive a check at true-up. While I produce more excess solar, and have more battery storage, I also use way more power than you I assume. Summer months from June through September temps are at least in the 90˚s if not over 100˚ most days. I have three A/C units (2 for the home, 1 for the garage) that are running 24 hours many days during the summer. Everything in my home is electric except the water heater and cooktop. I have an 8 person hot tub, electric wall towel warmers and toilet seat heaters in the bathrooms, and both of my audio systems (two channel for music and 12.1 channel for movies) have power hungry amps and they are on quite a bit. I'm not frugal using electricity since I can produce and store quite a bit.

In 2022 I did participate in Tesla's Virtual Power Plant Program and I got a check for around $400+. However, I also had to pay PG&E around $700 at true up. Last year, 2023 I did not participate as I upgraded my system (added 12 more panels and two more Powerwalls) and changed my utility rate plan so as hopefully not to have to pay them anything at true up. Well, obviously it worked since I am at just over a $1600+ credit right now with them so this year I am thinking to go back on the Tesla Virtual Power Plant program and hopefully won't have to pay PG&E at true up next year.

 

[ridgebackpilot]

In 2022 I did participate in Tesla's Virtual Power Plant Program and I got a check for around $400+. However, I also had to pay PG&E around $700 at true up. Last year, 2023 I did not participate as I upgraded my system (added 12 more panels and two more Powerwalls) and changed my utility rate plan so as hopefully not to have to pay them anything at true up. Well, obviously it worked since I am at just over a $1600+ credit right now with them so this year I am thinking to go back on the Tesla Virtual Power Plant program and hopefully won't have to pay PG&E at true up next year.

What PGE rate plan are you current using? C3E uses the same rate plans as PGE, so I’m on their EV2-A plan like most other EV owners who charge at home.

 

[markboris]

What PGE rate plan are you current using? C3E uses the same rate plans as PGE, so I’m on their EV2-A plan like most other EV owners who charge at home.

I am also on EV2-A now. I wasn’t before. I’ve always had the Powerwalls set to power the home when there is no solar production but now that I have a credit, changed to only power the home from 3pm to 12am which as you know is when PG&E rates are higher.

 

[skiingj]

I though I would update this thread after contacting Emporia this week. They still do not have a firmware fix to allow smart solar charging with Tesla Powerwall's in a normal configuration.

 

[skiingj]

Another update. I decided I would email Emporia about the Excess Solar Optimizer feature not working with Tesla solar and Powerwalls. They have had a year to address the issue. My email was polite and they immediately offered a refund which I took.

 

[ridgebackpilot]

Another update. I decided I would email Emporia about the Excess Solar Optimizer feature not working with Tesla solar and Powerwalls. They have had a year to address the issue. My email was polite and they immediately offered a refund which I took.

I've been able to connect my Emporia charger to an Emporia energy monitor so that it senses when my solar array begins dumping excess energy back to the grid, and turns on the charger.

I have 36 panels and three Tesla Powerwalls, which seem to work fine with the Emporia charger. My only workaround is that when I'm charging EVs at night, I have to switch my Tesla app mode to "Time-based Control" rather than "Self-Powered". If I leave it on Self-Powered, the system will drain my Powerwalls to charge the EVs, at least down to the minimum backup reserve I've set. If I don't want that to happen, I switch the Tesla mode to "Time-based control" so that my EVs can charge from the grid during off-peak hours instead.

Once your Powerwalls have charged to 100%, your Emporia charger and energy monitor should have no problem sensing excess solar energy production and activating the EV charger to send that solar power to your cars rather than to the grid.

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