In part 1, we had the technical site survey. Here in part 2, the panels go up, the Tesla Powerwall and all cabling is installed, and we get to try the system and the software. Not everything quite goes to plan but the system is certainly saving a lot of energy, even in the middle of winter. Part 3 will follow late summer of 2022.

It consists of 16 solar panels with a peak theoretical output of 6.4kW, though they feed a 5kW inverter since peak power output is not too common and the clipping is quite minimal. They are connected with DC Optimisers (do a similar job to microinverters but keep the voltage high down to the inverter, so allow for much thinner cabling). This system, rather than the older and cheaper string inverter configuration, allows each panel to produce its best possible output. A string inverter performs only as well as the weakest (or most shaded) panel.

The Tesla Powerwall 2 stores energy on sunny days so we can use it in the evening. When there's less sunlight, it looks ahead at the next day's weather forecast and precharges the Powerwall by some amount so that we use cheap rate overnight power. On a partly sunny day, it will part charge overnight, on an overcast day it will 100% charge overnight, on a sunny day is will charge only just enough to power the house until sunrise. The Powerwall reserves an amount of charge so it can run the house in the event of a grid power failure, handy here as we get quite a few power cuts in this area.

PV solar panels and Powerwall installation company is now called Egg https://crackingenergy.com/
This video is technically a paid promotion since The Phoenix Works (now Egg) applied a small discount for being featured in this series.

See part 1 of this series: Planning. 13/09/21
   • UK solar panels for home & Tesla Powe...  
Part 3, after one year, 14/10/22
   • Solar and Tesla Powerwall, part 3, fi...  

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00:00 Introduction
00:43 Installation
03:45 Speak to installer
10:30 OOPS
11:06 Tesla software troubles and wins
29:40 Conclusion and feedin