A Million Little Pieces Of My Mind

About a year ago, my daughter Jenny decided she wanted to take advantage of the free and plentiful Arizona sunshine and put in solar panels. (We'd had them on Maui.) She researched and, last July, Tesla delivered the panels and Powerwall units.

Last July, the arrival of Tesla solar panels and Powerwall technology arrived.

The sleek panels were meticulously installed on the roof, accompanied by the Powerwall, which was strategically placed to efficiently store and manage the harvested solar energy.

This integration not only enhanced the home's energy efficiency but also provided a reliable backup during power outages, ensuring a seamless transition to green energy. The advanced technology allows for real-time monitoring and control through the Tesla app, bringing a futuristic edge to everyday energy consumption. The installation process, while complex, was a testament to modern engineering and a commitment to environmental stewardship.

The wall charger for the car is now powered directly from solar if the sun is up, or the Powerwall if it isn't. This is a 32 amp charger, which can take my car from 60% to 100% in about 4 hours. We have three Tesla vehicles and the charger is not always in use.

Outside, some of the old control boxes are no longer needed. The Tesla system controls when and how much power from the grid we take, or provide.

It knows about the weather, and will charge up the Powerwall if a bad storm is approaching.

If the grid power is interrupted, the Powerwall continues to provide us with electricity without even a blink. (That's because all our power, regardless of origin, goes through the Powerwall.)

Although it all works automatically, it's fun to open the app just to see how much grid power we're saving!

Although it doesn't happen every day, or even most days, when we get a combination of lots of sun and little draw, a reading of 99% Self-Powered always makes me happy.

But I get even happier when we generate more power than we can store, and so sell it back to the grid!

Notice our daily average energy cost dropped by over $8 a day with the addition of the solar panels and system.