Tesla Solar Roof Review From Owner After 3 Months Shows Incredible Results
A family who has had a Tesla Solar Roof for the last 3 months has released a fun video review that shows some impressive results.
The Neumann family from Northern California are early adopters of the Tesla Solar Roof.
Their Tesla Solar Roof with Powerwalls cost $83,000 before incentives.
They calculate that the solar installation saved them over $400 during the first 3 months of operation.
It is pretty impressive to see how it affected their electricity bills over time after the system activation:
In term of the overall experience, its fairly good news. They only had a single issue with the Powerwalls a few days after the system was turned on and Tesla quickly fixed it.
Therefore, the review is mostly about their experience using the system over the last 3 months. Heres their video:
Here are a few highlights from the report:
Between the solar roof and Powerwall, the household has been virtually operating off-grid most days. The only time they had to significantly pull electricity from the grid was when they had a heatwave and were running their AC a lot :
I also found it interesting how she explained that the household changed some habits since they have had the Tesla Solar Roof.
For example, they started doing some of the more energy-intensive tasks during the peak solar hours instead of doing them at night.
They also had a power outage and she said they wouldnt have noticed if it wasnt for the Tesla app notification:
Tesla Expands Solar Roof Installations To Anywhere In The Us
Tesla has decided to expand the market for solar roof tile installations to anywhere in the US.
The move comes as Tesla aims to greatly accelerate solar roof installations.
Until recently, Tesla solar roof installations were limited to some approved markets in the US within a relatively short distance of Tesla Energy warehouses.
It has been limiting the growth of the product that aims to offer an alternative to regular solar panels, which is still the bulk of Teslas solar business.
Now sources familiar with the matter told Electrek that Tesla opened installations of the solar roof tiles to any customer anywhere in the US.
Anyone can submit an order regardless of their distance from a Tesla Energy warehouse, and the company will have the capacity to send travel installation crews to the location.
However, Tesla will send people to survey the houses prior to going forward with any project in order to make sure the structures are good candidates for solar roof tiles.
The company has been known for prioritizing projects with simpler roofs.
As we previously reported, Tesla significantly increased the price of the solar roof tiles earlier this year after introducing a new roof complexity factor.
The expectation was that the price increase had put a dent in Teslas solar roof tile demand.
It showed that the company was still trying to drive demand for the product.
Tesla only noted this about solar roof deployment in its latest earnings:
A Truly Flexible Solar Power Storage System
One of the great things about the Powerwall is the ability to add or stack units at any time.
The Tesla Powerwall Stack Kit joins two floor-mounted Powerwall units in front-to-back multi-Powerwall installations. The units are then secured with side clips and a top cover to prevent debris from falling between them. An optional bridge assembly conceals wire runs between the Powerwalls, preserving the clean lines of the installation.
Up to 3 floor-mounted Powerwalls can be joined using two Stack Kits. For systems with more than 3 Powerwalls, units of 3 can be assembled and stacked.
Read: How long does a Tesla Powerwall hold its charge?
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Is The Tesla Solar Roof Worth It
As you can see, there are many variables and many numbers to consider when comparing the Tesla Solar Roof with a conventional solar panel installation. It can be difficult to truly compare apples to apples.
In many cases, homeowners are not looking to reinstall their roof along with installing solar panels. Most of the time in this case, just installing solar panels is a better option than installing a whole Tesla Solar Roof.
However, if you are considering reinstalling your roof along with installing solar panels, the pricing becomes more competitive. It would be a good idea to analyze the chart above to estimate how much reinstalling your roof might cost. From there you can speak with both your local solar company and Tesla to get an estimate of how much installing solar panels vs installing a Tesla Solar Roof might cost.To get a free solar estimate, or if you have any questions about how solar works, Green Ridge Solar is here to help. Contact Green Ridge Solar today for a free solar analysis, or check out our Solar Calculator to see how much you could save with solar.
Winner For Most: Solar Panels
For now, conventional solar panels are the safer bet if you are looking to make the switch to solar power. They are a proven product. They are also typically cheaper and offer a bit more flexibility in terms of how you install them.
Tesla’s solar roof shows a lot of promise, but the custom tiles can be cost-prohibitive and early troubles with the product make it hard to recommend at this stage. Future versions of the Tesla solar roof may improve and make good on the promising concept. For now, stick with what works so you can save on your energy bill and shrink your carbon footprint.
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Tesla Solar Roof: What Is It
The Tesla solar roof is a building-integrated photovoltaic product that has the look and functions of typical roof shingles. With the Tesla solar roof, property owners can have a modern pitched roof look mixed with shingle tiles. Teslas solar glass is made with tempered glass that is 3 times stronger than the standard roofing tiles.
In fact, Tesla is so confident in their solar glass technology that they have infinity and lifetime warranty for their tiles. The glass material shielding the solar cell results in minimal efficiency drop for the photovoltaic shingles but there are no real numbers to indicate exactly how much the efficiency is improved.
One of the main complaints associated with solar panels is the aesthetic, with many property owners of the belief that they are visually unappealing. Musk believes that Teslas solar roof is going to be a night-and-day difference in changing the visual aspect and creating a more appealing product for consumers. The Tesla Solar roof will be offered in four different designs: slate glass tile, textured glass tile, Tuscan glass tile, and smooth glass tiles, as shown below.
Get The Roof Inspected
After the installation is complete, the roof will have to be inspected and approved to be interconnected to the grid by your utility. This can range from one to five weeks. Waiting for permitting, inspections, and interconnection could take a few months.
Once the roof is inspected, you can download the Tesla app and monitor the systems production!
Note: There is also no way of knowing when an installer can get to your house to begin the solar roof installation. So, the complete timeline of how long it takes to get the solar roof installed ranges from one month, to possibly over a year.
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Features Of Tesla Solar Panel Systems
Tesla solar installations use Hanwha Q CELLS Peak Duo Black solar panels, more specifically the Q.Peak Duo Blk-G6+ modules, which are not exclusive to Tesla. In fact, multiple solar installers throughout the U.S. offer these solar panels.
Dont get us wrong – Hanwha makes great solar panels. But Tesla tries to make it seem like theyre providing a Tesla-only product, and thats just not the case.
Let’s take a look at what these panels offer in terms of performance:
Tesla solar panel performance| 68.5″ X 40.6″ X 1.57″ | |
| Warranty | 25-year performance warranty, 10-year comprehensive warranty |
Dont get us wrong – Q CELLS are great Tier 1 solar panels. Theyre a reliable brand with a high quality product. They have a high efficiency rating, but not the highest on the market. The power tolerance and temperature coefficients are in line with other Tier 1 solar panels that suggest they will operate well under real-world conditions.
The only thing were unsure of is the performance warranty. According to the QCELLS website, the panels will operate at at least 85% of their original capacity after 25 years. This is great, but Teslas website gives different information.
According to Tesla, the panels will only operate at at least 80% of their original capacity by Year 25. This isnt a huge difference, and its still in line with industry standards, but having conflicting information doesnt really look great for Tesla.
Can You Go Off
While it may be difficult to go completely off-grid with a Tesla Solar Roof, if you have enough Powerwalls, it is possible to reach a high level of self-sufficiency. Ultimately, whether or not you can go off-grid will depend on your initial Solar Roof and Powerwall investment, and how much energy you use throughout the year.
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Consider The Tesla Solar Roof If:
- You have the financial means to make a substantial investment into a new roof
- You like to get your hands on cutting-edge technology and dont mind joining the waitlist
- You dont mind performing more regular maintenance on your solar panels
- You live in a populated region with access to Tesla-certified installers
Is Tesla Still Selling Solar Roofs
The product was originally revealed back in 2016. Tesla is currently still trying to meet significant demand for the solar roof, but has yet to widely roll out the product, Musk said in a conference call with investors following the release of Teslas financial results for the first quarter of 2021.
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Solar Roof Durability Vs Solar Panel Durability
Tesla is extremely confident in the durability of its solar roof. Elon Musk has stated that the Tesla Solar Roof has an infinity warranty or for the lifetime of your home, whichever comes first. While the durability of the new solar tiles has not been successfully field testing, there are videos online of the Tesla Solar team launching hail and other heavy objects at the solar tiles to show their durability. Based on a video recorded in a Tesla owned factory, it seems the solar tiles are stronger than a tempered-glass solar panel.
Standard solar panels, however, are usually warrantied by the manufacturer for 25 years and the panels typically will last longer than the warranty. The expected lifetime of solar panels has also been field tested, unlike the solar roof.
The biggest question here is what is going to happen when solar tiles start degrading and losing their efficiency? When solar panels need to be replaced or corrected it is a pretty simple replacement. But what happens when there are solar tile problems? How much of the roof is going to have to be replaced? It seems that making any corrections to a Tesla Solar Roof is going to be very expensive and labor-intensive.
Can The Tesla Solar Roof Work With A Flat Roof
Unfortunately for homeowners with flat roofs, the Tesla Solar Roof will not be an option for you and your home. The minimum roof pitch eligible for a solar roof installation is 3:12 . This puts the Tesla solar roof at a disadvantage considering solar panels can work on all roof types. All it takes for solar panels to be effective on flat roofs is a tilted racking system.
Solar aside, tiling is not recommended for flat roofs due to leaking potential. This is a very real risk considering the wiring components located inside the solar tiles.
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Tesla Solar Roof Vs Hail
The 25-year warranties meet the standard for most solar panels on the market. They are a little more durable than traditional solar panels when it comes to their hail and wind ratings.
Most solar panels are tested for their strength against one-inch hail. While this is considered severe hail and is rare in many places, Teslas is tested to withstand 1.75-inch hail.
Read More About Clean Energy From Cnbc Pro
, saying the acquisition amounted to a bailout for Musk and his family’s other businesses.
While the judge won’t deliver his verdict in the derivative shareholder lawsuit until early next year, Musk testified the SolarCity deal was essential to achieve Tesla’s vision. He denied SolarCity had been in dire financial straits before Tesla acquired the business.
Today, there’s growing demand and fresh government support for residential and commercial solar throughout the United States.
But Tesla still isn’t mass producing and installing large numbers of the Solar Roof tiles. Most of the growth in its Energy division has come from its energy storage systems — from backup batteries for homes to big batteries for utility-scale projects. Most of its residential solar revenue comes from installations of traditional panels.
CNBC interviewed industry experts and recent Tesla solar customers, to find out how the company is delivering on its solar promises. Their experiences were mixed, with customers in Washington, New York and California bemoaning poor customer service and unexpected issues with the installation of their solar panels, and others praising Tesla for making cars and systems that enable them to run on sunshine.
Tesla did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this story.
Watch the video to hear their stories in full.
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Scenario : You Love The Solar Roof Aesthetics Want Solar And Have Money To Spend
There are certainly homeowners out there who simply love the aesthetics of the Tesla Solar Roof and want it installed, regardless of the price tag. For shoppers in this category who are considering solar or even a new roof, the Tesla Solar Roof could be a good fit! In fact, we believe that the majority of buyers for Teslas Solar Roof come from this fourth category. At EnergySage, we think that more solar on rooftops is always better than less, and are glad that this group has an option that best fits their needs.
Does Tesla Manufacture Solar Tiles
As well as traditional solar panels, Tesla also supplies solar tiles, which blend into your roof seamlessly.
Whilst the Tesla website insists that the company creates solar tiles in its factory in Buffalo, New York, there has been a lot of scepticism around this claim. In fact, in a bid to figure out how accurate this claim is, PV Magazine looked into the tiles origins and found that they were shipped from China.
A close up of Tesla’s solar panels. Photos courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
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Evaluating The Pros And Cons Of The Tesla Solar Roof
Tesla is a company with a certain mystique about them people get super excited about every announcement they make. So it comes as no surprise that people constantly ask us what we think about the new Solar Roof.
We wanted to take a deep dive into what we know about the Solar Roof to help you determine whether its a viable option for your needs.
First, a quick summary of the pros and cons:
The Final Verdict: Should You Buy A Tesla Solar Roof
The Tesla Solar Roof is a gorgeous product with a prohibitively high cost to install. Right now, its largely a premium solution for early adopters who dont mind paying more to access cutting-edge technology in high demand. Anyone who invests in the Solar Roof should also be willing to contend with more frequent maintenance than a traditional solar array might require.
Lastly, you should be willing to wait for production to catch up to demand. Just know that youll be running on Teslas schedule, and theyre a lot better about generating hype around new products than meeting production deadlines.
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Solar Roof Has A Troubled History
Tesla’s solar roof dates back to 2016, the year Tesla bought SolarCity, a solar panel installation company founded by two of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s cousins. Prior to the merger, SolarCity installed conventional solar panels that sit above a customer’s roof . But in 2016, weeks before the SolarCity deal was due to close, Tesla announced the solar roof project, which features roofing tiles that double as solar panels.
Tesla started accepting preorders for solar roof in May 2017. In August 2018, Musk told investors that Tesla had “several hundred solar roofs” installed. But the company then quickly walked that statement back, clarifying that Musk was including people who were scheduled for roof installations but hadn’t gotten them yet. The same month, Reuters reported that Tesla was struggling to manufacture roof tiles at its solar panel factory in Buffalo, New York.
In 2019, Tesla announced it was slashing prices for the solar roof in an effort to boost sluggish demand for the product. In 2020, Tesla canceled the orders of some customers because they were out of Tesla’s service area. At the same time, Tesla said it had “roughly tripled” solar roof installations between the first and second quarters of 2020.
All of which is to say that, after years of delays and setbacks, Tesla may be finally selling the solar roof at significant scale. And the company has apparently discovered that the costs of installing a solar roof are higher than previously anticipated for many customers.
