A homeowner who bought a house with old Powerwall 2 batteries said they faced two problems, with the batteries degrading below 70% capacity and an inspector who said the installation no longer met code.
Here's what to know
The homeowner shared their story to Reddit's r/TeslaSolar community.
"I could use some help from the hive mind," the original poster wrote last week. "… I've been chasing Tesla around a bit for both a warranty replacement and relocation outside. I finally got some motion today, but it's just a contract for a few grand and 'relocation.'
"… Has anyone else dealt with Tesla on this? How do I protect myself and make sure things are buttoned up appropriately?"
The homeowner said the situation was urgent because they needed to "get these darn things out of the basement before mid-October so the inspector doesn't revoke my certification" but that Tesla's projected schedule for the job was 1-3 months.
Old solar systems can leave new homeowners to deal with aging hardware, warranty delays, and installation requirements that may become a problem if work is done in the space.
"Similar situation. Took 11 months and continued problems, including a fire with the product install. Get a local installer 100%," one commenter said.
Another person suggested hiring a Tesla-certified installer to relocate the batteries and begin the return merchandise authorization process.
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A third user wrote: "This is why you don't buy Tesla anything. They make money by doing nothing and being impossible to deal with so you give up."
Where can I learn more?
That dispute is one example of the trade-offs that can come with home energy equipment, especially as systems get old or need to be moved to satisfy updated local codes.
• Tesla's home battery business reached half a million installations worldwide.
• Another homeowner said a strange Tesla policy left them to cover a $6,000 power bill.
• In California, one homeowner said his Powerwall earned him $600 through a virtual power plant program.
These articles give a fuller sense of what it can be like to inherit or install Tesla equipment. The context could help homeowners sort through repair, relocation, and replacement decisions if issues come up.
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