Powerwall System Design
Components that make up a Powerwall System
A Powerwall installation includes at least one Powerwall battery, a Backup Gateway and standard electrical hardware such as circuit breaker panels, conduit, junction boxes, or electrical disconnects as required by your particular installation and local electrical codes. In some cases, conduit and other electrical hardware can be hidden within the wall for an additional cost.
Designing for Whole Home Backup
When designing your system, Tesla or your Certified Installer will recommend the number of Powerwalls needed to back up your entire home (whole home backup). In the event of a power outage, Powerwall can support all your appliances. If required, you can add more Powerwalls to keep your house operational during longer outages.
If you order multiple Powerwalls for your system, they can be mounted as single side-by-side units on a wall or on the floor, or stacked front-to-back (up to 3 deep per stack) and mounted on the floor only.
Side-by-Side Mounting
When mounted side-by-side on a wall, Powerwall must have enough clearance on each side for electrical connections and proper ventilation.
Front-to-Back Mounting
When stacked front-to-back, Powerwall must be floor-mounted and the stack must be anchored to an adjacent wall. Powerwalls must be joined together with a Powerwall Stack Kit.
Stacking Larger Powerwall Systems
For stacked systems with more than 3 Powerwalls, separate stacks of 3 should be installed, with each group of 3 Powerwalls attached to a wall.
Designing for Essential Load Backup
If your electrical situation doesn’t allow for whole home backup, Tesla or your Certified Installer can design your system for essential load backup. This allows you to back up essential loads such as lights and outlets and leave out larger equipment such as air conditioners. While the grid is operational, all appliances will be useable, but when the grid goes down only the loads you deem as essential will be operational. Since these systems require less power, a single Powerwall will typically be enough.
A single Powerwall provides 5kW (13.5 kWh) of continuous power. You can back up any number of appliances, so long as their combined power usage does not exceed the total 5kW of continuous power per Powerwall. To ensure that your essential loads are available for backup, learn more about which appliances are typically more energy intensive than others.
Your Powerwall Installation Site
Powerwall and Backup Gateway can be installed indoors or outdoors, and can operate within a wide range of temperatures, from -20°C to 50°C. At the extremes of the temperature range, Powerwall may limit charge or discharge power to improve battery lifespan.
To optimise Powerwall performance, avoid installing Powerwall in locations exposed to direct sunlight or subject to sustained extreme temperatures. Additionally, while humidity and rain do not pose a risk, Powerwall should not be installed in locations subject to flooding or near water sources such as downpipes or sprinkler systems. In order to maintain proper ventilation, Powerwall should be kept clear of debris such as leaves and dense brush.