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  1. W

    What battery charge level for storage?

    Electricians are not taught basic electrical concept. Only taught what must connect to what to protect human life. For a protector to be effective, it must connect low impedance (ie less than 10 feet) to earth ground. Most electricians would not know what impedance is. Since impedance is...
  2. W

    What battery charge level for storage?

    That is the APC protector that resulted in a 15 million unit recall. Due to at least 700 potential fires that APC knew about. Also discussed here. A surge, too tiny to overwhelm protection in attached appliances, also destroyed that tiny joule protector - catastrophically. Protector part...
  3. W

    What battery charge level for storage?

    Absolutely amazing how many somehow know. And (as CaseyL constantly demonstrates) cannot even post one fact or number that demonstrates any knowledge. Somehow his emotions justified by insult are proof. Because tell him that a 50% charged battery is listed a 0% on the dashboard, then he...
  4. W

    What battery charge level for storage?

    Many are experts without first learning how a battery really works. As indicated denials without even one fact and no relevant numbers. Denials without even one fact and no numbers identifies an expert who forgot to first learn. Facts with numbers often make the most technically naive...
  5. W

    What battery charge level for storage?

    Demonstrated is a mistake that layman make. Assume a linear relationship. Numbers we tell you are insufficient to know what is happening. We only tell you enough to know when a recharge is or will be necessary'. No battery drops to 0%. All batteries (when we declare them dead) are above 0%...
  6. W

    What battery charge level for storage?

    What is reported to you as zero is a battery maybe approaching 50%. What is reported to you as 50% maybe a battery at 75% charged. Understand how batteries work. Previous rechargeable batteries would be at maximum voltage when fully charged. Lithium does not work that way. At the battery...
  7. W

    What battery charge level for storage?

    American laws require battery packs to last 100,000 miles. So American EVs typically do not let their batteries drop below 50%. European EVs do not have that requirement. So European EV drivers do more miles from a recharge. Three conditions that degrade lithium batteries. Trying to charge...
  8. W

    What battery charge level for storage?

    Chargers must charge the battery to determine if it is at 100% or 80%. Unfortunately that 'initial charge to learn what is inside a battery' can shorten battery life. Been doing lithium batteries before a Tesla. For example, my lithium batteries in a laptop would last 10 and 13 years...
  9. W

    What battery charge level for storage?

    A lightning strike anywhere (even blocks away) is a direct strike incoming to all appliances. Due to a homeowner who fails to implement an inexpensive and well proven solution. Direct lightning strikes only cause damage when a homeowner fails to properly install what is required. Charging to...
  10. W

    What battery charge level for storage?

    Fully charge it. Then leave it unplugged. It almost never happens. But batteries tend to create fires most often when charging. If you do not have a 'whole house' protector (connected low impedance - ie less than 10 feet to single point earth ground electrodes), then lightning is all but...
  11. W

    Whole-House Surge Protection

    Topic is clearly about "protection". Protectors and protection are two different items. pdx_m3s demonstrated how best protection is installed, Demonstrated is a well proven technology called Ufer grounding. Originally developed so that surges (including direct lightning strikes) cause no...
  12. W

    Whole-House Surge Protection

    No theories were posted.. Any post that does not also say why is, by honest adults, always best ignored as a lie. Passion is a silly emotion. Science has no passion - only reality. Posted were facts with relevant supporting knowledge that separates reality from insidious lies. Who posted...
  13. W

    Whole-House Surge Protection

    First learn what an effective protector does. It never tries to 'block' or 'absorb' a surge. Effective protectors are only connecting devices to what does all protection. Where are hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly absorbed? Single point earth ground. Not any other ground. And...
  14. W

    Whole house surge protector?

    Any valid recommendation always starts with what is the threat (what can cause damage). And how (and why) the effective solution works. That is introduced here: Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall And elsewhere in that thread.
  15. W

    Protection From Lightning

    I had read previously where an owner claimed Tesla would not charge. He claimed he had a surge. Did that Tesla (or its charger) suffer from a surge? Resulting damage, defined by what was repaired, was not posted. So surge damage was only speculation. Unfortunately, many also mistakenly...
  16. W

    Protection From Lightning

    It has happened elsewhere. The threat? Some venues may suffer one every three years. Some may not suffer any in 20 years. But this effective solution is so inexpensive (about $1 per protected appliance) as to be installed routinely.
  17. W

    Protection From Lightning

    Voltage only exists when something foolishly tries to 'block' that surge. That is what plug-in protectors must do. Or what car tires are rumored to do. Meanwhile, the 'whole house' solution is why your telco suffers about 100 surges with each storm. And your town still has phone service for...
  18. W

    Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall

    Obviously a best time to plan and install surge protection is before footing are poured. But most are sold overhyped plug-in protectors rather than learn what is required - as well understood over 100 years ago. They are victims of lies, no numbers, wild speculation, hearsay, and advertising...
  19. W

    Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall

    Lightning is maybe 20,000 amps. It is same whether the structure is a shack, a house, or an industrial structure. That amperage is about the surge; not about what a facility consumes from a utility. 50,000 is a minimum number. A 1970s IEEE paper put numbers to it. A direct strike to nearby...
  20. W

    Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall

    Previously posted: I am confused. That product was described how many times? Did you search for it? These are sold in big box hardware stores, electrical supply houses, and wdiely on the internet. Also posted so many times: Item that define a protection 'system' (that harmlessly...
  21. W

    Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall

    In a typical transformer failure, current is flowing in one direction only - on one or all wires. Phase to phase (or L-N) transients are rarely destructive. In part because 120 volt electronics must withstand up to 600 volt transients without damage (even before PCs existed). 'Whole house'...
  22. W

    Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall

    Why did a transformer explode? One example. A transformer feeding a west coast radio station was not properly earthed. Lightning struck. Lightning (like all surges that typically do damage) means a current hunts for a connection to earth. That best connection was from 33,000 volts to...
  23. W

    Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall

    What confuses you? Complaint without citing even one sentence only protects confusion. Why did you not find those expressions in "spec sheets for well-regarded ups and surge protectors"? Because Since a 'magic box' only does H-N and H-G protection, then it does not claim to protect from...
  24. W

    Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall

    That conclusion uses subjective reasoning. Include numbers. Switching to battery power takes milliseconds. Big spikes are done in microseconds. 300 consecutive big spikes could destroy hardware before it even thinks about switching to battery power. Subjective recommendations are why...
  25. W

    Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall

    Where is a UPS that claims to 'block' or 'absorb' hundreds of thousands of joules? How does a gap in a millimeters switch 'block' what three miles of sky cannot? Where is this UPS that claims to 'absorb' hundreds of thousands of joules. That cited UPS is posted with a manufacturer...
  26. W

    Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall

    Now let's view what those protectors do. A surge incoming on any or all AC wires might be 5000 volts. View let-through voltage numbers on that protector. Probably 330 volts. So a 5000 volt surge incoming on the hot (black) wire is now incoming 4670 volts on the neutral (white) wire and...
  27. W

    Power "Quality" Protection with Powerwall

    Each device only addresses a particular anomaly. For example, a UPS is temporary and 'dirty' power so that unsaved data can be saved. It does nothing to protect hardware. Eliminate confusion quickly by ignoring any claim that does not come with numbers. UPS will claim to be surge protectors...
  28. W

    Model S - HPWC (High Power Wall Connector)

    That could happen if conclusions were not speculated only using observation. With knowledge based in numbers, then lightning clearly did not melt that feeder and start a fire. Lightning has insufficient energy. If not properly earthing effective protection, then a follow through current...
  29. W

    Model S - HPWC (High Power Wall Connector)

    Did you first learn numbers? Lightning currents did not do that damage. When lightning is not properly and safely connected to earth, then something with massive more energy causes that damage. Learn about a "follow through current". That (and not lightning) has sufficient energy - explains...
  30. W

    Model S - HPWC (High Power Wall Connector)

    Any protection that does not protect from direct lightning strikes is best considered a scam. That is what effective protection has done for well over 100 years - protect from surges including direct lightning strikes. Your telco's switching computer suffers about 100 surges with each storm...
  31. W

    Surge protector for 14-50

    An effective protector must never fail catastrophically. If a Leviton protector was 50,000 amps, then your venue requires a 100,000 amp protector. Effective protectors never take the brunt of or even 'absorb' a significant amount of a surge. Less energy 'absorbed' by a protector means a...
  32. W

    Surge protector for 14-50

    Since lightning is typically 20,000 amps, then a minimal 'whole house' protector is 50,000 amps. If neighborhood history over more than ten years suggests rare and more frequent surges, then consider a 100,000 amp protector. If I remember, an Intermatic is rated as 48,000 amps - good enough...
  33. W

    Surge protector for 14-50

    How often daily must we replace dishwashers, clocks, refrigerator, furnace, GFCIs, doorbell, LED bulbs, recharging electronics, and smoke detectors? Never? Invisible protectors exist? Of course not. If anything inside creates destructive surges, then those suffer damage daily. No damage...
  34. W

    Surge protector for 14-50

    No protector does protection from destructive surges such as lightning. That FPL protector is part a solution for direct lightning - only if connected low impedance (ie less than 10 feet) to single point earth ground. FPL does not provide that earthing. Only a homeowner is responsible for...
  35. W

    Surge protector for 14-50

    'Whole house' protector (for all 240/120 service) is recommended because it makes a low impedance connection to what does protection. Ineffective protectors must somehow 'block' or 'absorb' a surge. 'Whole house' protector is effective because it connects a surge to what does the protection -...
  36. W

    Whole house surge suppressor

    Nothing about 'whole house' protectors was conjecture or argument. That solution is proven by over 100 years of experience and fundamental science. Only solution used in every telco switching facility, to suffer even 100 surges per storm and no damage to the $multi-milliion switching computer...
  37. W

    Electrical surge/lightning strike - what insurance would cover?

    Insurance is defined by state laws. Therefore an answer may vary with each state.
  38. W

    Electrical surge/lightning strike - what insurance would cover?

    An 'arrestor' does not do protection. The 'arrestor' should have less attention. Some incoming wires (ie cable TV, satellite dish) have best protection with no protector. In every case, protection is what every incoming wire connects to: single point earth ground. Either via a wire or via a...
  39. W

    Electrical surge/lightning strike - what insurance would cover?

    Lightning is unpredicable if, for example, you assume all grounds are same. The phrase was very specific. Earth ground. If any appliance is earth grounded, then it is the perfect path for a destructive surge. But appliances are not earthed grounded. Appliances connect to a completely...
  40. W

    Electrical surge/lightning strike - what insurance would cover?

    A direct lightning strike to utility wires far down the street is a direct strike incoming to every household appliance. Are all damaged? Of course not. Because damage means another outgoing path must exist. Damaged are selective appliances (or Tesla) that also make that outgoing connection...
  41. W

    Surge Protector

    Urban myths get promoted often by salesmen, advertising, or hearsay. Wires (overhead or underground) may carry a destructive surge into a building. Every wire inside an overhead or underground cable must connect to single point earth ground before entering. Otherwise a surge will hunt for...
  42. W

    Long Term Battery Care and Charging Habits

    As the battery is topped off, its voltage drops (does not increase). Voltage only increases during most of a charge. But not at the end.
  43. W

    Long Term Battery Care and Charging Habits

    The battery will only take the energy it needs. However this (the nature of lithium batteries which is different from how Tesla might do it) was posted previously. A battery must take a full charge current at the beginning to 'learn' the battery's actual state. If a battery is already fully...
  44. W

    Surge Protector

    Your garage would have numerous and distinct grounds as described by FlasherZ. Even if interconnected, those grounds would be unique. That is required for human safety and described by code. Your Q1 is about something completely different - transistor (or Tesla) safety. If four AC wires...
  45. W

    Long Term Battery Care and Charging Habits

    Many statements are confusing. Characteristic of lithium batteries and what Tesla does (its algorithm) are two different (although related) topics. How a battery reacts is different from what Tesla might do to avert problems. Lithium batteries cannot be slow charged for some technology...
  46. W

    Long Term Battery Care and Charging Habits

    The question has two parts. First the behaviour of lithium batteries must be understood. Only then can we move on to what Tesla does. First, the less that battery pack is discharged before recharge, then the longer it will last. 5 discharges at 20% means the battery pack hardly...
  47. W

    Surge Protector

    Either a surge is connected harmlessly to earth without entering a building. Or that surge will hunt for earth destructively inside via appliances or a Tesla. Even power strip protectors need protection provided by earthing one 'whole house' protector. The only solution always found in a...
  48. W

    Canadian Electrical Code

    Some background. If the protector is not earthed, then it must somehow block what three kilometers of sky could not. Or somehow absorb hundreds of thousands of joules. Or somehow clamp so that energy magically disappears. Reality. If not connected low impedance to earth (ie 'less than 3...
  49. W

    Whole house surge suppressor

    Nobody can answer that without many more details. But you must meet and also exceed those code requirements. Some solutions define protection in terms of separate structures. For example, an app note shows each structure with its own single point earth ground. Any wire that enters either...
  50. W

    Whole house surge suppressor

    The NEC says nothing about surge protection. The NEC is only about human safety. Surge protection is about transistor safety. Latter means both meeting and exceeding code requirements. If any ground is same, then connect a lightning rod to the ground on a computer motherboard. According...