-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Help: Powerwall Cold/Jump started without grid power [resolved]
- Thread starter CrazyNavi
- Start date
Area under the curve is my guess. Tesla has a load-shedding feature (for simple thermostats) that is good enough to deploy Powerwalls in 10-20% of homes across America.
Very few of our customers actually want to shed loads. Mostly they want to buy systems large enough that they do not have to shed anything.
Heat minimum rooms. Everything else I do is minimal already. Just never know how long something might last.Just curious, what's survival mode like for you with 7 PW's and 22kW generator
These folks that left there heaters on full blast and ran out of propane, and cannot be refilled quickly, well, ...
How many days do you expect to last in survival mode with your PW's and generator assuming cloudy/smoky days?
As vines stated, it just depends on what you have running! If I just turn off the heat, I could go a long time with just lights, refrig, freezer.Since my solar is 100% broken, am actually there today. But because I have the generator, I guess I could turn off the batteries, and use the generator for an hour, 3 times a day, and run the heaters. Then go back on batteries for quiet and just lights. I would become creative.
I would not want to be one of those folks I see on TV complaining they have no propane, food, etc.
If Vines can go 4-5 days (assuming essentials only) with 5 PW's and no generator then it seems like you could go for weeks?
Did you ever consider dual fuel heat pumps?
When you say "Apply 12V to jump pins on Gateway, would you take a minute to tell me how? Do you need a device like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Ma...ive&sprefix=12v+charger,automotive,273&sr=1-6
Is something like the above items what I need? What do you suggest? And is it a matter of simply inserting a piece of wire into the jumper ports?
I've never done it myself, but it seems any small 12V battery would do. Or two 6V lantern batteries in series. I wouldn't use a charger.
Then wires from the battery to the gateway connections, they call for 3 Amp fuse.
https://www.amazon.com/ML7-12-Battery-Mighty-Brand-Product/dp/B00K8V30D0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3
Nope, I have so much excess solar, being 100% electric gives me a negative overall energy bill, love it
If you don't have power, it is hard to use a charger... The second gizmo doesn't output 12V, so it won't help you.
Any 12V battery source will work. If you want to be really prepared, make up a 10' or so wire with a 3A inline fuse, with battery clamps at one end. Don't forget to keep the 12V battery fresh, and charged. Personally, I would get a battery holder with enough AA batteries (8) to get 12V. I use a number of 12V batteries around the place, and it is a on going process to replace them every 3-5 years, so I personally would not be rushing to add one more.
FWIW: If you already have a computer UPS, you might make your custom cable match one of the computer UPS battery terminals, knowing that you could raid it if the need arose. (Check to make sure the batteries are 12V!)
All the best,
BG
Here is similar to what I would use:
https://www.amazon.com/Melasta-5200mAh-Rechargeable-Security-Telescope/dp/B0B6NHPXXF/ref=sr_1_18?crid=19U3QRDNRPJCL&keywords=power+bank+with+12v&qid=1678419855&sprefix=power+bank+with+12v,aps,317&sr=8-18
Yes, you just put the 12V to the appropriate pins and turn it on.
https://www.amazon.com/Melasta-5200mAh-Rechargeable-Security-Telescope/dp/B0B6NHPXXF/ref=sr_1_18?crid=19U3QRDNRPJCL&keywords=power+bank+with+12v&qid=1678419855&sprefix=power+bank+with+12v,aps,317&sr=8-18
Yes, you just put the 12V to the appropriate pins and turn it on.
I had this issue today. After a few frustrating hours getting nowhere with support and them leaving me off with "Wait until the grid is online" I found this thread.
I attempted to use this battery: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MHNQIR2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and this battery: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MF70BPU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
which seem very similar to the one shown in the video, and the battery would turn off when I connected it to the jump connection. I eventually tried with the 12v port from a larger power station (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D29QNMJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and it started right up with the light visible on the GW and power flowing again a few minutes later.
I just wanted to pitch in because I spent a while confused that I was using what I thought was literally the power bank shown in the video (just now I realized the image actually shows this one, https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-3000mAh-Lithium-External/dp/B01M7Z9Z1N/, which differs in that it has a USB port but is otherwise the same specs and I assume also wouldn't work) and having it not work - if it isn't jump starting, you need something with more juice.
I attempted to use this battery: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MHNQIR2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and this battery: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MF70BPU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
which seem very similar to the one shown in the video, and the battery would turn off when I connected it to the jump connection. I eventually tried with the 12v port from a larger power station (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D29QNMJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and it started right up with the light visible on the GW and power flowing again a few minutes later.
I just wanted to pitch in because I spent a while confused that I was using what I thought was literally the power bank shown in the video (just now I realized the image actually shows this one, https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-3000mAh-Lithium-External/dp/B01M7Z9Z1N/, which differs in that it has a USB port but is otherwise the same specs and I assume also wouldn't work) and having it not work - if it isn't jump starting, you need something with more juice.
I certainly have personally revived a system with a 12v power source almost exactly like you show. Likely yours wasn't giving enough voltage or amperage for whatever reason to do the job.
The smaller battery banks have 3S li-ion cells with unregulated 12V output so unless they are fully charged the actual voltage is likely < 12V which is too low for many 12V devices. The Jackery has regulated 12V output so the actual voltage is likely > 13V.
That makes sense. Both of these were powerbanks I had from a project months-to-years ago, and they still had a charge (one at 3/5 LEDs and one at 5/5 LEDs) but I can definitely believe they weren't at full strength. I pulled out a multimeter and confirmed that they were around 10 and 12 respectively, and the Jackery was a stable 13.1
Thanks for all the time and effort in this thread. I'm trying to do this right now.
I have a 12v 7a battery connected to the jumps, and when I connect it, there is a flashing red+blue light at the reset button of the inverter.
I turned on the general duty switch, inverter breakers, and DC disconnect switches on both SunPower inverters then turned on PW.
PW flashed green leds for a few seconds and now it's solid green.
Inverters still say waiting for grid voltage. How long should this take? Anythiughts to troubleshoot?
Thanks
I'm far too late to be any help to you, but for posterity it was 5ish minutes for me. I hope it worked out for you!
CrazyRabbit
Active Member
I think sitting in his hot tub drinking frozen margaritas!Just curious, what's survival mode like for you with 7 PW's and 22kW generator
