How Do I Responsibly Report a Powerwall 2 Hardware Safety Defect?

[mongo]

Powerwall is probably CAT III (fixed installation), in which which case 2.5kV?

 

[cali8484]

Powerwall is probably CAT III (fixed installation), in which which case 2.5kV?
View attachment 1009457

My understanding is that grid interconnection requires 600V class rating.

 

[mudder]

The plane of the PCB is vertical?

I don't understand the question you're asking.

Why 6kV?

UL 1741(25.4)(b) states that a grid-connected inverter shall comply with the requirements for Overvoltage Category IV

What code requirement is 0.8mm based on?

UL 1741(24.1.1#7) mandates this minimum spacing.

If the above isn't clear, see my previous more in depth explanations in this thread.

 

[charlesj]

No, a new bracket is required. Without that tab (e.g. if you remove it with a Dremel), the 16 pound PCB assembly could flex during transit, which is never good for electronics.
...

I did not mean to remove the whole tab, just Dremel it into a rectangle shape from present curved inner side of tab?

 

[mudder]

I did not mean to remove the whole tab, just Dremel it into a rectangle shape from present curved inner side of tab?

Yes, an end user could theoretically remove a small portion of the tab to increase clearance. However, that's not something I'm proposing, as the Tesla Powerwall isn't designed for user accessibility/serviceability. Replacing the bracket is going to be difficult even for Tesla, as it requires:
-carefully sliding the battery tray out of the enclosure, and;
-draining the coolant, and;
-disconnecting the (non-socketed) coolant lines, and;
-removing several wire harnesses, and;
-removing the DC bus bars, and;
-removing the inverter PCB.

For ~$0 additional manufacturing cost, Tesla could have easily made the Powerwall more user serviceable (e.g. longer, flexible coolant lines, wider spacing between the battery busbars and the outer enclosure, etc)... but they opted to not invest in repairability, hence the above complications required to service the unit. I suspect Tesla simply doesn't perform service on PW units (i.e. they recycle failed units).

 

[buckets0fun]

I suspect Tesla simply doesn't perform service on PW units (i.e. they recycle failed units).

You are absolutely correct.

 

[MP3Mike]

I suspect Tesla simply doesn't perform service on PW units (i.e. they recycle failed units).

I'm pretty sure I have seen people report that they received a refurbished Powerwall when their unit failed. So I don't think they just recycle them. But they don't service them on-site.

 

[jgleigh]

UL 1741(25.4)(b) states that a grid-connected inverter shall comply with the requirements for Overvoltage Category IV

Unless I'm reading that table incorrectly, doesn't that mean you should use 4kV instead of 6kV?

 

[buckets0fun]

I'm pretty sure I have seen people report that they received a refurbished Powerwall when their unit failed. So I don't think they just recycle them. But they don't service them on-site.

I can’t find something within the first 5pages of google for:
“Refurbished powerwall”
“refurbished powerwall for sale”
I say five pages because maaaaannnn the amount of sponsored ads per page is WILD.
Not saying you didn’t see one, but it would be the first I’ve heard. And I’m interested in hearing more of this. I’ve seen a few PW2+ inverters be swapped with refurb units, but haven’t been privy to a refurb pw. Have seen quite a few used <private party transactions, not tesla> ones be combined into an existing system or as part of a new ESS install.

For reference: when a tractor trailer overturned spilling a load of PW leaving gigaNV, every single one was dunked in a massive water bath back at base. Zero units were allowed to be used, even ones with no damage.

 

[MP3Mike]

I can’t find something within the first 5pages of google for:
“Refurbished powerwall”
“refurbished powerwall for sale”
I say five pages because maaaaannnn the amount of sponsored ads per page is WILD.

Looking for them for sale? Most people sell them as part of the house rather than remove them and try to sell them...

Why would you search Google instead of TMC?

Just a minute searching here:

So I mentioned this briefly in another thread, but on install day, as soon as my powerwalls were turned on, we noticed that one of them was making a weird noise. It sounded almost, but not quite like something was hitting a fan blade as it spun. The installer created a support ticket for it. They came out this afternoon with a whole new powerwall and replaced the one that was making noise. As they were installing it I noticed that the original powerwall had a black sticker with the specs and serial number and such and the replacement one had a white sticker. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but I got curious this evening so I took a closer look at the stickers and I realized that the one they just installed today says that it is a remanufactured unit.

Entire Powerwall was replaced. In fact, the engineer told me that, being an RMA, it is actually being replaced by a refurbished unit.

Not that I see a lot of them failed.

 

[buckets0fun]

Looking for them for sale? Most people sell them as part of the house rather than remove them and try to sell them...

Why would you search Google instead of TMC?

Just a minute searching here:



Not that I see a lot of them failed.

Nice. Good shidd. Google search because typically it indexes TMC rather well and tmc on mobile is a pain at times.

You would be surprised on how many used powerwalls are listed for sale.

 

[gsdubs]

Yes, that's my video.

Hi @mudder thanks again for the investigation and wondering if you've heard back from Tesla or Intertek?

I watched the teardown videos as well, would you mind if I posted links to this forum?

In one of the videos you mentioned characterizing the battery pack's full capacity when you get a chance...looking forward to your findings.

Cheers