Powerwall 2 + UPS Connundrum - and solution

[carteriii]

Thanks, yes I only use backup only...However knowing this now, I should not hit on the freq increase issue? Because there is always room to charge in that case, correct?

No, sorry, 1% is definitely not enough "room to charge". As I mentioned above, I didn't see the drop in frequency until I had 10-15% capacity, and even then the frequency was still ~62Hz (not standard 60Hz).

 

[jjrandorin]

Thanks, yes I only use backup only...However knowing this now, I should not hit on the freq increase issue? Because there is always room to charge in that case, correct?

Also how do you guys get in touch with Tesla Energy, any tricks? I always hit long on hold times, people never follow up etc

Thanks!

I just call the tesla energy phone number. 877 - 961 6752 is what I have as the energy support number. Thats what I called to get the specific issue addressed in this thread. I have never had it ring more than 4-5 times and could always talk to a human at that number.

Not sure what number you are calling, but try that one.

 

[carteriii]

I think the post above might have accidentally mis-typed that number. From this page, I believe it ends is 7652: Powerwall Customer Support

 

[jjrandorin]

I think the post above might have accidentally mis-typed that number. From this page, I believe it ends is 7652: Powerwall Customer SupportView attachment 614593

Yes thanks I mis typed it. It ends in 7652. Thank you

 

[omega]

Yes thanks I mis typed it. It ends in 7652. Thank you

Thanks guys!

I managed to get a knowledgeable person, who removed my old gateway. Within a week he said they will push the frequency change (62.7Hz).

Best to you all!

 

[slcasner]

The Tesla Powerwall 2 (PW2) is an excellent protection against grid power outages, yet its design does require an additional Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for any devices that are sensitive to even extremely brief power breaks.

While your fridge, microwave, most lights and other devices will likely not notice the 300-2000 millisecond relay switch-over (I'll admit I really don't know the typical Gateway relay cycle-over time as I've never been able to find Tesla specs on it) in case of a power outage, your sensitive electronics certainly will. In fact, only a few Hertz cycles loss will cause anything CPU related to fail.

As a newcomer to this subforum, I'm reaching back a couple of years to the initial post in this thread. Tesla says the transition to backup power is "seamless", but as the OP and other owners I've heard say, the switch-over delay is long enough to cause a desktop computer to fail. This irks me because I currently have a 20-year-old solar system with DC-coupled backup using lead-acid batteries that switches in 20 milliseconds. It also avoids converting DC-AC-DC to charge the batteries from solar power. But my roof and my panels now need replacing. It seems to me that if Tesla is selling a truly integrated system of Solar Roof plus Powerwalls they could make a faster and more efficient DC-coupled system (there used to be DC Powerwalls).

But one comment in the OP's post is a question for me. If I understand the design correctly, the Gateway relay is normally closed and just has to open to disconnect the Powerwalls from the grid when the grid goes down. It should not be necessary for any relay to close (causing delay) for power from the Powerwalls to go to the loads. The Powerwalls just need to crank up their inverters, right? And that should be possible within a cycle or two.

 

[omega]

Thanks guys!

I managed to get a knowledgeable person, who removed my old gateway. Within a week he said they will push the frequency change (62.7Hz).

Best to you all!

The frequency was adjusted to 62.2Hz, all done, thanks all!

 

[aesculus]

It seems to me that if Tesla is selling a truly integrated system of Solar Roof plus Powerwalls they could make a faster and more efficient DC-coupled system (there used to be DC Powerwalls).

I totally agree but they are not there yet. Still selling independent components in old school AC.

And we should be able to charge the car directly from solar via DC too.

 

[Vines]

As a newcomer to this subforum, I'm reaching back a couple of years to the initial post in this thread. Tesla says the transition to backup power is "seamless", but as the OP and other owners I've heard say, the switch-over delay is long enough to cause a desktop computer to fail. This irks me because I currently have a 20-year-old solar system with DC-coupled backup using lead-acid batteries that switches in 20 milliseconds. It also avoids converting DC-AC-DC to charge the batteries from solar power. But my roof and my panels now need replacing. It seems to me that if Tesla is selling a truly integrated system of Solar Roof plus Powerwalls they could make a faster and more efficient DC-coupled system (there used to be DC Powerwalls).

But one comment in the OP's post is a question for me. If I understand the design correctly, the Gateway relay is normally closed and just has to open to disconnect the Powerwalls from the grid when the grid goes down. It should not be necessary for any relay to close (causing delay) for power from the Powerwalls to go to the loads. The Powerwalls just need to crank up their inverters, right? And that should be possible within a cycle or two.

The delay is in that the Powerwalls have both charge, and discharge built in, and may not export any amps to the grid.

If the PW is currently full, and discharging, there will not likely be loss of power. If the PW is near empty, it needs to quickly switch from charging to discharging, perhaps needing to power up a large load immediately or not depending on load profile. This is where you may see loss of power. Powerwall did make some sacrifices compared to a DC coupled system. They gained flexibility and scalability with the AC coupled approach, but this is one of the downsides brief power interruptions.

I cannot say with any certainty how many times out of 100 outages that a home computer would die, but I suspect its less than 30.