Powerwall installation location advice for hot climate

[Ninar99]

Hello all. Need some advice. We live in Los Angeles county and need to decide about placement for. Powerwall. Garage isn’t an option for logistic reasons. Options, to get around the extremely onerous 5ft code rule would be either:
- Same side of the home as the panel, approx 30ft away. But the unit will be directly exposed to afternoon sun (ambient temp 100 today, likely 109 under the sun). Also unclear if code prevents placement with a tiny window about 10ft above it
- other side of the home. More shaded/east side. But will require a 103ft conduit run from the battery, along the roof along the width of the home, to a gateway and then the panel. Installer claims they will use large enough wire to avoid voltage drop. But worried about the wire/conduit on the roof under the sun and what impact it will have on efficiency/voltage drop etc.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

 

[Operator64]

What’s the 5’ code rule? Is it local,or NEC
did find the Cali residential code 2019 here only calling for 3’

https://www.woodsidetown.org/sites/default/files/fileattachments/building/page/4621/ess_-_basic_battery_sample_only_01-08-2021.pdf

 

[Ninar99]

Los Angeles building code

It’s point #5, reading exterior installation be at least 5ft from windows, doors, etc

 

[jboy210]

Hello all. Need some advice. We live in Los Angeles county and need to decide about placement for. Powerwall. Garage isn’t an option for logistic reasons. Options, to get around the extremely onerous 5ft code rule would be either:
- Same side of the home as the panel, approx 30ft away. But the unit will be directly exposed to afternoon sun (ambient temp 100 today, likely 109 under the sun). Also unclear if code prevents placement with a tiny window about 10ft above it
- other side of the home. More shaded/east side. But will require a 103ft conduit run from the battery, along the roof along the width of the home, to a gateway and then the panel. Installer claims they will use large enough wire to avoid voltage drop. But worried about the wire/conduit on the roof under the sun and what impact it will have on efficiency/voltage drop etc.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Any option to shade the inverters, Powerwalls and other gear? Perhaps with one of those fabric sails shades you can buy for cheap from Amazon.

Regarding the window, my gear all sits below a 4' X 3' window. Inverters and TEG are 6' below and 3' back on the wall with the gear.

 

[Ninar99]

I think shading it would be tricky. It’s a Powerwall 2, so the inverter is built in, no? If we picked the farther location with the long conduit, only the gateway would be in the sun. Just not sure if electrically that’s ok (conduit length, on the roof)

 

[nyprepper]

Under no circumstances would I put the batteries in a direct sunny location in SoCal. I would do everything possible to get them inside even if it requires a costly reconfiguration.

 

[yblaser]

I think shading it would be tricky. It’s a Powerwall 2, so the inverter is built in, no? If we picked the farther location with the long conduit, only the gateway would be in the sun. Just not sure if electrically that’s ok (conduit length, on the roof)

The Powerwall 2+ has the inverter built-in. The regular Powerwall 2 does not.

The conduit shouldn't be an issue if the conductor are sized properly. The regular Powerwall 2 (and probably the 2+ as well but I don't know) also requires a data line between the PWs and the gateway. There is a limit on how far the data line can be run but I don't know the limit offhand (edit - looked it up it's 45m).

 

[Ninar99]

Any option to shade the inverters, Powerwalls and other gear? Perhaps with one of those fabric sails shades you can buy for cheap from Amazon.

Regarding the window, my gear all sits below a 4' X 3' window. Inverters and TEG are 6' below and 3' back on the wall with the gear.

Interesting. So you’re in LA county too I presume?

 

[Ninar99]

The Powerwall 2+ has the inverter built-in. The regular Powerwall 2 does not.

The conduit shouldn't be an issue if the conductor are sized properly. The regular Powerwall 2 (and probably the 2+ as well but I don't know) also requires a data line between the PWs and the gateway. There is a limit on how far the data line can be run but I don't know the limit offhand (edit - looked it up it's 45m).

Thank you. Yeah, I don’t know the electrical aspect as well, but imagine a conduit on the roof is going to get quite hot. Not sure how hot a data line or electrical wire can get and still operate normally.

 

[charlesj]

I think shading it would be tricky. It’s a Powerwall 2, so the inverter is built in, no? If we picked the farther location with the long conduit, only the gateway would be in the sun. Just not sure if electrically that’s ok (conduit length, on the roof)

Boy, a 100'+ run would need a good-sized cable to minimize power loss in it with the currents it would handle.

 

[charlesj]

Interesting. So you’re in LA county too I presume?

He is in Northern California per his location indicator.

 

[jboy210]

Interesting. So you’re in LA county too I presume?

Nope. Alameda country in NorCal.

We were one of thefirst 100 Solarroof 3 installs. And 3 different groups of our city and county fire guys stopped by the house when they were installing the Solarroof and Powerwalls to talk to us and the Tesla guys about how to deal with the roof (i.e. where to walk and not walk, fastest way to deenergize the entire system, etc.). The also checked out all the wire routing so know how close every wire, conduit, and box is to the windows, doors, vents, etc. They all seemed happy with what they saw.

 

[Ninar99]

Ahhh. Yeah, it seems a lot of going to hinge on whether having battery outdoors with direct sun a few hrs midday (and potentially in 90-100 degree temps) is better or worse than running a long conduit between the gateway to a more shaded part of the home for the battery (with the risk of voltage loss and/or the communication cable malfunction).

We actually put some thermometers in various locations. The closer location measured 118 today (prob overestimated since the high was 102 today) and the “cooler” side only hit 98.

I can’t be the first person with this dilemma. Certainly folks in warmer parts do the US must have considered this trade off (Arizona, Texas, etc)

 

[Operator64]

Ahhh. Yeah, it seems a lot of going to hinge on whether having battery outdoors with direct sun a few hrs midday (and potentially in 90-100 degree temps) is better or worse than running a long conduit between the gateway to a more shaded part of the home for the battery (with the risk of voltage loss and/or the communication cable malfunction).

We actually put some thermometers in various locations. The closer location measured 118 today (prob overestimated since the high was 102 today) and the “cooler” side only hit 98.

I can’t be the first person with this dilemma. Certainly folks in warmer parts do the US must have considered this trade off (Arizona, Texas, etc)

I would state all concerns to the installer in writing, e-mail hand written whatever, let them respond in writing so they are aware of the concerns and they can address them logically safely and legally, and everything is documented for your protection.

 

[MX100DM3P2017]

I would state all concerns to the installer in writing, e-mail hand written whatever, let them respond in writing so they are aware of the concerns and they can address them logically safely and legally, and everything is documented for your protection.

Critical, get everything in writing and keep all in-bound and out-bound emails for at least 7-years to protect yourself from any discrepancies. Case in point, while going through design and implementation with solar company that sold my contract to Sunrun, they lowered the 20-year guaranteed production tables. I made them lower the contracted monthly cost, provide me new 20-year production table that showed new lowered monthly cost. Sure enough, after Sunrun purchased my contract, they started to charge me the old higher monthly rate. My having the full issue documented in email along with the new 20-year production document resulted in Sunrun agreeing to refund and lowering my monthly charges. If I had not had all this in writing it would have been my word against a 3rd party installer that no longer existed. Same with utility. Southern California Edison (SCE) quoted me $10K to install a second meter for EV charging which I got in writing. California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) was collecting data on EV charging issues and I shared SCE's $10K quote while SCE and others were claiming they are not charging large fees for EV charging. My submission along with others proved to the CPUC unfair utility fees for EV charging. Now we have a new CPUC rule that all utilities must accept EV Chargers that have sub-meter abilities for EV charging rate billing as of August 4th, 2022.

 

[kulea]

Is there a way to install on the sunny side, but add some kind of shading for the midday sun?

 

[jboy210]

Is there a way to install on the sunny side, but add some kind of shading for the midday sun?

I looked at using a sail shade for that. They seem to work fine for dining outside and are cheap, $25-30.

 

[charlesj]

I looked at using a sail shade for that. They seem to work fine for dining outside and are cheap, $25-30.

Great. Now one can have a picknick under it, next to the powerwalls anytime.