Powerwall Installation Location

[Dan123]

So I need to figure out where in my garage to locate the two PWs.


1. My understanding is that they can put the on the floor (and stack two of them front or back, so 2 PWs are about 12 inches deep). Or then can mount them off the floor, but then they can't stack them, and they have to be side by side. Is that right?

2. How high off the floor can they put them?

3. How water-proof are they? I have a refrigerator and a water-pump in the garage. And a water heater nearby. Let's say they leak water, and there is a couple of inches of water on my garage floor. Is floor-mounter PW going to get damaged by some water?

4. There is also an AC coolant line running above, that occasionally drips condensation water below. I presume a small water drip is not going to be a big deal, since it is rated for outdoor where it rains?

5. I can, in theory, put them in a place that's air-conditioned. Does it make sense to do so?

 

[DrSmile]

Mine are not side by side. They are on opposite walls. I mounted them off the floor because of flooding concerns.

 

[Tam]

...2. How high off the floor can they put them?...

There have been pictures of them hanging on a wall as a piece of art.

...3. How water-proof are they?...

They are rated outdoor but I don't think they are meant for immersion.

...a place that's air-conditioned. Does it make sense to do so?

It's fine to treat them in air-conditioned place but there's no need to.

 

[JohnRatsey]

5. I can, in theory, put them in a place that's air-conditioned. Does it make sense to do so?

How hot / cold does your garage get? If it gets hot or near freezing then the PWs will use some energy keeping themselves to a comfortable temperature.

I would recommend keeping them above floor level, even if only a few inches. If you want one behind the other then I wonder if mounting on a small plinth would be a solution. I haven't seen photos showing this solution but I can't see why it wouldn't work. However, unless precast or done in advance then it would delay the installation (= more cost).

 

[SoundDaTrumpet]

I placed mine double stacked inside garage on the ground against the wall 2-3ft from the roll up door. Many benefits: all doors for SUV & sedan can swing open without interference and room for all to get in and out, not in the way when driving in as I'd hit the house first, and small footprint.

1. Wall mounting: Limited to one wall mounted above the ground. Has to do with evaluating structurally what a wall can handle. Installers desire to avoid fire-rated walls (living space on other side) since they are punching holes thru. It can be done, just every consideration is an added complexity.
2. Mounting height: Limited to the equipment lift the crew uses (the real answer... safety safety safety.) about 3'. Some electrician consider the switch a shut off subject to another NFPA 70 height restriction, which is a debate.
5. I took a TMC poll this past March/April. Indoor was voted most popular for a semi-conditioned environment.

 

[hodad66]

I was told that the Powerwalls can withstand two foot immersion.

 

[buttershrimp]

How feasible is it to run wire along the outside of a house if the connecting cable to the gateway? Is it possible to lay wire along a rooftop in a conduit? Or does it have to go along an eave? I doubt anyone can answer this but I might as well try.

 

[buttershrimp]

Is it possible to run conduit wiring flush along a seam of a metal roof if it is encased in pipe? This situation is upstair location is perfect, however, no realistic way to snake wiring along the inside of the house, so only option is a small straight leap from gable then a 6 foot stretch of metal roof. The good news is that the main electrical service goes through the metal roof from the street, but I doubt we can use the city access

 

[SoundDaTrumpet]

How feasible is it to run wire along the outside of a house if the connecting cable to the gateway? Is it possible to lay wire along a rooftop in a conduit? Or does it have to go along an eave? I doubt anyone can answer this but I might as well try.

It is allowed and practiced (wire in conduit on roof). I recommend running the conduit thru the roof into the attic (lower temperature than attic = less voltage drop than on a hot roof), back out along eaves, and make sure it's painted please. It's a violation in my city to not paint conduit outdoors. In wall conduit is possible and realistic. There's a cost associated with opening walls to get it done. Installers will always attempt to do things cheap to avoid delays if left with no customer direction. The stucco guys that came were phenomenal as is they were so fast I don't know why the solar folks put up a fuss. Just be clear in what you want done as early in the process as possible.

 

[reddy]

We have 4 Powerwalls inside our garage. Note the 4 inch elevation on the concrete pad so cars won't run into them.

 

[reddy]

So I need to figure out where in my garage to locate the two PWs.


1. My understanding is that they can put the on the floor (and stack two of them front or back, so 2 PWs are about 12 inches deep). Or then can mount them off the floor, but then they can't stack them, and they have to be side by side. Is that right?

2. How high off the floor can they put them?

3. How water-proof are they? I have a refrigerator and a water-pump in the garage. And a water heater nearby. Let's say they leak water, and there is a couple of inches of water on my garage floor. Is floor-mounter PW going to get damaged by some water?

4. There is also an AC coolant line running above, that occasionally drips condensation water below. I presume a small water drip is not going to be a big deal, since it is rated for outdoor where it rains?

5. I can, in theory, put them in a place that's air-conditioned. Does it make sense to do so?

2. As high as you want. Mine are anchored into the studs. But be aware these are VERY heavy, and I'd mount closer to the ground.

3. They have small fans in them for cooling. Since mine are inside, I can't comment on water resistance.

4. In general you don't want water dripping on to electrical devices, even if entirely for aesthetic reasons.

5. Mine are not in an air conditioned space. They do generate some heat of their own charging and discharging, so you would have an additional heat load to consider. How hot or cold does your spot get ? There are specific temp limits in the technical requirements you should look at.

 

[Dan123]

My garage is not air-conditioned. It gets into 90s during the summer, and may dip into 40s (rarely) in the winter.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

There is a height limitation since the power switch at the top has to be below a certain height off the ground. I think that means they can install them about 40" off the ground. Also, they use a special lift to lift the Powerwalls onto the mounts on the wall. A few people have reported they had theirs installed slightly higher but most that I've seen line up with the top of a standard door.

 

[Kenne74]

They can only mount them as high as the lift goes, which was 40". I tried to mount them higher but was quoted safety concerns etc...

 

[wang5150]

Mine are installed under a shaded patio area.

 

[reddy]

My garage is not air-conditioned. It gets into 90s during the summer, and may dip into 40s (rarely) in the winter.

Here are the specs:
ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATIONS
Operating Temperature –20°C to 50°C (–4°F to 122°F)
Recommended Temperature 0°C to 30°C (32°F to 86°F)
Operating Humidity (RH) Up to 100%, condensing Storage Conditions –20°C to 30°C (–4°F to 86°F) Up to 95% RH, non-condensing
State of Energy (SoE): 25% initial
Maximum Elevation 3000 m (9843 ft)
Environment Indoor and outdoor rated Enclosure Type NEMA 3R
Ingress Rating IP67 (Battery & Power Electronics) IP56 (Wiring Compartment)
Wet Location Rating Yes
Noise Level @ 1m < 40 dBA at 30°C (86°F)

My enclosed garage, in Texas, also gets into the 90s in the summer, and 30s in the winter. While it doesn't have AC, it doesn't get as hot as the high outdoor temp in the summer, or as cold in the winter, because it's shaded and the garage door is usually closed.

I'm not sure what the downside is of deviating from the 'Recommended ' temp, but I would have to guess it would impact battery life. I would be concerned if I was in Arizona with an outdoor location.

 

[wang5150]

I'm not sure what the downside is of deviating from the 'Recommended ' temp, but I would have to guess it would impact battery life. I would be concerned if I was in Arizona with an outdoor location.

I'm in Arizona and it's installed outdoors but it's under a shaded area (see photo in my post above). We do get up to 110 in the summer. I haven't had any issues and still get about 90% efficiency (electricity to the powerwall vs electricity from the powerwalls). These were installed back in Mar 2018.

 

[Electricfan]

You need another pic like a hole in the head but I can't resist. I specifically asked them to mount them as high as they could. Harvey missed my house but Houston floods a lot, and it may just be a matter of time... Mine are 36" off the floor of the garage.

 

[Electricfan]

Oh I forgot to say, my garage gets to 100 deg F pretty regularly in the summer. It cools down some overnight of course. But I would estimate at least 16 hours a day those powerwalls are in 93 and above heat. I wonder how much it will hurt them, but Tesla said installation inside the house was not an option, and I'm not going to put AC in the garage for them. Winter in Houston is so mild I'm not worried about that part of the equation. Ask me how they're working in ten years, if I'm fortunate enough to be above ground...

 

[Electricfan]

I was told that the Powerwalls can withstand two foot immersion.

I can't find that. Do you have a link to this rating?