PowerWall when is the best time to install in the garage? Do I need one?

[BenChua]

Hi I placed my order way back in April, I know, first deliveries will start sometime end of 2017, and it will start in West Coast first before it goes to East coast, so I am expecting sometime early 2019, I hope. Going back to my subject line, I have a lot of time to do this but do I need one?

 

[Az_Rael]

The "do you need a Powerwall" question is pretty complicated. Do you have solar, what do your electricity rates look like? Are there time of use plans available to you? How many kWh does your house currently use, etc, etc.

It's a question that is independent of a Model 3 reservation, actually. More to do with your household energy use, etc. So if it turns out a Powerwall IS a good idea for you, you can install it now and start getting benefits sooner rather than later.

 

[dsvick]

No, you do not need a powerwall to charge you Model 3. All you really need is a 240 volt outlet near where you'll be parking, that will give you about 30 miles of range per hour. There are other options that will give you faster charge times like a wall connector and dual charges but none of those are needed either.

A powerwall like Az_Rael mentioned is separate from your Model 3 purchase, it can be integrated into your whole house plan for charging and powering the house but you don't have to have one.

 

[BenChua]

Dsvick and Az_Rael - thank you, I already have a 50AMPS on my breaker box that use to power my 240V hot tub, which I no longer have. Can I use that circuit breaker yes? I still need a licensed electrician to give me a handoff, but what kind of an outlet ?

 

[melindav]

Dsvick and Az_Rael - thank you, I already have a 50AMPS on my breaker box that use to power my 240V hot tub, which I no longer have. Can I use that circuit breaker yes? I still need a licensed electrician to give me a handoff, but what kind of an outletView attachment 200775 View attachment 200776 ?

check out this page on Tesla's site for info on charging at home. If installing something new, you will want a 14-50. If you already have another type of outlet, there likely is an adaptor to make that work.

 

[Mark C]

Hi I placed my order way back in April, I know, first deliveries will start sometime end of 2017, and it will start in West Coast first before it goes to East coast, so I am expecting sometime early 2019, I hope. Going back to my subject line, I have a lot of time to do this but do I need one?

If you work during the daylight hours away from where the Powerwall is located and you are charging it strictly with PV solar, you may need 2 of them to satisfy your electric vehicle {based on energy used to drive to and fro where you need to go} and your home. I have a Powerwall setup on my must have list, but not in the immediate future. A few other things have priority over this.

 

[ilg]

Dsvick and Az_Rael - thank you, I already have a 50AMPS on my breaker box that use to power my 240V hot tub, which I no longer have. Can I use that circuit breaker yes? I still need a licensed electrician to give me a handoff, but what kind of an outletView attachment 200775 View attachment 200776 ?

Looks to me like that outlet you have is a NEMA 14-50, which is exactly what you need. Assuming that Model 3 will have a Universal Mobile Charger like the Model S has, you'll simply plug it into that outlet and plug the other end into your car. Done. ~30 range miles per charge hour.

 

[Craig-Tx]

I'm going to assume that the OP was asking about the HPWC (High Power Wall Connector). The HPWC connects directly to the house wiring and provides a Tesla specific plug that plugs directly into the vehicle. The PowerWall (on the other hand) is a battery for your house. Typically used in conjunction with Solar. It is very much a different discussion.

To answer your question about the HPWC: No, you don't NEED one.
The minimum you need is an outlet to plug in the UMC (Universal Mobile Connector) that comes with the vehicle. The UMC can adapt to MANY different outlets and will provide that power directly to the vehicle safely while telling the vehicle how much current it can draw based on the type of plug. The most commonly used outlet for this purpose is the NEMA 14-50 as mentioned above.

Many people simply leave the UMC plugged into the outlet in the garage unless they plan on driving long distances. In those cases, they pack it up and bring it with them.

My personal opinion. I WANTED a HPWC. The model 3 will be my first EV. I'm also the type of person that likes to be prepared for anything. I still keep jumper cables in my current ICE vehicles. I also have a volt meter and a set of basic tools. Until I get more comfortable with the EV, I will want the UMC with me at ALL times. I know I likely won't need it... I will simply want it. (I will also want a spare tire, but I don't believe that will be an option.)

Knowing that I would want the UMC in my car every day, and knowing that I'm honestly lazy and don't want to have to pack up the UMC every day, I knew I'd either have to get a second UMC, or go fancy and get a HPWC. The current prices for new were basically the same so I decided to get the HPWC and have it installed before the end of the year to take advantage of the Tax Credit for "Alternative Fueling Infrastructure" (Look up tax form 8911).

Ohh, my HPWC should be here on Thursday!!!