Self Standing Powerwall on concrete pad is it possible?

[skiclimbride]

I am looking to pour a concrete pad for a single Tesla Power Wall Install. Would possibly add a second in the future. In the instructions it says they can be anchored to the floor or wall. Wanted to see if anyone has done this? Looking for floor anchor requirements so I can design the pad to accomodate them. If they can not be installed with only floor anchors then I would mount a unistrut frame to the pad to support the powerwall like it was fastened to a wall. I have to do this because their is not enough room on the wall where my main panel and solar equipment is installed. I do have enough room to fit the backup gateway.
Thank you

 

[BrettS]

By “Wall Mounted” they are referring to a powerwall that is hanging from the wall, like this:

By “Floor Mounted” they mean a powerwall that is still mounted to a wall, but is also sitting on the floor, like this:

You can’t just have a powerwall that’s balanced on it’s end in the middle of a floor. It needs to have it’s back against a wall no matter what. If it is floor mounted you can stack up to three against each other.

 

[patrick40363]

I have 2 side by side on my garage floor. They are both braced to the wall. I have never seen a floor anchor for them as the wall brace keeps them from falling over.

 

[SMAlset]

We’ll be installing 3PWs shortly in our garage. They will be floor mounted, two stacked and the other a single. Our available wall space is only 90 inches and would have been fine for 2PWs wall mounted but not for 3, so floor mounting it was. Fortunately we have sufficient space in the side garage wall to do the double stacking.

Why are you doing a pedestal for them? The units have small feet on them so they will rest slightly off the garage floor. The side wall brace prevents tipping over and if you are in earthquake country something you’d want anyway. Sort of like water heater required bracing.

BTW from our garage door to the right will be our PWs and then further in the garage is our water heater. We were concerned by mounting them on the ground if the water heater ever leaked the water would run past them and out the garage door. We were assured by Tesla that this would not be a concern as the PWs could safely take the water exposure. Originally we thought we might need to do a poured pedestal too due to potential water heater leakage.

 

[Vines]

I am looking to pour a concrete pad for a single Tesla Power Wall Install. Would possibly add a second in the future. In the instructions it says they can be anchored to the floor or wall. Wanted to see if anyone has done this? Looking for floor anchor requirements so I can design the pad to accomodate them. If they can not be installed with only floor anchors then I would mount a unistrut frame to the pad to support the powerwall like it was fastened to a wall. I have to do this because their is not enough room on the wall where my main panel and solar equipment is installed. I do have enough room to fit the backup gateway.
Thank you

Sure it is, you just need to go through some engineering to make sure its safe. This is what we do when there is no wall to attach to.

 

[jjrandorin]

Sure it is, you just need to go through some engineering to make sure its safe. This is what we do when there is no wall to attach to.

First pic I have seen of a freestanding powerwall. This seems like one of those things that would be possible with a talented 3rd party installer company / team, but that Tesla itself may not do. Im just guessing, because I thought I remember tesla telling me "wall or floor anchored to wall" but I could be mis remembering it.

 

[Vines]

Here's another example, this one is concrete we poured, vs an existing pad

I doubt Tesla would entertain this.

 

[jjrandorin]

Here's another example, this one is concrete we poured, vs an existing pad

I doubt Tesla would entertain this.

In both of those shots, it looks like the powerwalls are mounted to the metal railing system you guys setup (the "engineering" you were speaking of) is that correct?

 

[Vines]

Correct, Powerwalls are anchored to the ground with Unistrut flange plates and 1/2" Concrete anchors.

By engineering I mean the AHJ required us to have a Professional Engineer design and stamp the pad and reinforcement.

 

[woferry]

I'm pretty sure it was on this forum, but I'd never find it now. I recall seeing a picture related to some Powerwalls Tesla had set up after the north CA wildfires (I think), that was basically a PW or two sitting on a pallet (on what looked like a burned-out lot, I guess there was something worth powering left on it), if I recall the pallet had a post coming up through the middle of it, and the PW(s) appeared to be anchored to that post (may have been electrical panels on it, also).

 

[skiclimbride]

Here's another example, this one is concrete we poured, vs an existing pad

I doubt Tesla would entertain this.

@Vines this is exactly what I am looking to do. Any chance was this done in California? We have tough seismic codes. Would you be open to sharing the design? I spoke to a Tesla 3rd party installer today and he said they could attach to a solution like this no problem as long as I provided the pad and unistrut.

 

[Vines]

This is installed and engineered in California, and we do have tough codes.

Sorry I cant really share the design specs, but the pic gives most of it away.