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Tesla Energy/Solar City idiots

boaterva

Supporting Member
Apr 2, 2016
7,562
3,736
Northern Virginia, USA
This is interesting. Our IT department spoke with TE regarding a bank of Powerwalls for our server room and Tesla turned us away, citing a slow Powerwall response time. Quoting Tesla Energy's email: "The Powerwall is not an instant response – in other words your servers would turn off then back on once the Powerwall starts delivering electricity to them. The typical response time is ~200ms. UPS systems have response times less than 16ms."
Interesting... that answers my question about a 'whole house' UPS application, if so!
 

Rockster

Active Member
Oct 22, 2013
3,007
4,611
McKinney, TX
Interesting... that answers my question about a 'whole house' UPS application, if so!
I would still be okay with using Powerwalls as a whole house UPS solution. I would just keep the UPS's that are already on the crucial stuff (i.e., computers). I wouldn't think that the TV, fridge, etc. would have difficulty with a 500 ms response time.
 

nwdiver

Well-Known Member
Feb 17, 2013
7,432
9,442
United States
Is that battery a 48V or 400V battery? It looks like 48, so it is not compatible with solaredge.

The articles are not clear about it.

It should be compatible with any UL1741 inverter via AC coupling; I dunno why Tesla has gone with a 48v architecture (cheaper probably). Kind of a step backward from the DC coupled 350v versions they offered initially...
 

Utahken

Member
Mar 18, 2016
338
350
Michigan
It should be compatible with any UL1741 inverter via AC coupling; I dunno why Tesla has gone with a 48v architecture (cheaper probably). Kind of a step backward from the DC coupled 350v versions they offered initially...
Actually I was referring to the LG chem battery, not the Tesla battery. Does the ac coupled Tesla battery use 48V arrangement of cells?
 

BJReplay

Member
Oct 13, 2017
87
60
St Kilda West
The typical response time is ~200ms. UPS systems have response times less than 16ms

That's right - a UPS is designed to switch over (if it needs to switch) in less than one cycle, which is 16ms for 60Hz, and 20ms for 50Hz. Typically they do this by always converting the incoming AC to DC and then inverting back to AC, so if the AC drops, the inverter is already running and synced and just continues to use the DC (battery) source.

They don't actually have to disconnect the incoming AC supply - the equipment running on an UPS is not connected to both the grid and the UPS at the same time.

The tesla gateway needs to physically disconnect the grid.

Since I wrote this a few months back, I've had an outage where the switchover time wasn't quick enough and a PC rebooted. I think it may depend partly on whether the powerwall is already discharging to offset grid usage - then it doesn't need to do anything other than disconnect quickly, or if it is charging or on standby, in which case it needs to start and synchronise its inverter and disconnect the grid.
 

cr0ntab

Member
Mar 3, 2018
79
58
Corona, CA
That's right - a UPS is designed to switch over (if it needs to switch) in less than one cycle, which is 16ms for 60Hz, and 20ms for 50Hz. Typically they do this by always converting the incoming AC to DC and then inverting back to AC, so if the AC drops, the inverter is already running and synced and just continues to use the DC (battery) source.

They don't actually have to disconnect the incoming AC supply - the equipment running on an UPS is not connected to both the grid and the UPS at the same time.

The tesla gateway needs to physically disconnect the grid.

Since I wrote this a few months back, I've had an outage where the switchover time wasn't quick enough and a PC rebooted. I think it may depend partly on whether the powerwall is already discharging to offset grid usage - then it doesn't need to do anything other than disconnect quickly, or if it is charging or on standby, in which case it needs to start and synchronise its inverter and disconnect the grid.

I second this. I have two powerwalls and they don't flip over fast enough to keep my switches, computers or WAPs online. So that is still on a small UPS.

The frig and appliance clocks don't notice it though!
 

miimura

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2013
5,989
5,567
Los Altos, CA
As far as Powerwall 2 interruptions go, if you have no grid draw, like you're in Self Consumption Mode, you won't miss the grid going down and you won't be interrupted. Backup Mode will always be interrupted because almost by definition, you're in Standby all the time. I kept the APC Smart-UPS on my important equipment.
 

miimura

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2013
5,989
5,567
Los Altos, CA
Most traditional off grid inverter installations don't want to deal with the additional protection needed for DC > 60V. In an enclosed system like the Powerwall this should not be an issue.
 
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Reactions: Ampster

Utahken

Member
Mar 18, 2016
338
350
Michigan
Looks like 48V.

400V to follow-up as LG seems pretty symmetrical about it.
I found out that it definitely is the 48V battery. The 400V battery is coming out the end of next year and will include newer cell technology.

In the meantime I am on the September or October wait-list for the 10kWh battery.
 
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Reactions: NuShrike

NuShrike

Member
Nov 13, 2017
459
193
SoCal
I found out that it definitely is the 48V battery. The 400V battery is coming out the end of next year and will include newer cell technology.

In the meantime I am on the September or October wait-list for the 10kWh battery.
End of next year, as in last quarter 2019? Last quarter 2019 seems like that won't beat Tesla .. :-/

I was hoping to jump over to a couple RESU13, and give up on the PW2 if my SGIP is going to expire waiting on Tesla. The TBC on the LG Chems do sound much more mature and capable than anything Tesla has put out to date (eg 1.20.x)
 
Last edited:

Utahken

Member
Mar 18, 2016
338
350
Michigan
End of next year, as in last quarter 2019? Last quarter 2019 seems like that won't beat Tesla .. :-/

I was hoping to jump over to this and give up on the PW2 if my SGIP is going to expire waiting on Tesla.
Yep Q4 2019. However, if you are on this thread, we were talking about the LG chem RESU 10H paired with the solaredge storedge inverter. Those batteries will be in stock in a few months.
 

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