Tesla Powerwall: Is it worth it?
A Tesla Powerwall can be a great solution if you experience frequent grid outages, want greater energy independence, or want to maximize savings from your solar system.
You can count on us as your local Certified Tesla Powerwall Installer in Southern California to help you find the right solution for your needs. To get a sense of whether the Tesla Powerwall might be a good fit for you, read through our 2022 Guide to Tesla Powerwall first before customizing your solar + battery options.
What exactly does a Powerwall do? |
A Tesla Powerwall is a battery storage, which captures energy for your home and holds it for later use. The Powerwall is one of the best in the market because it holds large loads which gives you freedom to use it when needed. |
Do Powerwall have benefits? |
A Tesla Powerwall can be used in various ways, depending on your needs. You can increase self-consumption of solar production. You can save money when load shifting for example, using it at night. Or provide energy during a power outage or rolling blackouts. |
How Does A Powerwall Work? |
The simplest way to explain it is that sunlight is captured by your solar energy system. The energy then flows to your house, and used by your appliances and any extra energy is then stored to the Powerwall. When the Powerwall is charged the additional electricity is sent to the grid. When your panels aren’t producing energy, your Powerwall will provided the energy. |
How Does A Powerwall Work? |
The simplest way to explain it is sunlight is captured by your solar energy system. The energy then flows to your house, and used by your appliances and any extra energy is then stored to the Powerwall. When the Powerwall is charged the additional electricity is sent to the grid. When your panels aren’t producing energy, your Powerwall will provided the energy. |
What does a Powerwall power? |
A Powerwall can provide enough energy to cover your emergency lights, circuits and outlets. If you are looking for more, then it’s recommended to add 2 – 3 more Powerwall’s to power larger appliances. |
How long does a Powerwall last on one charge? |
It all depends on how you use it. A good assumption is a Powerwall can run ten 100 watt light bulbs for 12 hours. |
How many Powerwall do I need? |
This is a difficult question to answer because it all depends on your needs and your preference. About 75% of customers buy more than one Powerwall. It is not uncommon to install 2-3 Powerwall’s. Many homeowners want more power to store and use when solar panels are not producing. Just like solar panels, Powerwall’s can be customized to our needs and goals. It’s important to have a conversation with your solar consultant to decide how many solar panels you will need. |
Where is the best place to install a Powerwall? |
The best place to install Powerwall’s are inside your home considered to be non-living spaces. For example, a garage. It protects the battery from harsh elements. You will also see the most efficiency to maximize your Powerwall investment. If you don’t have enough garage space, you can install a Powerwall 2 outside your home, but you will see reduced functionality during the winter time. |
Can you customize a Powerwall and what it powers? |
Yes! You can program it to change it to various modes which set priorities for consuming and charging. This can easily be done through the Powerwall app. Self Powered – Switch to power your home with energy that you stored throughout the day after the sun sets. Backup-only – Your Powerwall energy will be saved for days that you need emergency backup-up power. Balanced Time-Based Control – Power your home as the sun goes down, avoid any peak electricity rates by switching to stored energy from your solar panels. Cost-Saving Time-Based Control – This mode can maximize your savings by using the stored energy, during expensive peak hours. |
Does the Powerwall switch automatically when the grid is down? |
If your solar panels are producing when the grid goes down, your solar panels will charge your batteries and stop sending any energy back to the grid. |
Do I need solar panels in order to have a Powerwall? |
Technically you don’t. However the benefits are greater when you have a solar energy system installed. The best solution is to include a battery backup with your PV system. This helps you store all of your excess energy and store it in your Powerwall. |
How long does it take for a Powerwall to charge? |
This is another question that is not easy to answer. It all depends on the day and the temperature outside your home. Typically in the best condition with no loads and a 7.6kW solar energy system, a Powerwall can be fully charged in 2 hours. |
How many solar panels does it take to charge a Powerwall? |
One solar panel can be enough, but it’s not recommended. An average size of a solar energy system is a 6kW system, which is about 20 solar panels. However, there is no set answer, it’s not a one product fits all. |
Can you go with off-grid with a Powerwall? |
The answer is potentially, there seems to be a misunderstanding of what off-grid means and how much it would cost. In an off-grid scenario, your home would not be connected to your local utility company’s grid.It’s hard to disconnect from the utility company if you want to go off-grid. You would need a large solar energy system and about 5-10 solar batteries in order to maintain your usual amount of energy use. There is a good possibility to completely disconnect from the grid and go net-zero, but it might not be easy on your wallet. |
Is there a wait time to get a Tesla Powerwall installed? |
Sunline Energy is a Certified Tesla Powerwall installer and installs Powerwalls with new solar panel systems and existing systems. A Tesla Powerwall is very much in demand, which has delayed the supply. Keep in mind that in order to install a Powerwall you need a permit so it might take a couple of weeks to a month depending how busy the county is. In some cases your Powerwall might be installed after your solar energy system. |
How long does a Tesla Powerwall Take? |
A Powerwall takes about a day to install, unless there are complications. |
What type of warranty does a Powerwall Come With? |
A Tesla Powerwall comes with a 10 year warranty at a 70% capacity. If your Powerwall loses more than 30% of storage capacity within the warranty time, you will be covered. |
