Powerwall in lieu of a backup generator

Windsurfer

Although I'm considering converting my roof to solar, I'm not sure if it would be a good idea for my 150 year old wooden house. That said, I live in an area with frequent power outages, and many of my neighbors have diesel or natural gas generators.

It occurs to me that even if I don't go with solar, a series of one or more Powerwalls might be a good alternative to having a backup generator. Are there any Powerwall customers who have used these for this application, and, if so, can you please share your experience?

It's too bad we can't find a way to reverse the energy from out Tesla cars to supply our houses with electricity in periods of brief power outages.

Mediumed_98295803

Hi Windsurfer,

As long as your roofing material is relatively new and in good condition I would highly recommend the combination of solar panels and a powerwall. this will allow for extended outages.You didn't say where you are located but I believe in the USA you will not be approved to install just a powerwall and charge it from the grid. I could be wrong but I believe this is the present policy. I have solar panels and a powerwall here in New York and there is no way to directly charge the powerwall with grid power, only solar power (which works very well).

There is a setting for stormwatch which will charge the powerwall from the grid but it has to be activated by a storm warning and not by the owner. I dont think that its a great thing to depend on at the moment.

Also if you get solar panels installed your roof will need to be approved by Tesla and would be guarantied not to leak and the solar panels to perform well for 20 years. If they deem your roof not up to their standards they will not install the panels so there really isn't anything to worry about. If your roof doesn't pass their inspection I think it would be wise to repair or replace it anyway, with or without solar panels.

Good luck

Tesla-David

I agree with @Mediumed you should consider combination of PW2's and solar. We installed two PW2's last June to complement our existing 13.2 kWh solar system, and we are able to operate independent of grid for ~9 months of the year when the solar is sufficient to keep the batteries charged. We struggle a bit between mid November to early February, when the solar is insufficient to fully charge the PW2's up here in Edmonds, WA. The PW2's work exceptionally well in self-powered mode and we generally keep the backup level at 25 percent in case of localized brownout/blackout. Always have your roof inspected before installing solar. Most solar companies evaluate your roof and would let you know if it is sufficient as is.

shank15217_98085455

Yes they are great looking too, I want to wrap mine in blue with the Tesla logo showing through.

otkam_98473927

Have you considered other options for generators if you have problems with a solar battery? I have a similar problem, now I choose between them https://generatoron.org/best-dual-fuel-generator/ , but I don’t quite understand how much I need in terms of volume.