Everything You Need to Know About Tesla Powerwall Installation

The Tesla Powerwall has quickly become one of the most popular solar backup battery systems on the market, and having on installed by Intermountain Wind and Solar is a simple process. The end result is a sleek battery backup that gives you a ton of insight into your solar system. We’ll walk through some of the components and why Tesla is leading the way in home solar energy.

Benefits of the Powerwall 2

Building on success from its first Powerwall, the Tesla Powerwall 2 introduced a few new features that make it ideal for residential solar energy systems:

• Exceptional capacity, with an industry-leading 13.5 kWh of storage capacity
• Scalability to combine up to 10 Powerwalls in a single system for large homes or high energy needs
• Included inverter that turns DC energy from panels into usable AC energy for your home (many battery backup systems require you to buy these separately)
• Peak energy capacity of 7 kWh, or a 5 kWh continuous rate, with more capacity in systems that have multiple Powerwalls
• User-friendly smartphone app to monitor energy storage, usage rates, peak times, and more (if you have a Tesla vehicle, it’s the same app for both home and auto)
• Manually switch from grid power to battery backup or vice versa
• Controls to regulate usage for backup only, reserving a specific amount of battery power in case of outage, or time-controlled settings to use the Powerwall during peak pricing times (if applicable in your area) and lower your energy costs

The Installation

Installing a Powerwall is a fairly straightforward process, and can be done indoors, outdoors, or in the ground if necessary. The “touch safe” system doesn’t require any special clearances or safety setbacks. Plus it comes with a dustproof, water resistant cover and temperature ratings from -20 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit so it can be installed outdoors if required. However, it performs optimally between 0 and 86 degrees, so most homeowners will probably want the battery itself in a garage or basement (even though it is sleek enough to be installed anywhere, including your home’s exterior).

Wiring the system involves installing a backup gateway that connects to both the main electrical panel and the utility meter. The generation panel connects to the Tesla Powerwall battery itself, and the solar combiner that aggregates all the energy gathered from your solar panels and pushes it into the battery system. For most installations, these three components will be installed on the exterior of your home and connected to the battery somewhere in the garage or basement in your home’s interior.

As with any electrical equipment, it’s important to have a Tesla Powerwall 2 installed by a trained electrician with experience in solar installations, like those at Intermountain Wind and Solar. Call us to learn more and get your Powerwall installed today.