UPS/Battery Backups: Remove or Keep
Since getting your Solar with Powerwall, have you removed your home battery backups for PCs or TVs?
Posted Jun 23, 2022, 1:42 AM UTC
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Depending on a number of factors, there can be a small delay of up to a few seconds before the Powerwalls kick in during grid faults. If you have any devices you want to keep running through momentary blips you will want to keep the UPS units.
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My experience has been that the switchover is seamless. No clocks reset. Computers stayed on. What factors cause a delay?
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This is also my experience. Unless the PW are dead they would always be looking for an electrical load regardless if the power goes out or you go off-grid
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Depends if you are drawing from the Powerwalls or grid and how the grid goes down (sag, voltage spike, frequency issue, clean drop). Since they are grid-tied the Gateway needs to determine if the grid power is out of range, trip the disconnect breaker, verify the disconnect, and finally start discharging from the Powerwalls.
The conditions I have seen that introduce a small delay are when the Powerwalls are charging or idle and the grid sags or cuts out. If already running on the Powerwalls (at night for example) they seem to respond quicker.
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This was the case, multiple seamless saves, then I had an outage and power went out for 5 seconds. Reset everything. Called Tesla, “meh that’s normal.” Happened again yesterday, 2nd time!
Nothing but issues. I’m so disappointed.
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For computer, no. It’s worth it to have an extra buffer just in case for work. Everything else isn’t really necessary except for internet router/modem. Also, solar generally will charge everything up during the day so even when off grid or in an outage, I can still work with no problems
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We made zero changes to our setup and still have functional backups for the three workstations and our network device pile.
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I have 2 powerwalls, but during a recent power event the power went on and off multiple times I’ve 10 seconds. The powerwalls did not cover the event until 5 seconds after the power finally went completely off. My electronics are still on a UPS for such events.
Keep the UPS and get Tesla to alter your frequency for the gateway/Powerwall to ensure they only operate during a real outage.
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You either have to get Tesla support to limit the freq to 62.5 Hz or remove the UPS. Most UPS can't handle the frequency the Powerwall goes to when it is off grid.
I kept my UPS because powerwall switchover could take up to half a sec. Better safe than sorry.
2nd this..... but you have to get the frequency limit set or else the UPSs will go into battery mode even when the Tesla batteries are powering your home.
3rd this, but you can also find UPSes (Eatons in particular) that handle 65Hz.
How do you get them to limit the frequency? Is it as simple as putting in a ticket online? Do I need to call in?
Just call tech support