Bright earth electrical are proud to announce we have completed our first ever Tesla Powerwall installation with a 5.3kw solar system, complete with solar edge inverters and DC optimisers.
The Tesla Powerwall installation
After arriving at the property, our initial inspection found the perfect location for the panels, batteries and inverter. Unfortunately, a stormwater pipe and catch were in the way of a perfect location for the inverter and battery. After discussing it with the home owner, we decided to re-run the pipe, moving it out of the way of the planned installation.
Luckily, we have a very skilled bunch here at Bright Earth Electrical, and one of our staff members is a plumber, so relocating the piping wasn’t a big deal. We changed the flow and location of the piping, leaving a large enough space on the wall for the equipment to be installed.
We then worked out a backup load centre and identified any critical loads that the owner wanted on backup supply in case of power outages. The DC optimisers were installed to each panel, which helps reduce the effect of shade and soiling as the optimiser treats each panel separately, unlike a conventional string system. This also provides additional performance, and thus a greater return on investment.
The Tesla Powerwall
The Tesla Powerwall is a large battery and weighs 115kg in the box. With this kind of weight, we opted for a lifter to manoeuvre the battery around the property and to lift it to the correct height for mounting. Even with the lifter, due to its weight, we still had 3 people to help position the battery on the wall and ensure it was stable.
The Tesla Powerwall provides 6.4kwh of storage and is capable of discharging 3kw continuous power to the household loads. Being able to charge the battery through the day so it can be used at night, limits the draw from the grid and minimises the export to the grid. With feed-in tariffs so low, it makes more sense to use your own power rather than export to the grid.
The set up
We installed the battery and inverter with an energy meter, located in the main switchboard. This energy meter measures the power production and consumption at the property. The meter then communicates with the inverter and battery to identify when to charge and discharge the battery.
A backup electrical switchboard was installed, which provides safety switches in case of power outages. These circuits were a mix of both lights and power, so in the event of a blackout, the homeowner could still have items to get by until the power interruption is over.
Conversely, a bypass switch was installed at the inverter, giving the option to bypass the inverter and supply power to the backup switchboard in case of a fault with the inverter or battery.
The installation was a complete success, and this Tesla Powerwall is hopefully the first of many to be added to homes in South Australia. You can read more about Tesla by clicking here, and if you’re interested in converting to solar energy, or upgrading to the Tesla Powerwall, then contact us today. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be only too happy to help.
Bright Earth Solar offers a range of exceptional solar products, helping you save money while doing your bit to save the planet. We keep you up to date with new technology, innovation and trends in renewable energy.