Tesla Powerwall II Vs Generac PWRcell

Book a Call with Solar Surge: www.solarsurge.net/
Solar Surge will teach you all about being energy independent and how to set up your home to run off-the-grid during an emergency. We empower families to take control of their energy generation and storage so that they will never be left in the dark without electricity.
In this video, Joe presents a head-to-head comparison of the Tesla Powerwall II and the Generac PWRcell home backup battery systems. We are looking at multiple factors including power, storage capacity, warranty, cost, and X-factor.
FREE eBook Built to Survive - tinyurl.com/y6bgluhv
-- CONNECT WITH US --
Website: www.solarsurge.net/
Facebook: / unitedsolarsurge
Rumble: www.rumble.com/unitedsolarsurge/
-- LINKS --
Tesla Powerwall: www.tesla.com/powerwall
Generac PWRcell: www.generac.com/all-products/...

[@georgegale6084]

Best video I have seen to explain all the pros and cons. Good to know info for rural and semi-rural homes.

[@SolarSurge]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gilbrook]

Great food for thought! Looks like photo finish for Tesla, Generac (and Enphase). Looking forward to comparison of all 3. THX!

[@johnnixon1026]

The best information I have found anywhere! Thank you for converting the energy language to real world use!

[@wikn8r275]

Thank you for the comparison. I went with the Generac Pwrcell system. Overall, been very pleased.

[@fban3735]

Professional presentation, very informative. Looking forward to deeper-dive comparisons.

[@federicomaisch6812]

Another excellent presentation, thank you for sharing

[@jasonross5358]

Good information but you stopped short: what are the detailed costs of the products and the final cost with installation? Can they feed power back to the grid? How would that work? What safety features are integrated into these systems ?

[@digtialhuman]

This review helped me decide on getting the Tesla power wall. Thanks!

[@SolarSurge]

Glad I could help!

[@sleddy01]

Everyone wins with competition.

[@RossMalagarie]

Yep I want more companies to offer the solar roofing shingles and/or solar roofing materials like shingles and terracotta style tiles. That way the price goes down.

[@pmh1nic]

I'm just moved into a home with solar and doing some initial research on battery backup. Thanks for this informative video.

[@SolarSurge]

Glad it was helpful!

[@savagecub]

Great presentation ! Nicely done.

[@sohaibyounus]

Thanks for the info!

[@donnellhicks]

You did a great job reviewing the 2 companies. I do the TSLA over all has more to offer with its app. I'm bias I own stock in TSLA and have a friend that spend a fortune on Generic

[@bougieblackbrothernetwork4750]

The one thing you didn’t mention-in none of your videos is the app monitoring of your solar and battery levels. Also when an upcoming storm is coming the powerwall preps the battery for that possible weather problem. That’s the ultimate X Factor worth 2 points on its own.

[@SolarSurge]

Good points about the Tesla app. Tesla's app is superior to Generac, especially for Tesla vehicle owners.

[@SSNsnapshot]

Thanks for that 411!

[@njetherington]

@@SolarSurge Good job. Would like to have heard you talk about the two apps side by side

[@SmedleyButler1]

What about it being remotely hacked. Isn't that a concern? It happened to several utility companies recently so you know it could happen to this

[@sleddy01]

Why would weather affect storage performance?

[@Bert578]

You do such a fantastic job at the presentation aspect that your product knowledge is unmatched! Your professional demeanor lends so much integrity to your overall production value! Outstanding effort!!

[@SolarSurge]

Wow, thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@69Judge]

Right ON...!;!

[@bobhughes2558]

@@SolarSurge man are you being paid by somebody to bash the Tesla -- this is the 3rd video now and man you mislead the facts. WHY?

[@wylieecoyote]

@@bobhughes2558 What are the mistakes? How is he "bashing" Tesla by saying they are the best choice for the average homeowner? The Generac system is the size most homeowners need and can be expanded by the homeowner.

[@AndrewBuilt]

Great information, I am planning to go into solar with my construction company. I see some good things here

[@SolarSurge]

Sounds good. Please reach out to us once you're up and running and we can probably send some projects your way!

[@jclmiller47]

Very helpful comparison! Thank you very much.

[@bigmaky8253]

I think you could award an additional point to the PowerCell for efficiency. As you mentioned the Power Wall is a A/C coupled battery. The PowerCell is not. What that means; the inverter does not have to convert DC to AC to charge the battery. That means faster charging times using less power. That can be crucial in a cloudy environment or during a hurricane or storm front. The DC to AC conversion only happens when you draw from the battery.

[@hansschweikert9153]

What about if you have microinverters, whereby the power coming off the roof is already AC? How would that affect these two systems? How could this affect the decision making process? Thx

[@donaldl43]

@@hansschweikert9153 With the Generac you use the Generac Inverter so you can't use plain micro-inverters. So that's a non-issue.

[@ShadowCabalist]

I think you need to explore the single vs. dual inverter aspect of the batteries as well.

[@Budnbuf]

Good review, I will be forwarding on. I just wanted to mention that the Tesla Powerwalls can stack up to 6 units. At least that is what it says in the quote I just did. Again. You helped bring to light good points for both. Helped me decide to go with Tesla. Although the case you made for the Generac was compelling.

[@SolarSurge]

Great point! I'll be doing a follow up video about Generac soon. They have a whole set of load management features that allows you to backup the entire house using a much smaller battery than Tesla.

[@RobertSmith-gl5vs]

Thanks for the great analysis

[@familylifeelevated8312]

Researching solar plus battery to do this year. Thanks for the info! Planning one solar on roof plus one battery just to run refrigerator and other critical components during outage.

[@SolarSurge]

Sounds good. We're happy to help you get setup whenever the time is right.

[@ryancolebourn3060]

Outstanding video man thank you!

[@katew9927]

Great comparison! I think I'd personally go for the Tesla Powerwalls but it's nice to know that there's an alternative.

[@SolarSurge]

Good choice! Powerwall is the better choice for most homeowners.

[@D.N.R.911]

Thanks for sharing.

[@franciscovargas5145]

Great explanations as always, I do believe you should include the life expectancy given the usaable DOD, Operating temps etc, so that the audience also has such information and the fact of replacing batteries every 5-7 years does not come as surprise!

[@kamakaziozzie3038]

I hadn’t considered that. If my Powerwall needs replacement every 5-7years that would fall under the warranty so hopefully it happens in that timeframe:)

[@montellcurrinjr4314]

Good information - Thank you

[@helifixer206]

Thanks for the informative video! It seems like the Generac system has easily replaceable batteries which is a big positive point for me. Batteries begin to degrade from the day they are produced so it is not a matter of if you will have to replace the batteries, it is just a matter of when. Can you replace the batteries in a Powerwall, and how does that compare with battery replacement on a Generac cabinet? This difference in serviceability may offset the cost issue because if you have to replace the entire Powerwall when the batteries fail, in the long run the Generac system may be a better value because it can be easily brought back to 100% for much less cost than a new unit. I feel that repair is often overlooked as an eco friendly option, if you can keep equipment working longer it reduces overall consumption.

[@rzipper1716]

Thanks ... that was helpful

[@JC62888]

Thanks for a very interesting comparison

[@bobos130]

Great review. Thank you

[@rapierville]

Well done!

[@michaelreagan2232]

Great video

[@maxfella]

Very informative !

[@MrJeffreyTSanford]

Great video. Wish you were in my area to install.

[@bryanbell3362]

This video is very informative!

[@SolarSurge]

Glad it was helpful!

[@timothytharp8712]

Thanks for another great video! I’m a Tesla car owner and love it. However, I’m now quite dissatisfied with Tesla’s new business plan where you can’t just add a Powerwall to your existing system, or in my case a new DIY system I’m designing for my new FL home. I was in a chat session with Tesla and was told I would have to have Tesla come out and install a minimum of 10 panels for them to put in a Powerwall for me. Deal breaker for sure! As I was without power for 22 days after hurricane Michael, I need a system that can handle a whole home backup (A/C unit and well pump included), which is driving me toward the Generac PowerCell for short 1 to 2 day outages and a generator to recharge the batteries in case of prolonged overcast weather or storm damage to the solar system. As I’m still in the design phase and this is a DIY project, I was leaning toward micro-inverters, but with the Generac system, it appears I’d need to go with DC optimizers, correct? I’ll contact Sola Surge to get some additional info and possibly quotes for portions of the project I might need installer help with. Thanks again, Tim

[@SolarSurge]

Hi Tim and thanks for writing in. We can certainly help with getting you Generac PWRCell for whole-house backup in FL. That's our most popular option for homeowners in your state.

[@MrWhitelightning73]

Outstanding

[@cmorr72]

Great comparrison

[@Inmate533]

I currently power all of my critical systems in my rural home with a 7.5kw gas generator when the power's out. This includes well pump, boiler, water heaters, fridge, two 9 cu ft freezers, along with many non-critical items like internet, tv, and lights. The generac pwrcell 9kw should be more than enough for most homes. I'd say buying the 18kw of power would enable you to live completely off the grid when mixed with solar panels.

[@craigloomis20]

One other major advantage to Generac its also rated for outdoor. The one negative is the inverter requires a hard wired ethernet connection. Could be tricky if you put it outside and have to run cable a long distance

[@isaiahaguilar5977]

Subscribed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@uprightape100]

Nice vid.....just subscribed. The KZbin algorithm is scary accurate about me.

[@SolarSurge]

Welcome to the channel!

[@tastytreat1984]

Well done

[@timdurkin5305]

great vid

[@jbrandt7]

Generac also has their PWRGenerator that can work along side the solar & battery using LP or Natural Gas to supplement in cases where the batteries and solar don't produce enough (so, even more security during a power outage).

[@jbrandt7]

Interesting. In operation, it would essentially operate just like batteries during a backup- the Inverter would decouple from the AC Power and rely on the generator & solar (just like a battery backup system would during an outage). I wonder what the issue would be for them? I mean, they allow regular backup generators right?

[@cainofthejungle]

Helpful.

[@mjohnson1042]

great informative video

[@iridium58]

With the price of the Powercell, you can buy 2 Tesla Powerwalls... and have 28 kwh capacity and 10k continuous watt draw plus 60 amp capacity to start heavy loads..

[@SolarSurge]

Great point!

[@craigsurman4281]

Generac offers load management so you don’t need that many batteries and can back up to 50amps with one battery.

[@davemiller6055]

@@craigsurman4281 Generac also offers the worst quality imaginable and a nightmare future of breakdowns and excuses to not honor the warranty.

[@michael931]

How much do these cost?

[@SolarSurge]

@@michael931 You can add battery backup for as little as $10k depending on location. Please visit solarsurge.net and "Request a Quote"

[@ikenwasike8954]

Very informative! Will definitively explore both options.

[@francisconunesjr9413]

I would have liked some idea how much each unit would cost. Thank you

[@billyg8614]

Great Overview! I'm wondering about upgradability for Tesla Powerwall 2.. Our home has 2 units with ≈6.5kWh solar. System works great, but we're thinking of adding electric car next year.

[@mannyr9225]

What I would like to see when doing comparisons with price would be to choose a minimum specification and price the minimum system with those specs. For example if you decide you need 20kwh and 7kw to power your test home. You'd need 2 powerwall 2's or a generac system with maybe 2 cabinets if that's even possible? That way you can compare all your batteries the same.

[@noahschij]

Yes, 2 cabinets to one inverter is possible

[@jamesstepp1925]

Very well done presentation thank you. I live off grid in Alaska and have several months with very low light levels for solar panels. You wouldn't happen to have a series on setting up a complete off grid system with generator, AGS, efficient use of generator to recharge batteries with minimizing power loss, as well as any possible turn key systems out there would you?

[@SolarSurge]

Thanks for the note. I will do a future video on this subject. The Outback Radian is the system that would provide all of the capabilities you just mentioned and that's why I use Radian on my home here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3S7qYJ-gLdsoMU

[@stephansandtrecker699]

Great channel, thank you. When doing the $ comparison, can you please specify if you are comparing as a Price/KWh or if it is as a total price of ownership (cost of product - regardless of capacity + cost of install).

[@SolarSurge]

Hi Stephan. Thanks for the questions. I'm just looking at the cost per unit for me to purchase the equipment.

[@anthonynguyen9779]

This is very informative. Thanks. There is one thing I would like to add: customer service. Generac has gotten very negative review on this regard.

[@SolarSurge]

Thanks for sharing! Your first line of service should be the local installation company, not Generac. The local installer should have parts in stock and be able to get you back up and running more quickly.

[@anthonynguyen9779]

@@SolarSurge I am not as knowledgeable as you and thus not arguing with you. And I am not so much talking about PWRCell; it is the whole house backup generator that many ppl are having problem with. I am in this rabbit hole of backup power for the house in case of storm and I am looking at all options: powerwall, whole house backup generator, portable generator, etc... Though I have a set of solar panels on the roof and so powerwall system makes more sense. But since many out there pooping on Generac when it comes to customer service (with regard to their generators) it makes me not wanting to look at Generac at all.

[@davemiller6055]

@@anthonynguyen9779 I'm an electrician that installs off grid systems and lives off grid. When you see a Generac, scream like a little girl and run away. Avoid Generac like the plague. Trust me on this.

[@anthonynguyen9779]

@@davemiller6055 yeah, I think so too. Will have to see how high can my voice get tho? :)

[@CC-mj3zq]

Nice vid;. PW does have the gateway as a second component, not a big deal just mentioning.

[@SolarSurge]

Good point.

[@Kayamper111]

Thanks for the presentation. The Generac system is more flexible for users with future needs, such as adding a hybrid of EV. In northern CA, i have a quote for $11,000 to install a four module, 12kwh panel. Adding 3kwh modules in the future would cost approximately $2500 each. And users can add Generac panels - not sure how many. If I buy what I can use now (i.e. 3-4 3kwh modules), then I receive the federal tax credit for most of the battery cost and adding additional battery capacity (2-3 more modules) in the future is less impactful on the wallet vs having to purchase a whole new Tesla panel (which might not be available given the current 'no solo buy" policy). Remember that the batteries only dispense 90% of capacity.

[@jochenvonbastianeller6865]

Your'e giving the generic Powerwall an extra plus for the ability to put more baterie's into it. But if you put more batteries in the system you also can add an other Powerwall to the Tesla system. Up to 7.

[@SolarSurge]

Yes, good points here. However, I don't think the average system owner could add on a Powerwall on their own. You need 3 guys just to set the unit in place and it's a more complex wiring.

[@jacobwolfgang7571]

@@SolarSurge Where as it is true that the average owner cannot on their own add a powerwall and that adds to cost for later installation however, you should probably have been a bit more elaborate on the cost side. The cost of the product /KWH is not slightly less for the powerwall. Its almost half the cost for the product alone. In my point of view that shows a huge bias towards generac. The base generac model giving only 9KWH is 2500$ more expensive for the unit alone which is around 33% more.

[@SolarSurge]

@@jacobwolfgang7571 I agree with you on the cost side.

[@eavdmeer]

Plus there is likely to be a lot of finger pointing between Panasonic and Generac in case of faults. Not even to mention if you dyi extra batteries into it

[@craigsurman4281]

@@eavdmeer Generac covers the battery warranty regardless of the cell manufacture. The great part is the warranty is 10yrs or an energy through put rating which is very clear cut.

[@jortega222]

Hi, great presentation. I was wondering if you could give a presentation on what it would take to backup a home with 200AMP load center, say 5 ton central air and one pump (pool or sump) for a 24hr using Solar. I know there are many variables to consider but in general. Thank you!!

[@SolarSurge]

Hi Juan. You cold backup an entire house panel using 4x Tesla Powerwall's or 2x of the Generac PWRcell's with intelligent load management.

[@I_report_scammers_spammers]

Super helpful and useful. I live in Dallas, and although I did not lose power during Icepocalypse 2021, I am extremely paranoid about ERCOT's complete inability to ensure Electricty Reliablity, I have been hemming and hawing about getting a battery backup for my existing (SolarCity, now Tesla) rooftop solar panels. I *think* Tesla is refusing to install PowerWalls for anyone other than Tesla customers, but I'm not sure, and even if they are, I'm not sure if they're refusing to install them for existing customers (versus only installing them on new systems). However, living in Dallas...central AC is not a luxury, it's an absolute REQUIREMENT, so that additional surge power is a necessity. I can go without a lot of stuff, or work around a lot of things, but a temperature at which I'm not going to die is not one of them. [My AC went out several years ago, and it was literally cooler in the garage than it was in the house. I ended up filling the tub with what passes for cold water in Texas (sometimes in summer the "cold' water is actually higher temperature than the 'hot' water...) and sitting in the tub for the several hours until it got repaired. It was horrible. And I don't have a pool.] Thank you for the information!

[@SolarSurge]

Hi and thanks for writing in to share your experience.

[@ringo2398]

thank you for the great info, what's your take on air batteries? We have a company up here testing air batteries that are about the size of a garden shed. Just can't find any good info on them.

[@SolarSurge]

I haven't had an opportunity to look at these yet.

[@seanstack180]

Can I have one of these on my house without having a solar panel system? I’m just looking to have some stored power for storm caused power outages? I’m hoping to just charge it from the grid and use it if the grid goes out

[@larryking9389]

great video .., with the powerwall setup according to your video i wouldn't need solar panels ?

[@SolarSurge]

That is correct. You can use Tesla Powerwall as a stand-alone battery backup charged from the grid only.

[@corteydmusic]

Can you back up a solar battery like that with the power w/o the panels?

[@anyagupta5356]

If someone has no solar panels and were to install a solar+battery system from scratch - how would the prices of the 2 products compare (including installation etc)? Are both the products compatible with all types of homes?

[@Jeff-hp3vn]

Question I want to use this in my rv with solar and a generator. In place of the house battery in the rv using the 12v alt as the engine is running on a rv inverter to charge while driving!

[@nealmanchester2200]

I learned a lot. Very good presentation.

[@kingblack22ss]

What about the Tesla powerwall 2 plus they upgraded can you update the specs or do a update video on the different between the 2 hole home system please Thanks

[@Miata822]

This winter in Texas I was 42 hours w/o power and virtually no sun for solar. 3.5kW of portable heaters was barely enough to keep my house from freezing and maxed out my generator. In many climates keeping at least part of a home at a safe temperature is critical. It is important to consider that in your power budget. Power seldom fails on a nice Spring day.

[@DarthPoyner]

That also has to do with the thermal efficiency of your home. I am in central TX and we didn't have to run any extra heaters. While we didn't have an abundance of solar during that time, we had enough to keep most of our necessary units running. We couldn't keep our heat pump running, but again due to the newness of our home it stayed within living parameters. Our biggest issue during the storm was the water problems. Even then we were ok thanks to our casual prepping nature.

[@Miata822]

@@DarthPoyner In my older home we have improved our windows and insulation but there are limits to what is practical. What I most lacked was battery storage. One day's mild weather capacity is simply not enough to ensure security. Multi-day outages have happened before and will likely happen again. We had an ERCOT warning just last week. Large storage will even allow more effective use of generators in times of crisis and better make use of the grid when it is available. FWIW, we were the only house on out block that remained occupied throughout the event. It reached 0F at our house and we were w/o power for 42 hours. No pipes froze and we remained reasonably comfortable in adventure mode. Houses in the D/FW area simply were not built for that weather and people here don't prepare, but we do.

[@kamakaziozzie3038]

Much of how to deal with winter cold depends on whether or not local LPG- or central NG is available. In our rural area almost everyone has a 250gallon tank of propane on their property. Lower elevations closer to towns have Natural Gas as an option. During wintertime in the mountain area we live, losing grid power is a given.

[@Miata822]

@@kamakaziozzie3038 Yes, we have a family place in the mountains. A Sears kit house from early last century built over a stone basement, expanded and updated over generations, it can remain comfortable without power. The majority of American homes are nowhere near as self-reliant.

[@dannyterhaar5612]

The generac system can run the house of solar power (in case of grid loss) and will only tap into the battery if the PV power no longer is able to provide the energy draw from the loads. I would have given the pwrcell one more x-factor point for that. The inverter has 4 DC bus'es to hookup, so you can actually have 3 battery cabinets hooked up and the 4th for PV input (which would be underrated compared to storage size). I think a balanced system would have 2 battery cabinets & 2 PV strings with optimizers. Not the cheapest solution, but pretty flexible imo

[@SolarSurge]

I agree. 2 PV strings, 2 battery cabinets would provide the most balanced design for residential grid-tie with battery backup.

[@aguilpa1]

You need to give cost numbers even if it was at time of recording. The generac would need to be presented with two cost numbers because of the initial base cost and the expansion cost.

[@claytonbolton452]

I currently have solar, I think the Tesla option will work for me. My power panel is on the outside of my home. Will the installation be connected to current solar system?

[@bluehorseshoe6125]

Awesome job!

[@htannberg]

You should do another comparison with PowerWall 2 updated firmware. I have 2 Powerwalls and I'm very happy. I also have 2 AC units and can run them at the same time.

[@SolarSurge]

Thanks for the feedback. We will plan a future video with the updated firmware specs.

[@johnmiranda2307]

Very informative!! Thnx

[@nvme4lyfe]

Good afternoon, I'm a little stress, my gateway cover glass shattered. Is there anyway I can order just the door by it self Follow up question, I'm trying to install a mini split unit. I want the unit to run on solar. However where it's being installed there no electrical output (240v) only the Meter box. Where can this be installed so the AC Unit can run on solar

[@enchant3r]

Question about being off grid. How do these compare when adding more capacity than one cabinet can provide. I believe the Powerwall is additive, but I do not know if the PowerCell can be expanded beyond the one cabinet or adding more inversion.

[@SolarSurge]

Hi Earl. Good question. Both systems are expandable. The Powerwall can stack up to 7 batteries. Each Powerwall increases both power output and storage capacity. For the Generac PWRCell, each inverter can take up to 2 battery cabinets (max 36 kWh storage per inverter) and max 9kW output per inverter.

[@kintehorton2472]

I would think customer service would be a category of importance. However, good video.

[@SDGreg]

Good presentation. I think one X-Factor not considered with the Powerwall is the integration with the Tesla Eco-System. If you have a Tesla vehicle, you have one App to control both the car and PW. With a Tesla High-Powerwall wall-charger you have additional integration. For example you can set the unit not to charge your Tesla car during a power outage. For example if you lose power during the middle of the night when you normally charge your car, you wouldn't wake-up to a possibly drained battery system because the system charged your car while the power was out.

[@SolarSurge]

Very good points here. You would definitely not want to waste precious battery storage on charging you EV. However, I envision in the future we will be able to use our EV batteries to interface with the solar/inverter for backup power.

[@carlossantini]

Lots of people reporting the Islanding Overload fault with the PWRCELL. In places were voltage fluctuations is common, the PWRCELL enters into fault mode and shutdown instead of interpreting the fluctuations as a grid failure to activate battery backup.

[@SolarSurge]

Thanks for the feedback. We will keep an eye on this.

[@danielcapson9842]

What can you tell us about Duracell's Energy Bank?

[@carson2159]

Comparison with maxing the PWR cell and double the Powerwall ?

[@tomcwik4898]

Great great video. Can you install either without a solar system? Simply as a backup unit similar to a standby generac gas powered generator? Or perhaps a small solar panel just to keep it powered? Thanks

[@SolarSurge]

Hi Tom and thanks for writing in. Yes, these systems can be installed as battery backup only (charging from the grid). However, it makes sense to install at least some solar so that you can take advantage of the 26% federal tax credit on the entire project cost.

[@tomcwik4898]

Thanks great advice. I'll be watching as as building new home next year.

[@winterjuarez4372]

Would you do a video on Sol-Ark vs Tesla inverter and Home Grid Stack'd Battery vs Tesla Battery?

[@RegularPersona]

One thing to keep in mind is that if you have two Powerwalls, you double the amount of maximum output power that the system is capable of outputting. So with two powerwalls, you can get 10 kW continuous and 14 kW peak power out of the system.

[@Natedoc808]

Which is roughly equal to the 1 generac system, so the Tesla would need to be half the cost to equal comparable capacity.

[@topeka088]

@@Natedoc808 Except we never found out how a fully upgraded Generac system compares price-wise. He only said a non-upgraded one costs 20% more than Tesla

[@Natedoc808]

@@topeka088 so price the Tesla at add 1/5 the cost. Or call generac and find out the cost of additional battery unit. The cost of the generac system is available on their website including the additional battery units to fill out the cabinet

[@davidmccarthy6390]

or at a lower load, a near doubling of battery life, and with increased load potential this should be enough to make a household have an energy surplus, making it truly off grid capable. And if the rules are right where you live, you can get electric company credits instead of bills.

[@AchillesWrath1]

@@Natedoc808 Not really. 2 Tesla powerwall's have 26 kWH capacity for the price of $18,500 (2 of them), compared to $18,000 for one 9 kWH capacity Generac power cell battery.

[@dosomething6776]

Really good comparison!

[@imriestaffson9592]

Clarification please, in a Grid down scenario, what battery systems work best with the Solar panels, I understood that power wall did not and the envoy did. I think I am mistaken on that point.

[@SolarSurge]

For a prolonged grid-down event, I think Outback Radian or Sol-Ark are the best solutions, followed by Enphase.

[@Aviatrix14]

Does the power cell need to be inside because I don’t have room inside near the circuit breaker.

[@SolarSurge]

The PWRCell is outdoor rated so you can install on an exterior wall if necessary.

[@mucarew]

I didn’t see you you cover one of the big advantages of the generac system is you can add a standby generator to charge batteries.

[@SolarSurge]

Thanks for mentioning this. I've been having a hard time getting a straight answer on this capability. It appears that Generac now supports this feature, but you would have to add on an extra component, the PWRcell Automatic Transfer Switch.

[@ABC-wz2db]

And Enphase will be adding this feature very soon

[@SolarSurge]

@@ABC-wz2db Yep. I just heard about this. It's so important to have that generator re-charge capability when running off-the-grid. I've had a few clients where they are 100% off-grid full time and they use the generator 500+ hours per year, especially during the winter season.

[@shellymathisen7420]

Interested in getting a power wall to supplement our existing solar

[@Phan-Xu]

What if I get 3 power cells from Tesla, will it handle a central heating and air?

[@edmundgrey8311]

But what about the other factors like the dollar panels themselves? Are they included in this setup or is that a whole issue? What if the power goes out with 3. 4 or 5 days of heavy overcast skies?

[@SolarSurge]

Hi Edmund. You can use just about any brand of solar panels with this equipment. For prolonged power outages, I recommend using an inverter that allows battery re-charge from an auxiliary power source (e.g. generator) so that you can re-charge batteries when no solar is available.

[@RED2K2TIMMY]

Here is my question I went with Tesla because I liked the app I have a small house 900sf with a well pump. Is the power wall upgradable can I add another in the future? Could only afford one right now but would love to have 2

[@SolarSurge]

Yes you can add more batteries to the Tesla system.

[@Jorge50505]

My question is if i have a grid tie enphase System for example And i add either tesla powerwall or generac can my enphase gride tie system tie up to either inverter? Something i find super interesting about generac it says i can add up to 36kwh storage to only 1 inverter i think that in itself plus the continuous power rating beats out tesla Can generac be charged while house is running straight off of solar? Not sure if i missed that point Currently thinking of adding enphase solar myself then add a generac system was gonna do two powerwalls but the expandability of generac caught my attention Im still learning the lingo newbie solar guy here

[@SolarSurge]

Good questions. For your existing enphase system, you would have to use an AC battery like the Powerwall. Generac is a DC-coupled system, which means everything from the roof on down would need to be re-wired with Generac equipment. Yes, the Generac system allows battery re-charging while also powering the house on solar. My advice for you is Enphase + 1 or 2 Tesla Powerwalls. We are happy to help with that whenever the time is right.

[@strykerace]

What is you setup 2 Powerwall 2 batteries? Does the power load scale efficiently or are you still limited to 5kwh continuous?

[@SolarSurge]

Yes, you can stack 2 Powerwall's together to increase to 10kW continuous with 27.0kWh energy reserve. That can power any circuit on 30-amp breaker or less.

[@jarrelljulien5673]

How does the generac system perform in terms of of stacking? I’ve installed a few of these systems years ago when it was called Pika. It was brand new at the time. I’m certain we were the first in the state to install it. I think the serial number on the first one I had my hands on was 0006 or something close to that. A single system worked great but if there were multiple it was a nightmare. I’m just wondering if they’ve figured out the hiccups since Generac bought them.

[@SolarSurge]

Hi Jarrell. As of this writing, you can connect 2 PWRcell inverters in parallel. That would provide max 18kW continuous power.

[@el-rumbotastingroomapartme2181]

Hi, I like the video, we have 20 k solar an 32 225 trojen black, we have no grid tie and no generator but are able to run our 5 fridges 4 air conditioners 24 hours a day regaurdless of weather, and in this country we don't buy new batteries, after 7 years we just use the acid for the pool and clean off the plates and put in new acid, we spent about $3000 on the batteries 2 years ago, How would you compare the amp hour capacity of this bank as lead acid and lithium use different terminology to describe capacity? Sorry if I'm asking alot, you seem extremely informed on off grid matters, thanks in advance

[@SolarSurge]

Your 32 Trojan bank has a capacity of 32kWh assuming 100% depth-of-discharge. Because they are lead-acid chemistry, you should only discharge 50% or 16kWh.

[@jackphillips1953]

Another good video. I have a 10 year old system. 43 panels 9.9 kw. 1/3 uses Enphase the other on 2 inverters Sunnyboys. On your other video you said the Enphase system is dc connected. Now I guess i would have to have modification to get to work?? If I go with Tesla I guess all panels would work because it is AC. The only thing that concerns me if the fact you stated Tesla doesn't start using solar until battery level drops to 60%. Is that the same with the Generac? Seems like a waste in a long term situation. Keep the videos coming very informative. Also i need to have these outside in NJ where we can got from zero to 100 degrees in a season. Thanks.

[@SolarSurge]

The Enphase is an AC-coupled battery. The Generac system is DC-coupled, so you can use all available solar power all the time when running off-grid.

[@jackphillips1953]

@@SolarSurge Perfect thanks.

[@martinshelton1247]

Thanks great information. I just purchased my solar panels. I have the PWR Cell, the warranty for the battery is 10 years but I was told it could last even longer up to 15 years. The cost of the battery I was told 2500 dollars but my salesman said in the future the battery can come down in price because of our technology?

[@SolarSurge]

Hi Martin. Thanks for writing in. Please share with us your experience once you are up and running with PWRCell.

[@martinshelton1247]

@@SolarSurge I am up and running about a week now. Will-Do. I will be glad to share information in time, so far it’s good.