Tesla Powerwall Teardown - Taking a look inside a new Tesla Powerwall thats been stored for years

[@TheDowe]

Isn't it a bit strange that Tesla did not put in a fail safe to stop killing the battery's like that?

[@HBPowerwall]

I would have to agree! I mean that's kinda what a BMS does right ?

[@gabrias]

I guess if it was sitting disconnected somewhere for 5 years nothing could prevent the cells from self leaking down to zero volts.

[@HBPowerwall]

Possible, but i've had built batteries un-used for many years still 3.7v storage voltage

[@gabrias]

@@HBPowerwall Yes, there is definitely something unusual going on with that powerwall. Even with the relatively high self leaking current of li ion cells, they should not get to zero in "just" 5 years

[@chuxxsss]

Choke is a inductor used to stop RF frequency going onto DC line Peter. The RF cannot pass through these inductors as it collapses the RF field.

[@garystewart6093]

If anyone deserves a free powerwall it’s this man. Tesla should reward his ingenuity and hook him up for free.

[@HBPowerwall]

I want to contact Elon and ask him for the first PW3 in Australia - I'll pay full retail!

[@CAMSLAYER13]

@The Rice King no one ever got anywhere without a bit of danger

[@HBPowerwall]

Boooooo you must be great fun to live with !

[@garystewart6093]

@The Rice KingI got an aLarm clock radio as a child the first thing I did was take it apart.

[@andrewprince3966]

Have spoken to the bloke I got mine from (he istalled them and newer ones and thats his living) and he stated there are actually a lot of brand new ones in ware houses around. He has also stated that there has been complaints back to the mother ship re this very problem and if they sit for a period of around 6 to 12 months they discharge, dependant on the charge they had. He also noted that I should be able to recover mine with the invertor and management box that was used with them when sold. I actually have all the system so it may be something I would try soon but need an electrician of him to do. Looking at the slow charge at low amps to try first to give others an idea if this can be done, thus allowing confidence if anyone else finds one and wants to partake in the same experiment. Along with the information given, the mothership, through training, this bloke recieved stated that recovery had no bearing on performance nor safety of the unit, thus suspecting the controller box and invertor could play a part in this as well as the mainboard in the unit. The external controller and invertor are designed to recover at low voltage etc which is controlled by the main board in the unit, that talks to other compents to ensure that the power delivered from panels etc in at a minumium. And yes they also told them that recover takes time but the system did this without comprimising cells. If this is the case Pete you may have a good chance and so may I. I still have voltage in my packs so this might be a saving grace for me, but as I said I have the whole setup. BTW if anyone does get a powerwall and the rest of the system there is an option to plug into network, advice is dont, as the systems reports back to Tesla systems and if the unit was suppose to be decomissioned, acquried the wrong way the system will shut the unit out making it useless, I do however suspect this may not have any bearing on the packs. It will also report IP address, location information. It is only information that has been passed to me, but found interesting from and installers point of view. Have fun.

[@HBPowerwall]

I would love to have a chat to your bloke!

[@andrewprince3966]

@@HBPowerwall see what i can do. he can be a tool, but has some good info.

[@martinnash007]

In my country the 10th month is October! ;-)

[@HBPowerwall]

you live in a weird country lolz

[@azizaomar4508]

Didn't you know, that in Britain, it is Novermber?

[@HBPowerwall]

do now :P

[@2pi628]

The chokes are probably filters keeping humm out of the power caused by the converters.

[@HBPowerwall]

By the comments it sounds like it..

[@RichardOzanne]

@@HBPowerwall Does the QR code reveal anything? I tried reading it but wasn't able.

[@magic.marmot]

Even if it ends up unrevivable, this content is amazing. Thank you!

[@HBPowerwall]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@paulbianchi7877]

I appreciate your time and effort in disassembling the device. It seems to be engineered well enough, but there are points of failure are everywhere. Typical discharge occurs with batteries connected to a BMS and other devices. The discharge may be in mV, but over time the batteries will be entirely flat as you have noticed. Use of chokes is a normal practice, one of the main benefits is to reduce DC ripple during charging.

[@HBPowerwall]

Probably why they released a PW2, easy to see issues down the road.. I'm still super impressed with it - if it had been installed it would only be half way through its useable live and if they cycled it every day here in Brisbane Australia they would have saved a whopping $2,281.25 off their power bill. So in their 10 warranty period it would save them about 5k aud - NOW just got a quote to supply and stall a PW2 and it's $16000 all the sudden they might look good but that ROI is WAY off!

[@paulkennett]

Even with the dead cells it was totally worth a 2 hour drive. Great score!

[@HBPowerwall]

Actual drive was much less - worth every cent!

[@andrewprince3966]

Hi mate, thank you for posting this, I have one hanging on my wall I was given and it was in use 18 months ago before it came to me. I have left it unconnected as there wasn't a lot about them. So know you are working on it I will be watching with glee to see what you do with it, at least I can see how to get into it. I wanted to convert to a 48 volt powerwall and then add my collection of 18650 batteries that I am building in a powerwall as well. Thank you as well for such a great informative vids.

[@HBPowerwall]

how long has it been disconnected for batteries might be dead like this one!

[@andrewprince3966]

@@HBPowerwall around 18 months. I am going to take cover off hopefully this afternoon and test it. It wasnt brand knew although only working for 3 months then replaced with another brand. My mate does solar so he gave it to me. Hopefully it has some power,

[@HBPowerwall]

let us know!

[@andrewprince3966]

@@HBPowerwall I will, just waiting for a break in the rain, Im at Wauchope NSW Floods , Floods and more Floods.

[@andrewprince3966]

@@HBPowerwall I have just got it apart, I have 4.1 volts in one battery and 1.14 volts in the other so at least I have some volts lol. Bugger bugger bugger. Hope I can getthem back some how and quickly

[@greentechartbodera7913]

Consider unplugging the BMS and attempting charging the modules with external charger. Once it has some voltage in it, the BMS should start up again and might be able to allow AC charging it back to life.

[@HBPowerwall]

I'll do something for sure..

[@weeardguy]

I expect the BMS to sound the alarm when you do that. It's not meant to be opened up and really not meant to be messed with. Most BMS from the big guys tend to report 'battery removed' and set a permanent failure register accordingly, turning off discharge and charge-circuitry forever, maybe even blowing a fuse. If you know how to interface with them, know how to reset it/know encryption-keys, you can probably revive it. But with this one I doubt just unplugging, charging the batteries and than re-attaching them, will work. I can't even do that with my 'cheap' 300 Euro videocamera-batteries. Remove the BMS on those and it will set a permanent failure immediately. Hell, even charging the cells with connected BMS by bypassing the charge-FET immediately sets an alarm inside the BMS, that suddenly notices its cells rising in voltage without charging current passes through its sense-resistors (the same goes for discharging).

[@markrosser5349]

Dc charge

[@mufitzehir7164]

I agree. Most "smart" chargers simply refuse charging the battery (even at slow rate), if it reads a voltage below the set limit. Worth to try.

[@Lewdacris916]

@@HBPowerwall what did you end up doing?

[@johnpieruszka6071]

I'm glad you got your safety shoes on

[@HBPowerwall]

My workshop is the Indian slum of Australia. 45 and not dead so I guess i'm doing well, that or i'm not stupid lol

[@batteryhookup]

This will be the #1 battery related video. Awesome!

[@HBPowerwall]

Wow, thanks! I hope you're right, tweeted Elon last night so if a comment pops up here from here I'm done as a Tuber I've made it lol

[@Puchacz83]

These two chokes on the output of the DC/DC converters are 10mH custom made 1047572-00-e common mode chokes for filtering of the common mode noise made by the converter. They are not available on the general market as they are made directly for end customer, but given the size and inductace I would assume that they are rated at the level of around 3A-6A, and as it's a power line, they have sectional winding to have a high stray inductance value to filter out both, common and differential mode noise. I' deal with similiar chokes daily and if You would like to look for similiar components, then part numbers like 744834310 or 744834622 from Wurth Elektronik may be handy. Best regards, from Poland.

[@HBPowerwall]

Awesome - thanks for the info!!!

[@jeales895]

Those cells will definitely be revivable. I've done this on plenty of 18650s. Just charge them super slow. As long as they haven't had a reverse voltage applied they should be fine with minimal capacity loss

[@HBPowerwall]

I'll be giving it a go for sure!

[@jeales895]

@@HBPowerwall top job. I reckon you’re on to a winner here mate.

[@bpdenverco]

Don’t use any smart chargers, just power supply’s, just a little at a time, then maybe switch to smart chargers, or a really small trickle charger..

[@charlesball6519]

Back in 2013, my brother bought a slow as molasses HP laptop. Because it's rarely used, the batteries are discharged most of the time. I had to buy a new battery pack for it late last year, because it was refusing to charge the battery pack. I disassemble the old pack, they're 2800mAh Samsungs. Then I buy a battery charger (a Miboxer, that can handle AAA to 26700's, with a capacity testing mode, adjustable charging speed from 0.2A to 1.5A, max of 5A across four slots), and charge the batteries. All four batteries fully charged and are holding their charge. I bought that charger partly because I'm going to build me some battery packs using 21700's, because that's what DeWalt uses in their battery packs - I disassembled one, because it would no longer be recognized by the charger. Out of 10 Samsung 50S 5000mAh batteries, two were completely dead, zero volts. The battery charger I bought doesn't even know they're there when I put them in. However, my plan is to build a 13S-8P pack worth 2kWh (at 3.85V). The other 96 batteries I'm going to use are the 5000mAh Bak batteries.

[@williamgrissom9022]

@@charlesball6519 I had a laptop battery pack that became useless (5 min life), so took apart and measured one 18650 Li battery bad and replaced it. Hard to put pack cover back tight but worked for a year or two. When it failed again, I bought a new pack since now $20 instead of $150 before. I salvaged the good Li batteries from the old pack and other devices (forgot) so bought many flashlights (Amazon) that use use an 18650 for all family members and vehicles.

[@ltbarkley]

Inductor chokes are large ferrite beads used To minimize RF interference, as the device needs to minimize the amount of rf interference external to the device. Ham radio operators like myself especially appreciate this as solar in general is extremely noisy on the HF bands (inverters are especially bad for interference on the shortwave radios).

[@originalmianos]

MEK will often soften that silicone sealant.

[@HBPowerwall]

Googles 'MEK'

[@XD-te6vj]

I see you have those new Safety Sandals! I prefer Safety Crocs.

[@HBPowerwall]

A closer look in some shots I was rocking clear ones!

[@sandyfordd1843]

I’m just flabbergasted at how stupid people are sometimes. Unbelievable really. Safety first, even at home. It’s all fun and games until someone loses a foot. I actually cringed when I saw the bare feet! Such a bad example.

[@HBPowerwall]

I'm not setting an example I'm being me.. bare foot 99% of the time - stems from issues with the soles of my feet.

[@XD-te6vj]

@@HBPowerwall just be you. If the whiny bastards can't handle it, fuck em

[@sandyfordd1843]

@@HBPowerwall , your videos are great, really enjoyable, thanks for making them!

[@LambySRI]

That holden(?) van. Known in the UK as a vauxhall combo. It needs a z20leh 2.0 turbo engine fitting and running on z12xe/z20let engine management. Very straightforward conversion for a 300bhp van. Goes in almost factory even with the 6 speed box 😍 I'll watch the video now and see what the tesla pack is all about but the van caught my eye 😂

[@HBPowerwall]

I'll replace it with a classic mini van - been reliable and cheap to drive for the past 15 years but so done with it lol

[@Stefanseiner]

oh damn. I hope you can re-animate the batteries somehow

[@HBPowerwall]

Plan is to make a video, even if I fail I'll still learn something

[@AerialWaviator]

@@HBPowerwall Worst case would be swapping out the two modules to end up with a working powerwall. Think would be good investment ... assuming the revival attempt fails. Your smile at beginning of video is priceless. Have fun taking baby steps with this project.

[@HBPowerwall]

that smile was heavily edited - i was so excited lol Really felt like I won the HBPowerwall lotto!!!

[@KeithHeinrich]

the zombie powerwall

[@kafiyo7928]

That was very interesting. It is much more intricate than I had imagined!

[@HBPowerwall]

Thanks for tuning in

[@Space_Reptile]

you can actually revive the cells by slowly charging the pack , they will eventually pick up voltage again and there is a decent chance they wont be completely dead

[@HBPowerwall]

Time will tell!

[@garystewart6093]

Your qualifications space reptile?

[@Space_Reptile]

@@garystewart6093 personal experience + electric engineering

[@Vismotrix-m]

@@garystewart6093 i can confirm that is true, based on my own experience. i revived quite a alot of "dead" 18650/2000mah battery by just force charging them for a couple of minutes

[@Vismotrix-m]

force charging as in like charging them without an ic , like charging them straight from a power wall. but instead of power wall *because its ac instead of dc . i use power regulator or something like laptop charger

[@edwardruiz8920]

the white Keurig cup looking things were inductors (chokes). Although not the case here, "smoother" almost fist as a term. AC often smoothed into a form of DC! Here probably being used to control the DC bus voltage and Amperage in the charging unit.

[@HBPowerwall]

thanks for the info

[@E-BikingAdventures]

Inductor chokes for filtering out high frequencies instead of using capacitors as you mentioned 500V, the inductors are more suited for higher voltages.

[@HBPowerwall]

Thanks for the info

[@toneault7499]

hi peter . nice to have you back...? we are all missing ya.. ps why not get 2 new tesy packs put in and fire it up again.. you KNOW it not save to use anymore.. and what happened about the spot welder.. now we have a new one available...( Sequre spot welder ).. hope to see you soon atb uk tone

[@HBPowerwall]

I could buy new batteries, but bang for buck is missing totally, that Sequre welder is pissing me off.. So much spam emails to promote on KZbin, no ethics to it, and cheap massed produced it'll fail as fast as they send spam. Fly-by-night company...

[@peterzeboroff7448]

The voltage should definitely not be 0 in only 5 years, try check the individual cells since there might be a relay in there that disconnects the cells from the BMS boards

[@HBPowerwall]

She is zero.. nada

[@jfbeam]

The fuse wires linking the cells is the only "safety" in the whole thing. We don't call them "firecrackers" for nothing. If charged one cell (group) at a time, it might be possible to recover, but there has been significant damage to the cells being discharged that low. *Do not attempt to charge, or use, in any place that will not react well to fire.*

[@jaialtree2065]

great job... thanks so much.. the "secret uncovered".. only two model S batteries..thats it.... looking so familiar those modules... I am sure you can revive the two batteries/modules charging them ... thanks again as you spared me a lot of efforts disassembling the power wall myself. .Tesla is doing a great job with this product..and in the near future there will be more modules on hand to deliver more powerwalls .. German Giga Factora.....

[@HBPowerwall]

Ooh that would have made a great thumbnail lol Trying to recover cells this weekend (will probably take a lot longer than two days lol )

[@benjones8977]

I thought Tesla would have some kind of cut off switch when the batteries got too low? Seems like bad design to drain them completely!

[@HBPowerwall]

To be fair, they are typically installed and used as soon as they are produced I guess.. But a low voltage cutoff seems to have been missed

[@televisonator]

Or simply pull the plug on the batpac

[@inachu]

From other videos at 3rd party garage shop they seem to be trickle charging the batteries for 3-5 weeks until full or almost full then at 9:16 use your tool to test each battery. recycle the bad ones and order new ones when bought as individually they are pretty cheap. solder back in and then you got yourself a fully working battery station!.

[@HBPowerwall]

I'm still trickel charging months later.. I'm about to recycle them lol

[@MrConspark]

Wow they're well made, no wonder they cost a pretty penny! 🤣 Maybe a windscreen seal cutting tool next time, if there is a next Time. Great video, cheers

[@HBPowerwall]

Thanks for the tip! - if there is a next time i'll be a newer generation !!

[@derfstang480]

A metal paint scrapper might work to get the halves separated easier without deforming the casing edge so much.It’s thinner than the brass rod or chisel which has a wedge shape. Something like the cheap Goldblatt brand from Home Depot. It’s got a semi sharp edge.

[@HBPowerwall]

not sure, but won't be doing it again to test the theory lol

[@volvo09]

Hopefully it's reviveable... With the cells at 0v, I'd be afraid some series strings got reverse charged and are now shorted... but only testing will tell. At least it was free :)

[@HBPowerwall]

This has happened with out a doubt.

[@the_bootloader]

@@HBPowerwall please do not attempt to revive the batteries. See my other comment as to why. Any attempt to reuse these cells is a real fire hazard since the internal structure of the batteries has been damaged in unpredictable way and they can fail now... or later...

[@HBPowerwall]

Very aware of the advertised risks, but it would be cool as hell to try you gota admit :P

[@the_bootloader]

@@HBPowerwall Totally. Just don't burn your house down. I want to see more of your videos ! :)

[@nlingrel]

I really like how the cell holders look

[@HBPowerwall]

Tesla make a good battery!

[@UKinQ8Gaming]

Tesla : we will make copying our technolodgy extremely hard. The board: How? Elon Musk: Space X sealant!

[@HBPowerwall]

THIS lol

[@davidkinuthia1052]

I'm glad to see inside a power wall from tesla I like to follow ur work great video hope you revive those 18650 awaiting the video ..good job

[@HBPowerwall]

I hope so too

[@stickersadd20hp]

Did the swear words get it to open faster? I've seen it does 😂😂😂

[@HBPowerwall]

They made editing more tedious lol

[@lulabahta]

If the modules are the same size as newer modules yu could stick them in and use the electronice. Or you can diy the modules and use the electronics. then sell it?

[@HBPowerwall]

Will not sell it, got it for free and should honor that. DIYing it is an option :P

[@EricLundgrenCEO]

If anyone can revive this battery it's YOU PETE! We're happy to help in any way!

[@HBPowerwall]

I'll give it a go.. see what happens lol

[@dtec30]

the big coils would be inductors pete thinking its like a buck boost board ? maybe or an igbt board hence the cooling

[@HBPowerwall]

I will just have to nod and agree. Sounds likely tho!

[@dtec30]

@@HBPowerwall yeah lol boost board you said output is 500v dc?

[@HBPowerwall]

I think it is close to that.. but bi-directional - must charge too

[@dtec30]

@@HBPowerwall buck boost then but on a bigger scale

[@william62922]

Safety plz.

[@HBPowerwall]

Always

[@RaithUK]

Dumb question Pete but would the tesla module individual BMS not have disconnected the packs from the larger DC to DC board once the voltage had got so far.. so if it were.. would there then be a possability the tiny bms board at the head of the packs.. worth checking..

[@HBPowerwall]

not sure, I hope to go a bit deeper with that soon.

[@jmonsted]

I'd sure as heck take a free powerwall, even if i had to fix it or rip it apart.

[@HBPowerwall]

it's a smoking hot deal, really lucky on this one as it was on a professionally based fb group. No diy there lol

[@mrconana]

@

[@tonyduncan9852]

Classic design. I want those bits.

[@HBPowerwall]

Thinking about selling the whole lot, just more ewaste in my workshop... cool ewaste but none the less. Probably part it all out on eBay.

[@Doctorbasss]

My best advice to you HBP : NEVER atempt to save overdrained cells like that!!! Cells that are low voltage will ahve dendrite that grow and sometime puncture the separator inside the cells whick randomly make short circuit!... In other words, it will become a timebomb if you recharge it ! I know what i'm talking about that's my job! please just dont do that. Some of the copper in the anode copper current collector (a part of the battery) can dissolve into the electrolyte. The copper ions (atoms?) then in turn can stick on to the anode during charging by chemical reduction and cause dendrites. The dendrites might cause a short circuit inside the battery. and with the thousand cells you have inside chances are enormous that it happen.

[@HBPowerwall]

Very well aware of the possible dangers - would be 'fun' to know if this happens to uncycled cells? The plan will be outside, in a safe environment so if they go south I can record it safely. I have access to some land with a huge dam, do it on the banks if it goes thermal I can push it in lol But really still want to try, I already know the outcome and it will make for a boring video lol

[@diyEVguy]

Source: electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/164103/if-li-ion-battery-is-deeply-discharged-is-it-harmful-for-it-to-remain-in-this-s/164178#:~:text=3%20Answers&text=No%2C%20it%20is%20not%20OK,Ion%20deeply%20discharged%20at%20all.&text=But%20the%20dendrites%20caused%20by,or%20below%20the%20recommended%20voltages.

[@the_bootloader]

Thank you for posting this too. We need to spread awareness that lithium batteries, even brand new ones, that have been overdischarged even once, are no longer safe to be used. Seeing the comments, many people do not seem to know this. Overdischarging a Lithium battery permanently destroys its internal structure and it cannot be revived ! Attempting to charge it will lead to a significant hazard and it can fail unpredictably at any moment making it even worse, it can seem to somewhat work at first.

[@the_bootloader]

@@HBPowerwall : what happens to overdischarged cells, uncycled or not, is already well documented, for instance in this article : iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1149/2.0671809jes Basically they are internally damaged, and overdischage damages them in a way which does not depend of the number of cycles. As the article mention (see the 2 first paragraphs of "Conclusion") it is unsafe to even try to charge them. Please, please, if you do another video, mention people should not try to "revive" lithium cells, let alone reuse them...

[@Doctorbasss]

@@HBPowerwall The problem is that the moment they start internal short or overheat is not necessary during a single test... your test can be positive but 1 month or 1 year later the problem can happen... it is unpredictible and random! that is what the point is... Simply testing it and get a positive result NOW dont mean they will remain safe after! The real answer is if you really well know the copper dissolution problem in over discharged lithium cells you would simply never attempt to save these dead/overdischarged cells. Keep in mind that the word UNSTABLE is what they really become after overdischarge for extended period. Making powerwall with hundred or thousand Unstable cells should not be suggested on internet. Think of these people that believe the future is electric and want to build their own battery but never touched a single transistor and now you suggest saving dead cells... it just dont make sense to me. With all respect to your great work, please be responsible for your viewers. Doc

[@joshuahuman1]

acetone may work better at softening the adhesive although it may strip the paint and or melt the plastics depending on the type of plastic

[@HBPowerwall]

Actually didn't think of that I should try it

[@matutolaYT]

oh yes, after watching this everyone with a DIY powerwall must fell very safe, I mean clearly DIY powerwall are far more well engineered then this.. not to mention brand new matched cells :D :D

[@Nicksperiments]

Maybe high end solar charge controller have self-cutoff but the cheap one I have will drain the battery in about a month if there’s no solar panel connected

[@matutolaYT]

@@Nicksperiments common, was my sarcasm so hard to notice ?

[@HBPowerwall]

lol

[@davidgarcia8343]

Awesome. Welcome to the new century with this kind of technology

[@HBPowerwall]

I know right.

[@TheDynabot]

Thin steel cable would be able to cut the sealant to take it apart i think.

[@HBPowerwall]

That a neat idea but you wouldn't want to be dragging a cable over the batteries and PCB

[@TheDynabot]

@@HBPowerwall Kevlar, dyneema, nylon could be alternatives. It's not like bandsawing the box 🤣

[@HBPowerwall]

RIP the chainsaw through it and get it on camera - whats inside, only using a chainsaw!

[@KuntalGhosh]

I would like to see u recharge the battery and cycle them a few times to see if u can get some capacity back. I have saved many laptop cells (18650) that were discharged to 0v for months and still after charging and discharging them few times they got back to 2000mah (original capacity 2400mah) . And those cells were in use since 2010.

[@HBPowerwall]

I'll see what I can do..

[@EnlightenedSavage]

These are probably salvageable. Do a very slow charge. Keep an eye for problems.

[@HBPowerwall]

In progress.. :)

[@SidneyCritic]

I know petrol softens silicon sealants - if you use it on an intake manifold it turns to jelly -, it's just with that much area it's still going to be difficult. If you can cut off some meniscus you can try soaking it in solvents to see what happens. What's the story, ie, how did it brick?

[@HBPowerwall]

Yes could try that for sure!!!, story was sat for too long and went flat..

[@Visionery1]

5:55, one would think something thin and sharp would work if tapped along the perimeter.

[@mannygee005]

I thumbed up inside of 30 seconds seeing your smiling face, lol. Yes, exciting!

[@HBPowerwall]

Thanks buddy

[@spokehedz]

It really is something to see two "car" battery packs inside a fancy box with some other electrical bits around it.

[@HBPowerwall]

If you look close at the PCBs they have Tesla Motor Company on one :P

[@moji8405]

Those are inductor coils probably to step up or down voltage!

[@HBPowerwall]

I’d say step up

[@OlivierCR]

11:58 Choke Inductors. From Wikipedia: "In electronics, a choke is an inductor used to block higher-frequency while passing direct current (DC) and lower-frequencies of alternating current (AC) in an electrical circuit."

[@HBPowerwall]

Thank-you sir, hadn't even had time to search so of the components!

[@st170ish]

It's just a coil of copper wire

[@Swenser]

Have you managed to identify the bms chip that u can hook up to to read. May be able to reset the bms.

[@LordPente]

So, I think SC (the date stamp) stands for Solar City. Because Tesla acquired Solar City in 2016, but I suspect that they worked together before then.

[@HBPowerwall]

nice thanks for the info

[@AdrianBawn]

Maybe im missing something but could it be that the cells are "fine", but low on charge, and the output of the modules is disabled until the voltage internally is high enough? i.e. the internal BMS has a contactor that stops the battery cells from fully discharging. It would seem odd to be completely 0 volts. That feels like something is disconnected internally rather than discharged. What happens if you give it some juice and let it charge up?

[@HBPowerwall]

Most of this will be in next video when I get some more sprae time hoping in next 10 days

[@djrrmml7514]

Just the casing is worth it, looks so neat!

[@HBPowerwall]

FOR SURE, it's going on my wall working or not!

[@sunroad7228]

This is the curse of trading fossil fuels by the doctrine of what is called 'supply and demand' not on the basis fossil fuels are finite; Shortsighted Energy projects globally, since the steam engine, have tremendously helped destroying almost all finite fossil fuels worldwide, for nothing. "Energy, like time, flows from past to future". Amazing video, indeed.

[@martinly1050]

Hook it up to a thermal camera when trying to revive the cells and charge it. Good luck

[@HBPowerwall]

Already have... did that before I'd even finished filming lol I'm not letting the cat out of the bag yet!!

[@LintasBudaya89]

Can send a link to match the 18650 battery capacity which will be assembled into one

[@HBPowerwall]

This one ? www.repackr.com/#/pack-builder

[@LintasBudaya89]

Thanks

[@HBPowerwall]

no worries

[@AboxofMonsters]

What a marvel of engineering i want one .

[@HBPowerwall]

SOLD!

[@AboxofMonsters]

@@HBPowerwall did you ever get it holding a proper charge ?

[@caseyhargis1541]

I've always wanted to look in one of these...I'm sure someone else has cracked and posted one....but I'm not subscribed to them! Thank you for the peek.

[@HBPowerwall]

I still can't find another - HUNTING for a PW2 but still cant' find one

[@waynewilliamson4212]

cool break down.....and yes, I want to see if you can revive it.

[@HBPowerwall]

Thank-You and the revival is in process

[@dandavis5832]

Good video. That sealant looks like the same stuff apple uses on it's phones. A blow torch or maybe even a heat gun might soften it

[@HBPowerwall]

Tried heat, but not a blow torch - used my Hot Air station at 120 speed and 500deg C - didn't help unfortuntally

[@someusername121]

I would suggest an extra long utility blade to slice through the the silicone sealant on the case. They fit in regular box cutters but are twice as long.

[@HBPowerwall]

I tried something like that off camera - didn't work unfortunately

[@wesr.e.3909]

How do Tesla technicians remove the cover for servicing? My guess is they cut the cover around the entire circumference to remove it. Then comes the 'fun' part; getting the rest of the cover that is glued to the bottom case. Likely they use a solvent especially designed to work with the adhesive.

[@HBPowerwall]

The wouldn't - they would just replace.. time, effort and liability to do that just doesn't work for big business

[@deltoncbaker]

Chocks are magnetic rings that filter line voltage spikes

[@HBPowerwall]

Thanks for that Delton!

[@deltoncbaker]

Another interesting note about Tesla Powerwalls. They have to stay connected to the internet. After a few days of no internet, they shut down and disconnect the power, but will turn back on after the internet is restored. I wonder if your system was in that “No Internet “ mode.

[@DaveBoxBG]

Maybe you can perform initial charge as if the batteries are brand new line they do in the factory? I heard is has to be slow charge at first...

[@HBPowerwall]

Will be trying for sure

[@joshbi4386]

Good Job...is there inside an Inverter build in please ?

[@HBPowerwall]

no, there is a low voltage DC to high voltage converter so the battery is 48v and it transforms it to something like 300v to put back into a grid tie inverter.

[@makgou9148]

If you ever wind up trying to open another battery case use a heat gun on the sealant it will soften it and cut down on the struggle to separate the two halves.

[@HBPowerwall]

Unless I can find a PW2 I don't think so to be honest - altho I'm surprised by how many of these PW1 are out of service already

[@letiscafeschoolhouse1114]

3M Automotive cleanup solution (you will have to look up the name of it) comes in a spray can it's used to remove RTV from around Windows that black rubbery stuff that seal the windshield to the vechical both fresh and cured.

[@HBPowerwall]

Arr never heard of that. If i ever do another i'll check it out.

[@reginaldpotts2037]

you should try parallel a 48v 50% SOC battery to the powerwall and charging slowly with a small charger to see what happens. My feeling is it would revive the cells given time

[@HBPowerwall]

I did a bunch of other videos trying to revive cells, they still sit on my bench waiting to be recycled unfortunately

[@MiniLuv-1984]

I reckon those cells will come good, but be gentle initially. Just squeeze a few milliamps in over a long time. Disconnect any electronics from them first.

[@HBPowerwall]

I don't think they will but i'll give it a crack

[@MiniLuv-1984]

@@HBPowerwall Looking forward to the next episode...I hope you win a whole lot of good cells and I hope I win the bet :)

[@jamest.5001]

Maybe you can replace the battery??

[@HBPowerwall]

It is possible I'm looking around now trying to find something

[@Emilthehun]

So is this like my optima battery that wouldn't charge after it was completely emptied? Is there no ways to renew these? I would be disappointed if after 5 years it be junk

[@HBPowerwall]

I'm trying at the moment, wish me luck

[@dgb5820]

Great video, actually I have watched this again now it awesome

[@HBPowerwall]

Thanks for the visit

[@paulterry468]

I did not see any contactors when you opened it up. Were there any?

[@HBPowerwall]

I think there are relays under the PCB

[@travelinman70]

dude, what a find!!! In America, the 10th month is October, not November....

[@HBPowerwall]

You should move to Australia, that not the only weird shit happening lol

[@RickHowell89]

Interesting to see what is in the 20k hanging on my house has on the inside.

[@HBPowerwall]

what do you have?

[@RickHowell89]

@@HBPowerwall I have an 8.5KW solar roof along with 2 powerwalls, a powerwall 2 and a powerwall+.

[@HBPowerwall]

Nice, so so you think you even have an ROI on that setup. I would imagine breaking even would be a challenge unless you have regular long power outages.

[@RickHowell89]

@@HBPowerwall Not really expecting it. I chose to go the roof/PW route having the ability to lower my electrical bill to close to zero, versus having a new shingle roof installed with a natural gas whole home generator for power outages. My reasoning for the choice was that all considered, the solar roof/PW was only approximately $15k more than the shingle/generator. With the generator, I have a "normal" power bill as well as now scheduled maintenance on the generator vs hosing the roof off and keeping debris away from the PW's. Plus, to be honest, the roof looks cool and the powerwalls on the side of my house are sweet with the green glow at night.

[@HBPowerwall]

It sounds like your happy with your choice either way. 100% safer than my route

[@scottparker1220]

Next time use a windshield cutter remover tool as it should cut it like butter. The adhesive is probably similar to what is used in putting a windshield in a car. The tool has a handle so you can pull the cutter around and the cutter is thin and long enough to cut through and not damage the case.

[@HBPowerwall]

I hope there is a next time!!

[@scottparker1220]

@@HBPowerwall you can get them easily. They work great for many things. That battery being one of them being it is similar glue. If you do let me know.

[@lavalamp3773]

I have no idea if this would be worth it, but if you were to acquire some battery modules from a vehicle could they be fitted to this unit and work good as new?

[@HBPowerwall]

I bet it would and I'll consider doing just that I think - the issue is commissioning it I THINK you need some magic Tesla special code or account to log in and say GO!

[@ytthecommunistplatform.2675]

Lithion are probly dead if lith po4 you can revive them but they dont last long . I drained my life po4 batreries to .04 volts and put a fully charged po4 to it and revived them so the charger would switch on to charge them . They work but dont have the amps anymore .

[@HBPowerwall]

I'm thinking dead too.. time will tell.

[@BariumCobaltNitrog3n]

I install these. They weigh 250 pounds. Wholesale for $3500, we sell them for $12,000-$15,000, plus labor and they already have our panels on the roof, which don't work in a power outage without the battery. They charge the battery during the day and if sunny, you get about two days of electricity, depending on your load. They are connected by WIFI to the Gateway, which the Utility and homeowner can access (and me) to see pretty graphs of what it's doing. What else?

[@HBPowerwall]

interesting.. but that markup is madness lol I've called 30 installers this week to buy a PW2 no one wants to sell me one

[@eliotmansfield]

not sure if it’s true, but I believe using a heat gun on the case will soften the adhesive and make it a little easier to open

[@HBPowerwall]

we tried that didn't help, My theroy to why is it's a thermal barrier. If the battery when thermal you wouldn't want that material to soften during that event

[@Slicksparky]

Call me crazy, but wasn't that a (10) on the date? So, October mfg. Date? Anyway, what a find! Thanks for sharing! Please try and recover those modules!!

[@HBPowerwall]

Ooh what did I say lol must have missed it in edit - I will try recover..

[@AerialWaviator]

Think of it like getting a xmas gift. Not being able to wait until December to open. Plus/minus a month .. who cares. LOL

[@martinusjr7654]

I hope you get a tons likes for putting all this work making this video thanks for sharing ....

[@HBPowerwall]

So nice of you, I hope so too!

[@MrPoojanModi]

If Tesla powerwall has a cooling fan and a radiator, where does this fan release out the heat? What is the coolant Tesla uses and does it have a heating element to heat up when it has to go -20 degree celsius?

[@HBPowerwall]

Don't think it had a heater, and the heat exits up the top through the radiator.

[@MrKillswitch88]

Could try to bring them up slow as age alone doesn't kill cells as the oldest working lithium cells I got are from the late 90s that still hold some charge.

[@HBPowerwall]

Going to give that a try as soon as I find a pair of shoes :P

[@waar5243]

the happiness on this guy face f_k_n and tearing brand new s_h-i_t down priceless

[@HBPowerwall]

Wanted to see inside one for ever.. surprised none had been taken apart before.

[@timosan2020]

An Inductive Choke is a coil to smooth out the current.

[@HBPowerwall]

Thanks for the explanation

[@BREN2009]

Hi I have just bought the same battery secondhand iv no idea how to wire yet wow is this battery 500v? I'm sure it has a sticker on mine that says 50v? 😮

[@niveknospmoht8743]

The Silicone holding the cases together looks like Permatex Ultra Grey

[@HBPowerwall]

it's something stupid strong!

[@christopherthumm4348]

I revive worst lithium or ni cad batteries older than that all the time infact every battery I own had been tossed out because of total drainage . Don't give up , the safest way to do so is to pair with a full battery until they level then charge both . If that doesn't work then pulse the battery until the charger excepts and begins to charge

[@HBPowerwall]

Bet you've never revived safely ones that have been 0volts for years, the internals of the cells are rusted out and almost useless

[@JeffSmith03]

@@HBPowerwall how can internals rust? That doesn't make any more sense than a BMS that ruins the battery just because it's sitting 5 years. What, was it in a flood?

[@timfreeman2603]

Good score

[@HBPowerwall]

It was for sure!

[@kunalguleria9617]

That looks like the oldest model of powerwall. Looks like they were using 18650. Wonder if they use 21700 in their latest model of powerwall ?

[@HBPowerwall]

its a gen one so to say, and i believe the do use the 2170s int the PW2 it stands to reason as it's only 20kg heavier but double the capacity

[@kunalguleria9617]

@@HBPowerwall What is the weight of the Powerwall that you got ?

[@jeffvenqueleir2036]

Looking forword for the next tesla battery video story

[@HBPowerwall]

I have a bench full of day job so might be a week or two

[@DarkAlaranth]

Pretty sure Tesla don't ship those things fully charged so they're likely to be self-discharged. The BMS was probably disconnected from the batteries and they self discharged. Should recover ok for most of them. Your thermal camera will be useful for any cell that didn't survive. :) Can't wait to see if you recover them. ^_^ Was the cooling for the cells at all or was it mainly the electronics? Maybe it would power up if the batteries had some charge put back in them?

[@HBPowerwall]

bet their shipping voltage will be 30% soc

[@ruggedplus]

Each battery is approx. 24VDC at full charge. Isn't there two of them? How does it add up to 500VDC mentioned in the video?

[@HBPowerwall]

Inverter takes 450v to 550v from memory so transforms the 48v up to the voltage the grid tie inverter needs