Power Wall Pricing

[ponytug]

We have had solar for a couple of years. If our power goes out we have a generator for the critical issues (fridge, freezer) and it also works well for tv and satellite. I installed a generator thru-the-wall kit to make it all convenient. What we will not have, however, is water as we are on a well. I have sketched out a couple of ways to configure power to the well with the generator but am still a bit nervous about the surges and such. So, because of the well issue I talked at length with a power wall vendor at a home show. He said the wall would not work with a well pump due to the start up draw - it could run the pump but could not start it. Anyway, I don't know if that is true, but, hey, he was trying to sell power walls.

It depends on how much your well pump draws, and what sort of controls you have on it. A neighbor down the hill has a 700' deep well, which is lots HP, and a big startup load. One Powerwall can handle a 7kW surge for something like ten seconds; if that is not enough, there are variable frequency controllers for even softer starts, but you do need to fit inside the 5kW power budget per Powerwall. The variable frequency controller would help your well start up with your generator. You might look into an interlock kit for your main panel which may be a simpler route to getting your well on your generator, assuming the generator is up to it.

Most prospective Powerwall buyers are challenged most by their desire to have their AC run. AC compressors are lots of startup draw and lots of power to keep it running.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ning]

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Most prospective Powerwall buyers are challenged most by their desire to have their AC run. AC compressors are lots of startup draw and lots of power to keep it running.

Exactly. I'm personally well aware that despite having 30kWh of battery, the AC stays off during a power failure.

It's really not a stretch for us, though; expect for the last couple of years, power failures for us used to mean kerosene lanterns and candles, don't open the fridge at all, don't wash dishes, and realize that you may need to get a bucket of water from the pond to flush the toilet. Having full house backup except AC is unheard-of luxury (and I'm still going to be militant power-saving dad when they power goes out - especially in winter!)

 

[MossRoad]

We have had solar for a couple of years. If our power goes out we have a generator for the critical issues (fridge, freezer) and it also works well for tv and satellite. I installed a generator thru-the-wall kit to make it all convenient. What we will not have, however, is water as we are on a well. I have sketched out a couple of ways to configure power to the well with the generator but am still a bit nervous about the surges and such. So, because of the well issue I talked at length with a power wall vendor at a home show. He said the wall would not work with a well pump due to the start up draw - it could run the pump but could not start it. Anyway, I don't know if that is true, but, hey, he was trying to sell power walls.

How large is your generator?

We have an old house. 100 amp service. A disconnect. And an old Coleman 4000W generator. I kill the disconnect and plug in the generator. Turn off all the circuits in the house panel. Start up the generator, and select what items I want powered from the circuit breaker panel. It's pretty easy to run just the fridges, freezer, furnace fan, or well. We don't use AC in summer outages. We just go old school and jump in the pool. :laughing:

 

[beowulf]

The PW2 has a peak discharge rate of 7kW and 5kW continuous. I'm sure that would run my pump (ｾhp) considering my 3.5kW generator manages (mostly).

The PW1 only has 3.3kW discharge (both peak and continuous) so I doubt one of those would run a ｾhp pump; maybe a ｽhp?

Ning, your post reminds me that I left something out - our well has a 1 1/2 hp pump, and is set down at 410 feet. I likely mentioned that to the PW vendor and that may be why he didn't think it would work for me. But again, I don't really know.

 

[beowulf]

How large is your generator? :

Moss, ours is a 5550 Troy Built. Likely it is 15-20 years old - a pull start. Not used a lot and once it was not started for about 4-5 years. I changed the gas and oil and after a bit of trying it started right up and ran well. Now I try to remember to start it up a couple times a year at least.

 

[Diggin It]

I looked at the site linked above. They openly show prices for most items, but not the battery packs. You have to submit information and wait for a quote by phone. That says 'not trustworthy' to me.

 

[Hay Dude]

Currently have Generac 22kw....powered with NG. Works flawlessly
After looking at everything and the way of the green wave, seems like best would be a diesel generator, unless something revolutionary happens with solar electric storage. NG looks like itll be forced out or made unaffordable. There should still be diesel fuel for off road machinery. I was thinking I could do 500-1000G barn stored tank of off road with a line to a diesel generator. I would be more off grid without relying on the impending curtailing of NG.

 

[MossRoad]

Moss, ours is a 5550 Troy Built. Likely it is 15-20 years old - a pull start. Not used a lot and once it was not started for about 4-5 years. I changed the gas and oil and after a bit of trying it started right up and ran well. Now I try to remember to start it up a couple times a year at least.

Our 4000W has no problems with our well pump. I believe it's 1.5HP.

 

[MossRoad]

If I were going to get a larger whole-house generator, I'd get a diesel. Why? When everything fails, like electric and natural gas supply, or propane delivery, etc.... you still have that tank of diesel sitting there that will keep for a very long time. Also, probably the most economical fuel compared to natural gas or propane. And you can refill it yourself. You don't have to call for diesel delivery like you do with propane.

Just looking at the stuff going on in Texas, it makes you want to re-check your check-list, and make adjustments per their example of what could go wrong.

 

[cqaigy2]

I ran our well on 4K generator. 500' deep, with pump at 450' 1.5 HP. I would love to have NG at the house, but they said i'd have to give them a deposit of 1,000,000 dollars to start the engineering.