Universal Wall Charger installation - does it require "Tesla approved" electricians?

[Dmitrij]

I'm holding with them now (45m and counting). Guess I'll update if I figure something out.

btw, what number did you call?

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[AO-Pete]

Just think about it: why would I need PowerShare today if I have PowerWall? ? I’m already covered against blackouts. It would be strange to pay an extra $2000 for the Gateway and another ~$4000 for Tesla-certified installation. I can wait, and I’m sure most PW owners will choose that path.

Another point: no installer can confidently tell you where they would install the additional Gateway in an existing PW configuration. Can you explain how two logic boards are going to agree on which feed to prioritize, PW or CT?

Because a single PW can't support the entire house for very long, if at all? In our case, we have a PW, and split breakers, since the entire load was too much for a single Powerwall. Even then, the backed-up circuits will only survive for about 75-90 minutes (if the outage is at night). Given the state of the Texas grid and the warnings about the next few months, Powershare from the CT was a big benefit for us, and would provides 9x the backup of our single Powerwall.

 

[Dmitrij]

Because a single PW can't support the entire house for very long, if at all? In our case, we have a PW, and split breakers, since the entire load was too much for a single Powerwall. Even then, the backed-up circuits will only survive for about 75-90 minutes (if the outage is at night). Given the state of the Texas grid and the warnings about the next few months, Powershare from the CT was a big benefit for us, and would provides 9x the backup of our single Powerwall.

Powershare for PW installations is not available yet!

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

No. And I'd suggest the standard Wall charger instead of the Universal one, unless you have other existing EVs that used J-1772.
Most EVs in the future will support the Tesla NACS.

I am getting a rental EV this coming week and it will not be a Tesla so I am glad that I have a UWC.

 

[Dmitrij]

Even then, the backed-up circuits will only survive for about 75-90 minutes (if the outage is at night).

If you draw ~9kWh at night and it’s critical, Powerwall or PowerShare are not serious options for you at all?

 

[Ward L]

I had a Tesla approved electrician at the house for the PowerShare install. He was “approved” but not “certified to install PowerShare”, or some other Tesla category for electricians. He called the Tesla rep while I was listing in. The rep explained if I installed a PowerWall and a Universal Wall Charger, I did not need the PowerShare gateway. Then I mentioned I had solar with micro inverters. Since the micro inverters produced AC to the electrical panel (The microinverters converting solar DC to AC at each SOLAR panel), the PowerShare gateway was necessary. I have since decided the PowerWall is way too much money when I already have a CT battery for backup.

My point is given the various configurations of each homeowner, the PowerShare gateway, may or may not be necessary. I wanted a 3rd Gen wall charger so I could see it in the app. The 3rd Gen wall cahrger has WiFi (2nd Gen does not) which allows the app to connect to the Wall Charger.

 

[AO-Pete]

If you draw ~9kWh at night and it’s critical, Powerwall or PowerShare are not serious options for you at all?

Pretty easy to do with 4 x 3.5t AC units, pool pump etc etc. That's why the breakers are split to 'essential' circuits (basically all the network & security infrastructure, most outlets and lights, fridges, one AC) and everything else on the non-backed-up circuit. The one mistake in that set up is that the pool wasn't backed up, which doesn't sound essential, but when the grid had major outages during Winter '21, the equipment all froze and cost about $10k to replace pumps, heater and tile.

 

[Woodrick]

I am getting a rental EV this coming week and it will not be a Tesla so I am glad that I have a UWC.

And that's absolutely great. I've used a NEMA 14-50, it's even more useful. Not only can I plug a different EVSE into it, but I can also plug a welder or my camper into it.

 

[Woodrick]

Just think about it: why would I need PowerShare today if I have PowerWall? ? I’m already covered against blackouts. It would be strange to pay an extra $2000 for the Gateway and another ~$4000 for Tesla-certified installation. I can wait, and I’m sure most PW owners will choose that path.

Another point: no installer can confidently tell you where they would install the additional Gateway in an existing PW configuration. Can you explain how two logic boards are going to agree on which feed to prioritize, PW or CT?

There are a lot of existing Powerwall customers that will be using Powershare. Some of the functionality is based on what the specific use of the Powerwall is, but generally, it's a Powerwall extender.

(the following may not be 100% correct)
If you already have a Powerwall, you may have a gateway or you may not. If you have the gateway, then my understanding is that the connection can be cheap and easy.
But if you only have single Powerwall, then I suspect that you are wired to support only specific loads and the Wall Connector is not connected. If it is not, then I believe that it has to be moved to the protected load center.

I believe that the Powerwall and Powershare will talk to each other to determine who is providing power, but it is dependent on the configuration of the Powerwall. Is it grid intertie? Stand alone? Solar assisted? All of that makes a difference of where and how power is provided from the vehicle.

Some of this is available today, some is future.

 

[Badpirate]

btw, what number did you call?

1-888-518-3752, Then -- 3, 2, 3, 4 -- For Cybertruck PowerShare department (which seems fairly new). When I got on with them however the lady informed me that since I require no specific hardware (I have existing Powerwall, Tesla Solar installation, and my Tesla charger is already installed to the backup load panel) it's just a matter of getting the firmware installed, and that my firmware is "flagged" for update within the next two weeks.

Nevermind that is what they told me a month ago. So as usual with Tesla, the policy seems to be wait on the phone (43 min before getting a rep) to be told to wait indefinitely on support.

I also tried their email support but the power folks told me to call the number if I needed help with my vehicle (sigh).

 

[Crissa]

If you draw ~9kWh at night and it’s critical, Powerwall or PowerShare are not serious options for you at all?

You can link multiple units together; you can also break up backup to specific circuits. Four would be 54kWh, you could extend that with PowerShare.

The average home only uses 30kWh per day. And yeah, pretty easy to shed loads in a power emergency - like a pool, which won't care if it's out of power for an hour or a day.

-Crissa

 

[TheMachinewon]

No. And I'd suggest the standard Wall charger instead of the Universal one, unless you have other existing EVs that used J-1772.
Most EVs in the future will support the Tesla NACS.

The way I read Tesla's info, it seemed like you have to have Ver3 charger for the power share and the universal one was the only ver3, or the newest one out. I do have a Tesla rav4, so that built in adapter works great, between the 3 vehicles.

 

[TheMachinewon]

Specific to EV wall charger installations, make sure the electrician uses high strand count COPPER wire sized appropriately for high duty cycle use. And TORQUES per spec each connection point including the breaker lugs.

If you plan on living at the house a long time. I also recommend upsizing the cable to future proof for 100amps, and to multiple wall chargers. Ie, load sharing one 100amp circuit.

The lower resistance losses (depending on the run length) in the larger cable are small, but meaningful over 10 years of charging. And whatever wire costs now, it’s cheaper than what it will be in 5, 10, years.

You might want to lose that mind set, "Duty Cycle" vehicle's don't cycle during charging. They pull a continuous load. That is the sole purpose for "up sizing cables. This is the problem electricians don't grasp.

 

[TheMachinewon]

Thanks for the reply. I read somewhere that the Universal version has some kind of special wiring architecture that makes it better compared to the standard Wall Charger. I don't quite remember the details but the standard one cannot feed power back to the house under certain conditions whereas the Universal wall charger can do it under any conditions. I'll have to search for that post.

I read the same info on the Tesla charging detail page. It was written in a way to lead you to believe that the universal charger Ver 3 was made with the ability for power share. Not sure the other two will support the power share. I wasn't taking a chance, I purchased the universal one because I also have a Tesla Rav4.

 

[TheMachinewon]

When it comes to Universal Wall Charger installations, does it require an electrician that has been approved by Tesla and has some kind of special access into the Tesla app ecosystem? I read through the installation documents and it seems like the installer has to do something special in a special Tesla app to make the Universal Wall Charger get included into my Tesla app.

I was considering using an electrician I know, but not sure if that person is certified by Tesla or not.

Please share if you have any insight on this. Thank you.

Nothing special needed, just know what your doing when you wire it in.. #4 Awg. Highly recommended. The app walks you though the install and wifi hook up. Then you go in app and add product.. Pretty simple. keep all your paper work, it has the QR codes on them, store them with your gateway.

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