Everything You Need To Know About Generac PWRcell
The Generac Power Cell (PWRcell) is one of the leading energy storage products on the market today. When paired with a residential solar system, the PWRcell can be used to protect your home from outages, power your appliance at night, and store energy for use during hours of peak usage.
If you’re considering the Generac PWRcell for your home, this article will tell you everything you need to know.
What is the Generac PWRcell?
The Generac PWRCell is engineered to act as a backup battery system for your whole home. When paired with solar panels, it can provide enough power to last an entire night, provide a boost at peak usage times, or even sustain you through grid outages.
This system doesn’t solely rely on grid power to recharge after a period of use. You can use other sources to recharge the batteries and enjoy uninterrupted electricity throughout the night, depending on your calculated load. Every system comes with a few standard components;
- Inverter
- Lithium-ion battery modules
- Battery storage cabinet
- Optional solar panels
Based on your particular home, you can set up the inverter and battery cabinet inside your garage or on your home’s exterior. If you’re considering getting the solar option, then now’s the time to get it done. Federal tax incentives. at 30% as of 2023, give you a lower entry point for solar installations done within a tax year.
How does the system work?
The Generac PWRcell is a Smart backup solution connected to your home’s grid. Should power levels dip below demand, or in case of an outage, the onboard Smart Management Module with the Automatic Transfer Switch will immediately take over to provide your appliances and home with uninterrupted power. Continuous monitoring means you may never notice when the switch to battery power happens.
How long the system can power your home depends on the system you choose to install. The alternatives start from as little as three battery modules, giving 4.5 kW continuous output with 8.6 kWh of storage. This is enough power to run around 4 large appliances, such as well pumps and air conditioners.
You may also opt for more battery modules that can raise power to 11 kW of output with a storage of 36 kWh. When combined with solar charging capabilities, you can run your home off grid indefinitely. The excess power from the solar panels will be redirected to the batteries for storage, and the surplus can help offset your grid electricity costs.
Contact Solar Optimum To Learn
Generac PWRcell can be a fantastic addition to your residential solar system, giving you extra peace of mind while also increasing the value of your investment in solar energy.
if you’re interested in learning more about battery storage and the different products we have in stock, contact Solar Optimum today. Our Energy Experts are standing by and ready to answer any questions you have.
Generac Power Cell
Generac Power Cell or Alternatives
Generac Power Cell is a battery storage system for the home that consists of a battery cabinet, an inverter and up to six lithium-ion battery modules (a standard system comes with three). This system has been engineered to allow users to harvest power directly from the electrical grid or from solar panels that have already been installed around their home. The goal is for users to be able to use the stored power during power outages or at times when electricity rates are especially high.
Generac Power Cell or Alternatives
How It Works
After your inverter, your battery cabinet and the number of battery modules you’d like have been installed by a professional, the lithium-ion modules will begin to gather power from the grid or your solar panels. Once this power has been gathered, the inverter will convert it from DC (direct current) energy into AC (alternating current) energy so you can power your home with it. If need be, you can also have a second battery cabinet, containing up to six additional battery modules, installed. Keep in mind that regardless of the configuration you choose, you’ll need to ask your technician how to program the system to only do its work at certain times, if that’s your preference.
Positive Points
Save Money
In most areas, there are peak times at which electricity from the traditional power grid is more expensive than it is at other times. If you set up your Generac Power Cell system to store up energy and then use it at those peak times, though, you won’t have to incur those regular electrical expenses.
Wise Advice
Do not buy Generac Power Cell online before searching Amazon.- Alternatives or the same items are always available and sometimes at lower prices.
Wise Advice
Do not buy Generac Power Cell online before searching Amazon.- Alternatives or the same items are always available and sometimes at lower prices.
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Type: All | Reviews | Questions | Комментарии и мнения владельцев
DON’T! It’s a Money Trap!
Penetrating your roof will void the roof warranty. Most insurance companies will require a million dollar umbrella policy hooking any type of power source to the electrical system. You will never save enough money to pay for the 10,000 cost. This system will only provide power for a few hours, then you back into the dark. The batteries are not environmentally friendly and are expensive to replace. The solar panels are the same. Nothing good about it. It is a scam and you will be sorry if you buy it.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Another Scam
DO NOT: Purchase this product, it is a SCAM. Just don’t buy anything just because it is NEW. The product needs years of testing, investigation, and inspection. This is a product that will NOT hold up to its promise. It may look good, sound good, the advertisement is there to entice you, and get you to purchase something that you can’t afford. You will be wasting your money. The darn system cost over 10,000.00. The reason why you applied for your and installed SOLAR panels is to SAVE money, Not to put yourself into more ridiculous DEBT. These people or companies are making money on you. You are giving them the money that you aimed to SAVE. So, DO NOT get caught up in the SCAM about a GENERAC PURCELL system. It’s all about that company taking your money from you.
Thank you for reading this COMMENT! Be AWARE!
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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We have an 1850 square foot home with 24 Sun Power 7.85 panels. We are concerned about power in a major outage caused probably by an earthquake, where power is not coming back for say a month.
Can you help and send me an idea of the cost with zero down.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Grid Free
Can people use your power cell system to make their home grid free? If so, how?
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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How does the power cell work with a generac generator? Can having both make your home grid free?
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
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No non Tech Explanations
Nothing is given to tell for example how long power will last supplied by 6 battery systems with one full charge. How many lights and or appliances can be run on a charge and for how long. Can the system be charged with portable solar panels set up when power is lost?
12 of 15 people found this review helpful.
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Write Your Reply
The article states UP TO 6.8-kWh. Another website I recently visited states that a typical US house uses 30-kW per DAY (24 hours).
Your electric bill should indicate your monthly usage in kW. Divide that number by the number of days in the billing cycle to get you approximated daily use, then use the formula below.
6.8 kWh divided by 30 kW = 0.22 0.22 multiplied by 24 hours = 5.44 hours
This system will last approximately 5 hours and 26 minutes if you continued to use electricity as if the power main was still up.
Obviously, the run time can be extended by not using certain larger electrical appliances (microwave, oven, cooktop, washer/dryer, dishwasher, etc.). Don’t know about A/C’s but you may wish to increase/lower (season dependent) the temperature to minimize the compressor from turning on.
Does This Unit Have a True Sinewave Output?
My Toyotomi heater requires a true sinewave output to run, a cheap inverter has a modified sinewave and will not run the heater, tried it with a 1500 watt inverter. Also, are the battery modules repairable?
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Generac Power Cell Life
What is the anticipated life span of the 17kw system and what is the cost?
10 of 15 people found this review helpful.
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Naples Residence
I would like to know more about the capabilities of power and it practical for this application. I can’t install a propane tank on the property for a generator.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Generac Pwrcell Review: An Incredibly Modular Solar Battery
The Generac Pwrcell allows you to customize just how much battery capacity you need.
Sarah Drolet is an associate writer at CNET covering home energy, residential solar power and emerging energy technology. She previously wrote about home and moving-related topics for MYMOVE. Sarah graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a bachelor’s degree in communications.
Generac Pwrcell
Like
- Extremely flexible capacity sizing
- Easy capacity upgrades
- Good performance and efficiency
Don’t like
Solar panels are gaining popularity for many reasons, but they won’t help you in a blackout. You’ll need a home battery system for that. Just like solar panels, that battery will need to meet the particular needs of your home.- they aren’t one size fits all.
The Generac Pwrcell was released in 2019 and has since become one of the most recognizable batteries in the solar industry. This solar battery was designed to make it easy for homeowners to get the exact battery capacity that they need for their home’s energy needs.
The thinking behind the battery and surrounding energy storage was that not all homes are created equal, Rex Liu, Generac’s vice president of product management, told CNET. The needs of every homeowner could be very different, so having a modular battery was something that could bring a lot of value to the market overall. An installer can optimize the solution for their particular homeowner customer.
Solar batteries are big, bulky, expensive and part of a holistic home energy system. That makes them difficult to put through hands-on testing. This review is based on specs and information provided by Generac online and an interview with Liu to get the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Here’s what you should know about the Generac Pwrcell.
What do I get with the Generac Pwrcell?
The Generac Pwrcell is one of the most modular batteries we’ve seen. In our review of the best solar batteries, the Pwrcell stood out in its modularity, capacity sizes, efficiency and performance. Here’s a quick look at the Generac Pwrcell’s specs.
Generac Pwrcell specs
System components
The Generac Pwrcell is more than just a battery box that sits in your garage or hangs on the wall. It’s an intricate, DC-coupled system with quite a few components. Here’s a quick breakdown of the Pwrcell system:
Battery cabinet: The Pwrcell stores energy a bit differently compared with other solar batteries. Instead of a battery box, the Pwrcell system has a battery cabinet, which houses several lithium-ion battery modules. The battery cabinet houses three to six battery modules. The number of battery modules in the cabinet reflects the storage capacity available. A second battery cabinet can be installed for additional capacity.
Capacity breakdown
Inverter: The main function of the inverter is to convert DC energy from the solar panels and battery into AC energy to power your home. Since the Pwrcell is a DC-coupled system, you’ll have to use the Generac inverter that is provided with the Pwrcell.
Automatic transfer switch: The ATS provides an automatic transition to back up battery power in a power outage.
PV link: This helps optimize how power is generated by your solar panels and stored in the battery. It also works with a Rapid shutdown device connected to the solar panels.
Capacity and modularity
The capacity and modularity categories are where the Pwrcell shines the brightest, scoring as the most modular battery on our rankings of the best solar batteries. The Pwrcell stores energy in individual battery modules contained within a battery cabinet. One battery cabinet holds between 9 kWh and 18 kWh of energy, with capacity expandable in increments of 3 kWh. This design allows homeowners easier access to the capacity size that is just right for their home’s energy needs.
Upgrading the Pwrcell’s capacity is easy. Instead of buying a whole new battery, you’ll just purchase a new battery module. You’ll have to hire an installer to insert the new battery module. Once you hit the maximum capacity (18 kWh), you’ll need to install an additional battery cabinet. You can have up to two battery cabinets, for a maximum capacity of 36 kWh.
Performance and efficiency
The Pwrcell has a higher-than-average round-trip efficiency of 96.5%. This means only 3.5% of your electricity gets lost on its way to battery storage. Of the lithium-ion batteries we looked at, the average efficiency was about 90%. However, the Generac Pwrcell’s depth of discharge is one of the lowest we’ve seen for lithium-ion solar batteries, at 84%. A battery’s depth of discharge is a limitation set by the manufacturer on the percentage amount of energy that can be drained all at once without damaging the battery. The average depth of discharge for a lithium-ion solar battery is about 95%.
The Pwrcell also performs well in the power output category, with an on-grid peak power output range of 4.5 kW. 9 kW and an on-grid continuous power output range of 3.4 kW. 7.6 kW. A battery’s peak power output rating is the maximum amount of power it can output all at once, and is normally used when large appliances or power loads kick on. A battery’s continuous power output is the amount of power the battery can output all the time.
The exact amount of power output from the Pwrcell depends on the installed capacity. In other words, the higher the battery capacity, the higher the power output.
Warranty
How’s the Pwrcell’s warranty? It’s pretty much the industry average, which isn’t a bad thing. Here’s what it includes:
- 10 years (includes battery cabinet, inverter and each individual battery module)
- 7.56 MWh throughput per battery module
- 70% end-of-warranty capacity guarantee
Ten-year warranties are pretty standard with solar batteries, but it’s nice to know the entire Pwrcell system is covered. However, each Pwrcell battery module does come with a throughput clause. This is essentially the manufacturer’s estimate on the total amount of energy it expects the battery to deliver during its lifetime. In this case, Generac expects each battery module to deliver 7.56 MWh of energy during its lifespan. Be aware that once a battery module hits its throughput (7.56 MWh), it is no longer covered under warranty.
The Pwrcell also comes with an end-of-warranty capacity guarantee of 70%. This is Generac’s guarantee that each battery module will be able to hold at least 70% of its maximum energy capacity by the time your warranty expires. It’s also worth noting that the PV links are warranted for 25 years, and the automatic transfer switch for five years.
Customer support
As a company, Generac doesn’t have the best product or customer service reviews. Many customers have left complaints on Generac’s Better Business Bureau page about products breaking after a couple years of use, with some customers even referring to Generac as Junkerac. These complaints are mainly focused on their Pwrcell systems and generators. Many customers have also had bad experiences with Generac’s customer support surrounding warranties, with Trust Pilot reviewers saying Generac was not honoring the warranty.
Generac PWRview app
The Generac Pwrcell is compatible with Generac’s well-rated energy management app – PWRview. The PWRview app monitors your solar production, shows your battery’s state of charge and tells you when you’re drawing power from the grid and when you’re feeding power to the grid. The app also keeps track of your historical energy data to help calculate estimated savings.
How much does the Generac Pwrcell cost?
The Generac Pwrcell is estimated to cost between 10,000 and 20,000 before installation. Cost is reflective of how many battery modules you have installed: The higher your battery capacity, the higher the price tag. Other factors affecting price are location, the installer and the amount of solar on your roof. As a rule of thumb regarding battery pricing, you can usually expect to pay between 1,000 and 2,000 per kWh of energy storage.
For the most accurate pricing, you’ll need to speak with a Generac Pwrcell-certified installer in your area. We recommend gathering a few quotes from national and local installers to see who will give you the best price possible.
Is the Generac Pwrcell my best choice?
It depends on what you’re looking for in a battery and what your energy storage goals are. In terms of its technical specs, the Pwrcell is a decent battery, excelling in modularity, capacity and efficiency. But don’t limit your options to just the Pwrcell. Explore multiple battery storage options on your own or with an installer. Most installers are certified to install multiple brands of batteries, so don’t feel like you only have one option.
How we evaluated the best solar batteries
Not every battery is the right fit for every home. Without an on-site inspection, it’s difficult to determine which solar battery is the best battery for home and energy needs. Due to the complexity of solar panel systems, we’re unable to do any hands-on testing of these solar batteries. However, there are ways to objectively evaluate and compare these batteries. Here’s how we evaluate solar batteries.
First, we created categories to evaluate the battery’s efficiency, performance, capacity and value. We also gave each category its own weight. A category’s weight reflects the importance we felt was relevant to the average consumer. Here are the categories we considered and their weights:
- Battery modularity (stackability). 20%
- Warranty. 20%
- Round-trip efficiency. 15%
- Depth of discharge. 10%
- Power output. 10%
- Price. 10%
- Customer reviews. 10%
- Battery capacity. 5%
We looked at over 15 of the most common batteries on the market and collected the data for each category to compare the numbers. Each category (for every battery) was given a tier-style rating (from 1 to 5) to see which metrics of each battery were above average (among those on our list), average or below average.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go off-grid with the Generac Pwrcell?
You could, but it’s not what the Pwrcell was designed for. The Pwrcell’s intended use is for grid-tied solar power systems. If you decided to live off-grid with the Pwrcell, you’d likely need multiple battery cabinets.
Solar Backup Power: Generac PWRcell Review
As more business and homeowners turn to solar for their energy, many solar companies are investing in new ways to optimize system performance, further decrease consumer reliance on the grid, and provide reliable backup options during increasing instances of grid outages.
One of the most common and in-demand system upgrades is the installation of a solar battery. Due to the variety of backup power products, as we’ve covered in weeks past, figuring out the best battery for your home or business can present a challenge.
This week, we take a look at Generac’s PWRcell.
What is Generac?
An established leader in the backup power space, Generac recently unveiled its new line of backup batteries. Designed to accompany clean energy systems, these batteries store and distribute household energy generated by solar.
Key Features
As is common with most home battery systems, the PWRcell pairs with a new or existing solar panel system. With a FOCUS on power, Generac describes the PWRcell as “the most powerful residential battery on the market.” Other key features include:
- One of the largest energy storage capacities of any similar product on the market
- Stores energy during peak hours for use while the sun is down, saving customers money on utility bills
- Sells excess energy back to the utility grid
- PWRview app easily allows monitoring of battery production, energy consumption, and energy savings
- Enables pairing with an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) which seamlessly transitions home to backup power during an outage
- Smart Management Modules (SMMs) automatically manage power distribution during an outage, ensuring critical loads maintain power
- A modular design that allows expansion of storage capacity as power needs shift
Size
The biggest benefit of the Generac PWRcell is its size. Not only the raw power– but its scalable system which allows flexibility in its design. PWRcell’s system is modular, meaning that one can add or reduce multiple battery products to a storage setup as energy needs shift.
The PWRcell 17, the largest and most commonly installed battery of the Generac models, boasts the superior usable capacity to both its biggest competitors (the Tesla Powerwall and Enphase Encharge) at over 17 kWh. For scale, a typical A/C unit draws roughly 3 kW per hour of use.
So, if your decision comes down to which single battery will provide the greatest amount of backup power during an outage, look no further than the PWRcell.
Intelligence
Offered along with a PWRcell are the Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) and Smart Management Modules (SMMs). The ATS enables smooth and automatic transitions from grid power to the PWRcell’s backup reserve during an outage, preventing the need for manual transfers which can jeopardize the safety of a home. While Generac plans to soon allow for direct generator integration, it remains unavailable with current products.
Generac’s SMMs are uniquely advantageous because during an installation, customers don’t have to separate critical from non-critical loads. This means the PWRcell automatically knows when to stop sending power to certain appliances based on the level of power remaining in the battery and the energy level being drawn by specific appliances.
While the PWRcell’s intelligence automatically manages home energy to optimize efficiency and performance, you can monitor the performance of your battery on the PWRview app with real-time data. This allows you to:
- Easily keep tabs on energy consumption
- Track savings and energy expenses with history and forecasting tools
- Lower energy bills and avoid peak rates
- Gain greater independence from the grid
Performance Reliability
When considering the performance and reliability of a backup battery system, important metrics to note include the power, warranty, and capacity of a battery. The power and capacity of the PWRcell are well-touted, and as discussed, most sources confirm it as the most powerful battery of its kind on the market.
The warranty of a PWRcell 17 battery is valid for either 10 years or the amount of time it takes to cycle the specified amount of energy through the battery below. Most similar products have a 10-year warranty which guarantees a certain number of recharges, as opposed to Generac’s guaranteed energy yield.
How long will a full charge last?
- While having a backup battery system greatly lowers your reliance on the utility grid, no single battery will yield complete off-grid power for a home. Most single batteries will provide several hours’ worth of power. A PWRcell is large enough to serve as a temporary backup for a home during an outage. To be truly “off-grid,” though possible, would require the installation of multiple PWRcell batteries (typically 2 or 3, depending on the home).
The Bottom Line
If you prioritize power and capacity, then look no further than the PWRcell. Since power and capacity go hand in hand, the PWRcell yields the best of both. It’s ATS and SMMs provide effortless reliability to accompany this power, making the PWRcell an excellent backup option.
Your Generac PWRcell Guide (How To Know If You Need One)
The Generac PWRcell is a name you’ll be hearing more of, especially as battery storage becomes more of a mainstream FOCUS. As a Generac PWRcell provider and Certified Tesla Powerwall installer, we can tell you firsthand there are certainly pros and cons to each system, depending on your energy goals.
In this post, we’re excited to dive into the benefits of a PWRcell and what makes this piece of battery technology unique. First, let’s start with the basics:
Your Guide to Generac PWRcell
Learn about how a PWRcell battery works, what makes Generac a trusted storage solution.- and how to know if you need one!
What is a PWRcell battery?
The Generac PWRcell™ is a battery storage system that can store solar energy to power your home and provide backup power during a utility power outage.
The PWRcell utilizes the same lithium-ion phosphate technology that most residential solar battery system manufacturers, like Tesla and Sonnen. are using. As far as chemistry, the PWRcell is the same as other batteries out there. The biggest difference is in how it’s designed.
What is Generac’s history in backup power?
Founded in 1959, Generac is most well known for their backup generator products. After acquiring Pika Energy in 2019, Generac bridged into the energy storage market with their PWRcell (pronounced Powercell) battery storage solution. While Generac doesn’t have a solar panel or solar roof shingle product, they have been in the business of backup power for over 60 years and command 70% of generator market share.
Bottom line — Generac knows backup power. If you’re looking for tried and true, proven security, safety, and durability, Generac is your go-to battery storage brand.
Generac PWRcell Technical Specs
The Generac PWRcell Smart battery system is designed to be more modular and scalable than the other battery options currently on the market.
Each PWRcell consists of one 22″ x 10″ x 68″ battery cabinet that can house up to six individual battery modules within. Up to two PWRcell cabinets can be stacked together, for a max capacity of 12 battery modules. This allows you to easily customize and configure each PWRcell in 3kWh increments from a minimum of 9kWh to max 36kWh, based on your specific home backup power needs.
Check out the full product fact sheet to see all of the Generac PWRcell’s specs.
How does a PWRcell work?
The PWRcell battery is installed together with a solar system. Energy generated by the solar system will first be stored in the battery then the rest of the energy will flow through the solar system’s inverter to be used in the home. Once all your home’s energy needs are taken care of and battery charged, any extra electricity will flow to the grid as a credit.
Can a PWRcell back up your whole house?
With the Smart Management Modules, you can backup a whole home with a single PWRcell. This means homeowners can set certain loads as priorities so they do not overload the battery system.
Instead of having to use a third-party to do load shedding or buy another cabinet, Generac’s solution is to put more circuits on the battery, while ensuring that there are priorities for the most important loads come on. For example, homeowners can prioritize their refrigerator, well pump, and lights to come on first before allowing lower priority loads like HVAC to come on depending on the amount of amperage left in the battery.
What is load shedding?
Load shedding refers to the process of prioritizing loads / turning off unnecessary electrical loads to reserve power for high priority / essential equipment during grid failure or a power shortage. Turning off these low-priority loads allows the higher priority loads to run longer without overloading the system.
Calculate Your Solar Savings
See solar on your home! Our solar calculator uses your home address, the details you provide, and LIDAR satellite technology (with a dash of AI) to give you a ballpark estimate of how much you could save by going solar.
Can you power an electric vehicle with a PWRcell?
If you have a Tesla EV, the Powerwall will be your go-to battery storage option. This is because the Powerall can communicate with your Tesla EV during a grid outage to manage charging your car off the battery vs providing backup power to the rest of your home. If you have a Nissan Leaf or other electric vehicle, either the Powerwall or PWRcell will work fine.
Where can a PWRcell be installed?
Similar to the Tesla Powerwall, the Generac PWRcell can be installed either inside or outside. Based on NC Code specifications, battery storage units cannot be installed in finished conditioned space (like your dining room or bonus room/man cave) but must be readily available, or easy to access. The most common areas we install backup battery storage is in a garage, mechanical room, or outside the home.
Wi-Fi Requirements
To enable the PWRview monitoring app for the PWRcell, the battery will need to have a stable Wi-Fi connection.
Generac PWRcell warranty
The Generac PWRcell comes with a standard 10 year, 70% warranty. This means, after 10 years, the battery is guaranteed to perform at 70% of its original performance.
Home Battery Recycling
The end of life picture for large-format standalone lithium ion batteries like the PWRcell is still developing. Manufacturers like Tesla are working on in-house recycling programs, while the US DOE is leading research on this as well. The good news is that we already know these battery materials can be recycled repeatedly, the biggest issue facing the industry is finding a cost effective way to recover the material.
Benefits of a PWRcell
As a battery storage solution, the benefits of a PWRcell go beyond the basics of home energy security, Smart technology, advanced energy monitoring, and extra savings when paired with solar. Here’s what makes the PWRcell system unique:
Maximizing Self-Reliance
A Generac PWRcell battery is a great solution for people who are planning on running their battery to supply their home’s energy all day, every day.
If you’re trying to maximize your self-reliance, and want to use the battery during the day and recharge it every night — either because of utility interconnection policies or your own energy goals — a PWRcell is a great fit for you because of its high efficiency (more on this below).
If you’re only ever planning to use a battery as a backup for when the grid goes down, the Tesla Powerwall might be a better solution.
One System Approach
Generac prides itself on their seamless battery solar product that utilizes a Generac branded inverter and Generac branded batteries with your solar panel of choice.
Other battery storage options on the market, like Tesla Powerwall, use a third party inverter and optimizer manufacturer (we recommend the SolarEdge inverter) which is paired with a Tesla Gateway, Tesla Powerwalls, and your preferred solar panels.
This is why the Generac PWRcell is currently sold as part of a new solar system. whereas others, like the Tesla Powerwall, can be sold as part of a new solar system or as a retrofit to an existing one.
So, if someone calls us and says, “I have solar, and I want to get battery backup,” right now, our answer is a Tesla Powerwall, 100%. If someone else calls and says, “Hey, I want to put up solar and batteries,” we might recommend a Generac PWRcell system because of availability and customization options.
Customizable Modular Design
As far as chemistry, the Generac PWRcell offers the same technology as other batteries out there. From a design standpoint, the PWRcell’s unique modular design allows for more customizable configuration with a battery cabinet that can fit up to six individual battery cells to expand system capacity. This is a huge difference from the Tesla Powerwall where your biggest option to expand your battery capacity is to purchase another Powerwall unit.
That being said, we’re only offering a fully loaded PWRcell cabinet with six cells since filling up a battery cabinet is going to be the best value at this time. If a fully loaded PWRcell packs too much punch for your energy needs, we also offer the Powerwall.
Higher Round Trip Efficiency
The Tesla Powerwall works as an alternate current (AC) coupled system, which means the energy from the solar panels goes through an additional inverter process before getting to the battery. This additional step results in a 7% efficiency loss, but at the same time, it allows the Powerwall to be a great option for a retrofit with an existing solar system.
The Generac system, however, feeds the solar energy directly into the battery without the additional conversion — this is called a direct current (DC) coupled system — which allows for a 7-10% efficiency gain, compared to the Tesla Powerwall.
Smart Management Modules
The Generac system has what the Tesla powerwall system does not — a product called the Smart Management Module — which you can have installed under the breaker panel for each high voltage circuit you want to prioritize. Up to 8 Smart Management Modules can be installed, allowing you to back up your whole home by setting priorities for your PWRcell.
For example, if you have three high voltage circuits like a water pump, HVAC, and refrigerator, you would have three Smart Management Modules installed. This will allow you to set priorities (1-3) for which loads to come on while also being able to select which modules don’t need to come on when there is a power outage.
Cool Future Plans for Generac Generators
Generac is obviously a well-known name in backup power, some consider them the name in backup power — especially when it comes to home generators. This paves the way for a cool vision of the future where the Generac PWRcell battery can communicate with an on-site Generac generator.
For those customers who want to have double protection during hurricane season and when the power goes out, this idea would allow them to recharge a Generac PWRcell battery with their Generac generator. So when your battery runs dry, you can say, “OK, when the PWRcell reaches 20%, kick on my Generac generator to recharge for an hour, then turn the generator back off.” This option gives homeowners a lot more freedom in managing their power and energy security when events like what we saw in Texas earlier this year happen unexpectedly.
The efficiencies of multiple pieces of Generac’s equipment being able to communicate is something that’s on their roadmap. Engineering plans are currently underway, but a definitive timeline is still under wraps. We’ll be sure to update this post as soon as we hear any exciting news!
Generac PWRcell Solar
If you’re considering a home battery storage solution in North Carolina, it makes a lot of sense to also consider solar power. Let’s dive into 3 key Generac PWRcell solar system questions:
Do you have to install a PWRcell with solar panels?
Right now, the PWRcell needs a DC power source, so it technically can’t be installed without a solar system. Since a Tesla Powerwall is AC coupled, it can certainly be installed with solar or without. But, we don’t quite recognize the value of installing battery storage without solar for the average homeowner.
At the end of the day, no matter what battery storage solution you go with, we would strongly recommend that you have solar tied to either system. Because once the power is out and the batteries are dead, you’ve got no way to recharge it without a solar system. So you’re spending thousands of dollars for a day’s worth of power. But with solar, obviously the batteries can recharge, creating an indefinite power loop that will last you through the storm.
Will my electric utility allow a battery?
Yes. Electric utilities are often confused by batteries, but we have not seen one that would deny the application of a battery. Certain utilities will require different time of use rates which could impact how you decide to use your battery and how many batteries you get.
Every utility is going to have different requirements about what you can and cannot do if you have solar plus batteries. Schedule a call to find out your utility’s requirements, we can help navigate your utility’s battery solar policies!
Can you add a PWRcell to an existing solar system as a battery addition?
Today, no. In the next few months, likely. Generac is developing their AC coupled battery which will allow you to tie in the PWRcell to an existing solar system. We don’t have an exact launch date yet, but we’ll update this blog as we get more information.
The one caveat is if you have an existing solar system with a Generac inverter, then absolutely you can install a Generac PWRcell battery. However, the Generac inverter costs more than the solarEdge inverter so most homeowners typically go with solarEdge if battery storage isn’t on their radar. But, if you like the Generac name and you’re not quite ready for batteries, that’s certainly an option.
How much solar energy can you store in one PWRcell?
The answer is, a crap ton. In a typical solar storage system, the limiting factor is how much power can go through the inverter at any given time.
Generac currently makes a 7.6kW inverter, so we’ll compare that to a solarEdge 7.6kW inverter. With a solarEdge inverter, the max that’s going to flow to that inverter is 7.6kW since the solar energy will flow through the inverter before hitting the battery. So you really don’t want to put beyond an 8.5kW solar array on there because you’re really going to peak out around 7.6kW.
The difference with the Generac system, because solar energy can feed directly to the battery first before the inverter, is that you can put a 14kW solar array on a 7.6kW inverter. How does this work? In the morning, the sun comes up, by noon, the system is producing 14kW. Some of that 14kW will be going directly into the PWRcell battery, with the remaining 7.6kW going through the inverter.
Ultimately, you can put a bigger solar array on a Generac system because the DC solar power can go to both the battery and to the inverter, whereas with the Tesla plus solarEdge system, that SolarEdge inverter becomes your limiting factor. Bottom line, we’ll help you figure out which system is better for your energy needs to maximize your investment based on your energy goals.
You’ll also be able to watch your home’s energy consumption, solar production, and battery use all through Generac’s PWRview monitoring app.