Required Supplies

  • Powerwall 3 Mounting bracket hardware (see Appendix A: Powerwall 3 Anchoring Details)
  • Backup Gateway 2 mounting hardware
  • Minimum 300 V rated, UV resistant, 70°C rated, copper (Cu) wire, 6 mm² to 25 mm², for AC wiring (see Powerwall 3 AC and PV Wiring for details).
  • Minimum 600 V rated, UV resistant, 75°C rated, copper (Cu) wire, 4 mm² to 6 mm², for PV wiring (see Powerwall 3 AC and PV Wiring for details).
    Informational PurposesAn informational icon, calling your attention
    Note
    AC and PV wiring conductors must be made of solid wire, stranded wire or fine stranded wire. Forked terminals are required for fine stranded wire. The wires must be compliant with local regulations.
  • Insulated forked terminals for PV wiring; (7) forked terminals are included in the Powerwall 3 accessory bag. If using other forked terminals, Tesla recommends the following or equivalent:
    • TE Connectivity P/N 165015 (4 - 6 mm2 wire size)
    Informational PurposesAn informational icon, calling your attention
    Note
    Follow the manufacturer's guideline to properly crimp the forked terminals.
  • Minimum 300 V rated (or equivalent) 4-conductor shielded copper (Cu) communication cable with at least one twisted pair
    Informational PurposesAn informational icon, calling your attention
    Note
    This cable is used for communication connection between Powerwall and the Backup Gateway; the twisted pair is required for the CN+ and CN- communication conductors (see STEP 5: Connect Powerwall 3 to Backup Gateway for details).
  • RJ45 connectors for Ethernet wiring
  • Minimum IP65 cable glands or conduit connectors of the following sizes:
    • M20
    • M25
    • M32
    • M40
  • Overcurrent protection device (breaker) for the Powerwall 3 circuit: Select the appropriate breaker size depending on the power / current output.
    Nominal AC Output Power at 230 V (kW)4 3.68 5 6 7 8 9 10 11.04
    Maximum Apparent Power (kVA) 3.68 5 6 7 8 9 10 11.04
    Maximum Continuous Current (A) 16 21.7 26.1 30.4 34.8 39.1 43.5 48
    Overcurrent Protection Device (A) 20 32 32 40 50 50 63 63
  • Some regions may require use of an external Residual Current Devices (RCD) / Residual Current Circuit Breakers with Overcurrent Protection (RCBO) on the solar PV inverter and/or Powerwall circuits. Refer to Residual Current Devices (RCDs) / Residual Current Circuit Breakers with Overcurrent Protection (RCBOs) for additional guidance.
  • Powerwall 3 doesn't have an integrated DC surge protection device in the unit. If required, use an external one and install in a separate enclosure.
  • External DC isolation: To facilitate safe maintenance and testing, some regional electrical codes require a means of isolating the PV array be provided adjacent to a PV inverter. The integrated DC isolator in Powerwall 3 provides a means to switch-off the feed from the PV array, however the PV wires terminated within the Powerwall 3 remain live. To achieve full code compliance, it is necessary to provide a means of PV array isolation external to the Powerwall 3. The following are options to make the installation compliant if the local electrical codes require a means of isolating the PV array (see Appendix D: Install External DC Isolation for details):
    • The use of suitably rated plug and socket connectors (e.g. MC4) on the feed from the PV array. These can be installed directly into the PV array wires before they enter the Powerwall 3, or fitted to an external enclosure adjacent to the Powerwall 3 (e.g. where an enclosure needs to be installed for surge protection devices or fuses).
    • The use of a suitably rated DC isolator adjacent to the Powerwall 3.
    In all cases, local codes should be carefully studied to ensure full compliance of the whole installation.