Tesla Powerwall is the only home battery with thermal management
Tesla’s car batteries are renowned for their longevity, and this is in part thanks to battery thermal management. With millions of kilometres worth of data they have proved that managing the temperature of the battery cells is the way to go.
Simply, when batteries get too hot, they wear out faster. When they get too cold, their performance drops.
Tesla has applied this same philosophy to their Powerwall, incorporating a sophisticated thermal management system. This keeps your battery operating at the ideal temperature.
How Powerwall Thermal Management works
The cooling system circulates a liquid coolant through the battery modules via a flat aluminium pipe. This absorbs and dissipates heat generated during charging and discharging. The coolant is then pumped through a heat exchanger, which transfers the heat to the outside environment.
The thermal system is designed to keep the battery modules within a typical range of 0°C to 30°C. The Powerwall’s software also monitors and controls the battery’s temperature, making adjustments to the cooling system as needed.
Why it’s important
If you want your battery to last a long time, then thermal management is essential. Most other batteries manage the temperature of their batteries by throttling performance.
On cold frosty mornings, most batteries will stop charging (Lithium doesn’t like to charge below 0ºC). Fortunately, Tesla can use their thermal management system to preheat your battery cells, making them ready to charge even in freezing temperatures.
On a hot day when your solar system is pumping, the Powerwall will activate its cooling system to enable you to charge at the full rate of 5kW. Other batteries will wind down to ensure the battery doesn’t get too hot!
The Powerwall’s thermal management system allows it to be installed in a range of places with temperatures from -20°C to +50°C. So whether you’re experiencing the hot summers or cold winters of New Zealand, you can be confident that your Powerwall will perform at its best.
Ready to add a Powerwall to your Solar System? Get in touch to secure yours today.