Powershare: Configurations, Availability Timeline, Install Requirements & How It Works

[Trinity Energy]

Cybertruck Owners:

I have encountered many people that have questions about the Powershare feature, what is currently required for install, and how it works.

At the time of this writing, to use the Powershare feature, a Universal Connector and Powershare Gateway must be installed. No other gateway or connector will work. Also, the home cannot have A/C coupled solar or battery. The reason being that Tesla has not yet fully developed the metering required to monitor frequency shift during an outage, which would potentially cause a hazardous direct short. This will change as hardware compatibility develops.

When using a Gateway, the loads that are being backed up will need to be moved from the existing electrical panel to circuits within the gateway or to a new load center connected to the gateway.

As always with Tesla, the best is yet to come. As they develop the required hardware and software compatibility across their components later this year.

One of the biggest improvements in home energy is Tesla's Backup Switch. The Backup Switch is an islanding contactor that is installed between the utility meter and the utility meter socket. This isolates the whole home in the event of a power outage and negates the need to move all of the home circuits to a backup load center as shown above. It has been approved by some utilities in the US and many people in Southern California are awaiting SCE approved implementation of the Backup Switch. This will reduce Powershare/backup installation cost drastically.

Here is a timeline of expected configuration availability from Tesla

I hope this helps.


If you are in the Southern California -Orange County area and need a Certified Installer for your Powershare System, Universal wall Adapter or are interested in Solar, please call or message me.

Thank you,

Neal Maurer
714-298-7880
www.mytrinityenergy.com
CSLB #870804

 

[chaosmarine92]

Thank you for the write up. So would powershare + powerwall + solar be end of the year then? I'm looking at getting powershare installed soon (as soon as Tesla ships out my connector and gateway) and then potentially powerwall and solar closer to the end of the year. I'm in Tennessee so I know you won't have the specifics for my area.

 

[JesseDGreat]

Thank you for the write up. So would powershare + powerwall + solar be end of the year then? I'm looking at getting powershare installed soon (as soon as Tesla ships out my connector and gateway) and then potentially powerwall and solar closer to the end of the year. I'm in Tennessee so I know you won't have the specifics for my area.

Im assuming that END OF 2024 would apply to configurations that already had powerwalls and didn't need any additional hardware.

 

[santoshm]

What is the Powershare with Solar Configuration? What does it do? I have solar but no powerwall.

 

[oisiaa]

So what I'm hearing is that we need to wait until Q4 in order for this to do whole-house backup with existing solar? I already have Tesla solar without a Powerwall.

 

[Liver]

I was really looking forward to using the Cybertruck as energy storage for my existing solar and battery backed up system. Basically give my batteries additional run time using the truck in an extended grid down and bad weather.

Does not appear to be possible at this time. Is that correct?

 

[yippie]

Cybertruck Owners:

I have encountered many people that have questions about the Powershare feature, what is currently required for install, and how it works.

At the time of this writing, to use the Powershare feature, a Universal Connector and Powershare Gateway must be installed. No other gateway or connector will work. Also, the home cannot have A/C coupled solar or battery. The reason being that Tesla has not yet fully developed the metering required to monitor frequency shift during an outage, which would potentially cause a hazardous direct short. This will change as hardware compatibility develops.

When using a Gateway, the loads that are being backed up will need to be moved from the existing electrical panel to circuits within the gateway or to a new load center connected to the gateway.

As always with Tesla, the best is yet to come. As they develop the required hardware and software compatibility across their components later this year.

One of the biggest improvements in home energy is Tesla's Backup Switch. The Backup Switch is an islanding contactor that is installed between the utility meter and the utility meter socket. This isolates the whole home in the event of a power outage and negates the need to move all of the home circuits to a backup load center as shown above. It has been approved by some utilities in the US and many people in Southern California are awaiting SCE approved implementation of the Backup Switch. This will reduce Powershare/backup installation cost drastically.

Here is a timeline of expected configuration availability from Tesla

I hope this helps.


If you are in the Southern California -Orange County area and need a Certified Installer for your Powershare System, Universal wall Adapter or are interested in Solar, please call or message me.

Thank you,

Neal Maurer
714-298-7880
www.mytrinityenergy.com
CSLB #870804

Not entirely true. there are configurationst that are not listed in the install PDF Too Large to send, but if interested DM me ill send other ways. that are acceptable to use so the ones you listed arent the only options. for example, i have a subpanel in my garage on a 100 amp breaker, i dont need to conect the universal connector directly to the gateway, all i need to do is run a 16/4 communication wire to the gateway and everything else can stay the way it is. install pending, approved by qmerit and tesla.

and my whole home will be backed up, no moving of any loads to the critical loads panel or gateway breakers. thats just dumb and limiting yourself if you do that.

You already dont need the backup switch to isolate your home from the grid, the gateway is basically a transfer switch, thats what transfer switches do. the service from the grid can go directly to the transfer switch and then a run from the gateway to the main panel of your home, now the gateway can disconnect you from the grid when power goes out and it kicks on the powershare.

 

[Kamin]

My home has 400 amp service so it looks like the only way to use my truck as backup power is with a powerwall installation and software released to support it. I requested powerwall from the Tesla site but it sits at "
What's Next?
Your Certified Installer will review your order. Once accepted, they will complete the remaining steps needed to fulfill your order."

I assume that means sometime in the future, hopefully before I die. Until then I am charging my truck using the regular 110 outlet. It only takes 3 days to charge from 20%.

 

[Eagle4]

I just got my estimate today even with the $4000 credit I'm still gonna be out about $2500 out of pocket for the install. That being said it should power the whole house but my panel is only 10 feet away from the meter and no wire has to be run since I have an existing Charger that was wired properly they mentioned some sort of soft start capacitor for the AC, but with that everything should be fine. Now I'm just waiting to see what happens next.

 

[oisiaa]

I just got my estimate today even with the $4000 credit I'm still gonna be out about $2500 out of pocket for the install. That being said it should power the whole house but my panel is only 10 feet away from the meter and no wire has to be run since I have an existing Charger that was wired properly they mentioned some sort of soft start capacitor for the AC, but with that everything should be fine. Now I'm just waiting to see what happens next.

So...$6,500 for the install? Mine should be really easy too because the meter, my circuit breaker panel, and my solar inverters are all within 5' of each other and I have 6AWG running to a NEMA 14-50 that should be able to support a full 48A charger.

 

[Eagle4]

So...$6,500 for the install? Mine should be really easy too because the meter, my circuit breaker panel, and my solar inverters are all within 5' of each other and I have 6AWG running to a NEMA 14-50 that should be able to support a full 48A charger.

Same boat six gauge wire currently using an Nema 1450 wired connector. I know I shouldn't think this way, but I'm wondering during these times of inflation and everything costing more. I wonder if the installers are trying to make a little little bit from Tesla as well as a little bit from the end user. Just wanted to let people know so they would have an idea of what's going on in Huntsville Alabama. Your prices may vary.

 

[Wraven]

I just got my estimate today even with the $4000 credit I'm still gonna be out about $2500 out of pocket for the install. That being said it should power the whole house but my panel is only 10 feet away from the meter and no wire has to be run since I have an existing Charger that was wired properly they mentioned some sort of soft start capacitor for the AC, but with that everything should be fine. Now I'm just waiting to see what happens next.

6500 for no wires needing to be run in Huntsville AL? That seems off to me, might want to question it a little more.

 

[rcoleblack]

My home has 400 amp service so it looks like the only way to use my truck as backup power is with a powerwall installation and software released to support it. I requested powerwall from the Tesla site but it sits at

Not true. You likely have 2 200 amp panels. You could backup just one of them. Or backup one with a gateway then add a separate manual/automatic transfer for the second that is feed from the 1st panel. Also a powerwall will not help as the Gateway 2/3 (not the cyber trucks 3V) is still limited to 200 amps.

You probably don’t really need 400 amps. Get an energy meter and measure for a month or so and see. You’ll be surprised you probably don’t even come close.

 

[nobody5736]

I had my gateway installed. As Neal (OP) mentions that SCE is still approving Tesla’s device. I am charging using the universal charging connector. Its about 48A. No powershare capability until SCE allows the install.

 

[The Tesla Guy]

Had some concerns after reading the initial post as I am in the process of getting an installation done that did not seem to comply with what I read.
My contractor just sent me this