Russ Garrett

@neil @Edent you definitely can have this! But there needs to be a transfer switch which isolates the house from the grid when the grid power is out. And that switch has to talk to the battery and be appropriately certified by the grid operator.

Tesla provides a product called the "Backup Gateway" which does this for their batteries, but many other manufacturers don't.

Aug 7, 2023 at 7:31amWeb
Show threadRuss GarrettAug 7, 2023
@neil @Edent the battery also has to be capable of re-synchronising with the grid once the power is back, which is slightly non-trivial, or else you will end up with a small drop-out (...or a large explosion) when the grid power returns.
Show threadThe SecretbatcaveAug 7, 2023

@russss @neil @Edent

Yeah the Backup gateway does it, it’s <250ms switchover, which is fine for half of my stuff, not for the other.

There is a definite flickering of the lights when you flip over.

Show threadRuss GarrettAug 7, 2023
@secretbatcave @neil @Edent oh, interesting! I'm surprised it's not seamless but maybe there's a good reason for that.
Show threadThe SecretbatcaveAug 7, 2023

@russss @neil @Edent I *think* it’s because it’s a massive contactor, which I assume has a non trivial action time. But that’s a guess.

It could also just be my gateway, it is Tesla after all.

Show threadRuss GarrettAug 7, 2023

@secretbatcave I think the contactor is just connecting the grid back to the house though (which the battery is already supplying)?

So I assume the battery is cutting its output during that 250ms. Maybe it's not quite clever enough to synchronise the battery to the grid while it's disconnected.

Show threadcreednmdAug 7, 2023
@russss @neil @Edent we are awaiting approval and installation of the new GivEnergy AIO, that—like the Tesla—has a Gateway gizmo that can keep you running during power cuts. Cheaper than the Powerwall but works in a similar way.