Tesla Powerwall’s aren’t designed with “rugged” endurance in mind but they are designed with weather-resistant capabilities. In fact, many Tesla Powerwall owners install their Powerwall’s outside and even underground. But what is the level of water resistance of a Powerwall and is it completely waterproof?
A Tesla Powerwall is not waterproof. Technically, there is no such thing as waterproof. All you have to do is explore a cave to discover that. Water will eventually work its way through anything. The Tesla Powerwall is water resistant, however.
Tesla Powerwall’s have a NEMA 4 rating or, in the IP rating system, it’s an IP65. These ratings explain the level of protection an enclosure has from rain and weather elements. A Tesla Powerwall is not what you visually see on the outside. It’s composed within, with the outside serving as an enclosure.
What Are IP Ratings?
An IP Rating is a weather resistance rating that defines the level of protection a device has from debris, dust, and water. The ratings are specific, breaking down the different types of water immersion from splashes, to water jets, to complete immersion underwater.
The IP portion is just an acronym for Ingress Protection, while the number is the important part, with the first and second digits holding distinct meanings. IP Ratings do not include things like impact resistance or corrosive elements.
The first digit refers to the level of protection provided against solids, including only dust, debris, dirt, and accidental contact, such as bumping into the device. The second number indicates the level of protection from water, chemicals, and liquids of varying composition.
Since IP Ratings don’t include things like impact resistance and corrosion, you will oftentimes see another rating system known as NEMA.
What Are NEMA Ratings?
NEMA stands for the National Electric Manufacturer Association and it’s a standard rating system, not some knock-off system devised for marketing purposes. NEMA Ratings are specific to enclosure protection but are defined by things that IP Ratings don’t include.
If you see an IP or a NEMA rating on any device, but specifically a Tesla Powerwall, the ratings are thoroughly tested and legitimate. The NEMA Ratings chart is more simplified than the IP version, including different exposures than the IP version as well.
Tesla Powerwall enclosures come with a NEMA Rating as well, which is NEMA 4. Rather than breaking the meaning down into multiple parts, NEMA 4 is defined by several attributes of the enclosure:
- This device offers some protection against accessing hazardous parts
- Offers a degree of protection against solid foreign objects
- Offers a degree of protection against water splashes, snow, sleet, rain, or water sprayed directly from a hose
- If ice forms on the device, it will remain intact and operable
As you can see, NEMA is a little more specific in the types of protection that it offers and includes things that the IP ratings do not, such as personnel protection from the device itself, rather than the other way around.
There is also a NEMA 4X Rating but it is not the same thing as a NEMA 4 Rating. If you see a NEMA 4 rating (which is what is listed on the Tesla Powerwall panels), it does not include the same levels of protection offered by NEMA 4X enclosures.
What Is The Tesla Powerwall IP Rating?
Tesla Powerwalls, regardless of the type (Including Powerwall, Powerwall +, and Powerwall 2), come with an IP Rating of 65. According to the IP Rating Chart, IP65 is strong enough to provide indoor and outdoor protection. If it carries an IP65 Rating, it can be installed outside.
IP65 offers a number of protections, including protection from water jets at low pressure, condensation, water spray, rain, wind, and complete protection from solid materials from dirt all the way down to ultra-fine dust.
In other words, it would take something like a direct spray from a power washer to compromise a Tesla Powerwall enclosure. Other than that, it’s well-protected. Thanks to the addition of NEMA 4 protections, the Tesla Powerwall can withstand sleet, rain, and ice formations on the outside of the device.
Hail storms would be another matter entirely but those are relatively rare, depending on where you live. A Tesla Powerwall cannot withstand full immersion. If your area is frequented by floods, even low-lying floods, you should strongly consider installing your Powerwall in an elevated position, just in case.
Other Environmental Specs On Tesla Powerwall’s
There is really only one other spec that should concern you if you own Tesla Powerwalls—temperature. While it may resist certain amounts of splashing water and rain, the Tesla Powerwall handles temperatures differently.
As the NEMA 4 protections indicate, the Tesla Powerwall is capable of withstanding ice formations on the enclosure’s exterior. However, the formation of ice would indicate that the outside temperature is probably well below 32°F.
Tesla Powewalls are designed for optimal efficiency between temperatures of 32°F and 82°F. They can still operate at extreme temperatures of -4°F and 122°F. However, if a Tesla Powerwall drops below or rises above the optimal efficiency temperatures, it thermal control system kicks in.
Tesla Powerwalls are designed with internal temperature controls that will fight to maintain optimal internal temperatures when the outside temperatures drop too low. That’s great, however, it will cost the Tesla Powerwall in terms of overall efficiency.
If the Powerwall is actively running its internal thermal control system, that means it’s rerouting power to run it and that’s the power that’s not being used on your home or sold back to your local power company.
It won’t harm your Tesla Powerwall in the least. It will cause it to lose some of its efficiency, however, and that’s something you should avoid if possible.