Hey everyone! I currently have a solar system set up without battery backup, and I'm looking for a simple DIY solution. My goal is to charge my Tesla at night using a battery that gets recharged during the day by solar energy. I want to avoid connecting this battery to my entire house's electrical system. Any suggestions on products or setups that would work for this? Thanks in advance!
3 Answers
Adding a battery system just for your car might be a bit costly, especially if you’re trying to avoid extra utility charges. Have you considered contacting your utility company? They may offer a plan that provides lower rates for EV charging at night while charging more during peak hours. It could save you some cash without the need for expensive solar generators.
Honestly, if you're looking for a cost-effective solution, connecting the battery to your whole house might be the easiest route. Just remember, this doesn’t mean you’ll have your whole house backed up during an outage—just that your system is integrated for efficiency. First step would be to check the specs of your current system and see how net metering might benefit you when exporting energy.
Keep in mind, even for a standard Tesla Model 3, the battery is around 57.5 kWh. Even if you're just topping off at 50%, you'll need a pretty hefty battery back up setup if you're thinking about charging overnight.
True, but if you're just commuting, you typically use around 10-20% of that daily, so maybe you won't need the full 50% every time. Still, it’s going to be a significant investment.
This is a solid suggestion! You might also want to explore getting a battery system that can help with peak hour usage—definitely worth looking into.