SunVault Storage System vs. Tesla Powerwall: What's the Difference?

The sun can’t shine forever.

A towering cloud. A drifting tree branch. Sudden rain. And, of course, nightfall. All of it stands in the way of 24/7 solar power collection.

The answer? Powerful, long-lasting, rechargeable lithium batteries that maximize their collection potential during daylight hours and redistribute that power when renewable sources aren’t available. We call these, solar battery storage systems.

A word on solar batteries

The history behind these catch-all solar stores may not be long, but it’s certainly mighty. At the turn of the 20th century, scientists’ curiosity in lithium’s electrochemical potential began to spike. While work in the laboratories continued throughout the 1900s, it wasn’t until the 1980s when rechargeable lithium batteries truly began to make their way to the American consumer, and just the 1990s when the concept truly took hold in every home and workplace.

Clocks, toys, portable electronics — many typical household items began to adopt the lithium rechargeable battery as their power source. And as the technology behind them began to advance and time pushed onward, innovators set their minds to even greater sights: Cars, office spaces and entire homes capable of running on the energy deposited in a lithium battery.

By the 2010s, the biggest names in renewable energy began to develop, market, and distribute their own products geared to do exactly that. Among the most popular? Tesla’s Powerwall and Sunpower’s SunVault Storage System.

Capabilities

In comparing the two, perhaps the most important place to start is what they’re truly capable of powering. In the case of the Powerwall, the Tesla product offers a 7.0 kW peak. That means in 100% optimal conditions with unobstructed sunlight, the Powerwall is capable of producing that much power in an instant.

The SunVault, on the other hand, carries a noticeably higher peak output at 8.5 kW. That means it’s more likely to be able to back up an entire house with even above average energy usage, running multiple appliances at the same time, and gracefully tackling power surges from even the largest appliances.

Installation

At their face, the two solar batteries may look similar in nature, but getting them up and running can be a whole different story. While the Powerwall requires multiple electric boxes and additional parts to meet local electrical codes, the SunVault seamlessly connects to a home’s main panel, meaning fewer parts, easier maintenance and utility meter support.

Additionally, after installation, the SunVault provides an all-in-one management system you can access right from a phone or tablet — using the mySunPower app. The Powerwall, on the other hand, may require multiple apps across all its componentry. Simply put, the SunVault makes life easier from day one, onward.

Design

While the actual appearance of the batteries may not be important to many consumers, as they’re often stored in a garage, basement or inconspicuous area, there are advantages to SunVaults comparatively trim package.

Elegant, simple and free from cluttering boxes and add-ons, the SunVault’s low profile design makes it easy to disguise or decorate around. The Powerwall, however, may require up to 5 additional components such as inverters, backup gateways and switches to provide full functionality. These add-ons take up space, limiting homeowners’ ability to work them into their design scheme and leaving fewer opportunities for concealment.

Guarantees

Perhaps most importantly, the SunVault is backed by one of the best warranties you’ll find anywhere in the solar industry. With consumers’ storage, solar collection, inverter and racking all covered (and covered by one company alone), customers can feel secure in their solar systems. SunVault batteries also typically run at a cooler temperature than their competitors do, offering a greater likelihood for the batteries to perform at top capacity for a longer period of time.

Tesla’s Powerwall comes with a slew of warranties, all backed by a number of third parties with varying policies, term limits and conditions.

Our pick

If you couldn’t guess, we recommend the SunVault as part of our solar project installations, from the smallest jobs to the largest. Pound for pound, it simply offers greater usage and functionality to our customers.

If you’re considering a solar battery system for your home backup, don’t hesitate to get in touch. As Long Island's Solar Power pioneers, we’ve done our research, and we know how to outfit customers with exactly the products they need to get the most from their solar collection and storage. In addition, our current solar battery promotion can help you save more!

Now until July 31st, 2021, you can receive $750 off of your SunPower Solar Panel + Battery storage system with installation.* *Terms & Conditions apply, please speak with our team to learn more!

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