GreatScott!’s DIY “Powerwall”

If you’ve thought about installing solar power equipment, one of the most important parts is a battery system that enables you to use harvested energy as you need it, not necessarily as it arrives. One such solution is a Tesla Powerwall, with a price tag of $7,600 for each unit. This was a bit too high for YouTuber GreatScott!, and after using a lead acid battery for some time, he found that the capacity had decreased, leading him to explore other options.

His video below goes over what you’d need to consider if you want to build your own wall, or in this case “cabinet.” He looks at using 18650 Li-Ion power cells, along with LiFePO4-based batteries, before settling on a series of LiFeYPO4 battery packs to supply power to the lights in his garage. The cost for four of these is still not cheap, adding up to €457, or roughly $500 USD. On the plus side, the batteries can withstand a wide range of temperatures (-45°C to 85°C or -49°F to 185°F), and are relatively safe.

Adding to this safety is a nice sturdy electrical enclosure to protect the batteries from bumps (and hopefully keep any problems contained), as well as a battery management system to balance the loads and protect from non-ideal current and voltage conditions. The total price of the system at €746 is still significant, and in fact slightly more expensive than the Tesla solution in terms of kWh/price, it does allow you to customize things to your heart’s content. The project is certainly worth a look if you’ve been considering a similar project.