How long will a Powerwall keep my house running during an outage?

Powerwall 3 holds 13.5 kWh of usable energy. How long that lasts depends on what you're running: lights, Wi-Fi, the fridge, and phone charging can stretch a single unit through a long evening or overnight, while air conditioning, electric ranges, and well pumps draw far more. If your solar is still producing during a daytime PSPS event, the Powerwall recharges from the roof — so for multi-day outages, or to back up a larger home, we'll often size two or more units. We model your specific backup goals before recommending a configuration.

Can I add a Powerwall to my existing solar system?

Yes — adding storage to an existing solar array is one of the most common installs we do, and under NEM 3.0 it's often where the real savings come from. We confirm your inverter type, main panel, and available space, then design the safest integration and handle the SCE interconnection paperwork. Powerwall 3 also supports native solar integration, so in many retrofits we can simplify the equipment on the wall.

Is the SGIP battery rebate still available?

Honestly, mostly no. The broad, general-market SGIP storage budget is effectively closed, so most Orange County homeowners should not count on a rebate. A limited income-qualified track still exists for eligible households. We'll tell you straight whether you realistically qualify rather than building it into your numbers — your estimate stands on its own without assuming any rebate.

What warranty comes with the Tesla Powerwall?

Powerwall 3 carries roughly a 10-year manufacturer warranty from Tesla. On top of that, you get OC Solar's in-house workmanship coverage — because we're Tesla Powerwall Premier Certified and install with our own local crews, the same team that puts it in is the team that stands behind it. You manage and monitor everything from the Tesla app.

A Tesla Powerwall home battery installed by OC Solar in Orange County

Tesla Powerwall · Premier Certified

Tesla Powerwall installation in Orange County

OC Solar is a Tesla Powerwall Premier Certified installer. We design and install battery storage that powers your home through the expensive 4–9 PM peak under NEM 3.0 — and keeps the lights on through PSPS outages.

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Why a battery in 2026

Under NEM 3.0, the value is in storing your own power

California's NEM 3.0 slashed what utilities pay for the solar you export to the grid. Sending daytime production back at a low rate, then buying it back at the evening peak, no longer pencils out the way it used to. A Powerwall changes that math.

Beat the 4–9 PM peak

Evening peak rates are when SCE charges the most — Southern California Edison runs around $0.36/kWh on average. A Powerwall discharges your stored solar during those hours so you buy far less expensive grid power when it costs the most.

Store your daytime solar

Instead of exporting midday production for a low NEM 3.0 credit, you bank it on the wall and use it yourself after sunset. That self-consumption is where the savings live now — your own electrons, used at the moment they're worth the most. Powerwall is the flagship of the home battery storage options we install.

Backup through PSPS outages

When the grid goes down — or the utility cuts power during a Public Safety Power Shutoff — your Powerwall keeps your essentials running automatically. No generator, no fuel, no noise. Just a quiet switch-over you may not even notice.

Powerwall 3 at a glance

One battery, sized for real homes

Tesla's Powerwall 3 is built for whole-home backup and daily energy shifting, all managed from your phone. These are the verified specs that matter.

13.5 kWh usable

Usable storage per Powerwall 3 — enough to shift a meaningful chunk of your evening usage off the grid, and stackable when you need more.

11.5 kW continuous

Continuous power output, so a single unit can run real loads — not just a couple of lights — during an outage.

Native solar integration

Powerwall 3 connects your solar directly, simplifying the equipment on the wall and recharging the battery from your roof by day.

~10-year warranty

Backed by Tesla's manufacturer warranty and OC Solar's in-house workmanship coverage.

You monitor production, battery level, and backup status in real time from the Tesla app — and need more than 13.5 kWh? Powerwall 3 stacks, so we size to your home rather than the other way around. Its built-in solar inverter also simplifies the wall — see how it compares to other inverter architectures we design around.

Tesla Powerwall and Backup Gateway mounted on the exterior wall of an Orange County home

Why OC Solar

Premier Certified — and installed right

Anyone can sell you a battery. We're certified at Tesla's highest installer tier and back the install with our own local crews, so it's permitted, integrated, and switched on the right way the first time.

Tesla Powerwall Premier Certified

We hold Tesla's top installer certification — earned through volume, quality, and customer satisfaction, not bought. You can verify our standing with Tesla and our A+ standing with the BBB.

In-house local crews

No subcontractor handoffs. Our own Orange County crews handle the design, the electrical work, and the mounting — so accountability never gets passed down the line.

SCE interconnection, handled

We manage the Southern California Edison interconnection and permitting end-to-end, so your battery is permitted, inspected, and switched on correctly the first time.

Licensed, bonded & insured · CSLB #1023627 · Verify our license

See your numbers

Get an instant Powerwall + solar estimate

Drop in your address and average monthly bill for a fast, no-obligation estimate built from your real roof and SCE rates. It's an estimate — your custom proposal will be exact, with no expired federal credit assumed.

Get a Free Estimate →Call 949-427-8817

Powerwall FAQ

Tesla Powerwall questions, answered straight

Installed cost depends on how many Powerwalls you need, your electrical panel and main service, and whether we're pairing the battery with new solar or adding it to an existing system. Because every home is different, we give you a firm, line-item quote after a quick site review instead of a vague range — and we'll walk you through $0-down lease and PPA options so you can compare monthly cost against your current SCE bill. Get a free estimate to see your exact number.

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