Tesla Powerwall 3 Battery Retrofit in Kingston
This Kingston property already had solar. Iconic Energy added a Tesla Powerwall 3 and a Tesla backup gateway to it, AC-coupled to the two existing Fronius inverters so the original system stayed in place.
System at a glance
| Location | Kingston, Tasmania |
|---|---|
| Project type | Battery retrofit to existing solar |
| Battery | Tesla Powerwall 3 |
| Backup | Tesla backup gateway |
| Coupling | AC-coupled to 2 x existing Fronius inverters |
Adding storage without replacing the solar
The existing array and its two Fronius inverters were working, so there was no reason to touch them. AC-coupling the battery means the new storage sits alongside the existing inverters rather than replacing them, which is usually the cheaper and less disruptive path on a working system.
The alternative, DC-coupling, means a new hybrid inverter and more rework. Our guide to adding a battery to existing solar explains the difference and when each one makes sense.
The backup gateway
A Tesla backup gateway was installed alongside the battery. The gateway is the piece that manages the connection between the property, the grid and the battery.
Retrofits like this one are the most common battery enquiry we get, and solar batteries in Hobart covers how we assess an existing system before quoting.
Already have solar and thinking about a battery?
The first question is what your existing inverter can work with, which is a site assessment rather than a guess. Read adding a battery to existing solar, try the solar savings calculator, then book an assessment.