Using a battery as a powerwall

[Osyras]

So I am toying with the idea of buying a totaled Rivian (well the one that I totaled) at auction and making the battery into a power wall.

Has anyone ever done this?

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[docwhiz]

So I am toying with the idea of buying a totaled Rivian (well the one that I totaled) at auction and making the battery into a power wall.

Has anyone ever done this?

People have done this using Tesla batteries.
Probably could be done but you'll need lots of technical info.

 

[Nixapatfan]

Toughest part will be the cooling circuit, I hear Leaf battery is the goto for this conversion due to no liquid cooling.

 

[docwhiz]

 

[Swezey]

Would one need liquid cooling assuming you kept the charging/discharging amps low enough?

 

[Osyras]

Would one need liquid cooling assuming you kept the charging/discharging amps low enough?

We didn't win the auction, but I probably would have added some kind of cooling/heating loop as I am in Canada and would rather it stay a little warm in the winter.

 

[Zoidz]

Would one need liquid cooling assuming you kept the charging/discharging amps low enough?

Cooling would not be needed if you kept the rates low enough. But that also limits the usefulness of the battery pack when you need it the most ... ?

 

[Swezey]

Cooling would not be needed if you kept the rates low enough. But that also limits the usefulness of the battery pack when you need it the most ... ?

I haven't done the napkin math, but my guess is the average house uses less energy than launching a 7K lbs sexy brick down the road. Now as OP stated, keeping it warm if you're in the cold climates makes more sense to me.

 

[NY_Rob]

I'm all for DIY and lord knows I've done plenty of DIY stuff over the years, but I have to ask... what are the homeowners insurance implications when you kludge these salvaged battery packs from automobiles into home backup power devices?
It's one thing to purchase a Tesla or Emphase, etc.. professionally manufactured powerwall product and have it professionally installed and inspected by your county Electrical Inspector, but there's no way any of that can happen with these batteries that are not designed or intended to be used inside homes. Do people just not mention it to their home insurers? If god forbid one of these homemade systems did start a fire and burned down your home, seems like an easy out for the ins. company to deny reimbursement.

 

[Osyras]

I'm all for DIY and lord knows I've done plenty of DIY stuff over the years, but I have to ask... what are the homeowners insurance implications when you kludge these salvaged battery packs from automobiles into home backup power devices?
It's one thing to purchase a Tesla or Emphase, etc.. professionally manufactured powerwall product and have it professionally installed and inspected by your county Electrical Inspector, but there's no way any of that can happen with these batteries that are not designed or intended to be used inside homes. Do people just not mention it to their home insurers?

I would be getting permits for it all, really as long as you have the Canbus comms converter /details and a proper inverter/switch are installed it should not be an issue. Access to Rivian Canbus data is the big question here. That being said they do advertise that their batteries get a second life, so they may even provie some info if I were to get a battery and ask them.

https://stories.rivian.com/the-power-of-secondlife-batteries

 

[NY_Rob]

I would be getting permits for it all, really as long as you have the Canbus comms converter /details and a proper inverter/switch are installed it should not be an issue. Access to Rivian Canbus data is the big question here. That being said they do advertise that their batteries get a second life, so they may even provie some info if I were to get a battery and ask them.

https://stories.rivian.com/the-power-of-secondlife-batteries

If Rivian came out with a proper kit that got UL or other agency approval and could get local authority inspection approval, that would be fantastic and a huge benefit.
But until then, I can't see any of these home brew systems getting inspection approval to the point where your homeowners insurance would not be invalidated if the system did malfunction and start a fire. First thing any AHJ Electrical Inspector will say before even going down to your basement is "let me see the manufacturer certificates for the battery pack".

 

[tjrivian]

Why would you want to use your ~100kwh Rivian battery and do something that no one has ever done, rather than buying a much cheaper leaf/tesla/etc. battery and follow plans that someone else has already published and found all the pitfalls for? I get that there is some sense of excitement doing something that no one else has done. But maybe there's a good reason no one has done it? Having a ~100kwh powerwall is complete overkill.

 

[Osyras]

Why would you want to use your ~100kwh Rivian battery and do something that no one has ever done, rather than buying a much cheaper leaf/tesla/etc. battery and follow plans that someone else has already published and found all the pitfalls for? I get that there is some sense of excitement doing something that no one else has done. But maybe there's a good reason no one has done it? Having a ~100kwh powerwall is complete overkill.

The car ended up selling for about 3k at auction (more than I was willing to pay) so it would not have been an expensive thing to start. It was also a car that I wrecked so I knew the history and extent of the damage.

 

[tjrivian]

The car ended up selling for about 3k at auction (more than I was willing to pay) so it would not have been an expensive thing to start. It was also a car that I wrecked so I knew the history and extent of the damage.

Oh wow, 3k is crazy cheap, wasn't expecting that. I can definitely see the allure in that.

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