Wall Connector smart charging now works with Powerwall

Tesla has started rolling out software update 26.34 for Powerwall and the Gen 3 Wall Connector. It adds smart charging that ties your car's home charging to your Powerwall's current operational setting. It also works with older Powerwall 2 systems. One owner who shared the update on X runs three Powerwall 2 units with a Gen 3 Wall Connector.

How the two modes behave

In Savings mode, a feature called Low-Cost Charging draws from your utility rate plan and solar generation to charge the car when power costs least. Anyone whose tariff varies by time of day and offers lower prices at night will find this a good fit.

When Self-Powered mode is active, Charge on Solar sends surplus solar output to the vehicle, so more of what your panels produce stays in your home. The system still works toward the charging target you set. Tesla cautions, however, that this "may change how much your car charges daily."

What owners should check

The update flips the Wall Connector's smart charging over to Charge on Solar by itself whenever your system is running in Self-Powered mode. Prefer that the car take only the cheapest energy on offer? Tesla advises moving to Savings mode and confirming that your rate plan is current. An out-of-date tariff is the obvious way for Low-Cost Charging to pick the wrong hours.

The trade-off is predictability. Waiting for sun or cheap power means the car may not charge at the moment you plug in. Tesla recommends plugging in often and setting "a low minimum charging target and departure time that matches your daily driving needs." That gives the system room to wait without leaving you short. If you regularly need a full battery at short notice, keep that in mind before relying on solar-only charging.

Setting it up

Open the Tesla app and go to Settings > Vehicle Charging > your Wall Connector > Set Charging Configuration. Requirements:

• Your Wall Connector and Powerwall need to be on the same Wi-Fi network.
• You can set up smart charging for just one Wall Connector at once.

The features were first spotted in the Tesla app in May. They build on existing Wall Connector tools, among them access control tied to the VIN and separate charging schedules of its own. Powershare Home Backup has also just arrived for the Model 3 and Model Y, letting those cars supply your home during an outage. Firmware 26.34 is reaching more Powerwall owners, so expect the option to appear gradually rather than all at once.

Credit: original reporting by Not a Tesla App.