Tesla Powerwall › Problems
Powerwall or Backup Gateway dead, disabled, or showing a fault
A Powerwall or the Backup Gateway is dead, disabled, or showing a fault message in the Tesla app. This page covers what the lights and messages mean, what to check first, and the causes behind it.
What the lights mean
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Powerwall 2 light off | The Powerwall is not enabled or is switched off. With several Powerwalls, a unit Tesla has disabled has its light off. |
| Powerwall 2 light flashing, or a Powerwall+ light blinking once every 4 seconds | The Powerwall is on but is not communicating with the gateway. |
| Backup Switch light flashing | The Backup Switch has power but is not communicating with the Powerwall. |
| Powerwall 3 logo flashing red and staying that way | The owner manual lists this as an inverter fault. A Powerwall 3 that keeps flashing red has failed. |
| Powerwall 3 logo flashes red right after its enable switch and breaker are turned on, then ends solid white | Normal start-up. Solid white means the unit is online and working normally. |
| Powerwall 3 logo flashing white | Idle; the owner manual says it will go to sleep if nothing is in progress. A unit stuck in standby with an internal communication error in the app has also flashed white. |
| Powerwall 2 with no light at all, not even flashing green, after the main breaker was opened during an outage | The system has lost the small 12 V supply that starts it. |
| No light on the Backup Gateway, and its Wi-Fi network (named like TEG-XXX) missing from a Wi-Fi scan | The gateway has no power or isn't booting. Solar and house loads can keep running on the grid while the Powerwalls stop. |
Error codes that go with this problem
| Code | What it means |
|---|---|
| Powerwall Disabled: Service Required Low Energy Lockout | Tesla has discharged the unit and disabled it remotely. This message has appeared on recalled Powerwall 2 units. |
| Powerwall Disabled - Service Required - Fault Detected | A Powerwall is disabled by an internal fault that requires replacement. Contact your installer. |
| Powerwall Disconnected | Solar and Powerwall output read zero in the app. It has come with tripped breakers inside the gateway. |
| Breaker Open | The Powerwall breaker is open and the Powerwall light is not on. Tesla says not to troubleshoot if there is heat damage. The app may not send a push notification for it. |
| Side Switch off | The system believes the rocker switch on the side of the Powerwall is off. The Powerwall drops to 0% and stops. |
| Site shutdown circuit triggered | The emergency stop or rapid-shutdown circuit has latched open. Every Powerwall and Powerwall+ solar inverter stays disabled until someone resets it by hand. |
| Internal communication error | Seen on the second Powerwall 3 in a system, which kept dropping into standby after firmware 25.26.0. |
| Battery Expansion CAN Termination Issues | Tesla One asks you to check the CAN terminations on the battery expansion ports. It has appeared on a Powerwall 3 with no expansion battery fitted. |
What to check first
- Check the Powerwall's recall status in the Tesla app. If the app shows a recall notice or a Powerwall Disabled message, contact your original installer first, otherwise Tesla support.
- Look at the light on each Powerwall and on the gateway and compare it with the table above. If the gateway is dark, check whether its Wi-Fi network, named like TEG-XXX, shows up on your phone.
- Check that the emergency shutoff switch is on. Look for a red emergency stop button pressed in under the solar meter or at the Backup Switch. If it is pressed in, rotate it back to reset it.
- If the app says Side Switch off, look at the rocker switch on the side of the Powerwall and tell your technician whether it is on.
- If there is no heat damage, try the owner manual's restart: switch the Powerwall off, turn off its breaker and the gateway breaker, wait, then turn them back on in reverse order and reset the gateway.
- If a Powerwall or the gateway stays dark after a restart, or the message comes back, it needs a technician. Contact your installer, or Tesla if the installer can't help.
Safety. A battery cell defect in some recalled Powerwall 2 units can cause overheating, smoke or fire. Tesla says not to troubleshoot a Powerwall that shows heat damage.
The causes and the fixes
Partners see the causes behind this problem, most common first, the checks that tell them apart, and the fix for each, with part numbers and recent prices when a part is involved.