Tesla starts rolling out new software update for its Powerpacks

One of the coolest features of Tesla’s vehicles is that they can get over-the-air software updates that enable Tesla to remotely roll out bug fixes and new features.

The automaker is apparently applying the same strategy to its energy product as it starts rolling out a new software update for its Powerpacks.

Tesla sent this week a notice to Powerpack site operators to update “the sitemaster software and the Powerpack system firmware”.

They wrote in the email obtained by Electrek:

“We have a new software and firmware package that we would like to roll-out to your site. This package is Version 1.6. It will involve updating the sitemaster software and the Powerpack system firmware. This software and firmware has undergone internal validation, and has also been operating at internally owned installations for over eight weeks. Please follow the link below to indicate whether or not you approve of us updating your system with this new software and firmware.”

Like with Tesla’s vehicles, the owner of the energy storage system needs to approve the update before it starts downloading.

But unlike with Tesla’s vehicles, Tesla lists the updates made to the system before pushing the update. In its vehicles, the updates are only visible in the release notes, which are available after the update is completed.

Tesla’s service engineering team lists 7 “major improvements” in the update:

1. Significantly improved detection and handling of inverter faults
2. Improved tracking and management of inverter firmware and settings
3. Improved logging of system issues
4. Significantly reduced the time required for future updates, from ~1 hour per inverter block to ~10 minutes
5. Improved pod enumeration and voltage calibration
6. Improved thermal controls
7. Multiple bug fixes on the power pack controller that improve stability and uptime

Most of the updates seem related to the inverter, but the last few also involves the Powerpack, which is made of multiple “pods” with battery modules inside.

Tesla’s energy division has been growing rapidly over the last year with several major projects, and smaller ones, being deployed.

Most recently, Tesla deployed a large Powerpack project for grid balancing in Europe and it supplied another big Powerpack project for a new solar project in Arizona.