Home Battery System GuideThe Tesla Powerwall 3 and Enphase IQ Battery 5P are two of the most common residential batteries, but they are built to different scales and philosophies. This comparison lists only what each manufacturer publishes, so you can read the numbers directly rather than through a ranking.
How to read this comparison
Every figure below comes from the named manufacturer's own product page or datasheet. Two numbers matter most: usable energy capacity in kilowatt-hours, which sets how long the battery runs your loads, and continuous power in kilowatts, which sets how much can run at once. A larger single unit is not automatically better, because modular batteries like the Enphase are designed to be stacked to reach a target size.
Watch the units of measure. Both products list capacity in kilowatt-hours and power in kilowatts, but the Powerwall 3 is one large unit while the IQ Battery 5P is a smaller building block. Comparing a single Powerwall 3 to a single IQ Battery 5P is a capacity mismatch, not a quality judgment.
No winner is declared here. The right choice depends on the target system size, whether the install is a retrofit, and installer availability in your area.
Tesla Powerwall 3, from Tesla's specs
Tesla lists the Powerwall 3 at 13.5 kWh of energy capacity with 11.5 kW continuous power on-grid and the same 11.5 kW continuous in backup, plus a 185 LRA motor start rating for heavy loads. It is a single large unit with an integrated inverter and system controller.
On efficiency and solar, Tesla lists 97.5% solar-to-grid efficiency and six solar inputs with Maximum Power Point Trackers. The unit measures 43.5 inches by 24 inches by 7.6 inches and weighs 287 pounds, with an operating range of -4 degrees F to 122 degrees F.
For growth, Tesla lists system expansion available anytime with up to 40.5 kWh maximum addition per unit, and the product carries a 10-year warranty.
Enphase IQ Battery 5P, from Enphase's specs
Enphase lists the IQ Battery 5P at 5.0 kWh usable capacity with 3.84 kW continuous power. Peak output is listed at 7.68 kW for 3 seconds and 6.14 kW for 10 seconds. It is an all-in-one AC-coupled unit containing six embedded grid-forming microinverters.
On chemistry and efficiency, Enphase specifies cobalt-free lithium iron phosphate cells with 90% round-trip efficiency. The battery is designed to be stacked, letting installers add units to reach larger system sizes.
The warranty is listed at 15 years and rated up to 6,000 cycles.
Where they differ on paper
On single-unit scale the two are very different. Tesla's Powerwall 3 lists 13.5 kWh and 11.5 kW continuous in one box, while Enphase's IQ Battery 5P lists 5.0 kWh and 3.84 kW continuous per module. Reaching Powerwall-level capacity with Enphase means stacking multiple 5P units.
On architecture they diverge too. The Powerwall 3 integrates a solar inverter with direct solar inputs and 97.5% solar-to-grid efficiency, while the IQ Battery 5P is AC-coupled with six embedded microinverters and a listed 90% round-trip efficiency. The two efficiency figures are measured differently, one solar-to-grid and one round-trip, so they are not a like-for-like number.
Warranty terms differ on paper as well: Tesla lists 10 years, while Enphase lists 15 years up to 6,000 cycles. Both use lithium iron phosphate chemistry. Which fits depends on target system size, retrofit versus new install, and local installer support.