ServiceBattery storage
KEEP ENERGY
FOR LATER.
Battery storage can increase how much of your solar you use, and back up selected circuits during an outage.
What we help with
- Battery selection and system design
- Review of actual electricity use
- Essential-load and backup-circuit selection
- Integration with new solar or an existing compatible solar system
- Review of the existing supply and switchboard
- Explanation of backup power and energy limits
- Equipment location, service access and provision for future expansion where practical
- Testing, commissioning, monitoring and handover
Common reasons we’re brought in
- Electricity bills need to come down
- The customer wants a battery that is sized appropriately for the property
- The customer wants a battery installation that is planned in, not a tacked on afterthought
- Wanting to know whether a battery is a worthwhile investment
How we approach the work
Decide what needs backup
We start with the equipment and circuits you want to keep operating during an outage, how much power they use and how long you expect the backup to last. We don’t assume the whole property will be backed up.
Look at the complete system
We review the existing solar, the switchboard, the supply and the connected loads to work out how the battery can be integrated and whether any other electrical work is needed.
Plan the location and access
We look at the environmental conditions and clearances where the battery will go, how it will be accessed for service, how it will look and how the cables will run. Where expansion is likely, we leave room for it.
Relevant capabilities
Battery system design, backup-circuit selection, existing solar assessment, solar and battery integration, switchboard assessment, testing and commissioning, monitoring setup, and documentation and handover.
Related work
All projects ↗︎
Maitland rural property solar, battery & backup
What we didInstalled 13.2 kW of Australian-made Tindo Walara solar panels, a 10 kW three-phase Fronius hybrid inverter and a 15.8 kWh Fronius Reserva battery, with whole-property backup.
How it helpedThe finished system provides solar generation, battery storage, power monitoring and backup in one installation, while keeping the equipment contained within the available shed space.
Read the project
Solar & 3 phase whole house backup
What we didInstalled a 15.8kWh battery and 10kW hybrid inverter in the garage with 13.2kW of solar, to provide backup power to the whole house.
How it helpedThe solar charges the battery during the day for overnight use, with backup power available during blackouts. After six months, self-sufficiency was sitting between 90% and 96%.
Read the projectWhat to consider for a battery
- The circuits selected for backup
- The power available and the usable stored energy
- Compatibility with the existing solar
- Any switchboard or control changes required
- Equipment location
Worth knowing
A battery does not automatically back up the whole property. Available power, stored energy and the circuits selected for backup determine what can operate and for how long.
Questions people ask
Will a battery back up the whole property?
Not automatically. What a battery can back up depends on how much power the battery and inverter can supply, how much energy is stored and which circuits are connected to the backup supply. Whether whole-property backup is possible depends on the equipment, the supply and the loads on the property, and we work that out during the design.
How do you decide which circuits receive backup?
We start with what you want to keep running during an outage, such as refrigeration, lighting, communications, medical equipment or a water pump, and how much power each of those uses. Then we look at how the switchboard is laid out and which circuits those loads are on. Sometimes a load needs to be moved onto a backed-up circuit, and we explain that before the work is agreed.
Can a battery be added to my existing solar?
It depends on the existing inverter, the condition of the system and the switchboard. We look at what is already installed and whether a battery can work with it. If it can’t, we explain the other options, such as replacing the inverter, before you decide.
Can a battery operate an air conditioner during an outage?
It depends on the size of the air conditioner, how much power the battery and inverter can supply and whether that circuit is selected for backup. An air conditioner uses a lot of power and runs the stored energy down quickly, which shortens how long everything else on backup can run. We talk through whether it is worth including during the design.
How long will backup power last?
It depends on how much energy is stored when the outage starts, what is running at the time and whether the solar is generating. We can explain how the loads you choose affect backup time, but we can’t promise a set number of hours, because usage and conditions change.
Where can the battery be installed?
The location needs to suit the battery’s environmental requirements and clearances, with access for servicing. We look at the options at the property, such as a garage or shed, and also consider how it will look, how the cables will run and whether there is room to expand later.
Can a battery charge from the grid?
Some battery systems can charge from the grid as well as from solar, depending on the equipment and how it is set up. Whether that is useful depends on your tariff. We explain the charging options for the system we recommend.
Related services
Other services in Solar & energy systems.
Solar installation
Residential and commercial solar, sized around how the property uses power and installed as part of the whole electrical system.
02Solar optimisation & upgrades
Testing and data analysis to find out why a system is underperforming, then practical changes to improve it.
03EV chargers
Charger selection and installation to suit the vehicle, the property and the daily routine.
Tell us what you need.
Whether it’s a fault, planned work or a new project, give us a little information and we’ll work out the next step.
Prefer to talk? 1300 886 613