Can you install a home battery yourself?
Many homeowners thrive on the DIY approach to home renovations. It’s an easy way to save money and gain more control over a project.
When it comes to something like installing a home battery system, your DIY skills may not be enough to save you. Even if you think you can install it yourself, you may not get very far. Complex electrical work, permits, and the general terms and conditions of the battery can get in the way.
Typically you want to find someone who is certified to install that battery, Cameron McDonaldvice president of merchandising, planning and inventory at Batteries Plustold CNET.
Whether you’re eyeing a large Tesla Powerwall or a small Enphase IQ 5P (or one of the many other options), you probably won’t be able to install it yourself. This is especially true if you want your home battery to be connected to the grid. Here’s what you need to know about installing a home battery, and how to do it safely and affordably.
Can you install a home battery system yourself?
“We get this question quite often,” said McDonald, who realizes that many consumers are used to installing all kinds of appliances in their homes themselves.
Installing a home battery system isn’t like plugging in a washer or dryer, or even plugging anything into an electrical outlet. These home battery systems are connected to your home’s main electrical panel and are a permanent part of your home’s electrical system. Most battery systems are grid-tied, meaning the battery is connected to the grid and draws power from the grid when it needs to be charged. This is where permits and inspections come in. A professional installer can handle all the paperwork and interconnection for you.
If you’re installing a home battery that connects to your home’s electrical grid and therefore to the larger electrical grid, you’ll need a professional installer, McDonald says.
Usually the purchase is And Installing a home battery system goes hand in hand anyway. Most battery manufacturers have a network of professional installers that they outsource the actual installation of the battery to. Let’s say you are interested in a Tesla Powerwall. If you contact Tesla, they will not give you a Powerwall. Tesla will take your information and forward it to their network of certified installers. The closest Tesla certified installer to you will take it from there.
Your journey doesn’t necessarily have to start with contacting the manufacturer. You can also contact local installers and see what types of batteries they install. Some homeowners even start with a solar installer who also installs home batteries. But again, professional installation is essential to the process.
There are only a few battery manufacturers, such as Blue And EcoFlowwho sell a number of home battery systems directly to the consumer, without an installer or contractor involved. You purchase the battery directly from the manufacturer’s website and it is shipped directly to your doorstep.
Even if you have a battery shipped directly to you, you’ll still need a professional installer or electrician to connect it to your home, McDonald said. Companies like EcoFlow have batteries that anyone can disconnect and move, but you’ll need an electrician to wire the panel or transfer switch that connects the battery to the home’s electrical panel.
Despite all this, if you’re still really keen on a DIY installation (say, for a unique off-grid project), there are a few things you should know. First, installing the battery system yourself could void your warranty. Most battery warranties state that all battery installation and maintenance must be performed by a certified installer. Second, there’s the obvious safety risk of doing any kind of electrical work. Again, your local municipality or utility company may actually require a permit for installation.
Installing home batteries yourself versus professional home battery installation
While options for DIY battery installation are rare, they do exist. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of professional installation versus DIY.
Professional installation
This is the most common way to connect a home battery. You can have a professional install it, either directly from a manufacturer like Tesla, or by contacting a local contractor who is certified to install different types of home batteries. Or, on the other hand, if you purchase a battery that is shipped directly to the consumer, you can hire an electrician to install it in your home.
Advantages:
- You don’t have to worry about doing electrical work yourself.
- You can get a discount if you combine a battery installation with a solar installation.
- This will not affect the warranty on the battery,
- The installer arranges the permits, inspections and paperwork.
Disadvantages:
- Professional installations are more expensive than DIY installations.
- You may have to wait longer to find a contractor who can install your battery.
Install yourself
In the very rare cases where you are having a home battery shipped directly to your door and you don’t plan on hooking it up to the mains, a DIY installation might make sense. This wouldn’t be a typical “all-in-one” solution that many of the larger manufacturers offer, but you can purchase the necessary system equipment separately and hire an installer to help you hook it up, or you can attempt it yourself. Just be aware of the safety risks involved.
Advantages:
- Installing it yourself is cheaper than hiring a professional installer.
- You have more control over the design, layout and placement of the system.
Disadvantages:
- You run risks when working with electrical wires.
- You run the risk of voiding your warranty.
- You have terribly few battery options that you can install yourself.
How much does it cost to install a home battery?
There is no universal answer to this question. Like solar, home batteries are a location-dependent purchase. Because every home’s energy needs are different, a price estimate for your home will likely be different than your neighbor’s.
For a home battery, you can expect to pay somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500 per kilowatt hour of energy storage capacity. That’s just for the battery. The actual installation Battery system installations typically cost about $100 to $200 per kWh of energy storage, McDonald said. So if you’re installing a 15 kWh battery, expect to spend about $1,500 to $3,000 in installation costs. There are economies of scale, so as the battery gets larger, installation costs can start to level off. The best way to get an accurate home battery estimate for your home is to consult an installer.
There are also other factors that influence installation costs:
- Geography: Depending on where you live, installation costs can vary. A state like California, for example, has some of the highest installation costs, McDonald said.
- Complexity: The more complicated your system is designed, the more expensive it will be. The same goes for distance: if your battery is very far from your main electrical panel, it will cost more to run the wiring to connect the two.
- Contractor: Different installers charge different rates. “Consumers have more choice than ever,” McDonald said. “Shop around and get different quotes.”
