How to Buy Home Batteries
Everything you need to know before buying a home battery. Size it right, choose wisely, and avoid common mistakes.
What Size Battery Do You Need?
| Your Evening Usage | Recommended Size | Backup Duration | Typical Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low evening usage (5-8 kWh) | 5-6 kWh | 4-6 hours essentials | Small household, mostly daytime use |
| Average evening usage (10-15 kWh) | 10 kWh | 8-10 hours essentials | Average family, some evening appliances |
| High evening usage (15-20 kWh) | 13-15 kWh | 12+ hours essentials | Large family, AC, pool pump |
| Very high / whole home backup | 20+ kWh | 24+ hours whole home | Large home, EV, complete independence |
Your ideal battery size is roughly equal to your daily solar export. Check your inverter app or ask your retailer for your average daily export figure.
Buying Checklist
Common Mistakes to Avoid
warningBuying too large a battery
Problem: Spending extra money on capacity you wont use daily. Payback takes longer.
Solution: Match battery size to your evening usage and solar export, not maximum capacity available.
warningIgnoring power output (kW)
Problem: A large battery with low power output cant run high-draw appliances like air conditioning.
Solution: Check both capacity (kWh) AND power output (kW). Match power to your peak demand.
warningAssuming all batteries do backup
Problem: Many batteries require additional hardware for blackout backup, adding $500-$2,000.
Solution: If backup is important, confirm it is included and which circuits will be backed up.
warningNot checking inverter compatibility
Problem: Some batteries only work with specific inverters. May need expensive upgrades.
Solution: If adding to existing solar, confirm the battery works with your current inverter.
Questions to Ask Installers
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