Preparing for home battery installation

During the survey the installer assesses your cupboard. Sometimes one extra breaker on an existing rail suffices. Sometimes a larger board is needed because all slots are full or old fuses must go. This almost always happens before installation day, on a separate half-day visit.

• Extra circuit on existing board: quickest fix; board has free module and space
• Replace distribution board, same location: when full or outdated; often half a day
• Upgrade main connection: rarer; only if total load of battery + household requires it — installer flags upfront

• No free slot for an extra breaker on the rail
• Cupboard older than 15–20 years without recent upgrade
• Old-style breakers or fuses instead of modern MCBs
• Asbestos panel behind breakers (no longer permitted — replacement needed)
• Tripping circuits or warm breakers under normal use
• Solar already sharing a full board with induction, heat pump or EV charger

A home battery needs clearance for ventilation and maintenance — often at least ~20 cm above and to the sides depending on model. Indoor mounting needs a solid wall (concrete, brick) or level floor bearing the weight. Outdoor mounting needs shelter, protection from direct sun and rain, and a permitted outdoor rating (IP) for the system.

You do not need millimetre-perfect measurements — the survey decides. It helps to think about a logical spot near cupboard and inverter: every extra metre of cable is more work and sometimes more visible. Avoid unventilated laundry spaces or uninsulated outer walls with frost risk.