Once you’ve made the decision to install a home battery system, it’s important to understand how to choose the best size for your needs—and how to use that battery system most efficiently. Many people don’t realize that battery systems have limitations and best-use practices. At Ipsun, it’s important to us to be straightforward about what home batteries can and can’t do so that you make the right decision for your home and know what to expect.
What to Know Pre-install: Minimum Battery Size Limit
Here at Ipsun Solar, we have experience with nearly every major battery manufacturer on the market. Because of our expertise and knowledge, we offer the Tesla Powerwall and Franklin Whole Home batteries. They are both powerful, reliable, and easy to operate and monitor as a homeowner.
It’s important to understand that there are minimum size requirements for the batteries. The size of your solar array and the amperage of the breakers you want to back up will dictate what size battery you need to install. Most of our customers need at least two batteries on their homes.
During your consultation, our solar pros will be able to assess your energy needs, critical loads, and home’s setup to recommend the best battery system for your goals.
What electrical loads can my battery system back up in my home?
It’s important to know that in our area, where net metering is offered, a battery is primarily useful during a power outage. When the power goes out due to a storm or other grid issue, your batteries will switch on seamlessly, creating a microgrid in your home.
Just because a battery system can power the whole home during a power outage does not mean it should run everything as normal. Larger loads such as air conditioning and electric heat can drain even large batteries in just a few hours. That is why we pair every battery installation with a Lumin Smart Panel to help automatically turn off energy-hungry items in the house to keep the critical loads running as long as possible.
Typical critical loads:
- Lights and outlets
- Refrigerator
- Wifi
- Well pump and/or sump pump
- Gas Furnace Blower
How long will the battery power last?
How long your battery power lasts depends on your energy usage. With the correct size solar array and battery system paired with a Lumin Smart Panel, an average house can run the critical loads off the battery indefinitely. Here is a glimpse of what the Lumin’s App looks like using “Smart Controls” with a battery.
Talk to us!
Get in touch with us to talk through your specific situation and to hear what the options are for battery storage in your home. You can give us a call at 866-484-7786, or click below. We love talking energy storage with you!
