With the recent Federal election and announcement of the new battery rebates, demand for home battery systems is surging. Many homeowners are requesting quotes from multiple installers to compare options.
This concise guide helps you provide the necessary information for timely, accurate quotes and highlights key considerations for informed decisions.
Information to Provide for Quotes
To ensure installers can prepare accurate and prompt quotes, provide the following:
- Recent Electricity Bill (PDF)
- Shows your energy consumption graph across the seasons, helping installers size the battery and inverter to meet your needs.
- Photos of Switchboard
- Displays phases and circuits, enabling installers to assess electrical compatibility and determine if a switchboard upgrade is needed.
- Photos of Proposed Inverter/Battery Location
- For garage installations, a protective bollard may be needed.
- For plaster walls, cement sheeting (to fireproof adjacent habitable rooms) and fixing bolts may be required which may also need touch-up painting.
- Include dimensions if space is tight.
- Existing Inverter and Solar Details
- Provide details on how much solar you currently have in kw.
- Provide full details of make and model of your inverter.
- If you have a solar-only inverter, a hybrid inverter will be required, increasing costs. Additional wiring from the roof to the hybrid inverter may also be required.
- If you have a hybrid inverter (such as a Fronius Gen24), confirm if it’s unlocked for battery connection (such as the Fronius Gen24 PLUS). Unlocking via a connection licence may cost an additional $500–$1,000.
- Retrofitting Batteries to an Existing System
- An “orphaned” solar system refers to a system installed by a company that is no longer in business. A reputable installer willing to work on an orphaned system must undertake significant inspection, troubleshooting and testing, which adds cost to the installation.
- Site Address
- If installing solar panels, the site address is required to allow installers to assess roof size, layout, and orientation (via tools like Solar Estimator or Open Solar) to determine system capacity.
- Preferred Contact Method
- Specify if you’re open to a phone call. A brief discussion ensures accuracy and speeds up the quoting process compared to email-only communication. Without a phone call, many installers may choose not to provide a quote.
- Site Visit Preference
- Some installers provide quotes without a site visit, noting “subject to site inspection.” For accuracy, a site visit is recommended.
Tips for Comparing Quotes
- Request itemized quotes to compare costs for equipment, labour, and additional fees. For example does the quote include the fee for inspection of electrical safety?
- Evaluate the proposed system’s capacity (kWh) and compatibility with your energy usage.
- Don’t choose solely based on price—consider installer reputation, warranty terms, and system quality, including level of blackout protection, battery safety, and local support if servicing is required.
Additional Considerations
- Battery Type: Do some research and specify your preferences, based on performance, features and warranty. Research home batteries via our website www.solarbatteriesonline.com.au and ask our team for recommendations (contact details below).
- Warranty and Maintenance: Check warranty periods for batteries and inverters (typically 5–10 years) and inquire about maintenance requirements.
- Grid Connection Requirements: Confirm if your local utility has specific rules for battery systems, as this may affect installation costs or approvals.
- Rebate Eligibility: Verify that the quoted system qualifies for Federal battery rebates and ask for details on how rebates are applied.
- Installer Credentials: Ensure installers are licensed and certified (e.g., Clean Energy Council accreditation in Australia) for quality assurance.
- Future Scalability: Ask if the system can be expanded (e.g., adding more batteries) to accommodate future energy needs.
- Timeline and Availability: Clarify installation timelines, as high demand may lead to delays.
By providing the above information and considering these factors, you’ll help installers deliver accurate quotes and make an informed decision for your home battery system.
Contact Solar Batteries Online for more information and for recommendations.
- 0485 884 223
- sales@solarbatteries.biz
- www.solarbatteriesonline.biz