In 2024, having a solar system in your home is a smart financial decision that can save you plenty of money in the long run. But if you have solar panels, you’ll also need a solar battery. This allows you to store excess energy from your panels, giving you a surplus to use in emergencies and on darker days. In fact, without a battery, around 50% of your energy collected can go unused.
But what are the solar battery regulations in Australia? We’re taking a deep dive into everything you need to know before installing a solar battery in your new build, so keep reading to find out more.
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What is the legal requirement for solar battery installation?
While legal requirements often differ from territory to territory, the Clean Energy Council has regulations to ensure that all Battery Energy Storage systems comply with the current AS/NZS 5139:2019 safety standards. In accordance with this, solar batteries can be installed both indoors and outdoors, but you need to know the correct legal requirements beforehand.
Alternatively, hiring a CEC-accredited professional will know and comply with all of the current versions of the standards, so you can rest assured that your solar battery installation will be all above board and legal.
The difference between indoor and outdoor installation requirements
First of all, you need to consider whether you want your solar battery installed inside or outside. Inside is often the better option to protect your battery systems, especially if you like by the sea or get heavy rainfall throughout the year. Ideally, your battery and wiring system should be protected from the weather as much as possible to prevent it from needing to be replaced too soon. Exposing this to outdoor climates will only reduce their lifespan.
However, we understand that it might not always be possible, and you might want to install your battery outside. The good news is that most solar batteries are weatherproof, but not all are. So, it’s important to look at the IP rating of your chosen battery to determine where the manufacturer recommends you install it.
The higher the first IP number, the less dust that can creep inside and mess with its internal systems. The higher the second number, the less water that can get within it. For example, if your battery had an IP rating of IP56, it would be protected against dust and strong jets of water, making it suitable for use outside.
Where can’t you install your battery indoors?
The AS/NZS 5139:2019 explains that there are a few locations within the house where you can’t install a solar battery because of safety concerns:
- For switchboards (AS/NZS 3000)
- Within 600 mm of the following:
- A vertical side of a window or ventilation system of a habitable room
- Any appliance
- Any exit
- Within 900 mm below the following:
- Ceiling spaces
- Wall cavities
- On roofs
- Under floors of habitable rooms
- Under stairs
- Under access walkways
- In an evacuation route
Solar battery installation regulations in a habitable room
As you can see from the exclusions above, it would be quite difficult to install a battery in a habitable room – especially with windows, exits, and appliances. The AS/NZS 5139:2019 clauses 4.2.4.2 and 5.2.4.2 explain the difference between what is a habitable room and what’s a non-habitable room.
Green rooms are non-habitable rooms and can be used to install a solar battery provided the room abides by the above regulations. Red marks the habitable rooms; therefore, they can’t be used to install solar batteries.
Where’s the best location to install a solar battery indoors?
From the diagram above, sourced from the Clean Energy Council, we can see that all of the rooms marked green are suitable for your solar battery. However, we’d recommend the garage as the best indoor location, as it fits all the safety requirements for a location without taking room away from your living areas. Plus, you won’t have to worry about noises from the battery disturbing you too much as long as it’s left in your garage.
Installing solar batteries outdoors
There are several differences between installing solar batteries in a weatherboard house and a brick house. Brick walls aren’t made from combustible materials, which is the main consideration to think about. If you’re installing your battery on a brick wall, you should have a bit more freedom than if you’re living in a weatherboard house.
Installing a battery on a weatherboard house
Weatherboard houses can have solar batteries installed on the outside, but only where a habitable room isn’t on the other side. This means that you can install it on the outside of your garage, but not your kitchen or bedroom.
However, if you cannot install it on the outside of your home, you’ll need to install a non-combustible material between the house and the battery. This must cover at least 600 mm on either side of the battery and 900 mm above it. You don’t need to worry about this if the wall is on the other side of a non-habitable room.
Installing a battery on a brick house
Brick is a non-combustible material, so you have much more freedom in where you can install your solar battery. However, there are some restrictions to consider.
If the room you choose to install it on the outside of is a habitable room, the battery can’t be placed within 600 mm of the side of a window or door. The same can be said for if there’s a window or door 900 mm from the top of the battery. You also can’t place a battery beneath a window in a habitable room.
Working with a professional
When it comes to installing battery systems, we highly recommend working with a professional to make sure all of the regulations are met. You can never be too careful when it comes to electrical safety, and CEC-accredited professionals should be aware of all of the legal requirements needed to fit your battery safely. This takes the pressure away from you, so you don’t need to worry about whether you’re accidentally disregarding legal requirements or not.
When choosing the best professional for the job, there are several things you should look at:
- Their qualifications and credits
- Whether they have experience installing a solar battery on the type of house you’re building
- Their insurance and warranty periods
- Their pricing and a breakdown of costs
We’d also recommend getting quotes from multiple people to make sure you get the best price from the most experienced professional. After all, you can’t be too careful with battery installation!
Tips for being efficient with your energy consumption
Now you have your solar battery installed, you can save much more energy for when you need it most! However, even with a surplus stored away for a rainy day, there are still plenty of benefits to being efficient with your energy consumption. Here are a few ways you can save energy to keep your battery topped up:
- Use energy-efficient appliances with a high Energy Rating Label, with anything from 7 to 10 stars being considered ‘super-efficient’
- Lower your thermostat and set times for your air conditioner or heating period
- Install double-glazing windows to keep the inside temperature regulated
- Turn off any devices and lights when you’re not using them
- Wash your clothing at a lower temperature
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