Solar Battery Installation
Battery Storage Solutions
Battery storage systems allow homes and businesses to store electricity for use when it is needed most. Whether storing solar energy generated during the day or charging batteries during cheaper overnight tariffs, battery systems provide greater control over energy usage and costs.
Spectra Solar installs a range of battery storage solutions suitable for both new solar installations and existing solar PV systems.
Battery Upgrades for Existing Solar Systems
Many properties already have solar PV systems installed, particularly systems installed during the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) years. These systems can often be upgraded by adding battery storage without needing to replace the existing solar inverter.
This is commonly referred to as a battery upgrade.
An AC-coupled battery system works alongside the existing solar installation. It monitors the electricity flow at the property and detects when excess solar energy is being exported to the grid. Instead of allowing this surplus electricity to leave the property, the system diverts it into the battery for storage.
The stored energy can then be used later when demand within the property is greater than the solar production, helping to increase self-consumption and reduce reliance on grid electricity.
Hybrid Solar & Battery Systems
A hybrid inverter system is typically installed as part of a new solar installation or during a full system upgrade. Hybrid systems combine solar generation and battery storage into one integrated solution.
Solar panels connect directly to the hybrid inverter, which also connects to the battery storage system. Hybrid systems operate in a similar way to AC-coupled systems by storing excess solar generation in the battery for later use.
However, hybrid inverters also include multiple solar input ports, allowing the solar panels to connect directly into the inverter. This integrated design allows the system to manage solar generation, battery charging, and grid interaction all from a single device.
Hybrid systems are commonly installed where both solar panels and battery storage are being installed together.
System Monitoring & Energy Apps
Modern solar and battery systems include monitoring platforms that provide full visibility of system performance.
These apps allow users to track:
- Solar generation
- Battery charging and discharging
- Grid import and export
- Overall system performance in real time
Monitoring provides clear insight into how energy is being generated, stored, and used within the property.
Overnight Charging & Smart Tariffs
Battery systems can also take advantage of off-peak electricity tariffs, where electricity is cheaper during certain overnight hours.
Charging batteries overnight using these tariffs allows homes and businesses to run on lower-cost electricity during the day. When combined with solar generation during daylight hours, this can significantly reduce overall energy costs.
Increasing Solar Self-Consumption
Battery storage significantly increases the amount of solar energy that can be used within the property.
Without battery storage, excess electricity produced during the day is usually exported to the grid. With batteries installed, this energy can be stored and used later in the evening when demand is higher.
This increases the overall efficiency of the system and improves the long-term financial benefits of solar.
Can I Use My Battery if the Grid Goes Out?
Yes — and no.
Most standard grid-connected battery systems automatically shut down during a power outage. This is a safety requirement designed to prevent electricity from being exported back onto the grid while engineers may be working on power lines.
However, it is possible to use your battery during a power cut if the system is installed with additional equipment such as:
- A backup gateway
- A changeover switch
- A backup / essential loads board
These components allow the system to safely isolate your property from the grid and continue powering selected circuits in your home or business using the battery and solar panels.
Backup capability is not always included as standard with battery systems, but it can often be added depending on the equipment being installed.
There is more detailed information about battery backup systems and how they work during power outages in the guides section of our website.
How Much Battery Storage Do I Need?
This is one of the most common questions customers ask. The correct battery size depends on how much electricity the property uses and how that usage changes throughout the year.
When calculating battery storage requirements, your annual household electricity usage should not include EV charging consumption. Electric vehicles use a large amount of electricity and including this in the calculation can significantly distort the figures.
In most cases, home batteries are not designed to charge electric vehicles. Charging a battery with another battery is inefficient and quickly depletes the home storage. EVs are typically charged directly from solar generation during the day or from cheaper overnight grid tariffs.
If EV charging consumption is included in the annual usage figures, it can result in the battery system being massively oversized, leading to unnecessary cost and storage capacity that may never be properly used.
How We Estimate Battery Size
At Spectra Solar, battery sizing is usually estimated using the property’s annual electricity consumption, which is then split into two seasonal profiles:
- 60% for winter
- 40% for summer
This is because energy usage and solar generation vary significantly between seasons.
During the winter months:
- Solar generation is lower
- Days are shorter
- Batteries have fewer opportunities to charge from solar
- Households typically use more electricity as people spend more time indoors
During the summer months:
- Solar generation is higher
- Days are longer
- Batteries are more likely to charge fully
Household electricity demand is often lower
So What Size Battery Should You Choose?
There are usually a few sensible options.
One option is to size the battery to cover winter usage as much as possible.
Another option is to choose something in the middle which can provide a good balance between cost, performance, and year-round use.
The key point is that bigger is not always better.
Installing too much battery storage can mean part of the battery rarely gets used properly. If a battery is oversized for the property, it may not complete full charge and discharge cycles often enough, leaving expensive storage capacity sitting there unused for much of the year.
Avoid Oversizing
What you do not want is to install far more battery storage than the property realistically needs.
An oversized battery can:
- Cost more than necessary
- Spend long periods only partially used
- Deliver poorer value for money
- Reduce the practical return on investment
Battery storage should be sized to work efficiently with the property, not simply made as large as possible.
Modular Battery Systems Make This Easier
The good news is that the majority of battery systems are modular, meaning extra storage can usually be added later if required.
This gives customers more flexibility.
In many cases, it can make more sense to install slightly less battery storage to begin with, then monitor how the system performs over the first 12 months. If more storage is needed, an additional battery can often be added later without a huge extra cost compared with the overall installation.
This can be a better option than overspending upfront on storage that may never be fully used.
Manufacturer Battery Sizes Also Affect the Decision
Another factor is that battery manufacturers only produce certain battery sizes, which means the ideal required size does not always match the products available.
For example:
- A property may require 12kWh of usable storage
- But the manufacturer may only offer a 9.5kWh unit or a much larger combined storage option
This can make battery selection less straightforward, because the next size up may provide more storage than the property is likely to use efficiently for large parts of the year.
That can result in excess storage capacity sitting unused not just during summer, but sometimes during winter too.
The Best Approach
In many cases, the best approach is to choose a battery size that is:
- Large enough to make a meaningful difference
- Small enough to cycle properly and work efficiently
- Flexible enough to expand later if needed
That is why Spectra Solar looks at battery sizing based on real usage patterns rather than simply selling the biggest system possible.
If you are unsure what battery size is right for your property, Spectra Solar can help assess your annual consumption and recommend a system that fits your usage, budget, and future plans.
Visit Our Showroom
Customers are welcome to visit the Spectra Solar showroom to see fully operational solar and battery systems in action. Seeing the equipment working in real time and speaking directly with the team helps customers better understand how different system types operate and which setup may be most suitable.
Brands We Install
from first contact with Jonathan to discuss my options of upgrading my current solar system with complementary batteries to the install today from Liam, I can't fault them!!
Jonathan is always available to discuss and help with any questions or queries ad Liam and his buddy did a great job installing them today, left the area clean and tidy and explained the work he'd done.
Wouldn't hesitate in recommending Spectra Solar to anyone looking to help reduce your energy costs. 👏
Roofing lads Brett and Brook arrived just after 8am and the electrician Liam about 9 who went through everything with me.
The whole team were a credit to the company. Everything was left clean and tidy after installation and a full explanation of how the system app worked.
Post and pre install comms from Kurt was and is still excellent. No issues to report. All documents sent through straight after payment.
Really pleased with whole process.
14 panels
Hanchu battery and invertor. All neat and tidy.
From inital contact there's no hard sell, no pressure, but plenty of advice. Having contemplated solar for a few months, I'd done plenty of research. Being local to their offices, the wife and I arranged to pop in to their showroom.
Again no pressure, no hard sell, but very knowledgeable, backing up I'd gleaned from my research.
Mike turned up to conduct the survey as arranged, I wanted to be clear on what to expect and if there were any issues, and Mike made suggestions on how to install the equipment in the garage without damaging the pre-fab concrete.
We agreed on the trench location between the house and garage to prevent damage to the new driveway - Important as the scaffolders errected their scaffold right over the area, luckily I was at home when they came to errect it and they managed to position the two legs so not to be in the way.
Installation day, the lads rocked up just after 8am on a frosty January morning, Tea, Coffee & biscuits were welcomed by them, they simply just got on with it. I was sceptical they'd get it done in the day, but the roofing team were done by mid afternoon, leaving the electricians to connect and commission the system. That was all done around 5pm.
The installation in the garage with Uni-Strut is tidy, they routed the DC cables through the soffit, from the loft space - I was expecting a hole through the wall. The internal consumer unit is tidy, and there's been no issues since the install.
I can't wait for the sunnier weather, as despite the rain & fog recently the system's already impressed me with it's generation quite offten the base load is solely from PV.
Right from the start i noticed how excellent Mike was at communication. It is clear that he is an experts in this field, but they took the time on numerous occasions to talk me through the various options and tweak to match my needs or requests. All of this was done in language and terminology that I could understand. Once I was happy for the order to go ahead, Spectra Solar Ltd team delivered on the promised date for the setup of my installation of system.
On the day the team consisted of Jordan, Brett and Wayne. I was very much impressed on how they performed their task in a professional, neat yet thorough manner and were very much approachable and considerate of my needs. I can’t fault their workmanship (top notch). My system consists of 11 solar panels, 7.2kwh battery and 3.6 inverter. To my surprise the job only lasted a day.
Another important factor for me was that Spectra Solar Ltd ask for no upfront payments and the final payment could be paid on card, which was a positive for me.
Overall a super experience 😁
Thank you Mike, Emma, Jordan, Brett and Wayne.
I’m a bit of a geek about this stuff. So I did plenty of shopping around, and this is what I found:
-- Some installers talked a good talk, but were also very expensive and pushy.
-- Some were competitively priced, but I wouldn’t trust them with my property.
-- Spectra came to me as a recommendation, which I’m glad I listened to!
Spectra provided decent kit, at a competitive price. But perhaps the most important to me, was that they were 10/10 knowledgeable, trustworthy and professional...
With an investment like this, you won’t find a better service!
I got a 7kW inverter, 10kW battery, 18 panels and a manual-changeover switch… It’s been performing very well!
Before installation:
-- Spectra did a great job of helping me choose the best kit to suit my property and budget.
-- They were very knowledgeable and patient in answering all of my questions / concerns.
During installation:
-- The roofers did a great, tidy job of the panel installation and cabling.
-- The electricians did a great job of the inverter, battery & changeover installation, keeping it all neat and tidy.
After installation:
-- They continued to help me with the paperwork and make sure the app / monitoring is working smoothly.
Thank you!
We obtained a few quotes from different companies but these guys really shone through! Far more knowledgeable and customer focused than others, they went above and beyond from the initial quotation until commissioning. Installation was completed within a day and as an electrician and previously a solar installer myself, I can say the quality of workmanship is 5*
Wouldn't hesitate in recommending Spectra to anyone wanting solar and battery storage installed on their property.
After contacting them to agree to go ahead with the installation, a survey was quickly dealt with by one of their agents. He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, quickly helped identify where things would be installed and how things on the day would go.
The office team dealt with everything very quickly and kept us informed about what was going on and what we needed to do.
On the day of the install the team showed up around 8am and where done around 5pm. The were very friendly and professional and I couldn't praise them more.
After sales were great, there was a slight issue with the inverter which was dealt with the same day I contacted them.
Honestly, I cannot praise this company enough and would recommended them to everyone.
Even got my parents to use them for their own install.
Highly recommended.
I had three companies come and visit me all of which were local to me and from Yorkshire (normally a must for me).... then I rang Spectra and the friendly voice on the phone put me through to Jonathan.
All I can say is that from that moment I felt that Jonathan placed me in safe hands - he guided me through the process and it became pretty clear that two of the three quotes I'd had were very much focused on getting a quick install and ease for them - not what was right for me.
Jonathan and his team did an amazing job - they explained everything, gave me the options I wanted and did exactly as they said they would - on time for the scaffolding, the installation took two days and the monitoring was a breeze.
A full set of documents came through one week after the installation was complete and I feel very grateful for having selected Spectra rather than some of my friends who had selected companies not as honest (and some not in business anymore).
I had 16 solar panels installed on a slate roof, with bird and vermin protection, in the loft was an inventor by Lux and 3 x 3.2kw batteries then an external fuse box in white to match the electricity and gas boxes - perfect!
The icing on the cake was the tree certificate I received today which was a really nice gesture to show how much they care for the customer and the environment.
Highly recommended and I will be using them again when I change to an electric vehicle and to add more batteries at a later stage!
From start to finish Jonathan and the team have been amazing. The installation team where very friendly and tidy, also considerate as on the day of install, unfortunetly, I had a family funeral to attend in the afternoon. They was accommodating, and went through all questions they would have needed answers for throughout the day all in the morning instead, explained everything. Upon my return in the late afternoon, the job was completed to high standards.
It is a big expensive soalr panels and battery storage, but I can assure you, I felt 100% in safe hands throughout the entire processes.
Thank you again all, best regards, Dan & Jen
Most companies were quite sales based and you couldn't always get the answers you wanted, or you got an answer and you weren't convinced. Then we came across Spectra - I hadn't initially seen them as they weren't in our immediate area.
From first contact with Spectra, Jonathan was on the phone, with technical detail, for as long as you needed, giving ideas and suggestions. There was no hard sell or sales pitch, just advice - so refreshing - and great value too. And they really knew what they were talking about.
We had 5.88kW of panels installed alongside 19.2Kwh of battery storage, plus an Eddi to take some excess power to the hot tank.
They turned up when they said they would, Jordan & team didn't stop all day, did a really tidy job and cleaned up after themselves.
The system is outperforming the guidance output, and is giving us lots of free electricity and hot water. Since it was put in 6 days ago, we've spent about 25p on actual electric and not had to heat the hot tank with the gas boiler at all. The Lux app & web portal monitoring are excellent.
Spectra are also really responsive and helpful for anything you need - a great company and would not hesitate to recommend!
Firstly, I chose Spectra Solar as they were so helpful and got back to me with any queries or questions I had.
Their pricing was excellent in comparison to others with no pressure to sign up at all as they aren't sales people, just very helpful.
My bills for both gas and electricity in 2021/22 were about £1,400 before the panels were installed.
After the installation and for the year 2022/23 they have been £1,825, bearing in mind I would of paid about £2,800 (estimated, but could easily be higher), especially as the daily charge has gone up so much (about £200 for the year) as well as the cost of the electricity and gas.
I include gas as the iboost helps to heat my hot water tank instead of the gas boiler, so I save on some gas.
I will be getting a cheque back from what I've exported of £400 from Eon as they are now paying 16.5 pence per Kw/H.
Therefore, I calculate I've saved about £1,375 in the first year, which I'm very happy with.
I would highly recommend Spectra Solar.
Below was my review from a year ago.
I had my solar panels, batteries and iboost fitted today and it all looks very tidy and professional. Well done to all the fitters, who were very polite and got on with the job.
From first sending my enquiry to Spectra Solar, Mike and Emma in the office got in touch with me straight away. I was very impressed how quickly they responded to any questions and were available to speak too.
The prices on their website made comparing quotes easy, and they were better value than some other companies I contacted.
After agreeing I would go ahead, they sent someone out to make sure all was ok before the system was installed.
Within a short timeframe a date was arranged and they came when they said they would.
It’s been hassle free and I am very pleased with the service they have provided.
Well done to all at Spectra Solar, and yes, I would recommend them to anyone.
Within a day the whole system was up and running. Even though I did have a fault with my inverter 1 week later (just a dodgy unit..which I've been told is only 1 of 3 out of the hundreds they have installed), within 48 hours of me contacting them (on the weekend) I had a brand new inverter installed within 30 minutes. No quibble, no fuss.
I really cannot rate these guys high enough. Do not go with a big national company. You are just another number to them. Go with Spectra Solar and you will not be disappointed as they actually career about their customers.
Thanks very much guys.
After accepting the proposal a date was agreed. The team arrived on time and had the system up and running in about 6hrs.
I would recommend this company to anyone.
I would highly recommend Spectra Solar.
Arrived on time even though I live a distance away.
Truly a proffessional team, hard working and motivated.
Best of all, no rip off quotes.
No upfront payments, which thier competitors wanted between 10% and 50%.
Overall a great experience.
If you want quality work at very competitive prices look no further.
Recommended to all...
Brian and Mandy Prestatyn.
