Indoor vs. Outdoor - Where to Install Your Solar Battery

Along with making sure the battery is designed and built for our tough Australian conditions, there are a few things to consider, like where you live and the availability of suitable locations at your home. 

Here we look at where solar batteries can be installed indoors and outside, the key benefits of both options, and look at the sonnenBatterie Evo, our innovative home solar battery product that gives you the option of choosing either indoor or outdoor installation. 

Can solar batteries be installed outside?

While there are now more solar batteries on the market that can be installed either indoors or out, whether an outdoor solar battery installation suits your situation depends on a few factors. These included determining whether an outdoor installation is allowed (check the IP rating of the battery with the battery manufacturer) and ensuring compliance with AS/NZS 5139. As such, you need to know not only the best location for your solar battery, but also where you can and can’t install it.* 

Where should you locate your battery storage system?

For some households, the key benefit to an outdoor battery installation is the opportunity to save indoor space – not that a compact solar battery, like the sonnenBatterie Evo, takes up much space!

While home batteries can be stored outside, the installation location must always protect the battery from weather impacts, like wind, rain and moisture. That means if you live near the sea or in an area with a moist climate or heavy rainfall, installing the battery indoors is the recommended option. The sun also impacts the battery, so ensure the installation location won’t expose it to direct sun. Ideally, it’ll be a fully-compliant location, out of direct sunlight and near to power and communications. 

With any battery installation, whether indoors or outdoors, the further the inverter is from the subboard or switchboard, the higher the installation costs, as this may result in longer cable runs. Also, for most homes, a key consideration on the most suitable location for the installation is the availability of a wired internet connection, as the inverter needs a strong signal to deliver consistent data flow. With important considerations like these that can impact the cost of the installation, for some households, a key benefit to installing their new battery indoors is minimising installation costs.  

Even with a solar battery with environmentally robust aesthetics like the sonnenBatterie Evo, still consider the overall aesthetics of the installation in relation to the intended location. While the primary aim is to design and deliver the most efficient and cost-effective solar battery installation possible and maximise your investment, it’s your home and, naturally, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t look great! 

In the process of building a new home or renovating an existing property and considering an outdoor solar battery installation? While you have a lot more control over the aesthetics, still ensure you have a compliant location and be sure to talk to your installer about pre-wiring for power and comms. 

Enjoy clean and affordable energy day or night with the sonnenBatterie Evo

Our outdoor home battery developed specifically for the climate and weather conditions of Australia, the sonnenBatterie Evo is our first solar home battery system that gives you the option of choosing either indoor or outdoor installation. With an IP56 outdoor rating and backed with a 10 year or 10,000 charge cycle warranty on all components, the sonnenBatterie Evo makes outdoor solar battery installation a viable option for homeowners with a compliant location.

Along with the outdoor installation option, a key benefit with the sonnenBatterie Evo is the backup solar power feature, which includes 5kW continuous and 7kW surge capacity and the Black Start function that ‘wakes’ up an AC coupled PV system when the grid is down. This provides more power in a backup mode, enabling the use of more appliances and lighting in the event of a power outage. 

Designed for outdoor and indoor installations and compliant with AS/NZS 5139, the sonnenBatterie Evo is a fully integrated AC coupled solar battery storage system that enables you to enjoy clean and affordable energy day or night. Available now from your local sonnen authorised installer.

*Whether installing a solar battery indoors or out, always refer to the manufacturer’s specific installation instructions.