Solar Panel System Installation - FAQs

With a modern solar energy system, including power storage, you can definitely run a whole house completely on solar power. Today's high-efficiency solar panels and solar batteries make it cheaper than ever before to power an entire home exclusively using solar energy.

Most residential solar battery installations will cost between $7,000 and $14,000 when using lithium-ion batteries. The actual price of a solar battery installation depends on the battery manufacturer, chemistry, number of batteries installed, necessary electrical upgrades, labor costs, and incentives.

Absolutely. From supplying your home with power during an outrage to helping minimize the amount of electricity to pull from the power grid, a battery is a practical and beneficial addition to any home solar system.

The short answer is yes. Solar batteries can be charged using grid electricity. It is not the preferred option but it can still work for emergencies.

An average homeowner typically will draw about 2 kilowatts maximum during an outage, and an average of 750 to 1,000 watts during the course of the outage, this means a product like the Tesla Powerwall will last for 12 to 15 hours.

Should the battery bank become full, it will stop absorbing power from the solar system. The solar panels will continue to generate voltage, but that voltage will not be used or stored until there is available energy demand, or battery space.

Home solar battery units last anywhere between 5 and 15 years. If you decide to install a solar battery today, it's almost certain you'll need a replacement in the future to match the 20- to 30-year lifespan of your solar power system. But as batteries get better and less expensive over time that may turn out to be a good thing.

Yes, it is relatively easy to charge two or more separate batteries using a solar panel. Many solar charge controllers can only recharge one battery at a time.

The Solar Revolution is a certified Tesla Energy Partner and can typically deliver Powerwalls in just a few days to a couple of weeks. We often have them in stock in our warehouse.

As you may have noticed, there are a variety of different types of batteries for solar panels. In this context, type refers mostly to the chemical composition of the battery. Lithium-ion batteries are the most common type, but you may also hear about lead-acid batteries, AGM batteries, gel batteries, deep cycle batteries and more.

The most commonly used batteries for solar panels today are lithium-ion. Advanced lithium-ion technology was developed for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, but the solar industry soon realized the potential it held for home energy storage. Lithium-ion batteries are appealing due to their density, high DoD and long lifespan. All of the best solar batteries on our list use some form of lithium-ion technology. We should note that lithium iron phosphate batteries are a type of lithium-ion technology.

Lead-acid batteries are what you most likely associate with a common rechargeable battery. This technology has been in use for hundreds of years. Lead-acid batteries offer less than their lithium-ion counterparts due to their low density, shorter lifespan and slow charging. AGM (absorbent glass mat) batteries, sealed lead-acid-batteries, flooded lead-acid batteries and deep cycle batteries are all types of lead-acid batteries.