Solar and Batteries: What I Would Do Differently Today
If I were installing solar panels and home batteries again, I would start with the same house and the same electricity needs, but a much better understanding of how the system fits together. Living with an installation teaches you things that are difficult to appreciate when you are looking at a quotation.
My biggest lesson is to plan the roof, battery, inverter and tariff together. A saving on one part can become an expensive limitation elsewhere.
Watch the full walk and talk video: https://youtu.be/-7ps28XkaUc
Plan the roof work together
I have 22 panels across the house and garage, and the usable roof space is already occupied. If I were starting today, I would investigate higher output panels that fit the available space rather than assuming a physically larger panel is automatically the better choice.
I would also plan the suitable roofs together. I installed in stages, and every return visit involving scaffolding adds another cost. In the video, I estimate scaffolding for my three roofs at around £1,200 to £1,500. That is my example, but the question is useful for anyone: what would it cost to come back later?
Orientation needs looking at properly too. My northeast facing roof contributes about 30% of my annual solar generation. That is a result from my installation, rather than a prediction for another house, but it explains why I would include it again.
Choose battery capacity using your own data
My garage contains three SolarEdge batteries, each with 9.1 kWh of capacity. If I were choosing again, I would favour a modular system that offered a suitable route to adding capacity later.
Having usage data makes the starting point easier to judge. Look at how consumption changes through the year, particularly when electric heating is involved. I would ask how much extra battery capacity would actually be used, rather than buying enough to cover every unusually demanding day.
A little additional grid electricity on occasional winter days might cost less than buying storage that is rarely needed. The answer depends on the household, which is why I would bring the data into the discussion with the installer.
Give the inverter equal attention
Battery capacity is only part of the story. I originally had a 3.68 kW inverter and later moved to a 10 kW inverter. Changing the installation cost us nearly £5,000.
I would want to understand both the power available to the house and the charging capability before making that choice again. What happens when the oven, hob and other appliances are operating together? Can the batteries receive the energy I need during the available cheaper charging window?
Those are questions to work through alongside the property's supply and the network permissions for the proposed installation.
I explain the inverter sizing lesson in the video: https://youtu.be/-7ps28XkaUc
Include the tariff and everyday experience
I would discuss suitable tariffs while planning the hardware. In the video, I explore how EV tariffs, heat pump tariffs and other off peak options can affect the way a battery is used. The relevant rates and eligibility need checking when you are choosing; the important point is to consider the charging pattern as well as the equipment.
Location and usability matter too. My batteries currently occupy garage space. I would consider an external installation where the chosen equipment and conditions allow it, asking about weather protection and operating temperatures.
I would also look at the app before buying. Can I understand the energy flows? Can I find the controls I need? A system is something you live with, rather than something you only see on installation day.
Think about support before you need it
My installation has delivered value, and in the recording I explain that it is close to paying for itself completely. However, problems with one battery and my experience of SolarEdge support have reduced my confidence.
That leaves me asking what comes next. For anyone starting out, my advice is to use these lessons to ask better questions before agreeing to an installation. If you could do your own system again, what would you change first?
Watch the full video and share what you would change:
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