What To Check Before Your Home Battery Installer Leaves

Here’s how to check over a home battery installation before your installer leaves — as explained by a licensed electrical inspector.

The Job’s Not Done When the Tools Are Packed Away

You’ve just had a shiny new home battery installed. The electrician has packed up, handed you the manual (hopefully), and said something like, “She’s all set.” But your battery isn’t working yet — or worse, you’re not quite sure if it is.

As a licensed electrical inspector, I often arrive on-site after the install, but before the customer can start using their system. I’m the one who checks that everything is safe, compliant, and actually ready to go. Sometimes I give the green light, and other times I need to delay energisation until certain issues are addressed.

Are Inspections Required On Home Battery Installs?

If you’re in Victoria, it’s not optional — every single battery installation must be inspected by a licensed electrical inspector before the system is energised. No exceptions.

In other states, things vary. Some may require an inspection as part of the approval process, while others rely more heavily on random inspections — such as those carried out by the Clean Energy Regulator or a state-based audit program.

No matter where you live, there’s always a chance your installation could be inspected, either shortly after installation or even months down the track.

A good installer should explain this from the start, so you’re not left wondering why your battery isn’t switched on yet – or why an inspector is wanting access to check the system over.

Regardless of whether an inspector is going to check out your new battery, it is a good idea to do your own assessment of an install.

Compliance Isn’t Optional — It’s the Baseline

A battery installation isn’t finished when the cables are tucked away and the lights come on. It needs to meet a minimum set of compliance standards, including:

• AS/NZS 3000 (the Wiring Rules)
• AS/NZS 5139 (Battery Energy Storage Systems)
• AS/NZS 4777.1 (Grid Connection of Energy Systems via Inverters)

If those standards aren’t met, your system is not compliant — and more importantly, it might not be safe.

Labelling: Done Right or Done Wrong

Image of overuse of warning labels. Most of these labels can be condensed & combined to not look so offensive to the system owner.

Labelling is one of the most misunderstood — and misused — parts of a battery install.

Installers who haven’t had the right training often try to cover themselves by slapping on every label in the kit, thinking more is better. The result? Systems that are confusing, messy, and sometimes alarming to homeowners.

What good labelling looks like:

• All equipment must be clearly and correctly labelled, so you know what everything is;
• Labels must be installed in the correct positions and must meet current standards, not just whatever’s left in the bottom of an old toolbox;
• Monitoring screens, inverters, battery enclosures, and isolators must all be labelled properly;
• Not every label is required — especially the over-the-top ones with skulls, multiple toxic fume warnings, electrolyte burns, or explosion icons, which often do more to scare than to inform;
• Good installers customise their labels, so the system is informative without being overbearing;
• It’s not easy for a homeowner to know which labels are still compliant and which ones are relics from an outdated standard. But if your installer is using old kits, it could be a sign they’re cutting corners or in need of retraining.

Everything Enclosed — No Exposed Terminals

Battery cables exceeding DVC-A must be mechanically protected all the way to the terminals. This install does not meet this requirement.

This one’s straightforward.

• All DC battery cabling must be enclosed — all the way to the terminals with higher voltage batteries;
• No exposed live terminals — anywhere;
• All equipment must be mounted with correct clearances, as required by the relevant standards & manufacturer’s instructions;
• Where applicable, barrier protection is required.

For example, if your battery is installed on the other side of a wall backing onto a habitable room (like a bedroom or lounge), barriers are mandatory. These must be compliant, must not be penetrated, and any holes — like vents in brickwork or cable entries — must be sealed.

These aren’t nice-to-haves — they’re mandatory for safety and compliance.

Already Got Solar?

A large number of battery installations these days are add-ons to existing solar systems — and this is where things can get tricky if the installer doesn’t understand how to integrate them properly.

You might fall into one of the following scenarios:

• You’ve kept your old solar system exactly as-is, and the battery has been added alongside it;
• Your old solar inverter has been removed and replaced with a hybrid inverter that handles both solar and battery;
• A completely new solar and battery system has been added alongside your existing system.

Each of these setups comes with its own set of challenges — from wiring and compliance to communication between inverters and battery units.
The key question is: does your existing system interact safely and effectively with the new one?

A professional installer must:

• Confirm the safety and compliance of your existing system — not just assume it’s good to go;
• Check whether existing components — like isolators, AC cabling, switchboard configuration, or inverter type — meet the requirements of the new system;
• Identify whether anything needs to be repaired, replaced, earthed or upgraded to ensure safe integration;
• Ensure that monitoring, export control, and system communication all function properly;
• Explain exactly how the old and new systems interact, both physically and digitally.

Commissioning: More Than Just Powering Up

Proper commissioning is critical. Unfortunately, it’s one of the steps that’s skipped most often.

Here’s what commissioning should include:

• The battery is tested under load conditions;
• Battery and inverter communication is checked;
• Monitoring portals (app, desktop, or on-device screens) are activated and functional;
• Alternative supply circuits (commonly referred to as backup circuits) are verified, labelled, and tested;
• Parameters are configured — such as charge/discharge limits, and whether the battery can be force-charged or force-discharged;
• The system is confirmed to operate safely in alternative supply mode (when the grid goes down).

If these steps haven’t been completed properly, your battery may not operate safely or as expected.

Neatness Is a Clue

A neat and tidy home battery install.

Compliance is king — but a tidy install tells you a lot about the person who did the job.

You don’t need to be an electrician to spot when something’s been rushed. Crooked labels, sloppy conduit runs, tangled cables, or an isolator you can barely reach — these all suggest a lack of care.

Look for:

• No exposed wiring;
• Proper cable support and enclosure;
• Clear access to switches and isolators;
• Labelling that actually helps you understand your system;
• A general sense that the installer took pride in their work, not just clocked in and out.

A clean, organised installation is often a sign that the important (invisible) work has been done right too.

This is the first in a two part series on what to do after an install. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to be emailed Pat’s follow-up piece on the vital information to find out from an installer before they leave.