What to Check Before Your Home Battery Installer Leaves

Frederik van Rensburg
Oct 9
4 min read

So, your new home battery system has just been installed. The electrician has packed up, handed you the manual (hopefully), and said, “All done!” But before you start celebrating — or wondering why it’s not turning on yet — there are a few crucial checks to do before your installer drives off.

Whether you live in Cape Town, Johannesburg, or Bloemfontein, ensuring your system is safe, compliant, and properly commissioned is essential.

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

Your home battery might look impressive on the wall, but looks can be deceiving. The system needs to meet strict South African safety and electrical standards before it’s switched on.

As a licensed electrical inspector, I’m often called in after the installation but before energisation — to confirm that everything meets compliance and safety requirements. Sometimes I can give the green light immediately; other times, energisation must be delayed until certain issues are corrected.

Are Inspections Required for Home Battery Installations?

In South Africa, battery and inverter installations must comply with national standards and are subject to inspection before being issued with a Certificate of Compliance (CoC).

In Cape Town: Every solar and battery installation must be registered and approved by the City before it can be energised.
Eskom supply areas and other municipalities: Requirements vary, but all still require compliance with SANS and NRS standards.
Audits & Random Inspections: The Department of Labour, Eskom, and certain municipalities perform random or follow-up inspections to ensure compliance.

A reputable installer should explain this upfront — so you’re not left wondering why your system isn’t switched on, or why an inspector needs access after installation.

Even if no one’s inspecting your home, you should still do your own basic check before signing off the job.

Compliance Isn’t Optional — It’s the Baseline

Every home battery system must meet these minimum standards:

SANS 10142-1 (The South African Wiring Code)
SANS 62933 / SANS 62040 (Battery Energy Storage and Inverter Safety)
NRS 097-2-3 (Grid connection of embedded generators)

If these standards aren’t followed, your installation isn’t compliant — and more importantly, it could be unsafe.

Labelling — Informative, Not Intimidating

Labelling is one of the most misunderstood parts of any solar or battery installation. Some installers slap every warning label they can find onto the wall, thinking more labels mean more safety. Unfortunately, it often just causes confusion and looks untidy.

Good labelling should:

Clearly identify all equipment and isolators.
Use up-to-date, SANS-compliant labels.
Indicate emergency shutdown points clearly.
Be tidy and well positioned.
Avoid unnecessary hazard symbols or out-of-date warnings.

If your installer used old sticker packs or mismatched labels, it could be a sign of corner-cutting or lack of training.

Everything Enclosed — No Exposed Terminals

This one’s simple but critical.

All DC battery cabling must be enclosed and protected, especially in higher-voltage systems. There should be:

No exposed live terminals anywhere.
Correct clearances around the battery and inverter.
Mechanical protection for all cables (conduit, trunking, or armored cable).
Fire-rated barriers when the battery is mounted on a wall adjoining a habitable room.

If your installer hasn’t enclosed all cabling or left terminals exposed, the job isn’t complete — and it’s not compliant.

Already Have Solar? Integration Matters

If your new battery system is being added to an existing solar setup, integration becomes critical. Here are the common scenarios:

You kept your old solar system, and the battery was added alongside it.
Your old inverter was replaced with a hybrid inverter that manages both solar and battery.
You’ve added an entirely new solar + battery system alongside your existing one.

Each setup has different wiring, communication, and safety requirements.

A professional installer should:

Confirm the safety and compliance of your existing solar system.
Check isolators, earthing, and cabling for compatibility.
Ensure both systems communicate correctly (e.g., between inverter, BMS, and monitoring portal).
Explain how the two systems interact and what to do during grid outages.

Commissioning — More Than Just Switching On

Commissioning is often skipped, but it’s one of the most important steps. This is where your installer confirms that the system actually works as designed.

Proper commissioning includes:

Load testing the battery under charge/discharge.
Verifying inverter and battery communication.
Setting up monitoring apps or web portals.
Testing backup/essential circuits during power outages.
Checking that export control (where required) works correctly.
Configuring charge/discharge limits and grid settings.

If these checks aren’t done, your system might not operate safely — or could fail when you need it most.

Neatness Is a Clue

A tidy installation is often a reflection of the installer’s attention to detail.

You don’t need to be an electrician to spot a sloppy job. Look for:

Straight, secure conduit runs.
Clearly mounted isolators and labels.
Neat, enclosed wiring.
Logical, uncluttered layout.

If the system looks neat and professional, chances are the unseen details have been done properly too.

Final Checklist Before Your Installer Leaves

Before signing off or paying the final invoice, make sure you:✅ Receive a Certificate of Compliance (CoC).✅ Have the system registered with your local municipality or Eskom (if required).✅ Get access to your monitoring app or dashboard.✅ Understand how to safely turn the system on/off.✅ Know whom to contact for support or warranty claims.

In Summary

Your home battery is a big investment — and it deserves a proper finish. A compliant, well-commissioned system will give you years of reliable service and peace of mind during load-shedding.

So before your installer leaves the driveway, take a few minutes to double-check the details. It could save you a lot of frustration (and money) later.