# Add a Battery to Existing Solar Panels | Birmingham > Add a battery to existing solar panels in Birmingham. Inverter and meter checked first, AC or DC coupled, and your Feed-in Tariff protected. Free quote first. URL: https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/add-battery-to-existing-solar/ 1. [Home](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/) 2. [Solar Battery Storage](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-battery-storage/) 3. Adding a Battery to Existing Solar Panels # Add a Battery to Existing Solar Panels [Eco Solar Panel Installation Company](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/) adds batteries to existing solar panels across Birmingham and the West Midlands, whoever fitted the original system. The inverter and meters are checked first, so a Feed-in Tariff keeps paying, and the quote is free. Call about a battery 0121 330 1151 (+441213301151) [Get a free quote](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/contact/) Lines open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. ![Electrician fitting a new battery beside an existing solar inverter in a Birmingham loft](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/images/battery-being-added-beside-existing-solar-inverter-in-loft-birmingham.webp) - Any installer's system - Inverter and meter compatibility checked - AC or DC coupled - Feed-in Tariff metering kept right - Registered with National Grid Electricity Distribution - Free quote before anything is ordered Last updated: 28 September 2026 You can add a battery to existing solar panels on most systems, whoever fitted them and however old they are. The battery stores what the panels make during the day so you can use it in the evening instead of exporting it. What needs checking first is the inverter, the meters and, if you have one, your Feed-in Tariff arrangement. ## AC coupled or DC coupled There are two ways to connect a battery to an existing system. An AC-coupled battery has its own inverter and connects on the house side of your existing solar inverter. The panels and their inverter carry on exactly as before, which makes it the usual choice for older systems and for systems on a Feed-in Tariff. A DC-coupled battery shares a hybrid inverter with the panels. That means replacing the existing inverter. It makes most sense when the old inverter is near the end of its life anyway. The [Energy Saving Trust](https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/solar-panels/) says an inverter needs replacing after around 12 years, so a system from the mid-2010s is a good candidate. [Solar inverter replacement](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-inverter-replacement/) covers that side of the job. ## Your Feed-in Tariff The Feed-in Tariff closed to new applicants in March 2019, but the [Energy Saving Trust](https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/buying-a-house-with-solar-panels/) says existing contracts run for 20 to 25 years, so plenty of Birmingham systems are still being paid. Adding a battery doesn’t have to change that. [Ofgem’s guidance on storage](https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-06/co_location_guidance_for_generators_v6.2_20250528135013.pdf) says the change should be reported to your FIT supplier. Generation payments carry on where the generation meter still measures only what the panels produce. That holds if the meter sits between the panels and the battery, if the battery is set so it can’t charge from the grid, or if the meter is an approved two-way meter that shows the solar generation on its own. [Does adding a battery affect your Feed-in Tariff?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/battery-feed-in-tariff/) goes through each arrangement. ## Sizing the battery The right size comes from your evening and overnight use, not the size of the array. The Energy Saving Trust says a typical home battery might be 10 kWh. [PVGIS](https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools/en/) shows why bigger isn’t always better: a 4 kWp south-facing system in Birmingham makes about 476 kWh in July but only 136 kWh in December, so a very large battery will sit part-empty through the winter. [Solar battery storage](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-battery-storage/) explains sizing in more detail. ## Costs [Checkatrade lists Birmingham battery installs](https://www.checkatrade.com/Search/Solar-Battery-Storage/in/Birmingham) at £4,240 to £7,207. The Energy Saving Trust puts a 5 kWh system at around £4,600. If the inverter needs replacing as part of the job, add that to the battery price. Home installation is VAT-free until 31 March 2027. The [cost guide](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/solar-panel-cost-birmingham/) has the full picture. If you have just bought a house with panels, check the paperwork before planning a battery. [Buying a house with solar panels](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/buying-a-house-with-solar-panels/) lists what to ask the seller for. ## What's included - Your existing inverter, panels and age of system checked - Generation and export meter arrangement recorded - Feed-in Tariff status confirmed, if you have one - AC or DC coupling recommended, with the reasons - Battery sized from your evening use - Installation, set-up and monitoring app - Paperwork for your FIT supplier where needed - Registration with National Grid Electricity Distribution ## How the options compare Adding a Battery to Existing Solar Panels: options compared Compare Leave it Battery with no checks Checked and planned Feed-in Tariff Carries on as now Payments can be put at risk by the wrong meter set-up Meter arrangement kept within Ofgem's rules Old inverter Carries on until it fails Ignored Checked, and replaced with a hybrid if it's near the end Evening power Bought from the grid Stored Stored Paperwork None Easy to miss FIT supplier and network operator told ## Related resources - [Learn Does adding a battery affect your Feed-in Tariff?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/battery-feed-in-tariff/) - [Decision Guide Buying a house with solar panels: what should you check?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/buying-a-house-with-solar-panels/) - [Decision Guide How much do solar panels cost in Birmingham?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/solar-panel-cost-birmingham/) System stopped generating? 1. 1Look at the inverter screen or lights and write down any error code or message. 2. 2Stay off the roof and leave the DC cables alone. Burning smell or smoke: keep clear and call 999. 3. 3Call us with the code and roughly how old the system is, 9am to 7pm, 7 days. 0121 330 1151 (+441213301151) Rules this work has to meet - BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations - Ofgem's guidance on adding storage to Feed-in Tariff installations - G98 or G99 notification to National Grid Electricity Distribution Step by step ## How adding a battery works 1. ### Tell us what you have The inverter make, roughly when the panels went on and whether you get Feed-in Tariff payments. Photos of the inverter and meters help. 2. ### Compatibility check We confirm how the battery can connect and what that means for your meters and any FIT payments. 3. ### Free quote A written price for the battery, any inverter change and the paperwork, before anything is ordered. 4. ### Fit, test, notify The battery is fitted and set up, the network operator is notified, and your FIT supplier gets what it needs. The work ## How the work looks Illustrative photos of the methods and finish described on this page. They are not records of particular customers' jobs. - ![New battery fitted beside an older solar inverter in a loft, Birmingham](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/images/older-inverter-with-new-battery-beside-it-birmingham.webp) New battery fitted beside an older solar inverter in a loft - ![Generation meter beside the consumer unit, checked before a battery is added, Birmingham](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/images/generation-meter-beside-consumer-unit-birmingham.webp) Generation meter beside the consumer unit, checked before a battery is added Already have panels? Find out what a battery would take. Send photos of your inverter and meters for a free check. Lines open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. 0121 330 1151 (+441213301151) [Get a free quote](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/contact/) Where we work ## Where we work in Birmingham and the West Midlands Based at B23 6RP in north Birmingham, we work across Birmingham and the West Midlands. These towns have their own local pages: - [Solar panels in Solihull](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panels-solihull/) - [Solar panels in Walsall](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panels-walsall/) - [Solar panels in Sutton Coldfield](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panels-sutton-coldfield/) - [Solar panels in Tamworth](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panels-tamworth/) - [Solar panels in Lichfield](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panels-lichfield/) - [All areas we cover](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/areas-we-cover/) Questions ## Adding a Battery to Existing Solar Panels: common questions ### Can I add a battery to my existing solar system? Almost always. If the inverter is old or can't talk to a battery, an AC-coupled battery with its own inverter connects on the house side and leaves the panels alone. If the inverter is due for replacement anyway, a hybrid inverter can run both the panels and the battery. ### Will adding a battery affect my Feed-in Tariff? It doesn't have to. Ofgem says adding storage should be reported to your FIT supplier, and generation payments continue where the generation meter still measures only what the panels produce. [Does adding a battery affect your Feed-in Tariff?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/battery-feed-in-tariff/) explains the meter arrangements that work. ### How much does it cost to add a battery? Checkatrade lists solar battery storage in Birmingham at £4,240 to £7,207, with an average of £5,503. A new hybrid inverter adds to that if your old one needs replacing. Home installation is VAT-free until 31 March 2027. ### Do you add batteries to systems another company fitted? Yes. The original installer doesn't need to be involved or still trading. We just need to see the inverter, the meters and any paperwork you have. ### Do you cover my part of West Midlands? We are based at 115 Sutton New Rd in north Birmingham and cover Birmingham, including [Solihull](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panels-solihull/), [Walsall](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panels-walsall/), [Sutton Coldfield](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panels-sutton-coldfield/), [Tamworth](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panels-tamworth/) and [Lichfield](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panels-lichfield/), plus Wolverhampton, Coventry, Dudley, West Bromwich, Nuneaton, Redditch, Halesowen, Stourbridge, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove, Oldbury, Smethwick, Rowley Regis and Willenhall. Lines are open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. Call 0121 330 1151 (+441213301151) with your postcode and we will confirm. [All areas we cover](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/areas-we-cover/). ### Are you open 24 hours? No. Lines are open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. If your system smells of burning, shows scorch marks or crackles, keep people away from it and call 999 if there is smoke or fire. Anything else, from a dead inverter to a drop in output, can wait for a call in opening hours. Related ## Related services - ### [Solar Battery Storage](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-battery-storage/) Store what your panels make in the day and use it in the evening. Batteries sized to your real usage, fitted with new panels or on their own. View service - ### [Solar Inverter Replacement](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-inverter-replacement/) Failed or out-of-warranty inverters replaced and the system recommissioned, with the option of a hybrid inverter that is ready for a battery. View service - ### [Solar Panel Maintenance](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panel-maintenance/) Servicing and inspection for any installer's system: connections, isolators, inverter health and output checked, with written findings. View service Get more from the panels you already have. Call for a free quote, or send your postcode and we will ring you back. Lines open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. 0121 330 1151 (+441213301151) [Get a free quote](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/contact/)