Batteries & Storage
Solar Battery Storage in Koh Samui
A battery stores part of your daytime solar energy for the evening and, with the right setup, can keep chosen circuits running during a power cut.
Get a Free QuoteSolar panels produce the most power in the middle of the day. Without storage, any surplus you do not use at that moment is either sent to the grid, where local rules allow it, or not used at all.
A battery captures that surplus so you can run your home or business into the evening on solar power you have already generated. With a backup-capable inverter, it can also keep chosen circuits, such as the fridge, water pump, lighting and internet, running when the grid goes down.
We size the battery around your evening and night-time use and the circuits you want to protect, so the system matches what you actually need. To see how batteries fit into a whole project, read about residential solar, or find out why solar makes sense on Koh Samui.
Problems a Battery Can Solve
Solar stops when the sun sets
Panels only produce in daylight. Without storage, your evening and night-time use, such as lighting, air conditioning and cooking, comes from the grid.
Power cuts stop your essentials
A standard grid-tied solar system switches off during an outage, for safety. With a battery and a backup-capable inverter, chosen circuits can stay on.
Surplus solar goes unused
Midday production can be higher than what you use. Without storage, that surplus is sent to the grid where local rules allow it, or simply not used.
Why Add Battery Storage
Backup for Chosen Circuits
Keep selected appliances running during a grid outage, within the capacity of the system.
Use More of Your Solar
Store daytime surplus instead of losing it, and use it when your household or business needs it.
Support for Essentials
Keep the things that matter most, such as fridges, water pumps, lighting and internet, powered within the limits of the battery when the grid is down.
Is Battery Storage Right for You?
A battery makes most sense when backup matters or when most of your electricity use falls after sunset. It often suits:
- Villa owners who use most of their electricity in the evening and at night
- Holiday-rental owners who want essentials such as lighting, fridge and internet to keep working during an outage
- Hotels, restaurants and businesses with cold rooms, pumps or other equipment that should keep running
- Owners of an existing solar system who are considering adding storage, subject to a compatibility check
How Battery Storage Works
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1
Solar charges the battery
During the day, your solar power runs the property first. Surplus energy charges the battery instead of going unused.
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2
The battery supplies you later
When solar output falls, in the evening or under heavy cloud, the battery supplies your loads before the grid does, until it reaches its lower charge limit.
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3
Backup during an outage
With a backup-capable inverter, selected circuits keep running when the grid drops. How long depends on battery capacity, its charge level and what you run.
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Monitoring
Most systems include app-based monitoring of charge, discharge and solar production, depending on the equipment.
Batteries are usually added to a residential or commercial solar project. See how a project runs in our installation process, or browse the gallery.
Battery Backup Options
How much of the property a battery supports is a design choice, and it drives the size of the system.
Essential-loads backup
The battery supplies a separate circuit for the things that matter most: fridge, lights, internet, water pump. It is usually the most compact option.
Whole-property backup
A larger battery and more inverter power let most of the property, including air conditioning, run through an outage. It needs much more capacity and careful sizing.
Battery added to an existing system
Storage can sometimes be added to a solar installation you already have, depending on the inverter and how it is wired. We check compatibility first.
What's Included
- Review of your loads and daily usage to size the battery
- Can be added to a new installation or, after a compatibility check, to an existing system
- Backup for selected circuits, or for the whole property where the system is sized for it
- Monitoring of charge, discharge and solar use, where the equipment supports it
- Installation following the manufacturer's requirements
- Maintenance plans available
Batteries in Koh Samui's Climate
Batteries are sensitive to heat and moisture, so the installation location matters as much as the battery itself.
Heat and ventilation
Batteries perform better and last longer within the manufacturer's temperature range. We look for a shaded, ventilated location away from direct sun and rain.
Humidity and salt air
Enclosures, cable entries and fixings are selected for humid, coastal conditions, and the location is chosen to keep moisture away from the equipment.
Space and safety
A battery needs a dry, ventilated place, protected from impact and out of reach of children, installed according to the manufacturer's requirements.
What a Battery Cannot Do
Batteries are useful, but they have limits. We discuss them before you decide.
Capacity is finite
A battery holds a set amount of energy and can deliver a maximum power. Large loads such as air conditioning use it up quickly, so we design around the circuits you choose to keep on.
Backup is not unlimited
In a long outage, or after several cloudy days, the battery may run low. More capacity or a generator can be considered as part of the design.
It adds cost and complexity
A battery is extra equipment and needs a compatible inverter. For some properties a solar system without storage remains the simpler choice, and we will discuss which suits your use.
How a Battery Project Runs
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1
Tell us what to keep running
List the appliances and circuits you want to keep on during an outage, and describe how you use electricity in the evening.
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2
Load review and sizing
We review your loads and daily pattern and size battery capacity and inverter power to match.
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3
Proposal
You receive a written proposal with equipment, scope and warranty terms.
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4
Installation and testing
We install the battery, wire the backup circuits, test the switch-over and show you how to follow the system in the monitoring app.
The whole journey is described in our installation process. Ready to talk about your property? Contact us.
Battery Storage: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a battery with solar panels?
No. A solar system without a battery works well for many properties, especially those that use most of their electricity during the day. A battery makes sense mainly if you want backup during power cuts or use a lot of electricity after sunset.
Will a battery keep my whole house running during a power cut?
Only if the system is designed for that. Most systems back up selected circuits. Running air conditioning and other large loads needs much more battery capacity and inverter power.
How long will a battery last during an outage?
It depends on the battery's capacity, how full it is when the outage starts and what you are running. At the design stage we estimate the runtime for the circuits you choose.
Can I add a battery to my existing solar system?
Often yes, but it depends on your inverter and how the system is wired. Send us the details of your system and we will check compatibility.
Is it safe to have a battery at home?
Batteries are safe when they are correctly selected, installed and ventilated according to the manufacturer's requirements. They should be installed by trained technicians and placed in a suitable location.
How much does battery storage cost?
It depends on the battery capacity, the inverter, how many circuits you want to back up and whether it is added to a new or existing system, so we do not publish prices. Tell us what you want to keep running and we will prepare a personalised quote. Contact us.
How Much Backup Do You Need?
Tell us what you want to keep running during an outage and how you use power in the evening, and we will suggest a battery setup to match.
Get a Battery Recommendation