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Avoiding damage to outside solar battery
Good morning. I’ve recently had my solar / battery system set up and am going to have a further 5kw battery bolted to the system so there will be a “rectangular” set up on the wall (the third battery will sit above the battery on the left).
My daughter plays a lot of football in the garden and want to avoid damage to the system with the ball hitting it. I’m going to make a cover for this – with plenty of airflow but a solid roof. Has anyone done something similar and if so can you share some photos for inspiration? Or are there any recommended suppliers or pre-build covers? I’m guessing they’ll need to be cut to size.
Are there any regs I need to be aware of (eg x cm gap to the battery from the cover etc)
Thanks
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8 Replies
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You can buy door canopies which throw water off and away. I’d not worry too much about a football tbh; just buy her a goal! Those doors are probably more vulnerable.
I’d query the spacing between the units though; I think theres a minimum spacing requirement for cooling/ventilation. Check on the manufacturers wdvsite/ask installer.
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See that keter storage shed in the picture – they do a taller and shallower unit which with a bit of thought could be fixed to the wall and then the back removed that way it would match the existing and be solid enough to protectb- cheap too – they can be insulated with 25mm or 50mm PIR cut to fit and wedged into place too if needed
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Check for minimum clearance according to manufacturer spec. You may need to insulate and/or add a low wattage heater to keeps things working fully in the winter months.
A fun DIY project.
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If all you want is a bit of impact protection, then a metal grille or similar in front of the unit would suffice. But, as others have said, in the winter, a bit of extra protection (and keeping it a little warmer so the batteries work better) won’t go amiss. Check with the manufacturers’ specification/manual/documentation for the minimum clearance and ventilation requirements. And then build/modify one yourself to fit your particular setup (it can be any shape, size, colour, material that you wish, but I would avoid something too flammable, just in case).
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That system almost certainly does not comply with the manufacturers recommended minimum clearance between units, your original installer maybe willing to compromise safety by putting another battery that close and on top of the existing but I wonder if any others will
Have you read the manual for your specific system to check on minimum distances if not then probably a good idea to do so if it’s wrong now is the time to get your installer to put it right.
For a nice but probably expensive box for it all to go in look at something like these.
External Battery & Inverter Enclosures | Reliable Outdoor Battery Storage
eco-ess.co.uk
Protect your energy storage with external battery enclosures and external battery inverters. Weatherproof, IP-rated outdoor external battery storage for safe, reliable backup power. Ideal for homes & businesses. Expert UK installation.
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We have ours installed in a garage and during colder days this winter we needed to fit a heater on a timer and enclose them temporarily as they would not charge.
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A gas bottle storage cage with back removed would work
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I did something similar at my place — built a simple timber frame box with a sloped roof and plenty of gaps on all sides for airflow. Just make sure you follow the battery manufacturer’s clearance recommendations so you don’t block ventilation or access for servicing. A roof and side protection definitely helps if kids are kicking balls around!
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