Battery backup retrofit · Northern Beaches, North Shore & Sydney
Does your battery actually keep the lights on in a blackout?
If your backup needs a manual switch, it only works when you're home to flip it. We inspect your switchboard, battery and inverter, confirm exactly what stays on, and tell you whether a retrofit is worth doing.
Free on-site check · one clear written plan · no obligation to proceed
We look at your board and battery, then tell you exactly what stays on.
Who this is for
If any of these sound like your place, it's worth a check before the next blackout.
Your battery needs a manual switch flipped during outages
You don't know which circuits actually stay on
You want automatic changeover, not a dash to the switchboard
You have backup, but you're not confident it will work when it matters
You want clarity before spending money on a new battery
Plenty of home batteries have been installed with a manual changeover switch. It works, until the night the power goes out and nobody is home.
Independent solar adviser SolarQuotes recently ran a piece on owners left in the dark by exactly this set-up: a battery wired to backup through a switch the owner has to flip, with no clear list of what it will actually power.
Their view is that backup should switch over automatically unless there's a technical reason it can't. We agree, and fixing it is usually a switchboard job, not a new battery.
Here are the eight things that separate real backup circuits from a battery that merely sits on your wall.
What you get
A free on-site check of your set-up, and one clear plan if a retrofit is worth doing.
On-site check of your switchboard, battery and inverter
A plain-English explanation of your current setup
An essential-circuits review — what stays on, what doesn't
A clear yes or no on whether a retrofit is worth doing
With a manual changeover, the power goes out and the battery does nothing until someone flips the switch. Away for the weekend, the freezer is the first thing to find out.
Independent solar adviser SolarQuotes puts it plainly: owners can end up with food thawing because nobody was there to switch over. Automatic changeover removes the person from the equation.
The test: if your battery needs you to do something when the power drops, it's manual. Ask your installer which one you have.
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Nobody told you which circuits stay on
Backup rarely powers the whole house. It powers a chosen set of circuits, typically lights, the fridge and the internet, and everything else goes dark.
If that list was never written down, you find out during the blackout. Backup circuits mean the list is decided, wired and labelled before it matters.
What we do: walk the house with you, agree the list, and put it in writing so you and the installer expect the same thing.
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The inverter can't carry the whole house, and that's normal
SolarQuotes gives an example: a 5 kW hybrid inverter might supply roughly 20 amps, against a house main switch rated at 63 amps. Switch everything onto it at once and it overloads.
That's not a fault. It's why backup is wired to essential circuits instead of the whole board. Bigger inverters carry more, but the circuit selection still has to be deliberate.
Why it matters: the kettle, oven and air conditioner are the loads that trip a small system. Leaving them off the backup board is a design decision, not a limitation to hide.
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Backup should switch over by itself
A properly wired system detects the outage and moves the chosen circuits onto the battery without anyone touching anything. When the grid returns, it hands back.
Where one inverter can't carry everything, contactor-based arrangements can automate the switching between the essential and non-essential circuits.
Honest caveat: a bypass switch still has a place. It lets you restore mains power if the inverter itself fails. It's a safety net, not the plan.
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Pumps, medical gear and fridges start differently from lights
A bore pump, a compressor or a heat pump pulls far more current for a moment when it starts than it does running. A system sized only for the running load can fail at start-up.
If someone in your home depends on powered medical equipment, or you rely on a pump for water, those priorities are written into the design first, not added later.
Tell us up front: medical equipment, water pumps and anything you can't be without. They decide the circuit list before anything else does.
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Hybrid backup isn't a UPS, so plan for the blip
SolarQuotes notes that some inverters can take up to 15 seconds to re-energise the house, and that solar hybrids aren't uninterruptible. The same article points out Sungrow's own Emergency Power Supply mode is not a UPS.
For a desktop or NAS you can't afford to drop, a small UPS on that one outlet is cheap. We'll tell you which circuits need one.
Worth knowing: if the whole house flickers off for a moment at changeover, that's expected behaviour. Knowing it in advance is the difference between reassurance and a service call.
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Retrofitting means we start at your switchboard, not your battery
Most of the work is at the board: a separate backup sub-board, the essential circuits moved across, and clear protection on each. Your battery and inverter usually stay exactly where they are.
We can often work with the system you already have, whether that's a Sungrow, a Powerwall or another make, subject to what the inverter supports. We check that on the day, before quoting.
Model check: some batteries can't be backed up in the way you want. If yours can't, we'll say so rather than quote work that won't deliver.
Essential circuits moved to a dedicated backup board.8of 8
Labelled, certified and demonstrated, not just installed
Every circuit gets a durable label, and the work is done under a Certificate of Compliance. SolarQuotes notes that today's standards expect clear labels and no unexplained gaps in enclosures.
Before we leave, we switch the mains off with you standing there and show you what stays on. If you've never seen your backup work, you shouldn't be trusting it.
Our standard: we don't finish until you've watched it work.
BACKUP CIRCUIT CHECK
Find out what your battery will actually keep on
A free on-site check of your board, battery and inverter. We tell you what stays on in a blackout, and whether a retrofit is worth doing — with one clear, written plan if it is.
Your battery, inverter and switchboard inspected on site
Manual or automatic changeover confirmed in plain English
Essential circuits chosen with you and listed in writing
Load check: what your inverter can and can't carry at once
Start-up loads checked for pumps, compressors and medical gear
A clear yes or no on whether your existing system can be backed up
One fixed, written price for the retrofit if it's worth doing
Free
No charge for the check, and no obligation to do any work. If a retrofit makes sense, you get one fixed, written price to decide on — no surprise add-ons.
If it isn't worth doing, we'll say so. If your battery can't be backed up properly, or your current setup already covers what you need, we'll tell you on the day and won't quote work you don't need.
What customers say
Real Google reviews from battery, switchboard and solar jobs across the Northern Beaches and North Shore.
★★★★★Verified Google review
I had a great experience with our solar and battery installation from start to finish. The team used our actual electricity usage data to work out the sweet spot for the size of the system, rather than simply recommending the biggest system possible. They were very responsive and transparent whenever I had questions... Most importantly, the end result has been excellent.
MBMarlien Brandjes Google Review · Solar and battery installation
★★★★★Verified Google review
Kevin and the team did a great job with our solar and battery installation. The end result was very clean and tidy and everything is working as expected. Kevin was very professional to deal with the whole way through and very knowledgeable. Would highly recommend to my friends and family.
TDTommy Du Google Review · Solar and battery installation
★★★★★Verified Google review
Extremely professional, reliable, and easy to deal with. They turn up on time, communicate properly, and most importantly, do exactly what they say they’re going to do. Their knowledge across electrical, solar repairs, fault finding, and compliance is obvious from the moment you deal with them. A very safe pair of hands.
KPKrishna Pryor Google Review · Solar & switchboards
★★★★★Verified Google review
Pica Electrical was recommended to me after my house was hit by lightning and my inverter blew up. They responded and sent a quote on the same day. They came on time and did a perfect job, the technician showed me how the new inverter works and helped me install the application too.
SDSalim Daou Google Review · Inverter replacement & repairs
Who's turning up
Family-run, based at Tilley Lane in Frenchs Forest. Over twenty years of electrical work across the Northern Beaches and North Shore.
NSW Contractor Licence 320751C
Licensed electrical contractor. Certificate of Compliance issued on completion.
Gold Master Electrician
The highest accreditation tier awarded by Master Electricians Australia.
Book your Backup Circuit Check
Three minutes, no obligation. Tell us about your setup and we'll confirm a time that suits.
1 We inspect on site
2 You get a clear yes / no
3 One fixed price if you proceed
Questions we get asked
The ones that come up before anyone books.
Can you add backup circuits to a battery someone else installed?
Often yes, depending on the inverter. Some will only supply backup in certain configurations. We check make and model on the day and tell you before quoting.
Will it power my whole house?
Usually not all at once. Most backup systems power selected circuits, because the inverter can't carry every load together. We design around the circuits you actually need.
Do I still need a bypass switch?
A bypass is sensible for the case where the inverter fails, so you can restore mains power. It shouldn't be how you get backup during an ordinary blackout.
Will my computer stay on during changeover?
Not guaranteed. Hybrid backup isn't a UPS and there can be a brief interruption. A small UPS on sensitive equipment covers it.
Is this covered by the battery rebate?
Rebates apply to the battery installation, not necessarily to retrofit switchboard work. Check eligibility before you assume, and we'll tell you what applies to your job.
How long does it take?
Depends on the board and how many circuits move. We confirm the time at the check, before you agree to anything.
