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Get a fair quoteBy Our research team · Last verified · 11 jobs priced · Methodology
AC-coupled battery added to existing solar (about 13.5 kWh). The full price list is below.
How we get this dataAdding a battery to solar you already have costs $12,000–$19,500 installed in 2026, and a typical job is $15,250 for about 13.5 kWh. Most retrofits are AC-coupled: the battery has its own inverter and works next to the solar inverter you already own. Smaller Enphase units start at $6,000–$9,000 each.
Prices verified November 2026 · Cross-referenced against 57+ American pricing sources · See methodology
Installed prices before incentives. The right battery depends on the inverter on your wall; a typical AC-coupled retrofit is $15,250.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| AC-coupled battery added to existing solar (about 13.5 kWh)installed | $12,000 | $15,250 | $19,500 |
| Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh)installed | $11,500 | $14,750 | $18,500 |
| Enphase IQ Battery 5P (5 kWh), per unitinstalled | $6,000 | $7,000 | $9,000 |
| Enphase IQ Battery 10C (10 kWh)installed | $11,000 | $13,500 | $17,000 |
| FranklinWH aPower 2 (15 kWh) with aGateinstalled | $14,500 | $18,000 | $23,000 |
| SolarEdge Home Battery (9.7 kWh), SolarEdge inverters onlyinstalled | $12,000 | $15,300 | $20,000 |
| Other ~10 kWh battery (EG4, EcoFlow, Fox ESS, Canadian Solar)installed | $6,500 | $11,000 | $16,500 |
| Whole-home backup gateway or transfer switchinstalled | $1,000 | $1,800 | $3,500 |
| Critical-loads subpanelinstalled | $400 | $1,000 | $1,750 |
| Main panel upgrade (100A to 200A)installed | $1,500 | $2,500 | $4,500 |
| Permit and utility interconnection feesper job | $150 | $450 | $1,000 |
US prices, November 2026. Low is a simple job in a low-cost area; high is a bigger job or a high-cost city.
Yes. The same job costs more where labor and rent cost more. Here's how home battery prices in the biggest US metros compare with the US typical of $14750.
Labor, rent and demand move every job on this page in the same direction. Open your city's guide for its full local price list.
An AC-coupled battery has its own inverter and connects on the house side of your solar inverter. It works with almost any existing solar system, so it is how most retrofits are done.
A DC-coupled battery shares one hybrid inverter with the panels. On an older system that usually means replacing a working inverter, which adds cost. Ask each installer which way they plan to connect, and why.
Enphase microinverter systems pair naturally with Enphase IQ batteries ($6,000–$9,000 per 5 kWh unit, or $11,000–$17,000 for the 10 kWh IQ Battery 10C). The SolarEdge Home Battery ($12,000–$20,000) works only with select SolarEdge Home Hub inverters, so it suits homes that already have one.
Powerwall 3 ($11,500–$18,500) and FranklinWH aPower 2 ($14,500–$23,000) can be added to most existing systems. FranklinWH stores the most per unit at 15 kWh.
A retrofit costs about the same as a battery installed with new solar: $12,000–$19,500 against $11,500–$18,500 for a Powerwall 3 on its own. The difference is the paperwork. You pay for a separate permit and, in most places, a new or amended interconnection application with your utility.
Older solar systems sometimes need panel work to make room for the battery breaker: $400–$1,750 for a critical-loads subpanel or $1,500–$4,500 for a 200-amp upgrade.
Before you sign, ask your utility whether adding a battery changes your solar billing plan, and how long approval takes. Rules differ by utility and state, and some older net-metering plans have conditions on adding equipment.
Batteries pay back fastest where exported solar earns less than the power you buy in the evening, or where the utility has a time-of-use rate or pays you to share the battery at peak times.
The federal 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit, which covered batteries of 3 kWh or more, ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025. The IRS treats the expense as made when installation is complete, so a battery finished in 2026 gets no federal credit even if you paid in 2025.
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Almost any, with an AC-coupled battery that has its own inverter. Expect $12,000–$19,500 installed for about 13.5 kWh. Brand-locked batteries, like SolarEdge's, need a matching inverter.
Usually not. AC-coupled batteries such as Powerwall 3, FranklinWH aPower 2 and Enphase IQ batteries bring their own. A DC-coupled battery may mean swapping the inverter, which costs more.
The battery costs about the same either way. Installing both together saves one permit, one inspection and one utility application ($150–$1,000 in fees on a typical job).
An Enphase IQ Battery 5P is $6,000–$9,000 per 5 kWh unit installed. Other ~10 kWh batteries run $6,500–$16,500.
Not from the federal government for work finished in 2026. The 30% credit ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025. Check your state and utility for battery programs.