Should your solar battery go in the garage or outside?
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Short answer: either can work. NSW's guide says to put a battery away from rooms people live and sleep in, ideally in a utility area such as a garage if a bollard protects it from cars, or outside [SB-S302, C]. The federal guide adds that install rules cover the wall it's fixed to and the minimum distance from habitable rooms, doors and windows [SB-S301, C]. Safety comes before looks [SB-S302, C].
On this page: Garage / Outside / Hot garages / Detached garages and sheds / The rules your installer follows / Ask your installer
In the garage
- Good for: keeping the battery out of sun and rain, and near the switchboard [SB-S302, SB-S301, E].
- The catch: a car can hit it. NSW's guide says a garage works when the battery is protected by a bollard [SB-S302, C].
- Fit a smoke alarm near the battery [SB-S302, C].
- Not against a bedroom wall. Install rules set minimum distances from habitable rooms and limit which wall materials it can go on [SB-S301, C].
Outside
- Good for: keeping the battery away from the house's living spaces, which is what the guidance asks for [SB-S302, SB-S301, C].
- The catch: the battery must be rated for outdoor use. For example, Sungrow's SBR is rated IP55 for indoor or outdoor floor-standing installs [SB-S137, C]. Check your model's datasheet.
- Keep it clear of doors and windows. The minimum distances apply outside too [SB-S301, C].
Hot garages and full sun
Heat matters, but we found no official Australian figure for how hot is too hot. Each battery's datasheet gives its own operating temperature range; ask your installer for it, and whether the spot gets afternoon sun [SB-S302, SB-S301, E]. If it does, a shaded wall or a cover the maker allows is the usual fix: ask what the maker's install manual says [SB-S302, SB-S301, E].
Detached garages and sheds
A detached garage keeps the battery away from habitable rooms, which suits the guidance [SB-S302, E]. Ask about the cable run back to the switchboard and the inverter, because a longer run is extra work [SB-S302, SB-S301, E].
The rules your installer follows
- To get the federal discount, the battery must be installed to AS/NZS 5139:2019 by an accredited installer with a battery endorsement [SB-S003, C].
- The install standard covers location, walls and distances, so the installer decides the final spot [SB-S301, SB-S003, E].
Ask your installer
- Where will it go, and why there? Ask them to name the distance to the nearest door, window and bedroom [SB-S301].
- Is the battery rated for that spot (indoor or outdoor), and what's its operating temperature range?
- If it's in the garage, will you fit a bollard and a smoke alarm [SB-S302]?
Next step: get quotes
Ask at least two accredited installers for a written quote that shows the model, usable kWh and the certificate count.
Not sure yet how big a battery suits your home? Our sizes guide walks you through it.
Rules checked 3 November 2026. Next scheduled check: before 1 January 2027 (STC step-down), and monthly for WA and NSW.