Battery Retrofit · Riverside & Inland Empire
Add a Battery to Your Existing Solar Panels in Riverside, CA
Already have solar? Add a battery to keep your home running through outages and cut peak-hour grid use — without replacing your panels.
Most existing solar systems qualify. The right battery depends on your inverter, your NEM status, and which loads you want backed up — we confirm it in a complimentary assessment.
The economics flipped
Why Riverside homeowners add batteries under NEM 3.0
Under NEM 3.0, California pays solar owners far less for exported energy — so the strategy shifted from selling surplus back to using your own power first.
Self-consumption first
Under NEM 3.0, export value is low. A battery stores daytime solar for evening peak hours instead of selling it back for pennies.
Outage protection
Keep essentials (and often the whole home) running through PSPS events and wildfire outages that hit Inland Empire hard.
Value without rebates
We size and price your battery on backup and peak-rate savings alone, with no rebates assumed in your quote.
NEM 2.0 preserved
A battery-only addition generally preserves your NEM 2.0 export rate (CPUC D.22-12-056) — we verify before you expand.
See the shift
Solar only vs. solar with a battery
Drag to compare an illustrative evening bill. A battery stores your daytime solar so you buy less peak grid power from 4–9 p.m.
$41.00
Evening grid charges (4–9 p.m.)
$184.00
Evening grid charges (4–9 p.m.)
Illustrative example, not a quote. Actual bills depend on your rate plan, usage, and system.
Start here
Is my solar system ready for a battery?
A battery retrofit succeeds or fails at the compatibility step — not the equipment step. We check five things before quoting.
Inverter type
Microinverter, hybrid, or string — determines whether we AC-couple a battery or add a hybrid inverter.
Panel age & capacity
Existing array must produce enough surplus to charge the battery. Older or undersized systems may need expansion.
NEM status
NEM 2.0 grandfathered vs NEM 3.0 changes the economics. We pull your interconnection details during the assessment.
Backup loads
Which circuits do you want running in an outage? Fridge, well pump, AC, medical — sizing starts here.
Panel capacity
Your main panel and service must accept the battery + ATS. A GC-licensed upgrade may be part of the scope.
Cost transparency
Battery retrofit planning ranges
Illustrative budgets before incentives, not a SolarCCS quote. We confirm the complete installed scope after reviewing your system.
These are illustrative installed-budget ranges before incentives, not current equipment offers or guaranteed prices. Your project may fall outside them. Battery quantity, compatible inverter and transfer equipment, electrical upgrades, labor, and permits must be included in your written quote. Any potential incentive is identified separately and is not assumed in these figures.
Backup expectations
What your battery will run during an outage
An honest answer beats a brochure promise. What a battery backs up depends on how it’s wired and how it’s sized.
Essential loads
Selected critical circuits · sized to your loads
- Planning example
- 5–10 kWh
- Covers
- Selected circuits*
- Wiring
- Critical-loads subpanel
*Runtime and starting capability depend on the specific loads, usable energy, reserve, and operating conditions. We size these at the assessment rather than promising an overnight duration.
Whole-home
Franklin aPower 2 or Helios + Sol-Ark class · 15 kWh+ · 10 kW+
- Planning example
- 15 kWh+ · 10 kW continuous
- Covers
- Design-qualified loads*
- Wiring
- Transfer gear as designed
*AC, HVAC, and EV charging are not automatically supported at the same time. Starting loads, power limits, load management, and runtime must be verified for your installation.
Three retrofit paths
The best batteries to add to an existing solar system
The right battery depends on whether you want a clean AC-coupled retrofit, whole-home backup, or an off-grid-capable stack.
| Battery option | Enphase IQ Battery 5PAC-coupled retrofit | Franklin aPower 2Whole-home backup | Discover Helios + Sol-ArkOff-grid capable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity & Power | |||
| Usable capacity | 5 kWh / unit | 15 kWh | 16.1 kWh |
| Continuous power | 3.84 kW | 10 kW | 10 kW |
| Chemistry | LFP | LFP | LFP |
| Scales to | 80 kWh | 225 kWh | 580 kWh |
| Best For | |||
| Ideal use | Modular retrofit | Whole-home backup | Off-grid / heavy backup |
| Backup style | Essential loads | Whole-home ATS | Whole-home + off-grid |
| Rebates in price | None assumed | None assumed | None assumed |
| Retrofit Fit | |||
| AC-coupled retrofit | Included | Included | Not included |
| Pairs with | Enphase IQ8 / most string | Most existing inverters | New Sol-Ark hybrid |
| Jump to form | Jump to form | Jump to form | |
Equipment we install
The batteries we retrofit
All three are lithium iron phosphate (LFP) — stable, long-lived, and well-suited to Inland Empire heat.
Enphase IQ Battery 5P
Modular AC-coupled retrofit
- Capacity
- 5.0 kWh / unit
- Continuous
- 3.84 kW
- Chemistry
- LFP
- Warranty
- 15 years
- Stackable to
- 80 kWh
Cleanest retrofit onto existing Enphase microinverter systems — add units as needs grow.
Jump to form
Franklin aPower 2
Whole-home backup with ATS
- Capacity
- 15 kWh
- Continuous
- 10 kW
- Chemistry
- LFP
- Warranty
- 15 years
- Scales to
- 225 kWh
Whole-home backup with built-in automatic transfer switch — runs essentials through outages.
Jump to form
Discover Helios ESS
Off-grid-capable heavy backup
- Capacity
- 16.1 kWh
- Continuous
- 10 kW
- Chemistry
- LFP
- Warranty
- 10 years
- Scales to
- 580 kWh
Pairs with Sol-Ark 15K-2P hybrid for off-grid and heavy backup — outdoor-rated for IE heat.
Jump to formProtect your export rate
Will adding a battery change my NEM status?
Generally, no. A battery-only addition preserves your NEM 2.0 export rate under CPUC Decision D.22-12-056. Expanding your solar array beyond the greater of 1 kW or 10% of the original system size can trigger NEM 3.0 — so we confirm your interconnection status before any expansion.
Batteries priced on savings and backup
We price your battery on bill savings and outage backup alone, with no rebates assumed in your quote.
“Most retrofit batteries fail at the load-calculation step, not the equipment step. We size for your actual evening usage and outage needs first — then match the battery. Too small and you’re in the dark; too big and you’ve paid for capacity you’ll never cycle.”
Ralph Cisneros, CSLB #983330, Canyon Construction Services d.b.a. SolarCCS
From assessment to PTO
Battery installation in Riverside, CA — assessment to PTO
Complimentary assessment
We inspect your inverter, NEM status, backup loads, and panel capacity on-site.
Compatibility & sizing
We match the battery and kWh to your actual evening usage and outage needs — not a guess.
Design + final price
System design and a final, rebate-free price before any equipment is ordered.
Permit + install
GC-licensed install under CSLB #983330 — including any panel or conduit work needed.
Inspection + PTO
Utility inspection, permission to operate, and monitoring setup so you can see your self-consumption.
- 1
Complimentary assessment
We inspect your inverter, NEM status, backup loads, and panel capacity on-site.
- 2
Compatibility & sizing
We match the battery and kWh to your actual evening usage and outage needs — not a guess.
- 3
Design + final price
System design and a final, rebate-free price before any equipment is ordered.
- 4
Permit + install
GC-licensed install under CSLB #983330 — including any panel or conduit work needed.
- 5
Inspection + PTO
Utility inspection, permission to operate, and monitoring setup so you can see your self-consumption.
Battery retrofit questions, answered
This is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional.
Ready to add a battery?
Get a complimentary assessment
Tell us about your existing solar system. We’ll check your inverter, NEM status, and backup loads — then recommend the right battery. No pressure, no obligation.
Get a battery retrofit quote
Ready to take control of your energy costs?
Get a complimentary solar assessment from a GC-licensed team backed by 30+ years of family construction experience. No pressure, just honest numbers.