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“I just don’t have the cash on hand to do solar AND batteries at once.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A California homeowner hoping to install solar panels before adding batteries raised an important financial question. They wondered if splitting the project into stages would undermine the savings.
A Southern California Edison customer wanted to handle a future battery installation themselves while leaving the inverter, panels, and grid shut-off to a professional. They asked Reddit’s r/solar community whether that approach would work.
“I would want batteries at a later date when it makes more financial sense for me to,” the homeowner wrote.
The homeowner was unsure how to handle permits for the staged project. They had reviewed videos and documentation, particularly for a Sol-Ark inverter, and felt confident about connecting the batteries themselves.
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Commenters said they could do it, but warned that the homeowner might not get the expected savings from a new solar installation without battery storage. Waiting to add the battery would reduce the initial expense.
“However, with NEM3.0, your system will not make much financial sense without a battery, unless your main consumption timeframe is during day time,” one suggested.
The original poster fully understood that point, but money was a holdup.
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“I just don’t have the cash on hand to do solar AND batteries at once,” they wrote.
Commenters said the homeowner did not have to install the panels and batteries at the same time.
“Phasing it is fine, just keep the two hurdles separate in your head: the city building/electrical permit, and SCE’s interconnection amendment for adding storage to an already-approved system,” a commenter wrote.
A commenter said they had executed the plan the original poster was looking to do and were now looking at a DIY battery installation.
Other commenters offered alternatives including a prepaid PPA, loans, or financing. The original poster replied that they were a bit wary of “being gouged” by a PPA, but remained hopeful about battery incentives at some point.
One more option was to flip the order and install batteries first.
“Why not go with the inverse?” a commenter asked. “Batteries + inverter first then solar down the road. Makes more sense financially than solar alone with nem 3.”
For homeowners weighing this same timing decision, EasyHome also offers options for exploring battery storage. Comparing a combined solar-and-battery setup can help assess how storage might support electricity-cost management and provide backup power during outages, alongside the initial expense.
For California homeowners, utility rates and solar rules can affect whether it pays to wait on batteries. 
• A California solar shopper questioned a five-year battery PPA while weighing NEM 3.0’s impact on savings.
• A Southern California homeowner learned LADWP solar savings might not require batteries despite rising electricity bills.
• A California renter wanted to add batteries to solar without switching to NEM 3.0.
• California’s 80% export credit cut steers new solar buyers toward batteries costing over $14,000.
• A California solar homeowner began shopping for a battery after peak rates eroded savings.
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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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