Submitting home photos allows Base to evaluate whether a home meets the electrical and spacing requirements for our equipment. The Base system is always installed outside of a members home near the meter of the house.
Safety and adherence to local building codes are the primary drivers for these requirements, ensuring that installations protect both residents and their property.
Overview of Battery System Configurations
Base offers two system configurations. The right configuration depends on your home’s layout, energy needs, and space availability.
25 kWh Single Ground Mounted: A single-unit ground-mounted system is great for most homes. It fits into smaller outdoor areas.
50 kWh Double Ground Mounted: A two-unit ground-mounted system is great for homes with a lot of outdoor space and high energy needs.
You can compare the Base systems more in-depth here.
Note - if you have a single, wall-mounted battery system, it not designed to support dual batteries.
Spacing Requirements for Ground-Mounted Batteries:
Each battery occupies a 3ft x 3ft area, which is crucial for planning installation space appropriately. The Base installation team tailors configurations to specific site layouts, ensuring efficiency and compliance.
Must be at least 3 feet apart from each other and any windows, doors, or gas meters. That means, for one battery system, you must have 9 feet of total working space. For a two battery system, you must have 15 feet of total working space.
Should be installed within 20 feet of the electrical meter. Conduit runs from the battery to the meter, and Base cannot perform any trenching or attic conduit runs.
Should be placed about 1 foot away from the wall.
In order to make space for the battery systems, the Base Power team may ask you to remove bushes or other obstructions.- For tight spaces such as alleyways, ensure a clear walk-by space of 32-38 inches is maintained while maintaining a minimum clearance of 3 feet from walls or other fixed features.
Gravel can be used as the base beneath each battery to mitigate water pooling and ensure stability. Alternatively, nine 1ft x 1ft pavers can be arranged as a sturdy platform.
Electrical Requirements:
The main breaker in the electrical panel must be 100-200A, depending on whether the home has solar and how many batteries we’re installing.
For a singe battery system, your electrical panel can be rated between 100-200A
For a dual battery system, your electrical panel must be rated between 150A-200A.
If you have solar on your home, your electrical panel must be rated 200A
The meter and main panel need to share the same wall (either next to each other on the same exterior wall or on opposite sides of the same wall).
The main panel cannot be located in a closet, as it must be kept away from flammable materials.
The meter must be installed no higher than 6 feet off the ground.
In front of the meter and main panel there must be a clear space of 30 in high x 36 inches wide.
The meter and conduit must be securely attached and undamaged.- The automatic transfer switch is approximately 18 inches wide and requires a total clearance of 29 inches to accommodate 6 inches of spacing on both sides.
These requirements ensure a National Electric Code (NEC) compliant installation for Base systems. Base is happy to help recommend electricians if a home does not meet electrical requirements and an update is possible.
After installation, newly installed batteries undergo a diagnostic testing period that typically lasts 1–2 days, during which the battery might not appear as active in the Base app. If this delay persists further, it may indicate a temporary communication issue, but the battery will remain fully functional during power outages.