Energy Independence for Your Home
Whole-Home Battery Backup Installation Across Northern Indiana
31 Google ReviewsWhole-home battery storage that keeps your power on during outages — quietly, automatically, and without fuel. Expert installation backed by 60 years of electrical experience.
Why Battery Backup?
Power That Doesn't Quit
Power outages are becoming more frequent, and they're not just inconvenient — they can damage sump pumps, spoil food, shut down medical devices, and leave your family in the dark. A home battery backup system provides silent, automatic power the moment the grid goes down. No fuel, no fumes, no noise. It works with or without solar panels, pairs seamlessly with a standby generator for complete coverage, and may qualify for a 30% federal tax credit.
Banner Electric has been keeping homes and businesses powered across South Bend, Elkhart, Goshen, Warsaw, Mishawaka, Plymouth, LaPorte, Knox, and Logansport for over 60 years. We don’t just sell batteries — we size, install, and integrate them with your existing electrical system the right way, often alongside a panel upgrade or a paired standby generator. Licensed electricians, code-compliant work, and a family-owned company that stands behind every job. For the bigger picture on home energy independence, read our blog post on making your home power self-sufficient.
Our Battery Solutions
The Right System for Your Home
From standalone battery backup to full solar integration and generator hybrid systems — we design and install the solution that fits your home, budget, and energy goals.
Whole-Home Battery Systems
Keep your home powered through any outage with a professionally installed battery storage system. Silent operation, automatic switchover, and smart monitoring — all installed by licensed electricians.
- Works with or without solar panels
- Automatic switchover during outages
- Powers essentials for 8-12+ hours
- Scalable — add more batteries as needed
- Smart monitoring via phone app
- Qualifies for 30% federal tax credit
Solar + Battery Integration
Maximize your solar investment by storing excess energy for nighttime use and peak-rate periods. We handle the complete integration — panels, battery, inverter, and load planning — for near energy independence.
- Store excess solar for nighttime use
- Reduce peak-rate utility charges
- Achieve near energy independence
- Net metering optimization
- Battery + solar tax credit stacking
- Professional load planning included
Generator + Battery Hybrid
Get the best of both worlds — silent battery backup for brief outages and generator power for extended events. The two systems coordinate automatically for seamless, fuel-efficient protection.
- Battery handles brief outages silently
- Generator kicks in for extended outages
- Seamless automatic coordination
- Reduces generator fuel consumption
- Pairs with our Kohler & Cummins standby generators
- Best of both worlds — battery + fuel
Sizing Guide
How Much Battery Do You Actually Need?
Battery backup is sized in kilowatt-hours (kWh) — the amount of energy stored — and kilowatts (kW) — how much power can be drawn at once. Picking the right size starts with what you want to keep running and for how long.
Step 1 — Decide what you want to back up
Most Indiana homeowners fall into one of three categories. Pick the one that sounds like you, then use the table below as a starting point. We’ll fine-tune the actual numbers during your free in-home assessment.
Step 2 — Match power output (kW) to your biggest loads
Capacity (kWh) tells you how long the battery lasts. Continuous power (kW) tells you what you can run at the same time. A central AC compressor, well pump, or EV charger pulls a lot of power on startup — so even a battery with plenty of energy can trip if its kW rating is too low. Most modern home batteries deliver 5–9 kW continuous; pairing two units roughly doubles that. We size both numbers together so nothing surprises you mid-outage.
Step 3 — Plan for your panel
A battery system ties into your main electrical panel through a smart transfer switch or backup gateway. Older 100-amp panels and obsolete brands like Federal Pacific or Zinsco usually need to be upgraded first — not because of the battery, but because the panel can’t safely handle modern loads. If you’re unsure, our residential electricians can evaluate your panel during the same visit and bundle a 200-amp upgrade with your battery install.
Step 4 — Decide if you want a generator on the back end
Indiana ice storms can knock the grid down for three or four days at a stretch. A battery handles the first day silently and cleanly; pairing it with a Kohler or Cummins standby generator stretches your runtime indefinitely. The generator only fires up when the battery is depleted, which means less fuel, less noise, and longer equipment life.
Not sure where you land? That’s normal. Most homeowners we work with start with one of these three goals and adjust after seeing the assessment. Call us at (574) 936-9715 or request a free sizing consultation — we’ll measure your panel, walk through your priority circuits, and give you a written recommendation with no pressure to buy.
Our Process
How It Works
Call or Request a Quote
Tell us about your home, energy goals, and current electrical setup.
Site Assessment
We evaluate your panel capacity, solar setup (if any), and determine the right battery size and placement.
System Design
We design a battery system tailored to your home's needs, including load prioritization and monitoring setup.
Professional Installation
Our licensed team installs the battery, inverter, and transfer switch. Clean wiring, code-compliant, inspected.
Monitoring & Support
We walk you through the app, verify everything works, and remain your ongoing electrical partner.
Common Questions
Battery Backup FAQ
How long does a home battery backup last during a power outage?
Depends on how much of the house you back up. A single battery unit typically powers essentials (refrigerator, furnace fan, internet, a few outlets and lights) for 12-24 hours. Larger installations with multiple batteries can carry whole-home loads for a full day or longer. Every install is sized to your specific loads.
Should I choose a battery backup or a whole-home generator?
We recommend both. A battery is silent, instant (transfers in under one second), and covers the vast majority of outages — most northern Indiana grid interruptions are under 12 hours, which a battery handles cleanly with zero noise. A generator extends coverage for multi-day storm events when a battery alone would run down.
The best-protected homes in northern Indiana run a battery for silent everyday coverage and a generator for extended outages. Together they give you power under any scenario. We install both and can build a system that combines them from day one, or start with one and add the other later.
Does a battery backup work in Indiana winters?
Yes. Modern lithium home batteries are rated to run down to around -4°F and are typically installed inside the garage or a utility space, not outdoors, which keeps them comfortably in range even during an Indiana cold snap. Cold weather does slightly reduce total capacity — we size the system knowing that.
Can I add battery backup to my existing solar panels?
Yes. If your solar system is a few years old, we integrate an AC-coupled battery that works alongside the existing inverter. Newer solar installs can pair with a hybrid inverter that handles solar and battery together. We evaluate your existing panels, inverter, and main panel before quoting.
Do I need a permit or utility approval?
Yes on both. Battery backup systems in Indiana require an electrical permit and, if the system will interact with the grid, a utility interconnection approval (NIPSCO, AEP Indiana Michigan Power, or your local co-op). Banner Electric pulls the permit, files the interconnection paperwork, and coordinates the utility inspection.
How long does the installation take?
Most standard installs are one to two days on-site — one day for battery, transfer switch, and panel work, and a follow-up visit for commissioning and utility inspection sign-off. Timing from signed quote to power-on typically runs 3-6 weeks depending on permit and utility interconnection queues.
Can I power my whole house or just certain circuits?
Both are possible. A “critical loads” install powers a chosen subpanel — furnace, fridge, well pump, medical equipment, a few outlets and lights. A “whole-home” install carries the entire main panel, including HVAC and cooking loads. Whole-home requires more battery capacity but is what most families want. We walk you through the tradeoffs.
Can a home battery make me more energy self-sufficient?
Yes — and this is one of the biggest reasons northern Indiana homeowners are installing them. A battery lets your home run on its own stored power during outages, peak-rate hours, or grid stress events, instead of pulling everything from NIPSCO or AEP in real time.
Paired with solar, a battery can store daytime production and carry the home through evenings and cloudy stretches — reducing your utility bill and your dependence on the grid. Even without solar, a battery can charge on cheaper off-peak electricity and discharge during peak hours, giving you more control over how and when you use power. It's the closest most homes can get to true energy independence without going fully off-grid.
Get Started
Get Your Free Battery Quote
Tell us about your home and energy goals. We'll respond within one business day.