Running our home on stored solar power has changed the way I think about electricity, especially during the evening peak. I installed a 10kWh lithium battery with a growatt split phase inverter last spring, mainly because our utility keeps raising the time-of-use rate between 4 and 9 p.m.

The setup was less dramatic than I expected. My installer mounted the battery in the garage, connected it to the inverter and main panel, and spent most of an afternoon configuring the charge schedule. I set it to charge from the solar panels during the day and discharge after 4 p.m. On sunny days, the battery usually reaches 95 or 100 percent before lunch. By bedtime, it is commonly around 30 percent, even after running the refrigerator, lights, television, and my office computer.

The savings show up on weekdays. Before adding energy storage, our summer bills were often about $210. Since installation, they have averaged closer to $135, with the biggest difference coming from avoiding grid power during peak hours. I still buy electricity overnight and on cloudy days, so I am not pretending the battery makes the house completely independent. It simply moves my solar energy to the hours when it is worth more.

I did have one troubleshooting moment. After a firmware update, the battery stopped discharging for an evening and stayed in standby. I checked the app, restarted the inverter, and found that the operating schedule had reset to a backup-only mode. Restoring the time-of-use setting fixed it immediately. Since then, I check the battery state of charge in the app weekly.

What I appreciate most is the quiet, automatic routine. I do not think about the solar battery while making dinner, and I notice the savings when the bill arrives. It has been practical, not a gadget.