Savant Power Storage and an EV charger in the carport of a modern home at dusk

For builders, architects and electricians Savant Power Rough-In

Name: Boston Backup Power
Address: 83 Morse St, Unit 8H, Norwood, MA, 02062, US
Telephone: (781) 333-8003
Price range: $$$$

Panel space, a module panel, conduit, network and a wall for the battery. Plan these before the walls close and Savant Power goes in cleanly.

What needs planning?

Savant Power is mostly panel work, so the panels, the space beside them and a few low-voltage runs are what matter at rough-in. If the house will have battery storage, it also needs a wall for the battery and inverter.

Panel brand and type chosen early
Room for a module beside each managed circuit
A second panel or module enclosure if needed
Conduit between the panels
Ethernet to the panel location and the inverter
A dry, conditioned wall for battery stacks

Savant modules installed in an electrical panel, each with a screen showing its circuits

1. Panel space

Leave room beside the breakers

A Savant Power Module plugs into the panel like a breaker and takes its own spaces. Savant makes modules for Square D QO and Eaton CH panels and a 1-inch version for Homeline, Eaton BR, Siemens and GE, so the brand matters. Tell us what the electrician plans to use.

Savant's planning rule is simple: breaker spaces plus module spaces equals the spaces the panel needs. A panel that is full of breakers has nowhere to put the modules, so choose larger panels than the breaker count alone would need. The electrician on one of our New Hampshire projects put it this way: if the client will not put modules on every circuit now, at least install the larger panels with space for them, because the client will want to add them later.

2. A module panel

When does a house need a second panel?

Savant shows two layouts: modules mixed in with the breakers in one panel, or a main panel plus a separate Power Module panel beside it. A separate module panel needs a neutral sized for the circuits it carries, and if it also holds breakers, a load calculation and a correctly sized feeder.

BeforeAfter

Drag the handle, or focus it and use the arrow keys. When the main panel is full, the electrician adds a second panel or enclosure next to it for the Savant Power Modules.

3. Conduit and network

Run conduit between the main panel and any module panel, sized by the electrician for the circuits that pass through it. Keep AC and DC conductors in separate conduit. Leave a spare run for later.

The modules talk to the Power Director over Bluetooth, so no control wire runs to them. The Director mounts within 6.5 ft of the modules and takes a PoE Ethernet cable. Savant strongly recommends a hardwired network, so we ask for Ethernet to the Director, to each inverter and to the EV charger location, home-run to the network rack.

Panel and network planning
Dual Relay module (two 120 V circuits)	2 spaces
2-Pole 30 A module	2 spaces
2-Pole 60 A module	4 spaces (3 in 1-inch panels)
Power Director	Within 6.5 ft of the modules, with PoE Ethernet
Panel brands	Square D QO, Eaton CH, or a 1-inch panel (Homeline, BR, Siemens, GE)

4. Where do the battery and inverter go?

Savant Power Storage 20 is an inverter that stacks on a 20 kWh battery cabinet. Many homes use one or two stacks. Each stack needs a flat floor that can carry its weight, a wall to anchor it, and clear space around it. Power Storage 50 is larger and indoor only.

A garage or a dry mechanical room close to the main panel is the usual choice, because short runs to the panel cost less. Each stack stands on the floor, and in a garage it has to sit out of the driving path. Keep it away from overhead water and out of direct sun. Ask us before the framing goes up and we will mark the wall.

Larger systems add more stacks and need an engineered layout. See Savant Power Storage.

Power Storage 20 space planning
One stack (inverter on battery)	85.4 in high, 25.6 in wide, about 13 in deep
Weight of one stack	About 600 lb, standing on the floor
In front	36 in clear
Sides	About 12 in, and at least 11.8 in on the side opposite the battery entry
Between stacks	Up to 3 ft, depending on the code your town uses
Wall length for two stacks	About 9 ft
Operating temperature	32 to 113 °F, best at 50 to 95 °F

5. Loads that need a closer look

Large motors draw a burst of current when they start. During an outage the inverter has to carry that burst, so we check the cut sheets for heat pumps, well pumps and large air conditioners early. Some need a soft-start device, some go on a panel that is not backed up, and some mean adding a second inverter.

EV chargers are a good fit for load management. Savant recommends its Level 2 charger with its 60 A relay module, so the charger can be slowed or paused when the house needs the power.

Keep reading

For builders and electricians

How we work with the trades on a project, from drawings to commissioning.

Savant Power Modules

What the modules do, and the three module types.

Service upgrade avoidance

How load management can keep a house on the service it has.

FAQ

Rough-In Questions

Do Savant Power Modules need a special panel?

No. Savant makes modules for Square D QO and Eaton CH panels, and a 1-inch pigtail version for Homeline, Eaton BR, Siemens and GE panels. Tell us the panel brand early so we order the right ones.

How much panel space should we leave?

Modules take their own breaker spaces: 2 for a Dual Relay or 30 A module and 4 for a 60 A module (3 in 1-inch panels). Savant's rule is breaker spaces plus module spaces equals the spaces you need. Choose larger panels, or plan a second panel beside the main one for the modules.

Should every circuit get a module?

It gives the most control, and it is what Savant recommends. If the budget is tight, start with the large loads and anything you want on battery backup, and leave panel room so the rest can be added later.

Can the battery go outside?

The Power Storage 20 is rated for indoor or outdoor use, but its operating range starts at 32 °F, and Savant's own advice for a seacoast home was to keep it inside. In New England we put it in a garage or a dry mechanical room. Power Storage 50 is indoor only.

When should we call you?

Before the electrical rough-in, ideally while the plans are still on paper. Panel locations, the battery wall and the network runs are easy to plan and hard to move later.

Who produces the drawings?

We design the Savant system. For larger battery systems Savant and its engineering partners prepare drawings, and an engineer of record sizes the wiring and protection. The licensed electrician installs it and pulls the permits.

Planning a New House?

Call us before the electrical rough-in. Panel space and a battery wall cost little to plan now and a lot to add later.

Get a Savant Quote or call (781) 333-8003