Batteries, inverter, and electronic controls should be installed in a utility room inside or near the residence. Electronic equipment mounts on 4 to 5 feet of wall within 8 to 10 foot cable length from the batteries. Equipment could be installed on the outside wall of a separate battery closet. Batteries take 2 to 15 square feet of floor space within the cable length from the wall-mounted equipment, and should be beside, rather than directly under or in front of wall-mounted equipment. Allow ample working room to check batteries, and avoid cramping everything in a tiny closet. Electronic components need the same environment as a computer, TV, or stereo: a place that is clean, and away from moisture condensation.

Batteries should not be accessible to children or others unfamiliar with their hazards. They emit minimal amounts of flammable (non poisonous) hydrogen and oxygen gas when charging, so should be enclosed in a box vented to the outside by plastic pipe.

They should stay above freezing but avoid temperatures over 100 degrees F. An outside battery and equipment shed may be used in moderate climates, but avoid putting batteries on a wood floor vibrated by the generator engine.

Distance from the power room to generator and to the house AC circuit breaker panel is not critical. A generator should be some distance away and in its own shed, preferably constructed with concrete blocks or poured concrete walls and floor to reduce noise.