Plug & play in Switzerland: what the law actually

There is no single "Swiss certificate" for a home battery. What exists is a set of duties shared between the manufacturer, the seller and you. This page sets them out plainly, because many batteries plugged in across Switzerland meet none of them.

The 600-watt rule

In Switzerland an installation may be connected to an ordinary socket without a licensed installer, as long as it stays below a power ceiling per subscriber line. ESTI communication 7/2014 sets that ceiling at 600 W. Above it, the fixed electrical installation regime applies again, with a safety report and mandatory work by a professional.

Every battery we ship leaves the factory capped at that limit. It is not a setting we ask you to make: the configuration is applied before dispatch.

One reservation, stated plainly. This regime was written for photovoltaic generation. Whether a storage battery falls under it, especially when it interacts with the grid, still has to be confirmed formally with ESTI and with the grid operator. We are pursuing that clarification and will publish the answer here, whatever it turns out to be.

The declaration of conformity

The Swiss ordinance on low-voltage electrical equipment (OMBT/NEV) requires every device placed on the Swiss market to carry a complete declaration of conformity listing the standards applied. That is the document you must be able to show your grid operator or an inspector. It comes from the manufacturer, and we hand it over with the equipment.

The standards that matter for a home battery:

Cell and system safety	IEC / EN 62619
Installation of stationary batteries	EN 62485-2
Power electronics safety	EN / IEC 62109
Electromagnetic compatibility	EN IEC 61000-6-2, 61000-6-4
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radio modules	RED, EN 300 328
Grid protection and anti-islanding	EN 50549-1
Transport of lithium batteries	UN 38.3

Notifying your grid operator

It is mandatory, in writing, before commissioning. It is neither a permit to obtain nor a costly formality: your grid operator simply needs to know what is connected to its network. We provide the pre-filled form for your municipality.

Fire protection

The Swiss fire safety regulations (AEAI/VKF) and the SIA 2061 standard govern where a storage system may sit in a building: clearances, ventilation, surrounding materials, fire and toxicity classes for the cells. The whole range we distribute uses LFP cells, a chemistry known for its thermal stability and common among Swiss installers.

SIA 2061 §5.3.1 treats a storage system as an electrical installation falling to a licensed professional. That sits awkwardly with the idea of a purely "plug it in yourself" product. Depending on your configuration we tell you whether a professional is needed, before you order rather than after delivery.

The recycling levy

Every battery placed on the Swiss market is subject to the advance disposal levy collected by INOBAT, which funds collection and recycling at end of life. It is owed by the importer, that is us, and it is already included in the prices shown here. Nothing is added for it at checkout.

Who does what

The manufacturer	Declaration of conformity, test reports, ten-year product warranty
Voltika	Capping at 600 W, Swiss adapter, INOBAT levy, conformity file, notification form, two-year statutory warranty under Swiss law
You	Send the notification to your grid operator before commissioning, and keep to the stated safety clearances

What follows naturally: what happens on delivery day, then what unlocking the power limit changes.

Plug & play in Switzerland: what the law actually requires