💡 Why This Matters
Every battery and blackout installation needs cables to connect everything together. Our standard pricing includes up to 10 metres of cabling per cable. Anything beyond 10 metres needs to be quoted as extra.
If you don't measure the cable runs on site, the job will either lose money or the customer will get a surprise bill. Neither is good. This guide shows you exactly how to measure and quote it right the first time.
Key rule: Always measure the full cable run on site before quoting. Never assume 10 metres is enough — it often isn't.
📏 What is a "Lineal Cable Run"?
A lineal cable run is the total length of cable needed to get from Point A to Point B — measured along the actual path the cable will take, not just the straight-line distance between two points.
Think of it like this: if you were holding a piece of string and running it from the switchboard to the battery, following the exact route the electrician would run the cable — along walls, up into the roof, across the ceiling, back down a wall, and into the battery — the length of that string is your lineal cable run.
Why it's always longer than you think
Cables don't fly through the air in a straight line. They have to follow a real path through the house, which means:
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Up and over — Cable often goes up the wall, into the roof space, across the ceiling, and back down another wall. A room that's only 5 metres wide might need 15+ metres of cable to get from one side to the other.
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Around corners — Cable follows walls and corners, not shortcuts. Every bend adds length.
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Down to the ground and back up — If the cable needs to go underground (e.g., to a detached garage or shed), it goes down one wall, under the ground, and back up the other side.
Simple way to explain it to customers: "It's not how far apart the two points are — it's the total length of cable our electrician needs to run along the walls, through the roof, and into the battery. Think of it like measuring along a hallway, not cutting straight through the walls."
💰 The Pricing Rule
This is simple but important. Learn it, know it, use it on every quote:
Each cable gets 10 metres included in the standard price. Every metre after that is $40 per metre, per cable.
What counts as a separate cable?
A typical blackout job with a battery has 3 separate cables you need to check:
Cable 1 — Battery Cable
Runs from the switchboard to the battery. This is needed on every battery install.
Cable 2 — Blackout Circuit 1
The first circuit you're backing up (e.g., lights, fridge, power points). Runs from the switchboard to the area being backed up.
Cable 3 — Blackout Circuit 2
The second circuit you're backing up (if applicable). Each backed-up circuit is a separate cable run.
Remember: The 10m allowance applies to each cable separately. You can't "share" unused metres from one cable with another. If Cable 1 only uses 5m, you don't get to add the spare 5m to Cable 2.
📏 How to Measure on Site
You don't need to be an electrician to estimate cable runs. Here's a simple step-by-step process you can follow at every site visit:
1
Find the switchboard
This is where all cables start. Stand at the switchboard and look at where the battery will be installed.
2
Trace the path the cable would take
Walk the route from the switchboard to the battery location. Think about how the cable will travel — up the wall, through the roof, along the ceiling, and back down. Don't just measure the straight-line distance.
3
Use your steps to estimate
One big step is roughly 1 metre. Walk the horizontal distance, then add the vertical distances (up the wall = roughly 2.4m for a standard ceiling, plus any roof space).
4
Repeat for each cable
Measure each cable run separately — the battery cable and each blackout circuit. Write down each measurement.
5
Add a buffer
Always round up. If you estimate 12 metres, call it 13 or 14. It's better to slightly over-quote than under-quote and surprise the customer later.
📝 Worked Example
Here's a real-world example so you can see how the maths works. The customer wants a battery with blackout protection on 2 circuits. The cable run from the switchboard to the battery location is 20 metres.
Step 1 — Identify the cables
This job has 3 cables:
Step 2 — Calculate the extra per cable
| Cable |
Total Run |
Included |
Extra |
Extra Cost |
| Battery cable |
20m |
10m |
10m |
$400 |
| Blackout Circuit 1 |
20m |
10m |
10m |
$400 |
| Blackout Circuit 2 |
20m |
10m |
10m |
$400 |
Total extra cabling charge: $1,200 — This must be added to the quote on top of the standard battery and blackout price.
📈 Quick Reference — Extra Cabling Costs
Use this table to quickly look up the extra charge based on how long the cable run is:
| Cable Run Length |
Extra Per Cable |
Extra for 3 Cables (typical blackout) |
| 10m or less |
$0 — included |
$0 |
| 12m |
$80 |
$240 |
| 15m |
$200 |
$600 |
| 20m |
$400 |
$1,200 |
| 25m |
$600 |
$1,800 |
| 30m |
$800 |
$2,400 |
Formula: (Cable run in metres − 10) × $40 = extra charge per cable. Multiply by the number of cables for the total.
🛠️ Quick Decision Flowchart
Use this at every site visit when measuring cable runs:
Measure the cable run from switchboard to battery
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Is the run 10 metres or less?
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How many cables does the job need?
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BATTERY ONLY
1 cable
(run − 10m) × $40
BATTERY + BLACKOUT
3 cables
(run − 10m) × $40 × 3
💬 How to Talk to the Customer About It
Extra cabling charges can catch customers off guard. Here's how to explain it clearly and keep them on side.
When the cable run is over 10 metres:
"Our standard pricing includes up to 10 metres of cabling for each connection. Because your switchboard and battery are a bit further apart, we'll need some extra cable to reach. It's $40 per metre for anything over 10 metres. Based on what I've measured today, that's about [X] metres extra, so around $[amount] on top of the standard price. I'll include that in your quote so there's no surprises."
When the customer asks why it's so much:
"Each cable that needs to be run is charged separately — so with the battery cable and the two blackout circuits, that's three separate cable runs. Each one gets 10 metres included, but anything beyond that is extra. The cable itself plus the labour to run it through your roof and walls is what makes up that cost."
When the customer wants to reduce the cost:
"The main thing that drives this cost is the distance between your switchboard and where the battery goes. If there's a closer location we could mount the battery — for example, on the other side of this wall rather than in the garage — that could shorten the cable run and bring the cost down. Want me to have a look at some alternatives?"
Pro tip: Always suggest a closer battery mounting location if the cable run is long. A shorter run saves the customer money and makes the install easier for the electrician. Everyone wins.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Measuring straight-line distance instead of the cable path — The cable doesn't fly through walls. It goes up, across the roof, and back down. Always trace the actual path.
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Forgetting to measure each cable separately — A blackout job has 3 cables, not 1. Each one needs to be measured and quoted individually.
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Assuming 10 metres is enough — In most houses, the switchboard and battery location are more than 10 metres apart when you trace the actual cable path. Measure every time.
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Not mentioning extra cabling to the customer on site — If you quote without it and it comes up later, the customer feels blindsided. Always mention it during the site visit so they're prepared.
📷 Your Site Visit Cabling Checklist
Do these on every site visit where a battery or blackout is being quoted:
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Locate the switchboard — this is where all cable runs start
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Identify where the battery will be mounted — garage wall, side of house, laundry, etc.
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Walk and measure the cable path — trace the actual route the cable would take (not straight-line)
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Count how many cables the job needs — battery only = 1 cable, battery + blackout = 3 cables (typically)
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Calculate the extra cabling charge — (run − 10m) × $40 × number of cables
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Note the measurements in Pipedrive — record cable run distance and number of cables so the quote is accurate
🚀 Quick Reference Summary
| What to Remember |
Detail |
| Included per cable |
10 metres |
| Extra cabling rate |
$40 per metre (per cable) |
| Battery only — cables to measure |
1 cable (battery cable) |
| Battery + blackout — cables to measure |
3 cables (battery + 2 blackout circuits) |
| How to measure |
Trace the actual cable path (up walls, through roof, back down) — not straight-line distance |
| Formula |
(cable run − 10m) × $40 × number of cables |