Are Budget Home Batteries Any Good? Behind the Scenes Retrofit to 6.6kW Solar

Watch a 12.8kWh Sungrow SBR128 battery (4x 3.2kWh modules) and SH5.0RS hybrid inverter being retrofitted to an existing 6.6kW solar power system installed on a unit I own. Discover why I chose a Sungrow battery system over a Tesla Powerwall for this installation. BTW, trigger warning for Fronius fans!
Check out Sungrow battery reviews from Australian owners here:
www.solarquotes.com.au/batter...
.. and compare specs of Sungrow's home energy storage solutions with other solar batteries here:
www.solarquotes.com.au/batter...
Learn absolutely everything you need to know about home batteries in my comprehensive and easy-to-understand guides:
*** Understanding Solar Batteries
Home battery storage basics
Video: • Understanding Solar Ba...
Article: www.solarquotes.com.au/101-gu...
*** Buying Solar Batteries In 2023
The 10 most important considerations when buying home batteries. Learn how to buy a solar battery in Australia in 2023 with confidence, and at the right price.
Video: • Buying Solar Batteries...
Article: www.solarquotes.com.au/101-gu...
*** Owning Solar Batteries
What to expect and what you need to do during your battery-powered lifestyle.
Video: • Owning Solar Batteries...
Article: www.solarquotes.com.au/101-gu...
You can read all my solar and battery 101 guides here:
www.solarquotes.com.au/101-gu...
And to receive quotes from solar and/or battery installers I have personally pre-vetted and trust: www.solarquotes.com.au/quote/
If you have questions after watching the video, feel free to ask in the comments section below - and don't forget to subscribe to this channel :)

[@roadstardelta]

I have a Fronius 10kW Gen24 Hybrid converter, 14.8 kWh of BYD batteries (Fronius recommended), three phase backup. Been working faultlessly, excellent monitoring. The BYD batteries are LiFePo as opposed to Li-Ion, larger and heavier than these per kWh, but run much cooler and ess prone to thermal runaway.

[@_Phil__]

Hey Finn another great video.. some really useful info.. thanks for doing these reviews :)

[@daveeff-subs846]

Will be watching this develop, was mostly information from SolarQuotes that I relied on when selecting our system. Modular battery was (to me) a no-brainer. DQ were the suppliers and installers. The installers were great, I requested LAN connection and they were able to accommodate that quite easily given the position of my routers and the brush plate I'd installed nearby. Very happy with the communications side, the LAN and routers are within my backup circuits and they have been rock solid. We tend to use a quite large amount of power and had a spreadsheet on my bills over four years, so I could see overall usage and feed-ins of the old system. Wife had agreed to my logic of de-coupling gas from the house as the dual energy bills seemed wasteful. The spreadsheet averaged use over billing periods which made for a reasonable guess for expected use volumes and patterns. DQ's Nathan was very helpful with balancing estimates during hot water and cooktop changeover from gas (also handled by DQ). We ended up with 6 modules (max stack for single phase setup under a single BMS head-unit). Sungrow's app is a little clunky but works pretty well. Even forced charging (FC) is do-able remotely, but could do with some polishing by their software engineers. Web display through the browser is much easier for FC time and charge target percentages.

[@peterichardson53]

Thanks Finn - very close to what I am looking for. Great explanations.

[@walters2023]

Good work mate. Love your channel. Keep it up.

[@FightingGullyFarm]

Keep these videos coming really useful. I have a large solar system and am considering a battery but just can’t see the the ROI working just yet. Do you see a trend of battery prices coming down yet?

[@alexisbono24]

Great informative video - thank you

[@mspalmboy]

I had 6.6 kW of solar and a Sungrow inverter and Sungrow battery installed just under 4 years ago (followed by an EV and Zappi smart charger a year later). It has all worked perfectly - except for the Sungrow monitoring (ARGH!). After about 1.5 years, many months worth of historic data just disappeared. The very good installer tried his best to get tech advice from Sungrow - but it turned into a nightmare and the poor installer had to waste hours of his time dealing with Sungrow. I would rate Sungrow tech support 1 out of 10. Eventually all the historic data was restored, but then some months later most of the historic data disappeared again. I haven't bothered with Sungrow support again after the last debacle. So now most of the historic data from 2020, 2021 and 2023 is not showing. Though the daily data shows, it's impossible to compare production and consumption over the last 4 years.

[@xc5103]

The manufacturers really should've added a way of regularly exporting the data via txt or csv to a target location

[@wzk921109]

Just get yourself solar analytics, they’d keep your data. You can get away with native software. However, you can just call sungrow support yourself.

[@user-hh6ex9md4w]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the Sungrow system. It's frustrating when tech support doesn't meet our expectations. If you're looking for a reliable home battery solution, I recommend checking out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series. It offers a massive capacity, powerful output, fast recharging, and comprehensive protections. Plus, it's built tough with a waterproof design. Definitely worth considering for your power backup needs!

[@ElectricCarAustralia]

Sungrow looks like a better option then I thought. Might be a go when my old lead acid battery bank finally throws it in 👍🔋☀️

[@rbenson999]

I have an a Sungrow SH10RT and SBR256 with 13.3kw of Rec Alpha panels. 1 phase of 3 used for backup circuits (lights, fridge, internet, to etc). 100% agree. DC coupled battery works for my needs Tidy, cost effective and very happy

[@rinosaint]

Still happy with your setup? Just see some negative reviews online around warranty that’s got me scared.

[@aaronodguy967]

We always install a double pole main switch when installing a backup supply. This means when the main switch is turned off the whole switch board is off and can be worked on safely.

[@grahamboddington5433]

Hi, I have been following you for a long time and I remember you saying in a previous publication that you had a Tesla Powerwall. I am really interested in how you have mixed and matched the batteries and multiple PV systems.

[@michaelanderson3771]

Love to see an update after winter Finn. Ballpark what was battery cost before install in $/kWh ?? I know South Australia have better feed in and sponge plans but in Victoria we seem to be hobbled to $0.054/kWh

[@LukePWilkinsVids]

Following on from my other comment, this has thrown SunGrow back into the mix! Thank you. You say budget hardware, but it is more a mainstream product? The technology is becoming more affordable and its SunGrow leading the way?

[@user-jq9dk4nt7o]

Could you clarrify, does the unit allow the panels to provide power during a blackout or only supply from the battery? Can it handle a 2 phase system? Thanks

[@roadstardelta]

Excellent question. Answer?

[@rbenson999]

Yes it does. There is a three phase option

[@user-jq9dk4nt7o]

@@rbenson999 I have been told that you can't just use two phases of a three phase system. If that's incorrect it opens up many possibilities. We also have enphase microinverters and have been looking at buying two SAJ 5.1 batteries

[@JohnSmith-zg5zz]

To confirm, the battery is supplying / topping up the electricity for all items in the house before anything is pulled from the grid. Not just those items you have placed on the backup circuit? The test you did with kettle/toaster was plugged into a gpo but I didn’t know if that was one of the backup ones.

[@SolarQuotes]

Correct - when not in backup mode it supplies the whole house not just selected circuits.

[@rbenson999]

You can also define times to do so if you have time of use billing. I don’t use battery during off peak. Suits my needs better to use battery during peak times

[@beedoox5613]

About a year ago I bought a Sungrow 12.8kWh battery with panels. We quickly discovered that the system was undersized for our needs and added another 3.2kWh of battery and a bunch more solar panels. Even with 16kWh of battery, we would find ourselves depleting the battery to zero on occasion - until the past few weeks. We're now noticing that the battery empties to around 19% before drawing from the grid. We don't know whether this is a software display issue, or Sungrow has decided they need to "reserve" a portion of the battery to stop us fully depleting it. If this is true, it's not good enough as 12.8kWh of battery was proven not to be enough, and essentially, they (may have) knocked us back to where we were, despite spending thousands on another 3.2kWh battery segment.

[@Heshhion]

I was 100% feronius until I saw this, thank you!

[@pauljames1931]

Can these batteries be added to an Enphase micro inverter systems? If so, what amount of storage would suit a 9.36kw system?

[@dorothyjbond]

I have heard they are noisy and I found the comment on your website that the warranty is not passed on to new home owners if you sell. Not sure if this is true for battery? Really puts me off. Also would this be the best setup for an east west roof? Very confused. Want a battery now, but I have an east west roof, just slightly angled to the north.

[@TechnoMonkeyFarm]

Be interesting to know what that 2nd hand inverter is worth

[@ronalddoherty1067]

Any concerns about having the battery in the garage with house above? I'm thinking her about fire risk.

[@robertcruikshank8864]

I've got a Fronius primo 6 and sonnen eco 9.43 battery on amber electric. Amber exposes a wholesale price and FiT to their customers and provides a service called Smartshift that manages the battery to take advantage of the ups and downs in wholesale price which I've noticed go as far as -5c to $15 per kWh for FiT. However, Amber doesn't support the sonnen battery (because sonnen consider amber a competitor) so I've had to implement my own energy management system to do this smartshift job. I've implemented EMHASS which is an add-on to Home Assistant. EMHASS takes a 24h forecast of FiT and price from amber, a forecast of solar PV output from the likes of solcast, monitors load in the home and then manages deferrable loads like pool pumps and hot water systems. It also manages the battery charge and discharge to take advantage of the price fluctuations. This goes further than Smartshift. Yet to see how good this is compared to the sonnen flat VPP plan I was on before.

[@HairyNumbNuts]

I don't know what retailer you're on, but for those of us on AusGrid, note that you get one huge advantage using the Amber SmartShift: an extra 27.8c/kWh feed in on top of the FIT between 2pm and 8pm until July 2024. That turns even a low evening FIT into a 40c or 50c FIT. Of course, that doesn't help you as your battery isn't supported.

[@rstcologne]

Seems you have missed to answer the question in the title. Are they any good? Are you getting the rated capacity or close to it? Are the cells properly balanced? Do they stay this way? What's the build quality like? Many many points not touched upon to answer the question in the title :-)

[@jsydev]

I noticed your solar is not on your south side but on your east and west. I would love to see a video on how much power each side is producing at various times of the day. Other questions i have. Is one side dead when the other side is at half power? Do both sides run at full power at midday? Does it make economic sense doing it this way? Definitely think it would make an interesting video

[@rayf9194]

Do you live in the southern hemisphere? Optimum solar irradiance in Australia is when solar panels are facing north here.

[@jsydev]

@@rayf9194 LOL, that's a brilliant point. I'm in Jersey just below in UK so it's south for me. So let's substitute the word south from my original post to North. I've always wanted solar panels. But having the roof facing east and west. I've always assumed they would most probably run at 50% to 75% of their potential. So It would be good to have some real world figures on power production.

[@daveeff-subs846]

@@jsydev The newer panels are far more efficient and his East/West arrays are what was available. Our Northern slope @22degrees rake faces 356 degrees North, we also installed panels on the Southern slope (@ 22). Thinking Finn's place is also in Adelaide, so we are @ 34.56 South and have max solar @ 79 degree azimuth in December making "odd setups" quite workable. Jersey would put you around 50 degrees North? There are probably some applications/websites that could help you there..?

[@jameshind6644]

It's been 5 months since this upload, can you let us know how the system is performing.

[@quantum2330]

Hay mate. Just so you know that sungrow inverter can take upto 12kw of solar panels. It will Invert 5kw to the house/ grid and charge the batteries at the same. time

[@AbsentPhilosophers]

How on earth are you getting that high a feed in tariff from AGL? Currently their best offer is 5c

[@josephtries3150]

Curious to know if there's a benefit to having 2 5kw batterues vs 1 10kw battery?

[@mondotv4216]

I'd love some actual costs rather than just a vague "you can get 12.8kWh, the inverter and the panels on your roof for the same price as the Tesla PW2. I can get the TPW2 installed in Sydney for $13.5K.

[@vaskodimoski5690]

I think tesla prices have dropped and by the time you fit a so caller cheaper brand you will realise it's not cheaper at all only difference is if you need more kw the other brands are easier to expand

[@burnagain2533]

Maybe I missed it; but even though installation costs and price will vary from house to house and state to state: what was the cost of the swap over?

[@123hoffie]

Not mentioned but I'm betting you could buy a lot of electricity for whatever the cost !! Dont get me wrong, i love all this stuff but all this to run some lights, the fridge and a few GPO's 😉

[@SolarQuotes]

Paid approx $14k all up.

[@jamesdean2185]

@@123hoffie its not the backup that is the reason for a battery, but the ability to save and use as much of your own generated electricity as you can. Electricity prices vary across Australia, but my supplier now has a 33cent differential between their peak rate and feed-in tariff. If I can save 10 of those solar generated kilowatts in a battery for later use, that is currently a $3.30 saving on my electricity bill each day. With price increases and FiTs going down, I would anticipate that Finn's $14K expense would have a pay back period of about 10 years at my location in Melbourne (before any government support or rebates).

[@123hoffie]

@jamesdean2185 As I said I love all this stuff and I'd get a battery system myself but being mostly solo and with a very low useage I can't justify it. You know on some bills you have a comparison with other households, well I'm to the left of the single person depicted! I have a 3KV system and I really hate this time of year as my useage is WAY up. I'm in Geelong. I have recently changed back to Tango for supply. 77 cents supply, 20.5 cents kwh but a low feed in of only 5.5 cents set until May 2024-- hopefully.

[@vaskodimoski5690]

​@@SolarQuotessame price as tesla installed

[@davidbroderick7427]

Hi Finn I've got a similar set up and looking to get batteries but issue im having is that we have 15.4kw of panels and 15kw Symo and i can't see any battery inverters that can handle that size array Any suggestions as id probably also add a couple of panels if possible too

[@seze5931]

New GE or sungrow or Saj hybrid inverter 8k or 10kw (they single phase) . The first 2 are not cheap, but they are good quality, I think.

[@twinrotors]

Curious, if you just added a Tesla power wall, would it have been cheaper than replacing inverters plus adding batteries?

[@voltare2amstereo]

Tesla battery won't work without internet. That's a big no for many. -

[@karl7796]

For the overall cost how much time will it take you to recover your investment compared with say a 4% interest rate on a term deposit for the cost of that hybrid system? Also how many charge/ discharge cycles do those cells have?

[@karl7796]

@@joblow3638 OK Thanks. With each discharge you cannot discharge to 100% of your battery capacity, I am guessing only 80% is available where the discharge will stop. If you do not get enough solar radiation the battery has to be charged from the grid, so the cost effectiveness does not appear at lest at this stage be worth it, the only advantage is having a backup for a period of time during a grid failure, this of course can be covered by a portable generator to keep few circuits online or you can get a natural gas generator connected to your natural gas line for emergencies which would be cheaper than a battery at the moment.

[@nordic5490]

@@karl7796 The LFP cells installed here can be fully charged and discharged

[@simongross3122]

Do batteries and inverters need to be installed in the shade or indoors?

[@ryanclarke2161]

It's always best when ever possible to install your inverters and such in the shade, or southern side of the house (in eastern Australia) the electronics will last longer and you reduce the chances of them derating themselves as temperature increases. Batteries like to be cool but not cold and the electronics in them will want to be cool. Thermal cycles (hot cold hot cold) as days and months go by can lead to joint failure on circuit boards in any electronics.

[@peterburdett8131]

I was sold a 10Kw Fronius Inverter with 23 Solar panels & I have 3 phase power. When I had a quote for a battery I was told I would have to decide which of the 3 phases I want backed up! How ridiculous! I’ve read your info pack & still can’t work out what is needed to back up all 3 phases rather than replace the inverter. I want to run an Air conditioner , pool pump & charge my Tesla when there is low solar generation. Any ideas that won’t blow the budget

[@wzk921109]

Not really, whole house backup is much more expensive than selected circuits on 1 phase. There’re very few 3 phase options on the market now, to have everything running as normal, you’d have to have a big inverter and big battery. Minimum $30k spent.

[@uthanwintun]

why do we need sparky to add battery?

[@TheOrmeClips]

3 months later, do you have an update? Are you happy with the system?

[@SolarQuotes]

Yes - very happy with the system. Although AGL have forgotten to lower my feed in tariff from 22c, so its not saving me as much as I calculated!

[@philmacav]

I am curious if you still rate the Sungrow battery?

[@SolarQuotes]

Yes.

[@behindthebuild8016]

Can we get an update with how it’s going? My partners sungrow battery was installed outside and is already corroding

[@behindthebuild8016]

It also seems as though it’s supplying the grid with power while the grid is supplying the home which I think is crazy.

[@Cafeacore]

I've got a very similar but beefed up, 13.3 solar array, 10kw hybrid inverter and 19.2kwh sbr192 sungrow batteries, Its fantastic. The app is a bit finicky to set up but after it's set up, it'll show me everything I need, Inverter can handle charging the battery, supplying house with power and feed in the grid all at the same time. I've had this system for a few months and have had no issues at all.

[@forzer456]

Can’t the zappi do the monitoring?

[@whalan4509]

Hay Fin haw much $ for the old Fronius inverter do you want to sell it ?

[@whalan4509]

What price ?

[@rickvaughan1071]

Cost of sungrow in your video to retro fit to home

[@twinrotors]

Still fronius… sorry, happy for others to experiment with sungrow

[@mitchtoeroek2085]

We’ve installed both for years. Surprisingly many more Fronius warranty issues than Sungrow. I much prefer the Sungrow software than Fronius.

[@paulvandyke1027]

Would like to buy your old inverter

[@josephking6515]

I'm envious that you can get $0.22 FIT when I can't even get AUSNET to approve my system to feed back to the grid? The application has been denied twice with no reason given. 🤷‍♂🤷‍♂ I got the panels installed in 2020 and a battery in 2021 but up until the battery went in they were more than happy to take all out excess rooftop generated power and even then I didn't receive any FIT due to the electric provider messing that up when the panels were installed and again after the battery (I missed one opportunity as well but didn't know it at the time). I don't know what issues other people have with their solar installation but my one has been a mess starting from three days *before* the panels were installed just before the COVID-19 lockdowns started. Due to the suppliers cockups the paperwork has supposedly expired so I will need to pay over $1,200 + GST to get it re-examined and certified. Solar installations and the associated paperwork is an effing nightmare because in my case I have to assume the installers and provider do what they are supposed to do because I was told nothing about the process and was given no copies of *any* of the paperwork. Hell I have no documentation of the isolation sequence to shut the power off from the panels and/or the battery. You guys should be in a position to know if the paperwork process is seamless and if the consumer is given documentation for the thousands of dollars worth of panels and battery (if a battery is installed). If I sold my house I have no paperwork to pass on to the buyer that would inform them of the state of the system and any connection to the grid. I hope that makes sense because it all confuses the 💩out of me.

[@toby9999]

What you said is why I still haven't bothered installing a system. I was ready to go 5 years ago but have done nothing. I want one but I don't want the hastles and the nightmares. From the point of view of a person looking at having a system installed, the process looks damn scary and ridiculously complicated. It's mad. Yes, I could blindly go ahead and get a bunch of quotes etc. but I don't trust anyone I don't know. I want to know everything I need to know up front but it's too complex.

[@Lana_Warwick]

In terms of this vid, what's considered a "budget" battery. And is what you had installed considered a battery server, or batteries (cells) in a fancy case, far from anywhere near budget 🤔

[@Iwishiwasflying]

Why are people avoiding solaredge batteries? The brand would have to be the only forward thinking brand when it comes to trying to avoid thermal runaway/fires

[@samfish6938]

i would use much bigger inverter

[@andyalways8081]

In 10years it will only guarantee 60% of its power, that's very bad. The Alpha another cheaper range gives 80% in 10years which surprised me

[@mitchtoeroek2085]

The Alpha won’t be working at all in 10 years is the difference. So many inverter/comms issues with them.

[@DADADRTR]

'kin eh lar, want to buy a 2nd hand inverter? Doesn't sound sus' at all. 😂