Making sure that your solar power system is designed and installed by a Solar Accreditation Australia, formerly Clean Energy Council (CEC), accredited installer will ensure the performance and longevity of your investment. SAA accredited installers and designers undergo significant training and must follow strict quality standards and procedures. However, not all ‘installers’ are SAA accredited nor do all installers care about you or the quality of the system that they are selling you… Here are 12 rules that your installer should follow to ensure you are getting a quality system.  1 – Panels should NOT be hanging over the ridges or gutters of your roof Most solar mounting manufacturers do not allow the panels to be installed over the ridge and gutters and the very few that do, require extra mounting points and independent engineering approval for that specific building. Having the panels mounted incorrectly over the gutters and edges can weaken your roof, affect the structural integrity of the panels and void the panel manufacturer’s warranty.   A SAA accredited designer should be able to provide information about the type of mounting system that will be utilised in the installation.  2 – All frames need to be engineer approved If your installer is using a frame that hasn’t been engineered approved you can run into a variety of issues, including: Increased pressure on the panels, can affect their structural integrity. Increased risk of the panels and/or roof being ripped in gusts of wind.  The majority of the solar mounting frames that SAA accredited installers supply already come with engineering approval and specific installation instructions. However, if you have made one yourself, bought one second hand or have been supplied one without engineering approval, you will have to get an engineer to approve, and potentially redesign the frame – this process can be very costly. 3 – The panels need to be installed as per the manufacturer’s instructions Every solar panel manufacturer (for example REC , Phono, SunPower, Aiko) have different installation instructions that need to be followed by the installers. These instructions outline how to safely mount the panels, including clamping zones (how far from the ends of the panel the clamps can go).   If these instructions are not followed by your installer, your warranty may be voided which could leave you in a world of hurt if you need to call on that warranty in the future. Your accredited installer should be able to provide you with this documentation on request. 4 – A SAA accredited installer must be present on site It’s easy for a company to claim that their systems are  ‘installed by a SAA accredited installer’ ,  BUT  what many people don’t realise is that the licensed installer who signs off on the installation needs to be physically on-site. Not just at the job set-up (beginning), but also mid-installation (during), and testing and commissioning (end). As the homeowner, you should be asking to see the SAA accredited installers license on the day of installation. If the system is installed without the licensed person on site, you run the risk of  NOT being eligible to claim Small-scale Technology Certificates ( STCs AKA the ‘government rebate’ )  meaning your system cost would be much higher. 5 – All people working on the roof should be trained in height safety It may seem like common sense, but not all companies take the time and effort to properly train their employees, who work on the roof, in height safety. For example, at Electrical Sensations,  W orking Safely at Heights training is mandatory for every worker who steps foot on a roof.  Do some research on your installers. Find out what certifications/qualifications they have – if they haven’t done any height safety training, this is a definite red flag. The last thing you want is for an accident to happen at your own house…  6 – The inverter must be installed with the correct clearance Similarly to the panels, every inverter manufacturer has a list of rules that the installer has to follow; one of these is the clearance around the inverter. Having the recommended clearance ensure adequate heat dissipation and  prevents it from overheating and failing – or worse, catching fire.  This is why it’s super important to check these details with your installer. For example, the SMA Sunny Boy Inverters require a minimum of 100mm on either side, 300mm above, 500mm below and 50mm in front, as seen below. 7 – All the cabling should be supported and installed correctly There are different cabling rules for each system: Direct Current (DC) and Alternating Current (AC). In a DC system, the conduit has to be compliantly installed and adequately supported. For example, glued, secured and labelled. Heavy Duty (HD) conduit should be used for optimal protection. Having your cable installed and labelled correctly prevents damage from rodents as well as accidental damage/removal. For an AC system, the cabling may not need to be in conduit but has to be installed correctly according to the AS3000 (electrical wiring rules). 8 – Not all inverters can be installed outside – Check your inverter! While most inverters are okay to be installed outside, some are not. Some inverters are just not built to withstand the Australian outdoor climate and need to be installed undercover, for example, inside the garage. Most inverter manufacturers also suggest that the inverters be installed out of the direct sun. This often means that they should not be installed on the north or west exterior walls of a house unless there is some sort of shading. To check if your inverter can be installed outside or not, you need to look at the  IP rating . The IP (Ingress Protection mark) rating indicates how well the inverter seals to prevent water, dust and other foreign particle ingress. A higher IP rating indicates that it’s more suitable to be installed outside. However, keep in mind that even though it has a high IP rating, if it is not installed correctly, this will greatly affect the longevity of the inverter. 9 – All cabelling through the roof should go through DekTites or similar leak protection materials DekTites (as pictured below, left) are used to protect against leaks and water damage in both tile and tin roofs. They stretch over the penetration through your roof and seal tight – preventing water from getting inside . They may be small, but they are mighty – withstanding temperatures between -50°C to 200°C! That’s something that standard liquid silicon sealant can’t compete with! 10 – Any conduit exposed to the sun should be UV rated The Australian sun can be very harsh, so all equipment installed exposed to the sun should be UV-rated. UV rated simply means that the conduit is protected from UV rays. UV-rated conduit can last 100+ years, however, if you use NON-UV rated conduit they can start to degrade the first year! Having your installer use high quality, UV rated conduit will prevent it from becoming brittle, breaking down over the years and creating a multitude of issues. If the conduit were to fail, moisture could enter, creating a potentially hazardous situation for you and your property. Some of these dangers include: creating a fire, water ingress into buildings and other water damage to the building. 11 – The direction of the panels should be personalised Three main things need to be considered when deciding the direction of your panels: when you consume the most electricity, shading and the physical size and design of your house. While panels installed facing north will usually produce the most kWh of power per day, installing panels in other directions may be more beneficial for your specific energy needs. For example, for people who use a lot of their power in the afternoon and some in the morning, installing a system with panels facing west (produce later in the day) and some east (produce in the morning) would be more beneficial than a north facing system. Shade is also another thing that needs to be considered and can majorly impact the efficiency of the system. No matter what inverter, optimizer or microinverter you have installed, shade should always be avoided. The location, physical size and design of your roof is a major factor in deciding what direction the panels should be installed.  12 – Panels should be transported safely If transporting the solar panels by truck, trailer, etc, panels should be strapped down securely to avoid movement and possibly breaking the glass. Panels can typically be transported on pallets IF packed and secured adequately. Over-stacking can add stress to the module and cause the panels to break and should be avoided – most panel manufacturers do not recommend stacking more than 2 pallets on top of each other. #SolarAustraliaAccreditedInstaller #rulesforsolarinstallers #Solarpowersystem #solaraccreditationAustralia#repairsolarpower #toowoombasolar #toowoombasolarpower About the author of this blog: Nigel Phillips is a qualified electrician in Queensland with over 30 years experience in the electrical industry. Nigel is Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA and previously Clean Energy Council CEC) accredited in Grid Connected (Solar) PhotoVoltaic systems (GCPV), Grid Connected Battery Storage (GCBS) and Stand-alone Power Systems (SPS).

Inverters are an essential component of any solar power system. The inverter's basic function is to invert Direct Current (DC) from the solar panels, into Alternating Current (AC) that can be used to operate your household appliances. The excess electricity that is not used in your home is then fed into the grid or stored in a solar battery (if you have batteries installed – this is a whole other topic that will be covered in a later article). With inverters being the main point of failure in most faulty systems, you must be getting a dependable, quality inverter. Two main types of inverters are used in residential solar, Micro-Inverters and regular, string inverters. Each with its benefits and downfalls. Here’s how electricity flows through a standard solar panel  A standard solar panel has 60 cells. The electrical current passes through each of these cells before it exits the panel, as shown in the pictures below by the red path. The blue lines at the bottom of the panel represent diodes. Most panels have three diodes. When one of the cells is shaded or has debris/leaves on it, the diodes provide an alternative path for the electricity to ‘bypass’ the shaded cell. This process, known as  bypass diode , is shown in the last two pictures below. As a result, the solar panel’s voltage and power output will be reduced by one-third in this case. The purpose of this is to allow the affected panel to still produce electricity, rather than the entire panel producing nothing at all. This information becomes important when comparing string and micro-inverters, in terms of output and efficiency. String Inverters For example, SMA & Fronius A string inverter (about the size of a briefcase) is installed on a wall and all the solar panels connect to it. For residential solar, typically only one string inverter is needed per system. If your panels have little to no shading and do not face multiple different directions, a string inverter system is a cost-effective, proven solution. But what is a ‘string’? What does it mean? A string is a group of solar panels that are connected in a series. The current flows through a path that goes through all of the panels. However, this means that if something is restricting the current in one panel, all of the panels in that string will also be restricted. Therefore, if one panel is shaded/dirty and is only operating at 66.6% (2/3 capacity), the output of all of the other panels will be reduced (as seen below). If shading is not an issue on your roof and your panels are positioned ideally for solar, output reduction is typically not a major concern. In this case, a string inverter is a reliable, durable and affordable solution. Saying that string inverters are evolving and starting to incorporate new technology to reduce the effects of shading. For example, SMA Sunny Boy Inverters now include built in ‘ShadeFix’ technology.  SMA ShadeFix is a software-based shade management system that increases the energy production of a solar power system under light to medium shading conditions. If you have a little bit of shade, this can be a very effective solution without having to pay for Micro-Inverters. Micro-Inverters For example, Enphase MicroInverter (about the size of an A5 piece of paper) is installed on the back of, or beside each solar panel. This means that usually, the number of solar panels = the number of microinverters needed. Micro-inverters are usually used for more complex installations, where there may be partial shading, tilted panels at various angles and/or panels facing multiple directions. What makes micro-inverters different from string inverters, is that because each solar panels is connected to its own Micro-Inverter, if one panel isn’t performing well, it does not affect the performance of other panels in the system. This means that the system will be more efficient and able to generate more electricity, in situations when part of the system may be shaded or something is obstructing the sun from the panels. Micro-inverters also allow you to individually monitor the panels. This can make troubleshooting, servicing and maintenance quick and easy. Micro-inverters also produce a much lower voltage than a system with a string inverter. This means that the risk of overheating and potentially starting a fire is greatly reduced. However, Micro-Inverters have a premium price tag. The additional upfront cost of Micro-Inverters is justified for some installations for the added monitoring and production benefits.  What are the benefits? String Inverters COST:  Based on a 6.6kW Solar System with 19 x 350kW Premium LG NeON2 panels, installing a SMA 5.0 Sunny Boy string inverter was approximately $2,800 LESS compared to installing 19 x Enphase Micro-Inverters (as seen in the graph below). These figures are just an estimate and will vary depending on the quality and size of your system. HIGHER YEILD (IN LITTLE TO NO SHADE): When there is very little shading on your roof, string inverters are very efficient.  LOWER NUMBER OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS: As well as a lower system cost, having less electronic components means that inverter troubleshooting can be easier because there is only one point of failure. Micro-Inverters SUITABILITY FOR CHALLENGING INSTALLS: Micro-Inverters are a great solution for roofs that have shading or panels on multiple roof pitches and facing different directions. LONGER LIFE SPAN: The average life span of a Micro-Inverter is up to 20 years (Solar Calculator, 2020). ADDED MONITORING: As each panel has it’s own Micro-Inverter, this allows you to individually monitor the performance and yield of each panel.  HIGHER YEILD (WHEN THERE IS SHADING):  Microinverters operate independently, so each panel performs to its fullest (Enphase, 2021). If one panel is shaded or dirty, it won’t affect the rest of the system. What are the downfalls? String Inverters LESS EFFICIENT IN SHADE: Whether it’s a tree casting a shadow onto your roof or your panels are dirty, when some of the panels are shaded regularly, the entire system will be less efficient and will produce a lower yield. Realistically, this means that you will sell less back and your system will take longer to pay off. SHORTER LIFE SPAN: The average life span of a string inverter is 8 to 12 years – that’s 8 to12 years less than Micro-Inverters (Solar Calculator, 2020). Micro-Inverters COST: Micro-inverters are more expensive than traditional string inverters – especially for larger systems. When installing micro-inverters, accessories (such as an AC Cable coupler) are also needed which adds to the cost of the system. MORE POTENTIAL POINTS OF FAILURE : More electronics on you roof means that there are more points of potential failures. Tips, Brand Recommendations and Advice Installing a reliable, quality inverter is vital to ensure the longevity and performance of your solar system. It’s really important to realise that a long-lasting, reliable system is the product of BOTH the panels and the inverter. In my opinion, there’s no point in spending big on quality solar panels if you don’t have a dependable inverter to match. It’s like putting a lawnmower motor in a Lamborghini body… The type and brand of the inverter is not something that you want to gloss over. If your installer is very vague about what specific inverter you will be getting or does not mention a brand at all = BIG RED FLAG. You are investing a lot of money, you need to know the size, brand and model of the inverter you are being sold. If your roof is ideal, or close to ideal, for solar and no or little shade, it is debatable whether paying a premium price for Micro-Inverters is worth it. I would highly recommend discussing with your installer/designer about the inverter and getting them to explain why they have suggested that specific inverter for you – if they can’t justify why and back it up, that’s another red flag… Recommended brands for string inverters: The best inverter manufacturers in terms of reliability, performance and longevity in my opinion are SMA and Fronius . The inverter that we install the most and prefer to use is the SMA Sunny Boy/Tripower. SMA is a trusted, European company. With German engineering and design and ShadeFix technology, SMA has been renowned for producing quality, reliable solar inverters for close to 40 years. Fronius is another premium brand of inverters that has a proven track record of reliability and an outstanding reputation within the solar industry. With a maximum efficiency of 98.1% (Fronius, 2021), Fronius inverters performance and reliability are undeniable. Recommended brands for Micro-Inverters: Enphase is one of the leading Micro-Inverter manufacturers in Australia and is the brand that I choose to install when Micro-Inverters are the best solution. I prefer to use the Enphase IQ 7A Micro-Inverter to achieve the greatest yield from the solar system. I have done up a quick side-by-side comparison of two inverters: The SMA Sunny Boy 5.0 (string inverter) and the Enphase Micro-Inverter IQ 7A. In terms of performance, reliability and manufacturer support, these are two of the inverters that I choose to install and have great confidence in. Please also be aware that this article is solely comparing micro-inverters and regular string inverters. There are other methods, such as DC optimisers and smart panels , that also can be used to minimise the effects of shading and maximise output. It’s important to consider all your options to get a personalised, efficient and long-lasting Solar Power System.  If you have any questions about the different types of inverters, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. Our office number is 4637 2744 or you can find us at 57 Gipps Street, Drayton (Toowoomba) QLD. #Fronius #microinverter #Darlingdownssolar #Enphase #StringInvertervsMicroInverter #Solarpowersystem #SolarToowoomba #solarpowerToowoomba #EnphaseMicroInverter #SMA #SMAInverter #StringInverter #toowoombasolarpower #FroniusInverter About the author of this blog: Nigel Phillips is a qualified electrician in Queensland with over 30 years experience in the electrical industry. Nigel is Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA and previously Clean Energy Council CEC) accredited in Grid Connected (Solar) PhotoVoltaic systems (GCPV), Grid Connected Battery Storage (GCBS) and Stand-alone Power Systems (SPS).

Long story short: ‘Tier 1’ is one of the most misused and misleading terms in the solar industry. To be quite blunt, Tier 1 is a marketing term a lot of cheap solar installers exploit to give the buyer a feeling of confidence in a substandard product.  The tiering system was created by BloombergNEF & has nothing to do with the quality of the solar panels.  It was created to separate solar manufacturers (NOT the panels) based on their ‘bankability’, which BloombergNEF defines as ‘whether projects using the solar products are likely to be offered non-recourse debt financing by banks’.  The tiering system can be a good place to start your research, but it should not be used to compare and evaluate the quality, longevity or performance of solar panels.  THE TIER SYSTEM – What does ‘Tier 1’ even mean? Tier 1 is a label given to solar panel manufacturers. In the solar industry, there is a common misconception that panels that are made by Tier 1 manufacturers are of higher quality and that quite simply, isn’t always true. BloombergNEF very clearly states, “We strongly recommend that module purchasers and banks do not use this list as a measure of quality…This classification is purely a measure of industry acceptance, and there are many documented examples of quality issues or bankruptcy of tier 1 manufacturers” (BloombergNEF, 2019).   To be classified as a Tier 1 manufacturer, they must:  “provide own-brand, own-manufacture products to six different projects, which have been financed non-recourse by six different (non-development) banks, in the past two years.” It does not take into consideration components, production or the end quality of the solar panels. It is merely a status that reflects the manufacturer’s acceptance in the industry, based on their financial background, investments in research, development of new technologies, and manufacturing capacity.  What about Tier 2 and 3? BloombergNEF does not publish a Tier 2 or 3 panel manufacturer list. There is only an official Tier 1 list and therefore, there can only be Tier 1 panels. Please be mindful of this when doing your solar panel research! Where did the tiering system come from? The tiering system was first created by BloombergNEF, a finance company, to rank solar panel manufacturers.  BloombergNEF reviews the Tier 1 list quarterly and any company can be removed from the list at any time. To get access to the official BloombergNEF Tier 1 list, you must email them, (sales.bnef@bloomberg.net ) to get a ‘subscription quote’ to access it. Some less than reputable marketers rely on the fact that the public can’t easily check the list…  That is why such companies claim that their panels are Tier 1 when in fact they aren’t.  Click here to read BloombergNEF's Tier 1 List Methodology What you should look for when choosing solar panels Highest efficiency, not the biggest wattage The higher the efficiency of the panels, the more watts of electricity the panel will produce, per square meter of panel. This means that the higher the efficiency, the less roof space required (lower footprint). If you don’t have a lot of room to work with, investing in high-efficiency panels is the way to go.  Other important things to keep in mind: Higher efficiency panels are typically more expensive. Really high wattage solar panels are usually physically much larger. So, even though the panels are higher wattage, you might not be able to fit as many on your roof and you could end up with a system that’s smaller than needed. Warranty Solar panels have two different types of warranties: The Output Performance Warranty and the Manufacturer’s Product Warranty . They are very different! Performance warranty: Every panel that is on the Australian Clean Energy Council (CEC) list of approved panels must have at least a 25 year, 80% output performance warranty. The 25-year output performance warranty is very standard amongst the hundreds of different panel manufacturers. In other words, a 25-year performance warranty is nothing special. All solar panels, both good and not-so-good, have this warranty.  Product warranty: The product warranty covers physical defects of manufacture including delamination, reduction in insulation resistance, frames falling off etc. The manufacturer’s product warranty is much more meaningful, important, and useful than the performance warranty . The panel manufacturer’s product warranty is VERY different between the various manufacturers. Some panels have 10 years, some have 12, others 15 and the industry leaders have 25 years’ manufacturer’s product warranty. The wording and conditions of the manufacturer’s warranty will also vary greatly, so be sure to read the fine print and terms and conditions.  Local, Australian Support Does the solar manufacturer have an Australian office that you can easily contact? Like most things, having an Australian office makes things infinitely easier in terms of processing warranty claims if something was to go wrong. You also need to think about: Will the installer be around to honour the warranty if something were to happen? How long has the manufacturer been producing panels? What is their reputation in the solar industry? Final thoughts While the choice of the panel is important, we do NOT recommend making a decision based on the brand of the solar panel alone. Many other factors need to be taken into account: the brand and type of inverter, the experience and reputation of the installer, and the quality of workmanship. By their own admission, Bloomberg recommends “ module purchasers and banks do not use this list as a measure of quality” and we wholeheartedly agree – y ou should not use BloombergNEFs tiering system as a measure of solar panel quality. Just because they are a Tier 1 manufacturer, does not mean that their solar panels are going to: perform better, last longer or be more efficient. There have been countless documented ‘Tier 1 panels’ that have had, or a combination of micro-cracks, ingress, delamination and deformation. Instead, opt for panels that have a high product warranty, high efficiency and are backed locally. #bloomberg #tier1solarpanels #SolarToowoomba #tier1 #solarpanelstoowoomba #truthabouttier1panels #tier1panels About the author of this blog: Nigel Phillips is a qualified electrician in Queensland with over 30 years experience in the electrical industry. Nigel is Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA and previously Clean Energy Council CEC) accredited in Grid Connected (Solar) PhotoVoltaic systems (GCPV), Grid Connected Battery Storage (GCBS) and Stand-alone Power Systems (SPS).

Solar Power | Battery Storage | General Electrical | Electrical Sensations is a multi-awarded electrical contractor in Toowoomba specialising in high-quality solar power systems. Solar & Batteries Electrical EV Charging Solar, Batteries and Electrical Toowoomba Specialising in premium, high quality solar power and battery storage systems. ENQUIRE ABOUT SOLAR & BATTERIES → Electrical Sensations are Toowoomba's Solar Power, Battery Storage & Electrical Experts. Electrical Sensations provide reliable solar, battery and electrical services to customers in the Toowoomba region. Our highly skilled electricians can install, repair and maintain the electrical wiring and components in your home or business. We also specialise in installing, upgrading and repairing solar power and battery storage systems for both home and business, as well as the design and installation of commercial energy efficiency projects. By researching and selecting components that are well proven in terms of quality, performance and reliability, you can be certain that a solar power and/or battery storage system installed by Electrical Sensations will go the distance for you. You deserve to have the best products available, installed to industry best practice standards and delivered with outstanding customer service. We offer innovative, cutting edge, quality solar products and technology backed by a global network of suppliers. We do not subscribe to the "one size fits all" theory for energy efficiency projects, and our solutions are designed specifically for each business, to save them the most money on their energy bills. Our goal is to ensure that our energy efficiency projects are cash flow positive in the shortest possible time frame, usually from day one. Competitive project finance packages makes funding energy efficiency initiatives easy, with terms up to 7 years, $0 deposit and no on-going fees. By choosing the highest quality solar products with the best support network, the solutions we provide are easy and worry free for our clients. Whether you are looking for a new solar power or battery storage system or your existing system is in need of repair or maintenance , Electrical Sensations will be happy to help. Call our friendly team today to find out more about how solar power and battery storage will help you. More About Us → Solar & Batteries Save money on your electricity bill and help future-proof yourself from the rising costs of electricity. We sell, install, repair and maintain quality solar panels, inverters and batteries. Read More → Electrical Services We provide reliable electrical services to customers in the Toowoomba area. Our highly skilled electricians can install, repair and maintain electrical wiring and components in your home or business. Read More → EV Charging With an increasing number of EVs on the road, it is important for businesses and homeowners to be able to conveniently charge their vehicles. We install high-quality EV charging systems such as EVSE and SolarEdge. Read More → Awards + VOTED TOOWOOMBA’S TOP ELECTRICIAN 2020 The Chronicle, Toowoomba + UNDER 30KW GRID CONNECTED PV POWER SYSTEM (NATIONAL DIVISION) WINNER 2019 Clean Energy Council + EXCELLENCE IN INDUSTRY CATEGORY & DIVISION WINNER 2018 Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards + DIVISION WINNER 2018 Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards + PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY WINNER 2015 Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards + BUSINESS TRADE CATEGORY WINNER 2015 Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards + DIVISION FINALIST 2014 Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards + DIVISION WINNER 2013 Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards + DIVISION WINNER 2012 Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards DIVISION WINNER 2013 Toowoomba Business Excellence Awards DIVISION & CATEGORY WINNER 2018 Toowoomba Business Excellence Awards UNDER 30KW SOLAR DESIGN WINNER Clean Energy Council (CEC) 2019 Reviews Follow us on Instagram @electricalsensations Load More

Trying to cut down your monthly electricity bill? Thinking of an alternative power source? Check out Electrical sensations hybrid solar batteries. Call us! Solar Batteries We Install Reliable. Efficient. Independent. Batteries are a logical extension of solar power systems and are increasing in popularity at an incredible rate thanks to the new Cheaper Home Battery Program (CHBP). The main purpose of solar batteries is to store the excess solar power generated so you can use it at night time and buy less power from the grid. Sigenergy SigenStor Residential/light commercial, 5.2 - 48kWh Efficiency: 96-98% Warranty: 10 yr product Battery chemistry: LFP (LiFePO₄) Country of Manufacture: China Blackout Protection: Yes, 0 ms switchover Integrated hybrid inverter + battery + energy management SigenStor Datasheet BYD HVS, HVM and HVL Residential/light commercial, ~5–66+ kWh Efficiency: ≥ 96% Warranty: 10 yr product Battery chemistry: LFP (LiFePO₄) Country of Manufacture: China Blackout Protection: Yes (when paired with compatible inverter) Highly scalable capacity BYD Datasheets Fronius Reserva Residential/light commercial, 6.3–15.8 per tower; up to 63 kWh Efficiency: > 90% Warranty: 10 yr product Battery chemistry: LFP (LiFePO₄) Country of Manufacture: Austria Blackout Protection: Yes (when paired with a compatible inverter) DC-coupled design maximises solar use. Reserva Datasheet Tesla Powerwall 3 Residential, 13.5 kWh per unit; up to 4 units supported Efficiency: 89–97.5 % Warranty: 10 yr product Battery chemistry: LFP (LiFePO₄) Country of Manufacture: Partly assembled in USA Blackout Protection: Yes — built-in backup gateway Integrated battery + inverter + gateway Powerwall 3 Datasheet Sonnen sonnenBatterie Evo Residential, 10 kWh Efficiency: 94–95 % Warranty: 10 yr / 10,000 cycles Battery chemistry: LFP (LiFePO₄) Country of Manufacture: Germany Blackout Protection: Yes — Black Start + backup German-engineered + robust BMS Evo Datasheet RedEarth BlackMax, DropBear, CopperHead Residential/Commercial, 12-135+ kWh Efficiency: 90–95 % Warranty: 5-10 yr product Battery chemistry: LFP (LiFePO₄) Country of Manufacture: Australia Blackout Protection: Yes (when paired with a compatible inverter) Made locally in Brisbane! Suitable for off-grid systems EarthEarth learn more Sungrow SBR Residential, 6.4 – 25.6 kWh Efficiency: 89–97% Warranty: 10 yr product Battery chemistry: LFP (LiFePO₄) Country of Manufacture: China Blackout Protection: Yes (when paired with a compatible inverter) Cost-effective modular LFP stack SBR Datasheet Sungrow SBH Large residential/commercial, 20–160 kWh Efficiency: 89–97% Warranty: 10 yr product Battery chemistry: LFP (LiFePO₄) Country of Manufacture: China Blackout Protection: Yes (when paired with a compatible inverter) High capacity & powerful scaling SBH Datasheet

Solar batteries enable energy to be stored and used at night time to get the most benefit from your investment in your solar power system. Solar Batteries Solar batteries are a logical extension of solar power systems and are becoming more popular thanks to the Cheaper Home Batteries Program - the "Battery Grant" The main purpose of solar batteries is to store your excess solar power generated through the day time so that it can be used while the sun isn’t shining, in times of inclement weather or when power is charged at premium rates (Time-of-Use tariff customers). That means you are less dependent on grid power, more energy self–sufficient and pay less money to your electricity retailer. Some batteries can also provide ‘blackout protection’, which can be a big advantage for many households in areas where the grid reliability is not fantastic. Be aware that not all batteries can provide power in a blackout, so if that's something that's important to you, be sure and mention it to the battery system designer. At Electrical Sensations, our Solar Accreditation Australia SAA (previously Clean Energy Council) accredited designers have done the hard yards of researching and comparing the multitude of solar products available. We're totally confident in the performance, reliability and longevity of every product we recommend and will only install products we would be happy to have on our property. When you're investing in a solar power or battery storage system, you need the system to perform well for you, for as long as possible, without giving you any headaches. There are literally hundreds of different solar products on the market and it can be really hard to distinguish between them all. With solar power systems, the old adage “You get what you pay for” rings very true. We apply the following criteria when choosing which products to recommend to our customers: How financially stable is the manufacturer (looking at factors including their Altmann Z Score)? What is the general ‘reputation’ of the product from industry and consumer reports? Do they have an Australian office to handle any potential future warranty issues? What is the warranty claim/failure rate? Not only, what is the length of the warranty, but also how difficult and onerous is the warranty process? The devil can be in the detail of the warranty Terms and Conditions. Would I be confident and happy to have this product on my home? Solar Battery Brands We Install SigEnergy's SigenStor solar batteries deliver modular, safe energy storage that works with any solar system - new or existing. SigEnergy batteries are known for their exceptional safety and flexibility. SIGENERGY Made in China, BYD “B-Box” batteries use the safest lithium battery chemistry – Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) – widely recognised as one of the safest chemistry for batteries. BYD Made in China, BYD “B-Box” batteries use the safest lithium battery chemistry – Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) – widely recognised as one of the safest chemistry for batteries. Fronius The Tesla Powerwall is a rechargeable home battery system that stores excess solar energy that can be used on demand. It can power your home during the night or back up your home in a power outage. TESLA Sungrow batteries are known for reliable LFP storage, flexible modular sizing, and strong performance at a more affordable price point for certain models. The balance of quality, safety, and value is why we install them. SUNGROW The sonnenBatterie can be easily connected to any solar power system – new or existing. They are a beautifully simple add-on to help homeowners maximise the utilization of their solar power production. SONNEN RedEarth is an Australian-owned and operated solar battery manufacturer. Operating since 2013, RedEarth has nearly 10 years of experience in manufacturing a range of different on-grid and off-grid batteries. REDEARTH Learn more about the batteries we install Things to Consider. Not all batteries can provide power in a black–out. If that's something that is important to you, it is imperative to make that known to your designer from the outset. It's important to understand that there's a difference between the ‘nominal capacity’ and ‘usable capacity’ of a battery. Most batteries keep some energy in a kind of ‘reserve’ to avoid being damaged. The usable capacity is the number that matters and is typically around 90% of the nominal capacity. Be aware that every battery has a limit to the amount of power it can output at any one time. So, if you plan to use your air-con, oven, microwave, clothes drier (for example) at the same time, your battery will very likely not keep up and you'll be buying the excess from the grid. Staggering high usage electrical items gives you the most efficient use of your batteries. Having a battery doesn’t mean you are off–grid. The vast majority of solar and battery systems will maintain a grid connection and are called "hybrid" systems. With hybrid systems, the grid/network provides you with the power you need to get through periods of bad weather or increased consumption. Totally off–grid systems are typically in remote locations where getting power to the block is not possible, practical or economically viable.