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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?

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Solar Battery Brands

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.

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