Batteries & Storage

On the coldest mornings, a solar battery can lose up to half its usable energy. It isn’t broken. That’s cold weather at work. Cold slows the chemistry, slows charging, and trims what you can actually use. It rarely damages a good battery. It can leave a cheaper one stalling…

Most Australian homes with solar go dark during a blackout. Even on a sunny day. Even with panels on the roof. Here’s why that happens, and exactly what it takes to keep your power on when the grid fails. The short answer: standard solar alone will not save you.  Thi…

For quite some time now Tesla has been one of the biggest powerhouses in the solar battery world and the Powerwall 3 has lived up to that as it has shown itself to be a reliable, well-integrated battery with many positives. However, the rigidity of the system when it comes to e…

The Definitive Australian Guide to Battery Location Rules, AS/NZS 5139 Compliance, and Smart Placement Battery installations across Australia are booming. With electricity prices rising and rebates making storage more accessible, more homeowners than ever are adding batte…

If you’re looking at an Alpha ESS battery, chances are the specs look fine, the price seems reasonable, and the installer sounds confident. However, there’s usually one concern sitting in the background: what happens if something goes wrong five or eight years down the track…

You’ve probably heard the news by now: The Tesla Powerwall 3 is now compatible with the Powerwall 2. For many existing Powerwall owners in Australia, that’s a welcome update. If you already have a Powerwall 2, it finally gives you a way to expand your storage without replaci…

Solar batteries are becoming more common in NSW as rebates expand, electricity prices rise, and battery technology improves. With more households moving faster on battery decisions—especially following changes to the Cheaper Home Batteries Program—questions about insurance are…

For many Tesla Powerwall 2 owners, the frustration of expanding their battery system may soon be over. Tesla has confirmed that Powerwall 3 will soon be compatible with Powerwall 2, with Australia chosen as the first country globally to receive the rollout. Since Powerwal…

If you’re planning a solar battery, you’re probably focused on battery size, brand, and rebates. That’s where most of the attention goes — and understandably so. However, there’s another decision underneath all of that which has a major impact on how your system actually perfor…

Despite what much of the fancy marketing shows, no qualified installer in Australia is putting a solar battery inside your living space. It doesn’t happen. Under strict Australian battery positioning guidelines, home batteries are installed in garages, on external walls, or in…

Buying a solar battery in 2026 can be overwhelming With the federal battery rebate in full swing and electricity prices climbing, interest in home batteries has never been higher. But while the ads make it sound simple — “grab your rebate and start saving” — the reality is a…

You’re comparing solar batteries and everything sounds promising. Good warranty, solid capacity, strong brand name. But then your installer mentions something about an “IP rating” — and suddenly, you’re nodding politely while secretly thinking: What’s that? IP ratings are of…