Background on SolaX – Company History
SolaX Power started out in 2007 by CEO Li Xinfu with their headquarters in Hangzhou, China. Their website states they have 6 offices globally with over 2,000 employees and revenues of $142 million USD. The company’s main product line is their budget-friendly solar inverters which are distributed around the world including Australia.
SolaX launched their first battery in 2018 and have released several new generations in recent years. The current ‘triple power’ series is aimed at the residential market. Their batteries are designed and manufactured using in-house IP and facilities.
The Australian office address listed on SolaX’s website is 21 Nicholas Dr in Dandenong South which is the address of Raystech (solar product distributor). It appears SolaX do not have an office in Australia to support local customers like some of the other Chinese brands.
Basics of SolaX Lithium Batteries
The Triple Power lithium batteries offered by SolarX consist entirely of LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) chemistry across all series, including both low voltage (LV) and high voltage (HV) options. From their Australian website and CEC approved battery list, there are two options that are available: T-BAT-SYS-HV-5.8 series, and T-BAT-SYS-HV-S3.6 series.
Triple Power T-BAT-SYS-HV-5.8 series
The T-BAT-SYS-HV-5.8 series offers battery modules with a nameplate rating of 5.8kWh. The usable battery capacity is 5.1 kWh implying a depth of discharge of around 88%.
It is a large and heavy solution with the initial battery module and management system weighing 72.2kg and additional modules at 68.5kg each. The battery has an IP65 rating, which is an excellent protection rating if you are looking to have a battery installed outdoors.
The stated life of the battery is over 6,000 cycles which corresponds to over 16 years at one cycle per day. However it is important to note that the standard warranty is only 10 years for this product.
The battery is a DC-connected solution, meaning it would need to be paired with a SolaX hybrid inverter to be operational.
Triple Power T-BAT-SYS-HV-S3.6 series
The T-BAT-SYS-HV-S3.6 series is SolaX’s new option. The battery features the same chemistry as the T-BAT-SYS-HV-5.8 series however a smaller design of 3.6 kWh nominal capacity.
This smaller battery module size enables greater flexibility to reach the optimal battery capacity for customers with the batteries able to be scaled from 2 modules (7.3 kWh) to 13 modules (47.9kWh).
The smaller size and stackable design is also designed to enable a single person to completed the installation without assistance. With the individual modules weighing 33kg this may still represent a challenge for a single installer with assistance.
SolaX Battery – Key Features
There are a number of features of the SolaX battery worth mentioning:
Online Monitoring
You can monitor the performance of your battery either on a web app or on your phone. This enables you to see live data pertaining to current charge, historical charging data and even select if you want your batteries to be charged by the grid during off-peak tariff periods.
90% Depth of Discharge
The Depth of Discharge (DoD) of the Solax Triple Power batteries is 90%. This puts it on par with some of SolaX’s competitors, namely Sonnen (90% DoD and Alpha ESS (90% DoD).
DoD is an important factor to account for when making a buying decision for a solar battery. It’s the percentage of the battery that is available to be discharged compared with it’s stated capacity. The higher the DoD, the more available stored energy you can use, and hence greater potential you’re gaining from it.
When comparing battery options we encourage customers to look at the usable battery capacity which can be calculated by multiplying the nameplate capacity of the battery by the depth of discharge.
How Much Do SolaX Batteries Cost?
The SolaX T-BAT-SYS-HV-5.8 series battery modules cost around $3,200 to $3,500 from a wholesaler. This price excludes any additional components and installations costs.
It is always recommended to get a professional installer to assess you house, requirements and any existing solar technology installed to determine the best battery solution.
Compare quotes from up to 7 installers in your area now.
Australian warranty terms for SolaX Triple Power battery
SolaX provide a standard warranty of 10 years for the Triple Power batteries. There is however no performance warranty mentioned in the warranty document which typically outlines a minimum output after 10 years. So there is no limits on the degradation rate that you can expect from a SolaX battery
The warranty document covers the typical exclusions like improper installation or tampering with the device.
In order to claim warranty on the product an email and Australian phone number are provided from the “Australian Importer” which is named as SolaX Power AUS PTY LTD and have the same address as Raystech.
Read SolaX’s full battery warranty for Australian customers here.
Independent Battery Testing
ITP Renewables have established an independent battery testing centre at the Canberra Institute of Technology and perform accelerated life cycle testing on batteries in 3 year phases. The centre is supported by a $1.29m grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) under its Advancing Renewables Program, and testing is conducted scientifically without interference from any manufacturers. ITP is currently testing 15 residential scale batteries available on the Australian market, and has had a total of 26 batteries installed at the centre.
SolaX Triple Power commenced testing in 2020 as part of phase 3 of the program and the results are publicly available on the battery testing centre’s website.
ITP has not experienced any operational issues with the SolaX Triple Power battery.
Pros and Cons of SolaX Batteries
Pros
- Various power range options available to cater to different energy storage requirements.
- Batteries are priced on the cost-effective side of the market
Cons
- Some models may have larger size and weight, requiring more space and making installation more difficult.
- No performance warranty provided, so no limits on the degradation rate of the battery
- No Australian office to support local customers and warranty claims
Read more product reviews from Solar Choice
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Reviews from Australians who have installed SolaX Batteries
Very happy with Solax overall. Reliability has been good, with a problem at 3 years old being rectified (replaced with newer technology unit at no cost) promptly.
3x8Kw batteries discharge too quickly- suspect the inverter is the problem.
Good now but no one knew what they were doing at the time .Installation rough as you no have no idea and nothing fixed yet they do not even make a reply except intimidation.
Also works brilliantly!
