This Growatt battery review is performed independently by Solar Choice, and has no affiliation with Growatt.
Background on Growatt – Company History
Growatt is a Chinese company that is best known for their popular solar inverters, although they have recently ventured into the solar battery market since 2019 with their first product being the GBLI6531.
They were founded in 2010 and manufactures residential, commercial and large-scale solar inverters. Based in Shenzhen, China, it didn’t take them long to gain a foothold in the inverter market and by mid 2011 they rose to become the country’s top inverter exporter. They’ve manufactured and shipped over 1.7 million inverters to over 100 countries and regions around the world. In 2012 they expanded into the Australian market and have an office based in Silverwater, NSW.
According to IHS Markit’s world inverter shipment ranking, they’ve been recognised as a top 3 single-phase inverter brand. IHS Market is a British information provider that covers a wide range of data from a wide variety of industries from economic forecasting, finance and the solar PV industry.
In 2012 Growatt expanded into the Australian market and have a local office based in Homebush West, NSW.
We’ve gone through an extensive analysis in providing you with informative information for those of you who are looking for an independent Growatt battery review in Australia.
Basics of the Growatt Lithium Battery Options
Growatt offers a variety of solar battery ranges which are suited to the different target customers. See the below table.
| Battery | Capacity Range (kWh) | Currently available in Australia? | Compatible with which Growatt Inverters | Single or 3-phase |
| ARK LV | 2.56 to 25.6 | Yes | SPH 3-6K, 3-6KTL BL-UPSPH, SPH BU-UP, SPF 5000ES (off-grid) | Single-phase |
| ARK XH | 5.12 to 25.6 | YES | MIN 2500-6000TL-XH, MOD 3000-10000TL3-XH | BOTH |
| APX HV | 5 to 30 | Available in next few months | MIN 2500-6000TL-XH(single phase), MOD 3000-10000TL3-XH(3-phase) | BOTH |
| ALP LV | 5 to 40 | YES | SPH 3-6K, 3-6KTL BL-UPSPH, SPH BU-UP, SPF 5000ES (off-grid) | Single-phase |
Our review focuses on the ARK LV battery and the ALP LV battery which are Growatt’s flagship models for the residential market.
Growatt ARK Series Battery
The ARK series is aimed at residential users with a potential storage capacity ranging from 2.56kWh to 25.6kWh. The lithium battery utilizes Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) technology which is now the most prevalent battery chemistry due to the lower cost construction and benefits in terms of safety.
The batteries are modular in units with a storage capacity of 2.56kWh. Up to 10 units can be connected together to reach the maximum capacity of 25.6kWh which exceeds the requirements of most residential solar systems.
With IP65 protection against dust and water rating, this battery can handle indoor or outdoor installations, although . The working temperature of the ARK LV is -10°C to 50°C so it can handle most Australian environments.
The ARK XH model is designed for residential homeowners with a 3-phase connection. When paired with Growatt’s MIN or MOD series inverter the ARK XH battery can provide power all all 3 phases.
Growatt ALP LV Battery
Growatt’s ALP LV series is a slightly larger battery ranging from 5kWh to 40kWh in stackable units of 5kWh. The battery uses the same LiFePo chemistry as the ARK batteries.
This series caters to residential users with larger ambitions in terms of energy storage. A 40kWh battery may also be suitable for a small business or commercial application.
The ALP Series has a slightly higher environmental protection rating of IP66 which is an advantage for outdoor installations.
Growatt Battery Review – Key Features
There are a few features of the Growatt battery worth mentioning:
Remote Diagnosis and Upgrade
When connected to the internet the Growatt batteries in built management system and monitoring portal will enable Growatt’s technicians to diagnose issues without coming onsite. Additionally the batteries firmware can be automatically updated.
90%+ Depth of Discharge
DoD (Depth of Discharge) measures the battery capacity used relative to its overall capacity. The higher the DoD, the more energy you can get out of the battery during each cycle. When assessing your energy capacity requirements you should focus on the usable capacity of a battery which is the nameplate capacity multiplied by the depth of discharge.
The ARK LV battery has a 90% depth of the discharge while the ALP LV battery has a 92% rating. Both of these are comparable with the better options on the market.
How much do Growatt batteries cost?
See the below table which provides an indicative guide based on data from Solar Choice’s Battery Price Index on the cost of installing a Growatt GBLI6532 with different battery capacity:
| Growatt GBLI6532 Solar Battery | Wholesale Price ($AUD) |
| 6.5kW (1 module) | $2700 AUD |
| 13kW (2 modules) | $5400 AUD |
Please note
- Prices are recommended wholesalers listed price and including back up box – final price a customer would be quoted depend on the installer’s mark up and installation costs
- Price estimates does not include any state-based incentives
To give this cost context it is important to balance the cost of a battery against the return of a cheaper power bill. Solar Choice’s solar and battery calculator is a comprehensive tool to understand the financial viability – although be warned, we looked at 48 scenarios and couldn’t find anything that made financial sense.
Compare quotes from up to 7 installers in your area now.
Australian warranty terms for Growatt battery
The warranty terms for the Growatt ARK battery series in Australia offer a coverage period of 10 years.
An important aspect of the warranty is its coverage for battery capacity. If the battery’s capacity falls below 60% of its initial usable energy within the 10-year warranty period, the customer is eligible to make a claim. For instance, if a 10.24kWh battery drops to 6.1kWh or less in its 9th year, the customer can file a claim.
Notably, the warranty specifies that the battery must be used with Growatt Storage Devices, which include the Growatt SPA, SPH, XH and SPF inverter series. Growatt emphasizes that their batteries should be paired with a Growatt inverter.
For warranty claims, Growatt’s Australian office in Homebush West NSW, can be contacted at 1800 476 928 (1800GROWATT) or via email australia@ginverter.com. This process is similar to the one used for their solar inverter modules.
Review Growatt’s ARK series warranty document here.
Growatt Battery Specifications
| Growatt ARK 10.2L (4 modules) | Growatt ALP LV 10.0L (2 modules) | |
| Nameplate Capacity | 10.24 kWh | 10 kWh |
| Depth of Discharge | 90% | 92% |
| Usable Capacity | 9.216 kWh | 9.2 kWh |
| Nominal Power | 5 kW | 10 kW |
| Operating Voltage | 47.2 – 56.8V | 46.4 – 57.6V |
| Charging/Discharging Current | 100A | 130A |
| Expansion | Max. 10 modules in parallel | Max. 8 modules in parallel |
| Battery Cell Technology | Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) | Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) |
650/260/725mm |
690/185/590mm |
| Weight | 112kg | 88kg |
| Operating Temperature Range | -10 °C to 50 °C | -10 °C to 50 °C |
| Environment Protection | IP65 | IP66 |
| Warranty | 10 Years | 10 Years |
Pros and Cons of Growatt Batteries
Pros:
- Backed by large inverter company
- Have Australian office in West Homebush, NSW
- Price friendly, good for residential users.
Cons:
- Inverters are Growatt’s primary product and they have smaller battery market share
- Shorter history as a battery manufacturer than some competitors
Read about home battery government schemes across Australia
South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and Australian Capital Territory all currently have a home battery scheme in place.
The South Australian Home Battery Scheme enables eligible South Australian residents to receive up to $4,000 per installed battery.
The New South Wales Home Battery Scheme offers an interest-free loan up to $9000 for eligible households looking to install a solar battery.
The Victorian Government under the Solar Homes Program provides to those eligible, a maximum discount of $4,174 off the battery sale price. The next release of battery rebates is on the 2nd of September 2020.
The Australian Capital Territory Government under the Next Generation Energy Storage program provides a rebate of $825 per kilowatt (kW). An average household with a 5kW system would be eligible for approximately $4,000.
Read more product reviews from Solar Choice
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Reviews from Australians who have installed Growatt Batteries
11kw battery. Charge/discharge brilliant. To this review I no longer pay any electricity Bill's. My export pays the daily supply charge and more. The battery lasts all night to run my house. By 9.00 am battery fully charged again. Hot water is a heat pump on timer to run after battery charged. Love the freedom off free energy.
It would have been better if the installers stacked the 6 modules on top of one another as instructed but they did two stacks of three for each system. Growatt told me that there should never have been the two systems and then they said 4 modules in one stack and 2 in the other stack. This was the same technical support engineer as mentioned above.
Comes with an app that gives you graphed information about the energy which is dead cool.
