Battery brands
Sungrow SBR battery: sizes, rebate and installation in Melbourne
In Melbourne, as anywhere in Australia, the Sungrow SBR is a stackable lithium iron phosphate (LFP) home battery built from 3.2 kWh modules: 2 to 8 in one stack, so 6.4 kWh to 25.6 kWh usable, and it runs only with a Sungrow hybrid inverter. The federal battery rebate on a 12.8 kWh SBR128 installed in May–December 2026 is up to about $3,300, at $38/STC. See how it compares with other home batteries.
Its listing on the Clean Energy Council approved list, which the rebate needs, runs until 30 December 2026. Our previous website listed Sungrow batteries; the brands we install today are being confirmed, and your quote names the exact model.
Updated
What sizes does the Sungrow SBR come in?
Each SBR is one stack of 3.2 kWh modules (33 kg each) on a floor-standing base, rated IP55 for indoor or outdoor installation. Sungrow sells seven sizes, named by their capacity: the SBR128 holds 12.8 kWh. Every size is 625 mm wide and 330 mm deep; only the height and weight grow.
| Model | Modules | Usable capacity | Rated power | Height and weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBR064 | 2 | 6.4 kWh | 3.84 kW | 545 mm, 89 kg |
| SBR096 | 3 | 9.6 kWh | 5.76 kW | 545 mm, 114 kg |
| SBR128 | 4 | 12.8 kWh | 7.68 kW | 675 mm, 147 kg |
| SBR160 | 5 | 16 kWh | 9.60 kW | 805 mm, 180 kg |
| SBR192 | 6 | 19.2 kWh | 11.52 kW | 935 mm, 213 kg |
| SBR224 | 7 | 22.4 kWh | 13.44 kW | 1,065 mm, 246 kg |
| SBR256 | 8 | 25.6 kWh | 15.36 kW | 1,195 mm, 279 kg |
The smallest, the SBR064, is 2 modules plus an empty one. Sungrow’s manual allows up to 4 stacks in parallel on a compatible inverter, with an extra combiner box. Our battery size calculator suggests a size from your evening use.
Which Sungrow inverter does the SBR need?
The SBR is a high-voltage battery with no inverter of its own. Sungrow’s manual says it connects only to a Sungrow hybrid inverter: a single phase SH-RS, or a three phase model. The hybrid runs your panels and the battery together, and it links the system to Sungrow’s iSolarCloud app.
| Power supply | Inverters | Where Sungrow says so |
|---|---|---|
| Single phase | SH3.0RS, SH3.6RS, SH4.0RS, SH5.0RS and SH6.0RS | SBR user manual |
| Single phase | SH8.0RS and SH10RS | Sungrow Australia: “fully compatible with … SBR series” |
| Three phase | SH5.0RT, SH6.0RT, SH8.0RT and SH10RT | SBR user manual |
| Three phase | SH5T to SH25T (SBR096 and larger) | SH-T user manual |
- The smallest size has fewer options. The SBR064 works only with the SH3.0RS to SH6.0RS (single phase) and SH5.0RT to SH10RT (three phase).
- Each inverter lists what it takes. Sungrow’s battery manual refers installers to the hybrid inverter’s manual for compatibility, so the battery size and the inverter on your quote should match.
- Buying a new inverter? Sungrow Australia’s range today lists the SH5.0RS, SH6.0RS, SH8.0RS and SH10RS (single phase) and the SH5T, SH10T and SH15T to SH25T (three phase). The other models in the table come from the manuals and matter if you already have one.
Not sure whether your home is single or three phase? Here’s how to tell.
How much does a Sungrow battery cost?
We don’t publish a list price: the Sungrow inverter, the switchboard, the cable run and backup all change the job. After a free inspection you get a fixed installed price with the federal rebate already taken off.
The federal rebate on each SBR size
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program pays the same whatever the brand: it depends on the listed usable capacity and the install date. Installs in May–December 2026 use a factor of 6.8; from 1 January 2027 it falls to 5.7.
| Model | Installed May–December 2026 | Installed January–June 2027, if relisted |
|---|---|---|
| SBR064 (6.4 kWh) | 43 STCs, about $1,600 | 36 STCs, about $1,400 |
| SBR096 (9.6 kWh) | 65 STCs, about $2,500 | 54 STCs, about $2,100 |
| SBR128 (12.8 kWh) | 87 STCs, about $3,300 | 72 STCs, about $2,700 |
| SBR160 (16 kWh) | 103 STCs, about $3,900 | 86 STCs, about $3,300 |
| SBR192 (19.2 kWh) | 116 STCs, about $4,400 | 97 STCs, about $3,700 |
| SBR224 (22.4 kWh) | 129 STCs, about $4,900 | 108 STCs, about $4,100 |
| SBR256 (25.6 kWh) | 142 STCs, about $5,400 | 119 STCs, about $4,500 |
Dollar figures use $38 per STC, the top of the range the CER says agents usually pay, for every period. The number of STCs is set by the program; their dollar value in later years depends on the STC price then.
Market prices, not Sungrow prices
This index has no brand rows, so it can’t tell you what a Sungrow costs: read it as a guide to the size nearest each SBR.
| Index size | Nearest SBR sizes | Battery only | With an extra inverter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kWh | SBR064, SBR096, SBR128 | $7,784 ($778/kWh) | $8,284 ($828/kWh) |
| 20 kWh | SBR160, SBR192, SBR224 | $14,972 ($749/kWh) | $15,772 ($789/kWh) |
| 30 kWh | SBR256 | $22,489 ($750/kWh) | $23,089 ($770/kWh) |
Is the Sungrow SBR on the approved battery list?
The federal rebate needs a battery “included on the Clean Energy Council (CEC) approved battery list”, in the Clean Energy Regulator’s words, and every listing has an end date. The SBR has been listed since 2 August 2023 under certificate BAT-474, which runs until 30 December 2026. We re-checked it on 2 November 2026. Sungrow’s larger SBH is listed separately (BAT-505) until 4 January 2027.
- While it is listed (until 30 December 2026): an SBR can claim the rebate if the rest of the rules are met.
- After that date: only if Sungrow renews the listing, so check the SBR is still listed before your install date.
- Other rules include: installed by a Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) accredited installer with battery endorsement; able to join a virtual power plant (VPP) if it is connected to the grid. Sungrow’s datasheet for the SH8.0RS and SH10RS calls them “VPP Ready”.
Check the approved battery list and the Clean Energy Regulator’s battery rules for the current version.
Does a Sungrow battery work in a blackout?
Yes, when the system is set up for it. A grid-connected system shuts down in a blackout, so the backup comes from the Sungrow hybrid inverter and a backup circuit wired into your switchboard, not from the battery alone. What Sungrow’s datasheets say about its hybrids:
- Single phase SH-RS: Switches to backup in under 10 ms; SH8.0RS and SH10RS have a 63 A bypass for whole-home backup.
- Three phase SH-T: 63 A bypass for whole-home backup and a 10 ms switch (SH15T to SH25T).
Backup can cover the whole home or a few chosen circuits (the fridge, lights, internet and power points), depending on the inverter and your switchboard. Your quote says whether your system is set up for backup and which circuits it covers.
Sungrow battery warranty and iSolarCloud monitoring
Sungrow’s Australian battery warranty (Sungrow HV Battery Limited Warranty V8.0, effective 1 October 2024, copy hosted by SolarQuotes) covers every SBR size:
- 10 years from installation, or 126 months from manufacture if that comes first.
- At least 70% of the original capacity at 10 years, with unlimited cycles for daily self-consumption and backup.
- Other uses, or a mix that includes one, end the capacity guarantee at a throughput limit: from 17.92 MWh on the SBR064 to 71.68 MWh on the SBR256. If you plan to join a virtual power plant, ask how its use of the battery counts.
- Only new modules can be added to an existing stack, and the capacity guarantee still runs from the first install date.
The warranty excludes a battery that isn’t monitored in iSolarCloud, Sungrow’s monitoring app, and Sungrow needs its performance data over the internet: if that data is incomplete, Sungrow honours at least 4 years, so keep the inverter on your Wi-Fi. The installer’s workmanship warranty is separate, and your quote should state it.
Sungrow SBR vs SBH, and vs Alpha ESS SMILE
Specifications only, from each maker’s Australian documents.
| Battery | Modules | Usable per stack | Power | Inverter | Approved list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sungrow SBR | 3.2 kWh, 2 to 8 per stack | 6.4 kWh to 25.6 kWh; up to 4 stacks | 30 A continuous; rated 3.84 to 15.36 kW | Sungrow hybrid, single or three phase | BAT-474, until 30 December 2026 |
| Sungrow SBH | 5 kWh, 3 to 8 per stack | 15 kWh to 40 kWh (SBH150 to SBH400); up to 4 stacks (160 kWh) | 50 A continuous; 10.56 to 28.16 kW | Sungrow hybrid (the SH-T manual lists it) | BAT-505, until 4 January 2027 |
| Alpha ESS SMILE-G3 | 1 to 4 modules (9.3 to 37.2 kWh) on the single phase S5 or B5; up to 6 (55.8 kWh) on a three phase SMILE-G3-T5 to T20 | 9.3 kWh per module (100% depth of discharge), up to 37.2 kWh on single phase, 55.8 kWh on three phase | 5 kW single phase (5 kVA backup port); 5 to 20 kW three phase | SMILE-G3-S5 is a hybrid that runs new panels; SMILE-G3-B5 is AC coupled for existing solar; SMILE-G3-T5 to T20 are three phase hybrids | BAT-724, until 31 December 2027 |
SBR or SBH? The SBR grows in smaller 3.2 kWh steps, so it can be sized closer to your evening use. The SBH starts at 15 kWh, uses larger modules and carries 50 A instead of 30 A, for homes that need a bigger battery or more power. Both are floor-standing and rated IP55. Sungrow’s battery warranty names the SBH200 to SBH400, so ask for the terms of the exact model.
SBR or Alpha ESS SMILE? The SMILE-G3 brings its own inverter: the S5 is a single phase hybrid and the B5 sits beside existing solar. The SBR needs a Sungrow hybrid but works on single or three phase.
Sungrow batteries from Top End Solar
Our previous website listed Sungrow and Alpha ESS batteries. The brands we install today are being confirmed, so this page describes the Sungrow SBR from Sungrow’s own documents. After a free inspection, your quote names the exact model, its size and its warranty.
In Victoria an independent licensed electrical inspector must check a battery installation before it can be switched on (Energy Safe Victoria), and the battery has to follow AS/NZS 5139:2019, which limits where it can go. How a battery install works.
Sungrow batteries: your questions
How much does a Sungrow battery cost in Melbourne?
It depends on the size, the Sungrow inverter you need and your switchboard, so we give you a fixed installed price after a free inspection, with the federal battery rebate taken off. That rebate is up to about $3,300 on an SBR128 (12.8 kWh) installed in May–December 2026, at $38/STC. Published battery price averages are national and not brand-specific, so none of them is a Sungrow price. What a battery costs
Will a Sungrow battery work with my existing inverter?
Only if it is one of the Sungrow hybrid inverters, single or three phase, that Sungrow’s manuals list for the SBR. With another brand of inverter, adding an SBR means fitting a Sungrow hybrid in its place; a battery with its own inverter can sit beside your existing system instead. We check which suits your home at the inspection. Adding a battery to existing solar
Can I add more modules to a Sungrow SBR battery later?
Yes, up to 8 modules (25.6 kWh) in a stack, and up to 4 stacks on a compatible inverter with an extra combiner box. Sungrow’s warranty accepts only new modules, and the capacity guarantee still runs from the first install date. Added capacity can claim the federal rebate only if the first battery never claimed it, the addition is at least 5 kWh (two modules or more) and the enlarged battery is on the approved list on the date the work is certified.
How long is the Sungrow battery warranty?
10 years from installation, or 126 months from manufacture if sooner. Sungrow promises at least 70% of the original capacity at 10 years, with unlimited cycles for daily self-consumption and backup; other uses have a throughput limit (35.84 MWh on an SBR128). The battery must be monitored in iSolarCloud: without its online data, Sungrow honours at least 4 years. The warranty terms
Can I still get the battery rebate on a Sungrow SBR?
Yes, while it stays on the Clean Energy Council approved battery list. Its listing (BAT-474) runs until 30 December 2026. An SBR installed after that date can claim only if Sungrow renews the listing, so check it is still listed before your install date. It must also be installed by a Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) accredited installer with battery endorsement. Who qualifies for the rebate
Sizing a Sungrow SBR for a Melbourne winter
Size an SBR for Melbourne’s winter, not its summer. A 6.6 kW north-facing system in Mount Waverley averages about 14.4 kWh a day in June (PVGIS), against 34.6 kWh in December, and the house uses some of it as it goes. The SBR064, SBR096 and SBR128 fit under that June figure; from the SBR160 up (16 kWh to 25.6 kWh), a winter day’s solar from that system won’t fill the stack. Because the SBR comes in 3.2 kWh steps, you can match it closely to your own winter output. Settle the size before the first rebate claim, though: modules added later get the rebate only if the first battery never claimed it. The SBR’s approved listing runs to 30 December 2026; for an install after that date, check it has been renewed before you count on the rebate.
Get a quote for a Sungrow battery
Free inspection, no obligation. Every federal rebate your home qualifies for comes off before you see the price.
Talk to us about a Sungrow battery
Locally owned, locally installed. Call, email, or send the form and we’ll come out and inspect the property.
- Phone
- 0485 000 015
- Workshop
- 8/41 Ricketts Road,
Mount Waverley, VIC 3149