As Australian households increasingly transition to solar storage, Sungrow remains a strong contender in the home battery space. In 2025, its residential energy storage offerings include a compact new 5.12 kWh unit, scalable high-voltage stacks, and robust integration with 3-phase hybrid inverters. This blog unpacks the performance, 3-phase support, and essential considerations for homeowners thinking about Sungrow batteries — helping you make an informed decision for your solar + storage system.
What’s New in Sungrow Home Batteries for 2025?
1.1 The New 5 kWh SBR Module- Sungrow has launched a 5.12 kWh LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery, called SBR, with a remarkably slim 182 mm design.
- This module can be scaled by connecting 1 to 4 units in parallel, yielding up to 20.48 kWh total capacity.
- The SBS050 supports a maximum 50 A charge/discharge current, enabling fast power delivery — beneficial for high-consumption loads or peak demand.
- It is designed for seamless integration with Sungrow’s SHRS-20 inverter series.
- According to Sungrow, the SBS050 has a cycle life of over 6,000 cycles (tested at 25 °C, 0.5 C / 0.5 C, 90% DoD), suggesting strong durability.
- For resilience, the SBS050 offers backup switching within ~10 ms, ensuring reliable power during outages.
- Its enclosure is rated IP55, supporting both indoor and outdoor installation, and it meets a C5 corrosion resistance class, making it rugged for Australian conditions.
- Safety-wise, it has 11 internal protection features, such as overcurrent protection, thermal monitoring, and communication-failure safeguards.
- The system is compatible with iSolarCloud, Sungrow’s app, for real-time monitoring of battery performance, temperature, and energy flows.
1.2 Scalable High-Voltage (HV) Stack Batteries
- Sungrow’s high-voltage modular LFP battery series includes SBR modules (e.g., SBR096, SBR128, SBR160, etc.) and SBH models (e.g., SBH200, SBH300) for larger capacity homes.
- For example, the SBR series uses 3.2 kWh modules that can be stacked: a unit typically supports 3–8 modules, and up to 4 such battery units can be operated in parallel.
- This modularity allows capacity to scale from ~9.6 kWh (minimum configuration) up to 100+ kWh, depending on system design.
- The high-voltage architecture supports 100% usable depth of discharge (DoD), which means homeowners can utilise nearly all stored energy without frequent degradation.
2. 3-Phase Support: Why It Matters and How Sungrow Enables It
2.1 Sungrow’s 3-Phase Hybrid Inverters
- Sungrow offers dedicated 3-phase hybrid inverters, including the SH15/20/25T series, designed for high-capacity residential systems.
- These inverters support full-house backup with a fast 10 ms switch-over, helping maintain critical loads during blackouts.
- In backup mode, the peak output of these inverters is substantial (for example, up to 36.5 kVA for SH25T), enabling the handling of heavy loads.
- The 3-phase inverters feature built-in 63 A bypass, which enhances resilience and simplifies protection design during grid disconnection.
- Safety is also prioritised: these inverters incorporate AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) 2.0, and they carry a rugged IP65 / C5 environmental rating.
2.2 How Sungrow Batteries Pair with 3-Phase Systems
- The modular SBR / SBH battery stacks are designed to integrate seamlessly with Sungrow’s 3-phase hybrid inverters, making them ideal for multi-phase homes.
- Because of the flexibility in stacking, homeowners can right-size battery capacity to match their 3-phase energy profile — whether for self-consumption, peak shifting, or backup.
- Using Sungrow’s 3-phase hybrid inverters ensures that stored energy can be distributed evenly across all phases, which is especially important for homes with balanced 3-phase loads.
3. Performance Characteristics & Efficiency
3.1 Round-Trip Efficiency & Power Delivery- Sungrow batteries deliver strong round-trip efficiency, meaning a high proportion of stored energy can be retrieved. According to user-comparisons, efficiency can be very competitive.
- The new SBS050’s 50 A charge/discharge capability supports rapid energy flow, useful for high-power appliance support and grid-fluctuation resilience.
- Thanks to the scalable architecture, the system can meet both low- and high-power demand: smaller stacks provide cost-effective storage, while larger assemblies support substantial daily usage or backup.
3.2 Cycle Life & Longevity
- The SBS050 is rated for 6,000+ cycles under standard test conditions (25 °C, 0.5 C charge/discharge, 90% DoD), indicating a very durable design.
- For the HV battery modules (SBR / SBH), Sungrow’s warranty covers long-term performance (see below), implying confidence in the battery’s longevity.
3.3 Real-World Experience & Feedback
- Sungrow’s modular HV batteries can charge from rooftop solar even during grid outages, enabling resilience.
- However, some user-reported nuances exist. For instance:
“When I enabled ‘Forced Charging’ … the inverter immediately ‘blew’ one of the fuses … Sungrow changed the grid charging rate … and that solved the issue.”
- Another common report: discharge power limits may be lower than expected in some configurations, particularly depending on how many battery modules are installed and the inverter used: “With two batteries … the system is limited to about 3 kW discharge … I can’t change that value.”
- These cases emphasise the importance of good system design and installer experience when planning a Sungrow setup.
4. Warranty, Reliability & Assurance
4.1 Sungrow’s Warranty Terms (Australia)
- Sungrow’s High-Voltage (HV) battery warranty (version from Oct 2024) guarantees 10 years performance, maintaining at least 70% of original capacity.
- This 70% threshold applies to daily self-consumption or backup applications, with unlimited cycles in that use case.
- For other applications (e.g. grid services), the warranty applies until either 10 years or when a defined energy throughput is reached.
- Sungrow provides a 5-year limited product warranty for workmanship: during this time, defects in material or build are covered.
- For any replacement under warranty, the remaining original warranty period transfers to the new unit.
4.2 Conditions, Exclusions & Important Considerations
- The warranty requires the battery to be installed per Sungrow’s guidelines; misuse, incorrect PCS (power conversion system), or faulty commissioning could void the warranty.
- Operating temperature matters: for example, the battery should not operate outside Sungrow’s stated range, as extreme temperatures may void warranty coverage.
- Sungrow requires access to performance data (via internet) to assess battery condition and validate warranty claims.
- If a product is discontinued, Sungrow may offer a replacement with equivalent performance, or refund a proportionate depreciated value.
5. Key Considerations for Australian Homeowners
5.1 System Design & Installer Choice- When planning a Sungrow battery system, working with a CEC-accredited installer who understands both the HV battery stacks and Sungrow’s 3-phase hybrid inverters is critical.
- Load assessment: It’s important to map your household’s energy use across phases (if 3-phase) to design a battery stack that delivers optimal performance, especially for backup.
5.2 Sizing Strategy
- For smaller homes or budget-conscious projects, a parallel-stack SBS050 setup (up to 20.48 kWh) may be ideal.
- For high-self-consumption households or those wanting future scalability, the SBR / SBH high-voltage stacks provide more flexibility.
5.3 Backup vs Self-Consumption vs Grid Services
- If backup is a priority, Sungrow’s 3-phase hybrid inverters (e.g., SH15/20/25T) deliver seamless switching and high output, making full-home resiliency more feasible.
- For self-consumption and peak-shifting, the scalable battery stacks can be tuned to match demand patterns.
- For more advanced uses (e.g. virtual power plants), verify warranty implications, since non-standard usage may hit throughput limitations.
5.4 Monitoring & Maintenance
- Use Sungrow’s iSolarCloud to monitor energy flows, check battery health, and detect faults early.
- Ensure firmware updates are applied: remote updates may help performance and maintain warranty coverage.
- Regular health checks (via your installer) in the first year are beneficial: catch any configuration issues early.
5.5 Cost-Benefit Trade-offs
- The new SBS050 is compact, cost-efficient, and well-suited for modern homes.
- The HV stacks (SBR / SBH) offer better long-term scaling and capacity but require more careful planning.
- When backed by 3-phase inverters, Sungrow systems can support high loads, but system cost, installation complexity, and balancing must be carefully weighed.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q1. Does Sungrow support 3-phase battery systems? Yes — Sungrow’s 3-phase hybrid inverters (like the SH15/20/25T) support its high-voltage battery stacks, enabling storage and backup across all three phases.
Q2. What’s new in Sungrow’s 2025 home battery lineup? In 2025, Sungrow released the SBS050, a compact 5.12 kWh LFP battery that can be scaled up to 20.48 kWh via parallel connection.
Q3. How long do Sungrow batteries last, according to warranty? Sungrow offers a 10-year limited performance warranty, guaranteeing at least 70% capacity retention, depending on the usage scenario.
Q4. What happens if my battery fails due to defect? Sungrow’s 5-year product warranty covers manufacturing or material defects. Replacement or repair parts will be provided, and any replacement unit inherits the remaining warranty period.
Q5. Do I need a specific inverter to pair with Sungrow batteries? Yes — for 3-phase battery systems, Sungrow recommends using its own SH-series 3-phase hybrid inverters for full compatibility and to maintain warranty coverage.
Q6. Can Sungrow batteries handle extreme Australian temperatures? They are designed for typical residential conditions, but operating outside the recommended temperature range (e.g., too cold or very hot) may void warranty terms.
Q7. How does Sungrow’s modular design help me scale later? With its SBR / SBH high-voltage modules, you can start with a smaller capacity and add more modules or parallel units later — up to very large sizes (tens of kWh) — depending on your needs.Conclusion
Sungrow’s 2025 home battery offerings present a highly flexible, performance-driven solution for Australian households. Whether you choose the compact 5.12 kWh SBS050 or the scalable high-voltage SBR/SBH stacks, the system is designed to work efficiently with Sungrow’s 3-phase hybrid inverters — delivering reliable backup, strong performance, and future-expandable capacity.
However, the benefits come with important design considerations. Homeowners must engage experienced installers who understand 3-phase architecture, size the battery stack to their energy profile, and ensure the system remains connected for monitoring and firmware updates. Furthermore, familiarity with the warranty terms — including usage scenarios and warranty maintenance — will be crucial to safeguarding your investment.
For those ready to explore Sungrow’s latest battery solutions for 2025, talk to our expert by calling 1300 181 191, and Prosolar Global can help design a system tailored to your needs: scalable, high-performance, and future-proof.
