Battery backup price roundup - January 2024

Jan

Jan

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Best battery brands to fight load-shedding — with prices

Batteries are essential components of backup power solutions, and some of the best brands available to South African customers include Hubble, Revov, Dyness, Deye, Sunsynk, Shoto, HinaEss, and PylonTech.

Those looking for energy storage for their backup power solution have several options from which to choose from several reputed brands, with prices starting at R3,357 per kilowatt-hour.
 
The weakpoint in many solar setups is the BMS in the batteries.

Having dug into driver issues, I found that many very very expensive battery packs are using chipsets that are decades old, with only a serial interface. Then they slap on a rs232 to USB converter onto it, to make it USB enabled.

Same with their network enabled stuff. Its just a glorified rs232 to ethernet converter.

Then they use their barely working proprietary software to send communicate over a virtual com port, like its 1989.

We are not taking about a R500 UPS or R1000 access control keypad. There are battery packs that cost R100k, R500k or more.
 
I don't think SolarMD still manufactures 7kwh. The price for a 14kwh SolarMD battery is around R70k. So the table is definitely misleading in terms of price per kWh.

Source: I am currently running a 7.4kWh SolarMD battery and have enquired about doubling up and was informed you can't get new 7.4kWh batteries. I also didn't pay close to R70k for my battery in June 2022.
 
blunt said:
I've had a 6/4 HV freedom won since early 2019, still going strong. wonder why freedom won not mentioned.
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Indeed, especially since it is a local company. Random price checks suggest it is not cheap, but also not the most expensive brand.
 
Sapphiron said:
The weakpoint in many solar setups is the BMS in the batteries.

Having dug into driver issues, I found that many very very expensive battery packs are using chipsets that are decades old, with only a serial interface. Then they slap on a rs232 to USB converter onto it, to make it USB enabled.

Same with their network enabled stuff. Its just a glorified rs232 to ethernet converter.

Then they use their barely working proprietary software to send communicate over a virtual com port, like its 1989.

We are not taking about a R500 UPS or R1000 access control keypad. There are battery packs that cost R100k, R500k or more.
Click to expand...
What kind of comms would you prefer?
RS485? 10Mbps Ethernet? WiFi 2.4Ghz, Bluetooth?
 
Jan said:
Best battery brands to fight load-shedding — with prices

Batteries are essential components of backup power solutions, and some of the best brands available to South African customers include Hubble, Revov, Dyness, Deye, Sunsynk, Shoto, HinaEss, and PylonTech.

Those looking for energy storage for their backup power solution have several options from which to choose from several reputed brands, with prices starting at R3,357 per kilowatt-hour.
Click to expand...

Funnily enough, I got a quote from Rubicon last week for a solar install. But the the battery is Synapse - why is it not mentioned along with the other brands??


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Jan said:
Best battery brands to fight load-shedding — with prices

Batteries are essential components of backup power solutions, and some of the best brands available to South African customers include Hubble, Revov, Dyness, Deye, Sunsynk, Shoto, HinaEss, and PylonTech.

Those looking for energy storage for their backup power solution have several options from which to choose from several reputed brands, with prices starting at R3,357 per kilowatt-hour.
Click to expand...

So it seems Synapse is Rubicon's in-house brand - not sure why they wouldn't want to promote their own stuff....

Also quoted me R31000 for installation - that seems rather steep?
 
Great feedback @Jan - I must make sure I click on all your future articles..
 
The one VERY important thing that I don't see anybody mention is the effect of Depth of discharge (Dod) on the price /kwh of a battery.
As an example the Pylontech Up5000 battery is RATED at 4.8kwh but has an allowed DoD of 95% meaning that this battery can safely be discharged to 5% without losing the warranty. Differently stated, 95% of the 4.8kwh = 4 56kWh is actually usable.

On the other hand, the DoD of the Shoto 5.12 is (as far as I know - I have seen differing specs) only 80%. This means only 80% of the 5.12 kWh = 4.01 kwh is actually usable. So the ACTUAL USABLE kWh (taking the Dod into account) should be used to evaluate the price per kWh of a battery. The picture changes completely then!
 
Where did they find the Dyness 5.12 for R18 444? I am tempted for another battery or two.
 
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