Skip to content
Get free quotes

Example conversations with fictional members. Animal and cartoon avatars from Pixabay.

Batteries

10 kWh or 20 kWh? The quotes are miles apart

Tabby cat avatar for Mia83

Mia83Sydney · Topic starter

We've already got rooftop solar and a smart meter. We're out most of the day, then everything goes on at dinner time. One installer reckons a 10 kWh battery is plenty, the other is pushing 20. Same house, same bills. What should I ask them to show me?

4 replies

  1. Cartoon owl avatar for JackW

    JackWMelbourne

    #1

    Did either ask for your interval meter data? The quarterly total won't show when you're using power. Ask about the kW output too. A bigger kWh figure doesn't necessarily mean it can run more appliances at once.

  2. Pug avatar for Priya S

    Priya SBrisbane

    #2

    How would the bigger one get charged in winter: spare solar, cheap grid power or both? I'd want them to work that through with my actual tariff before paying for the extra capacity.

  3. Tabby cat avatar for Mia83

    Mia83Sydney · Topic starter

    #3
    Replying to JackW, #1

    Nope, just the last bill and a photo of the switchboard. I'll download the meter data tonight and send both the same file. Then ask them to show their workings.

  4. Cartoon lion wearing a tie avatar for liam_west

    liam_westPerth

    #4
    Replying to Mia83, #3

    Tell them if you want to keep charge aside for blackouts. Ask for usable capacity after that reserve, not just the number on the box. Otherwise you're comparing two different things again.

Have a question about your own home?

Start a real discussion. New members' posts are reviewed before publication.

Ask a question