SunGrow Inverters – How Good Are They?

Sungrow is one of the world’s largest solar inverter and battery manufacturers. The company was founded in 1997 and has since become the best solar manufacturer in the world, especially in Australia.

The brand has more than 224GW installed and has installed inverters in more than 150 countries across the world.

Sungrow is considered one of the world’s most innovative companies. It has a broad product portfolio that includes batteries and solar inverters for households, businesses, and utility operations.

To give you an idea of how big the company is, it has employed more than 2500 employees in its many branches across different countries.

Sungrow’s entry into the market, especially in Australia, was perfect for those who were looking for long-lasting solar inverters at affordable prices.

What products does Sungrow offer?

Sungrow has an office in Australia.

It offers a wide variety of products, such as Sungrow inverters and Sungrow batteries.

The Sungrow inverters that we are going to look at are of two types:

• Sungrow hybrid inverters
• Sungrow string inverters.

Sungrow inverters are very competitive in the market today, and they offer excellent value to the buyer. They have been said to offer 99% efficiency, which makes them an industry-leading inverter.

Popular Sungrow Models and Technical Specs

Details are everything when selecting the right inverter. While Sungrow provides a depth of product, there are a few models that are very popular in Australia, due to a combination of efficiency, cost, and ease of installation.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of the popular models:

• SG5K-D (String Inverter): This single-phase inverter is a good option for a standard residential array. It provides efficiency in the vicinity of 98.4%, and features compact size and weight, making it an excellent option for many Aussie roofs.

• SG10RT (String Inverter): The SG10RT is a three-phase inverter designed for larger homes or commercial buildings. Not only does it provide 98.5% peak efficiency, but it also provides high performance and reliability with high performance solar modules.

• SH5.0RS (Hybrid Inverter): For homeowners who want to future-proof their system with battery storage, the SH5.0RS hybrid inverter is a great option. One of its best features is that it can use grid power, store energy in the batteries and go to all the trouble of buying two kinds of battery systems. It provides around 98.2% efficiency and full backup capability.

• SH10RT (Hybrid Inverter): If you have a larger home or three-phase system, the SH10RT will provide full blackout protection, remote monitoring capability, and support with high voltage batteries. It is one of the lowest noise hybrid inverters in its class.

What are Sungrow string inverters?

Sungrow string inverters are of two major types. There are single-phase and three-phase string inverters. These Sungrow string inverters are suitable for any house or business building size. They can be easily installed to suit any size of residential or commercial building.

Safe and reliable: Sungrow string inverters have grid-safety requirements where they have residual current protection and in-built surge arresters that are safe and reliable.

Advanced monitoring: Sungrow inverters have advanced monitoring whereby when you purchase the Sungrow inverter, it will be set up with a Sungrow advanced WI-FI monitoring app which can show the amount of solar generation and consumption. This enables you to maximise solar consumption and consequently reduce the cost of electricity bills.

Quiet: Sungrow inverters have an in-built cooling system, which makes them quiet; thus, they cannot disturb the neighbours or the family. This makes them a better option than other brands, which have fan-cooled systems that can be quite noisy and disturbing.

Highly efficient: Sungrow inverters have a conversion efficiency of up to 99%, which is higher than any other solar inverter brand in the market. Efficiency is the rate at which DC power is converted into usable AC power, so

the higher the efficiency, the better the inverter. This can be a good aspect to consider when buying an inverter.

Reliable: Australia is a country that has very extreme temperatures and weather conditions. Sungrow inverters are created and manufactured to be well-adapted to the extreme Australian temperatures, whether cold or hot, without getting damaged.

What are Sungrow hybrid inverters?

A hybrid inverter combines a solar inverter and a battery inverter into a single piece of equipment. This is a good option for people who want to install a solar power system that can be upgraded in the future to include a battery storage system. Sungrow manufactures both single-phase and three-phase hybrid inverters.

The Sungrow hybrid inverter is part of a grid-connected battery storage system, and it comes with a backup device for protection in case of a blackout. Sungrow hybrid inverters have a compact design, which makes them look neat no matter where they have been installed.

They are also very easy to install at a low cost. Installing a Sungrow hybrid inverter is considered even more beneficial than a Sungrow string inverter.

Sungrow hybrid inverters can store up to 3KW, thus suitable for people who live in rural areas and experience blackouts very often. This inverter also comes with an LED screen to help you easily monitor your solar inverter and ensure it works perfectly.

Does Sungrow have offices in Australia?

Sungrow has an office in Australia, which has been operational since 2012. This is why it is one of Australia’s most popular solar inverter manufacturers. Sungrow inverters are the preferred inverters in Australia due to their long warranty period and low cost.

Through Sungrow, you can get quality services, and if you have any issue after purchasing a Sungrow inverter, they will fix the problem immediately.

Sungrow signed an agreement in May 2022 to supply and ship Sungrow inverters across Australia. This means that wherever you live in Australia, you can easily install a Sungrow inverter in your residential or commercial building.

Warranties and Support in Australia

Sungrow inverters come with a standard product warranty of 10 years, which covers most faults and repairs. For an additional fee, you can extend the warranty for up to an additional 5 years – a great option for peace of mind. 

Fortunately, because Sungrow has an Australian office, most warranty response issues and tech support would occur in Australia. A couple of customers have noted that during seasonal peak times the service response can be a little slow. This makes it more important to use a reputable and experienced installer that can usually respond on your behalf and quicken the process.

What is the difference between Sungrow string inverters and Sungrow hybrid inverters?

Many people ask themselves this question. The main difference is that a Sungrow hybrid inverter can provide power backup when there is a blackout, because it has an in-built battery that can store a small amount of energy.

Thus, it is more useful for homeowners who experience power blackouts, while the Sungrow string inverter is not suited for areas with blackouts since it does not contain an in-built battery.

Another main difference between the two is that the Sungrow hybrid inverter can last longer; thus, it is ultimately the better option as it can help you save more on bills than Sungrow string inverters.

What is the cost and warranty of Sungrow inverters?

Unlike other inverters, the Sungrow inverter is cost-friendly yet still very efficient.

Sungrow offers a ten-year warranty on their inverters, which can be extended up to 15 years for a small fee. This also means you can have your Sungrow fully replaced without attempting to fix it.

Sungrow 5KW dual premium inverter costs $1362.

Sungrow hybrid inverters range from $3000 to $3250.

Pros and Cons of Sungrow Inverters

While Sungrow is one of the fastest-growing inverter brands in Australia, no product is perfect. Here’s what you should know before buying:

 Pros

• High efficiency: Nearly all Sungrow solar inverter models achieve between 98% – 98.5% conversion efficiency.

• Cost and value: Inverters are generally 20% – 30% lower than the cost of premium brands, like Fronius or SolarEdge.

• Intelligent monitoring and performance: The iSolarCloud app facilitates real-time monitoring of energy production and consumption.

• Quiet operation: Passive cooling means it operates without noisy fans, an advantage for suburban housing.

• Durable construction: An IP65 

weatherproofing standard indicates reliability in any weather across the Australian climate.

Cons

• Limited advanced features: Unlike premium brands, with their panel level optimisation, Sungrow do not offer this functionality.

• Support response times: Some users have experienced delays with service or warranty support.

• Cybersecurity concerns: Several vulnerabilities were discovered in solar inverters. This includes Sungrow solar inverters, which have been patched but users should remain vigilant by updating their firmware regularly and keeping the IoT device on a separate network.

How Does Sungrow Compare to Other Inverters?

If you’re comparing Sungrow to more established names like Fronius or budget alternatives like Growatt, here’s a helpful overview:

Feature	Sungrow	Fronious	Growatt
Efficiency	Up to 98.5%	Up to 98.1%	Up to 97.5%
Cost (5KW model)	$1,300 – $ 1,500	$2,200 – $ 2,500	$950 – $1,200
Warranty	10 years (extendable)	5-10 years	5 – 10 years
App Monitoring	iSolarCloud (strong)	SolarWeb (excellent)	ShinePhone (basic)
County of origin	China	Austria	China
Aussie Weather Fit?	Excellent (IP65)	Excellent (IP66)	Good

Sungrow strikes a sweet spot between performance and price. While Fronius may edge ahead on software features and brand trust, Sungrow holds its own with rock-solid efficiency and affordability.

FAQS 

Are Sungrow inverters a reliable brand?

Yes. Sungrow is one of the most reputable inverter brands globally. They are known for their high efficiency, quality performance, and good value for money – they are especially popular amongst Aussie homeowners.

Where are Sungrow inverters manufactured? 

Sungrow inverters are manufactured in China. The company has over 25 years’ experience, and has a worldwide distribution operation, supplying solar products and associated equipment, including lots of distribution in Australia and on the ground support.  

Do Sungrow inverters have an app for monitoring?

Yes. Sungrow has an app called iSolarCloud that lets you see the performance of your solar system live, directly from your smartphone.

Are Sungrow inverters battery compatible? 

They are. Sungrow has hybrid inverters that are battery ready, meaning you can install a solar system now, and add a battery at a later date without much trouble.

What is the warranty on Sungrow inverters?

Most Sungrow inverters come with a standard warranty period of 10 years which will cover parts and labour. Some installers may provide extended warranties depending on your installation.

Will a Sungrow inverter work during a blackout? 

Only if it’s a hybrid inverter with battery backup and blackout protection; the standard ones will not retain any electricity during a grid failure because of safety reasons.

Conclusion.

Sungrow inverters are highly efficient and offer 99% efficiency, which is higher than any other inverter brand in the market.

Sungrow inverters are widely adopted in Australia due to their affordability and long warranty period of up to 10 years. Sungrow inverters might be the right option for you.