SunPower solar batteries reviews

SunPower products, including batteries, are manufactured by Maxeon Solar Technologies and sold by its subsidiary SunPower Corporation Australia Pty Ltd. This is a company independent from the US-based SunPower Corporation, which filed for bankruptcy protection in August 2024.

Maxeon Australian Contact Details

Address: Suite 207/28 Riddell Parade Elsternwick, Victoria? 3185
Tel: 1800 786 769
Email: [email protected]
Website

Company Info

US headquartered SunPower was around for a very long time - it was founded in 1985. In 2020, the manufacturing aspect of SunPower was separated from the US installation business under a new company – Maxeon Solar Technologies. Most of SunPower/Maxeon's history is associated with the production of high-end solar panels, but in more recent years Maxeon has branched out into home batteries.

SunPower Reserve Home Battery

SunPower Reserve is an all-in-one system boasting blackout protection with seamless switchover (<20ms). But note the backup function is limited to a separated branch circuit at installation. It's not clear if the battery can be charged from solar during a blackout, and this battery cannot charge from the grid.

Reserve has 9.6kWh of usable capacity (expandable) and a continuous power output rating of 5kW. Its cells are based on LFP/LiFEPO4 battery chemistry. The battery's operating temperature range is charge: 0 to 50 °C, and discharge: -10 to 50 °C. A single all-in-one unit measures 1226 x 610 x 212 mm and weighs 90 kg.

Monitoring is via the SunPower One app. The company says One goes beyond simple monitoring; learning over time about a homeowner’s electricity consumption patterns and making suggestions for further energy bill savings.

As for what's under the bonnet of the Reserve, another firm is involved. According to a May 2022 announcement by Maxeon, it teamed up with battery manufacturer Alpha ESS; leveraging AlphaESS's power conversion, energy storage and technology services know-how.

You can compare specifications of the SunPower Reserve with other brands on my solar battery comparison table.

Warranty Information

Sunpower Reserve comes with a 10-year product warranty and 10-year battery performance warranty. The performance warranty is a little confusing. It provides two figures - 80% of nominal capacity at 10 years or 2.39 MWh throughput, and 70% capacity and 3.11 MWh throughput. There are also various warranty exclusions, including the number of days a battery can be operated at various temperatures. Be sure to scrutinise the warranty before making a purchase decision.

And on that, if you buy a Reserve battery, consider leaving a review and let other Australians know how your system is faring.