Generally, home batteries can charge from the grid – but not always. Discover those that will, those that won’t and batteries we’re not sure about. [Read more…]
About Ronald BrakelsJoining SolarQuotes in 2015, Ronald has a knack for reading those tediously long documents put out by solar manufacturers and translating their contents into something consumers might find interesting. Master of heavily researched deep-dive blog posts, his relentless consumer advocacy has ruffled more than a few manufacturer's feathers over the years. Read Ronald's full bio.
The Solar Deposit Dilemma: How Much Can Installers Really Ask For?
How much deposit can solar installers request – and does compulsory insurance apply? Find out in our state-by-state (and territory) guide. [Read more…]
The Refreshed Tesla Model 3 Is A Damn Fine Car – With One Major Elon Error
Tired of filling your tank? Go electric!
Last weekend I drove to Naracoorte to check out some holes in the ground. While this may not sound exciting, what made it special was driving there in a brand new “refreshed” Tesla Model 3.
In almost every way but one, the car was great. Perhaps even amazing. However, tragically, I’m unable to give it the coveted title of totes amazeballs. This is due to one annoying penny-pinching design choice I will heartily complain about later. I’ll hold off for now because there are far too many miserable bastards on the internet and I’d much rather go straight to telling you how cool it was using it to tool around South Australia. [Read more…]
A Battery Without Solar Can Be Worth It in WA, But Only Just
Basking in sunlight from dawn to dusk, Western Australia is a great place for solar panels. But not everyone can install solar, which got me thinking. Is WA a great place for batteries without solar panels? [Read more…]
3 Million EVs, 22.46 Gigawatts: A Sober Look at Australia’s V2G Future
Many clued-up Australians dream of their electric car not only taking them places but powering their home and even the grid.
Keep reading, and you’ll discover how Vehicle-to-Grid technology (V2G) could outdo Australia’s entire coal fleet in terms of power delivered (kW) but not energy (kWh) and what that means for our future energy mix.
Jinko’s Suntank Battery Bounces Back With An Improved Warranty
This article is all about the Jinko Suntank Battery’s technical specs. Two months ago, I wrote about its terrible warranty and decided no one in their right mind should buy it. But — to their credit — Jinko replaced the original warranty with a much better one shortly after my post was published. [Read more…]
Battle Royale Of EV Charger Warranties: Who Will Be Crowned Champion?
I have 11 EV charger warranties, and I will make them fight. [Read more…]
The Fronius Wattpilot Warranty: It’s Too Short
This is a deep dive into the Fronius Wattpilot EV charger warranty. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a device for charging EVs.
There is nothing especially wrong with the warranty Fronius provides — except that it’s too short. The Wattpilot warranty is only two years. [Read more…]
Drowning In Despair: A Deep Dive Into The Jinko Solar Suntank Warranty
UPDATE JULY 2023: Jinko has updated and improved the SunTank warranty, also retroactively applying it to existing installations. Good on them! The new warranty document is available here. Summary of changes below:
| Features | Old Warranty | New Warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Retention | 70% for the first 5 years 50% for another 5 years |
60% for 10 years |
| Life Cycle or Life Cycle Power | Shouldn’t be over 300 per year | Total energy discharged from the battery reaches 3.05MWh per kWh usable capacity |
| Accessories Warranty Period | 1 year | 2 years |
| Warranty if not connected with Internet | 3 years | 5 years |
| Operating Temperature | -10 ～ +45 | -10 ～ +50 |
| Transferrable | No | Yes |
| Others | – | Applies to all previously sold systems |
Jinko Solar launched their Suntank low-voltage home battery in July 2022. This article is my opinion of its warranty. While it’s possible the battery could be good, I can tell you right now its warranty isn’t. [Read more…]
US Study Shows EV Batteries Should Last An EV’s Lifetime
Good news! As your EV gets old, its battery should be fine.
How long do electric vehicle batteries last? According to a study by Recurrent — a US company devoted to helping people buy and sell used EVs — it’s a long time. [Read more…]
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