Finn's Fronius Inverters Review & Verdict
Finn Peacock has been a Chartered Electrical Engineer since 1998, and is ex-CSIRO
Fronius inverters are brilliant: reliable, high performance with a very smart optimisation algorithm to squeeze lots of energy from panels even with partial shade or on multiple roof areas.
But beware: a Fronius-powered solar system is only as good as the designer designing it and the installer installing it!
Make sure you buy the Fronius GEN24 - it is better and quieter than its 'SnapINverter' predecessor. And if you choose to upgrade to batteries later, the inverter can be software-upgraded to control batteries at any time for $650 to $1000 depending on the inverter size.
Fronius Inverters: Pros & Cons
- Brilliant local support and warranty.
- Ethical approach to full life cycle, packaging, repairability and recycling.
- Thoughtful connection area makes it easy to install in a very neat and compliant manner.
- High DC input current for modern panels and flexible parallel arrays.
- Great surge capacity for hybrid output during a blackout.
- Open source compatibility for smart control of other loads.
- Compatible with the excellent Wattpilot EV charger.
- 40-second delay on hybrid backup is an unmissable indication you need to conserve energy.
- The fan means it stays cooler, lasts longer and yields more energy.
- The fan makes some noise, but new models are very quiet.
- 40-second delay on hybrid inverter backup means you'll need to reset the clock on the oven.
- Premium price (but you get what you pay for)
- 53Hz output during a blackout means hybrids don't play well with some appliances or any other solar inverter.
- Old and new Fronius show up on the same Solarweb portal but they do not talk to each other or coordinate output. There can only be one Gen24 running in a power outage.
- The well-loved SnapINverter series is being phased out.
About Fronius
Fronius Customer Service: 03 8340 2900
Fronius is a European company that was established by founder Günter Fronius in Austria in 1945. Mr. Fronius kicked off with a repair shop for radios and electrical equipment and soon started making battery chargers, then welding transformers.
The company grew over time from being a welding and battery charger manufacturer to become one of the most prominent European players in the solar hardware market. Its solar division has been operating since 1992, so they have decades of experience - and this shows in Fronius inverter products.
In late 2010, Fronius opened its Australian office in Melbourne where it not only provides customer service and technical assistance, but also offers product demonstrations and training courses.
Fronius make some of the best inverters in the world. They once were playing catchup with SMA in terms of industry reputation and quality, but I would argue they have well and truly done so in more recent years. I would happily have one of these inverters on my house and Fronius is currently a SolarQuotes recommended inverter brand.
In the 2024 SQ Installers' Choice Awards, Fronius achieved the top spot for the fourth year in a row - and quite convincingly. It was also voted by installers as offering the best after-sales support.
Fronius inverters are easy to 'export limit'. But you do have to buy the 'Fronius Smart Meter (FSM)' accessory to do this. The hardware costs around $250 for a single phase system and installation can cost up to a couple of hundred bucks..
The FSM also allows full consumption monitoring (over and above standard solar monitoring); although I am not a fan of the Fronius SolarWeb monitoring software. Personally, I prefer Solar Analytics and always recommend adding Solar Analytics to your Fronius inverter - using that for monitoring instead (or in addition to).
Fronius solar inverters usually come with 2 solar inputs (or MPPTs). Their MPPT efficiency is legendary. And if you have a symmetrical east/west facing roof, you can often put both the east and the west array into one input - leaving the second inverter input free for a third roof area.
The only tech-related downside with the Fronius hardware I am aware of is in relation to their inverters being fan cooled. While this improves efficiency and longevity, it can be rather noisy in the older SnapINverter models; particularly on hot days. Keep them away from living areas! The noise isn't such an issue with the GEN24 models.
You'll also pay more for a Fronius inverter than many other brands; but that extra cash is money well-spent given the quality and bearing in mind an inverter is the true workhorse of a solar power system.
Fronius Solar Inverters Available In Australia
The product lines available in Australia for some years were the Fronius Primo (single phase) and Symo (three-phase). These have proven their mettle in Australia's often harsh conditions.
More recent additions are the Primo and Symo Gen 24 Plus. These are hybrid inverters designed for use in conjunction with batteries. However, a really interesting feature is PV Point, which enables backup power without a battery supplied to a dedicated power point installed near the battery or inside the home. Assuming sufficient solar power resources are available, it can provide a maximum 3kW during a blackout situation - but watch out for clouds!
There's also a non-hybrid Primo Gen 24 available - which doesn't have the PV Point feature.
Various specifications and estimated pricing for Fronius gear can be found on our solar inverter and hybrid inverter comparison tables.
Fronius Solar Inverter Warranty Notes
All Fronius string inverters are accompanied by 5 years Fronius Warranty Plus. However, by registering at www.solarweb.com, customers can receive an additional 5 years warranty free of charge. But note that while the first 5 years covers parts and warranty, the second only covers parts.
If you should experience what you believe to be a warranty related issue with your Fronius inverter, you should first contact the original installer of the unit. But if that installer is no longer around, don't panic.
Fronius advise that in this situation they first require the customer to find an qualified solar installer to verify the issue with the inverter - but this needs to be paid for my the customer. Once the issue has been confirmed, the installer will then contact the company on your behalf. Fronius will then work with the installer to arrange for replacement of the inverter. If a customer needs help in finding an installer, the company is able to make a recommendation.
Do you own one of these inverters? Share your experiences with other Australians by leaving a Fronius inverter review.
Fronius has 16 solar inverters in our database
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Fronius Reviews (8591)
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10 November 2024
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Ian,Thanks for your great feed back on our Fronius smart meter and Premium options.
Kind Regards
Fronius Australia.
13 October 2024
In the future I'd likely look at purchasing a less expensive inverter as I felt that the Fronius Symo 5.0-3-M does not represent value for money.
Manufacturer Reply
Good afternoon Damien,Thanks you for your honest feed back we will take this onboard and continue working on improvements to our systems.
Kind Regards
Fronius Australia
02 July 2024
The inverter app is terrific; it guides me in using solar production most efficiently through the day.
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Claire,It's great to hear you are happy with your Fronius Inverter and application.
Thanks for letting us know.
Kind Regards
Fronius Australia.
09 June 2024
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Andrew.Thank you for your feedback and support!
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
26 April 2024
14 March 2024
12 months later .. The Fronius Inverter is super efficient and has performed even higher than the averages. The Smart Meter provides all the information you need to monitor the system and your production, and we use it all the time .. also very easy to use.
Manufacturer Reply
Dear Andrea Rex,We are very grateful for your detailed and sincere response.
We are glad that our products are up to your standards.
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia.
16 February 2024
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Linda.Wonderful to see that you are happy with your inverters.
Thank you for your well thought out positive feedback.
We always appreciate you taking the time to let us know.
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
16 January 2024
We like the simple display of just two lights which you can tell at a glance if operating properly or not.
The PV point could be a useful feature during a prolonged blackout to power the fridge or freezer (providing PV is generating)
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Andrew.Thank you for your feedback and support!
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
02 January 2024
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Helen.Thank you for your feedback and support!
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
03 December 2023
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Xing.Thank you for your feedback and support!
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
21 October 2023
16 October 2023
My other problem is that it is not a Hybrid inverter so cannot support a battery which is what I was originally planning. I guess I can only put it down to a lack of communication between myself and Green Choice Electrical to clearly state that my ultimate goal was to add a battery at a later date. They also did not ask the question.
So it means I have a second hand Fronius Symo 8.2 kW inverter for sale with less than 12 months use. All reasonable offers ;-) (having bought a new hybrid inverter to replace it)
26 September 2023
(Update one year later) In general, really happy with the Fronius inverter. However, on niggle is that one of the firmware updates has thrown the internal clock out by a few minutes. In turn, this is throwing out my one minute data collection process. Nothing that has affected the functionality of the inverter. I would definitely buy a Fronius inverter again.
16 August 2023
16 August 2023
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Leanne,Great to hear your wonderful feedback.
We always appreciate you taking the time to let us know.
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
07 August 2023
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Ross.Thank you for your feedback and support!
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
21 July 2023
13 July 2023
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Anthea,It's great to hear you are happy with your Fronius Inverter.
Thanks for letting us know.
Kind Regards
Fronius Australia.
06 July 2023
12 June 2023
08 May 2023
An incentive was offered by G Solar and Electrical Pty Ltd for this review. Learn more here.
18 March 2023
Performance is excellent, I have seen the 6kW inverter producing 6.7 kW.
Our battery is charged by midday, the hot water is heated to 60 deg C in an hour and the remainder of the day is fed out to the grid.
If we don't use our air conditioner the battery lasts until the next morning.
Too early to tell reliability but so far so good.
16 February 2023
20 November 2022
We have installed an ap on our phone which provides us with 'live' current information on how our solar system is performing. It provides a weekly - monthly - yearly - history of the solar output.
Any faults can also be picked up straight away.
The ap provides good peace of mind - ensuring that we can always be aware of how well our solar system ins performing.
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Emmil.Great to hear your wonderful feedback.
We always appreciate you taking the time to let us know.
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
07 August 2022
Inverters are installed in the garage and are almost totally silent even whent he fans are running.
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Andre,Great to hear your wonderful feedback.
We always appreciate you taking the time to let us know.
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
31 May 2022
I have visibility of my solar production, feed-in and most importantly monitor my self-consumption that I used directly from system. As monitor all my energy consumption in the house.
Even tested to using their "PV Point" to power up my seperate electrical circuit to provide backup power to my critical loads (Fridge, TV and Internet route and switch) all without batteries! Tested and it worked as advertised as long as you have ample power from the sun!
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Dennis.Thank you for choosing Fronius Gen24. The Fronius Gen24 Plus along with the Fronius smart meter would definitely help you in future proofing your energy demand. The self consumption values could be obtained from the Fronius smart meter which can further help you to decide if you plan to add batteries down the lane. If you have any other feedback or suggestions, please let us know.
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
08 March 2022
Manufacturer Reply
Hi DarrenThank you for your feedback!
Please get in touch with your installer regarding the noise level of the fan. Our Technical Support team will then be able to assist your installer.
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
15 January 2022
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Bert,Thank you for your feedback!
We appreciate your support in selecting a Fronius inverter and glad you are pleased with your purchase.
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
07 January 2022
This happened a second time. was identified as water running down wall. extra moisture protecton was added and running well since
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Diane,Thank you for the feedback!
Has this issue been resolved yet? If not, we would suggest your system installer to touch base with Fronius Technical Support team and we are more than happy to resolve this.
Kind Regards,
Fronius Australia
10 December 2021
09 November 2021
Manufacturer Reply
Hi Stevie-Lee thanks for your comment. You definitely have chosen the right installation company and product when you are looking for reliability as well as performance.13 September 2021
01 September 2021
Unique Snap-in design for easy installation & service
High input current - 18A per MPPT (5kW+ SC version)
Integrated DC isolator (CEC certified)
Fan forced active cooling system
External relay control - Digital output
12 August 2021
We have also purchased a subscription from Solar Analytics to provide additional monitoring data.
03 August 2021
Early impressions, surprised at how quiet the fans are, considering that a few other suppliers during the quoting process remarked that the fans are noisy and I should pick a 'passive' cooling inverter instead.
User interface is nice an easy to read.
29 April 2021
15 December 2020
09 September 2020
02 September 2020
04 May 2020
29 April 2020
04 February 2020
16 January 2020
26 November 2019
19 November 2019
10 November 2019
05 November 2019
14 October 2019
27 August 2019