Finn's KACO Inverters Review & Verdict
Finn Peacock has been a Chartered Electrical Engineer since 1998, and is ex-CSIRO
Kaco inverters were sold as solid German technology. Unfortunately, they often turned out to be unreliable German rubbish when operated in Aussie conditions.
They dropped off the approved-inverter list in 2016. Auf Wiedersehen, Kaco—you won't be missed!
KACO Inverters: Pros & Cons
- No longer CEC approved for grid connection in Australia (new installations)
About KACO
Kaco is a German company established in 1914 that has been subsidiary of Siemens AG since 2019.
Kaco Contact Details
The company no longer has an office in Australia, so you'll need to get in touch with their headquarters in Germany.
Address: Werner-von-Siemens-Allee 1 74172 Neckarsulm
Telephone: +49 7132 896-0
Email: [email protected]
Website
Company Info
Kaco kicked off with production of engine seals, shaft seal rings and electro-mechanical choppers, which converted fixed DC input to variable DC output voltage. These devices were the precursors of today's inverters.
Kaco started operating in the solar industry in 1994, under the name of Kaco Gerätetechnik GmbH. In 1998/99, the company produced the world's first transformerless solar string inverter - the PVI 2600.
In 2009, the company relocated its headquarters to Neckarsulm, Germany and changed its name to KACO new energy GmbH. By 2017, total inverter capacity shipped by the company had exceeded 10 gigawatts - not much by today's standards, but impressive for then. Today, that figure has increased to 20 gigawatts.
Siemens AG Germany acquired Kaco new energy GmbH effective 30th of April 2019.
Kaco Inverters In Australia
As at early 2025, there are no Kaco solar inverters approved for grid-connect applications in Australia by the Clean Energy Council. So far as we can tell, they were last listed was in October 2016. But prior to that, ASIC proposed to deregister Kaco Pty Ltd under section 601AB in March 2014, so the company hasn't had a local presence under that subsidiary for more than 10 years.
When Kaco inverters were available here, the main product lines for residential grid-connect applications were the Blueplanet and Powador series. Inverters of that era were manufactured in a German factory in Neckarsulm that was 100% solar powered, giving them some extra green street-cred.
Warranty Details
When the Blueplanet and Powerdor range was available in Australia, it looks like the warranty for Blueplanet was for five years, which could be extended. The Powador warranty was for 10 years, which could also be extended.
So, it's possible there are still Kaco inverters installed here covered by warranty. If you're having issues, contact the company that installed your inverter - and if they are no longer around, try contacting Kaco HQ in Germany using the details above.
KACO has no solar inverters in our database
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KACO Reviews (14)
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- 5 star 9
- 4 star 2
- 3 star 2
- 2 star 1
- 1 star 0
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07 October 2012
Panel Brand
System Cost
$10,000 to $15,000
System Size
3kW
Installed By
04 September 2012
Panel Brand
System Cost
$3,000 to $6,000
System Size
1.5kW
Installed By
04 September 2012
Panel Brand
System Cost
$6,000 to $10,000
System Size
3kW
Installed By
20 March 2020
System Cost
$2,000 to $4,000
System Size
6.6kW
Installed By
11 April 2018
System Cost
$15,000 to $20,000
System Size
3kW
Installed By
21 March 2017
System Cost
$15,000 to $20,000
System Size
3kW
Installed By
21 May 2014
Panel Brand
Solahart Industries
System Cost
$3,000 to $6,000
System Size
1.5kW
Installed By
21 October 2012
Panel Brand
System Cost
$10,000 to $15,000
System Size
2kW
Installed By
11 September 2012
Panel Brand
System Cost
$3,000 to $6,000
System Size
1.5kW
Installed By
11 September 2012
Panel Brand
System Cost
$15,000 to $20,000
System Size
5kW
Installed By
09 September 2012
Panel Brand
System Cost
$3,000 to $6,000
System Size
2kW
Installed By
07 September 2012
Panel Brand
System Cost
$6,000 to $10,000
System Size
2kW
Installed By
04 September 2012
Panel Brand
System Cost
$15,000 to $20,000
System Size
4kW
Installed By
04 September 2012
Panel Brand
System Cost
$6,000 to $10,000
System Size
2kW
Installed By
I only know that the inverter does work when there is enough light, that it is easy to read and that it sums up the daily and overall production nicely. It also switched off promptly during one very heavy and close thunderstorm.