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Add to existing solar

Already got solar? Add a battery without ripping it out

AC-couple the SOFAR Powerall 20 kWh to your existing PV inverter. $8,990 all-in, installed in two weeks. Free upgrade to 25 kWh before 30 June.

A solar consultant reviewing an existing solar system and battery options with a homeowner at a kitchen table.
The real comparison

Why most quotes come in at $12K+

The usual approach to adding a battery to an existing solar system replaces equipment that doesn't need replacing.

The old way
$12,000+
  • Replace working inverter
  • New hybrid inverter included in quote
  • Re-commission entire PV system
  • Existing equipment written off
  • 4–8 week install window
AC-couple with the Powerall
$8,990
  • Keep your existing inverter
  • SOFAR Powerall + 5 kW inverter included
  • Solar keeps running as-is
  • Free upgrade to 25 kWh before 30 June
  • 2-week install, guaranteed

The $3,000+ difference stays in your pocket. Your existing inverter keeps doing its job.

The export trap

You're selling at 4c and buying back at 35c

A 6.6 kW system on a 4c feed-in tariff gives most of its value away. Here's a typical day, at 26 kWh/day household usage.

$0.68 earned per day exporting ~17 kWh of surplus solar at 4c
$5.60 paid per night buying ~16 kWh back from the grid at 35c
$4.92 net gain per day when the battery stores that surplus instead
Estimated quarterly bill, solar only ~$548
Estimated quarterly bill with the battery ~$132
Annual saving (example) ~$1,663
Indicative payback on the $8,990 battery ~5.4 yrs

Example only — based on 26 kWh/day usage, 35c/kWh peak rate and a 4c feed-in tariff. Your exact numbers are confirmed on the quote call. An eligible Solar Sharer tariff from 1 July 2026 may reduce bills further but is not included here.

Why AC-couple

Keep your inverter. Add storage

Most quotes for adding a battery to existing solar are $12K-plus because they include replacing your inverter. They don't have to.

AC-coupling lets us add the SOFAR Powerall alongside your existing PV system. Your solar keeps generating into your inverter as it always has. The Powerall charges from any surplus, then discharges into the house at night or, where backup is included in your quoted configuration, during grid outages — switchover under 10 ms (manufacturer-rated). Backup scope depends on the circuits and design confirmed in your written quote.

Compatibility

Most existing systems work

Many grid-connected PV systems between 3 kW and 13 kW can be compatible — that covers most residential setups installed since 2018. Compatibility depends on your inverter, switchboard, metering, network requirements and site condition, which we confirm in writing before contract.

Common setups we work with

  • 6.6 kW PV + 5 kW inverter (most common AU residential setup). The Powerall slots in straight away.
  • 10 kW PV + 8 kW inverter. Same story, just more PV feeding the battery.
  • 13 kW PV + 10 kW inverter. Covered.

May need extra work or a closer look

  • Off-grid systems with no inverter.
  • Older string-inverter setups with no AC-coupling input. We'll tell you on the quote call before you commit.
Same price. Same guarantee.

$8,990 fitted — AC-coupling included.

AC-coupling to your existing system is included in the standard install price, with the federal battery STC discount (~$5,189) applied where you're eligible. No inverter replacement fee, no extra commissioning charge. Same two-week install target. Same 10-year equipment warranty and 5-year Service Tech installation warranty, serviced in-house.

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