Growatt Solar Inverters- Independent Review

Growatt Header

Overview of Growatt – Company History

Growatt New Energy was founded in 2010, they are a manufacturer of residential, commercial, and large-scale utility solar inverters. Growatt’s  headquarters are located in Shenzhen, China, with their main manufacturing facility in Huizhou with a capacity of 20GW of inverter output per year.

A year after the company was founded they established a subsidiary in Australia. The company has since grown a network of 23 sales and support offices around the world. Growatt’s Australian office is located in Silverwater, NSW.

The company is privately owned and we were not able to find any information on the owners of the company. Growatt does not publish any financial or sales information about the company.

 

A Brief Rundown on Solar Inverters

The solar inverter is what turns the solar energy generated by solar panels into the useable electricity that powers households. The energy generated by the solar panels is in the form of direct current (DC) energy. DC electricity only flows in one direction and is the type of electricity used to power phones and laptops. The role of the solar inverter in a photovoltaic (PV) system is to convert the DC energy into the useable AC electricity that powers households.

The inverters are also connected to the grid, this is important as it needs to be able to handle the flow of AC electricity. As any surplus solar generated electricity is fed back into the grid. There are four types of solar inverters, these being string inverters, hybrid inverters, micro inverters, and power optimisers.

 

What is PV Evolution Labs Top Performer?

PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) with support from DNV GL has been independently testing Solar Panel reliability since 2014, and for the first time in 2019 have tested solar inverters. It is a voluntary test which manufacturers have to pay to be a part of.  The solar panel testing is considered internationally as an excellent indication of solar panel quality. It’s expected that the inverter testing will have the same recognition. To read the full PVEL scorecard click here.

 Growatt didn’t rank in any of these tests. However, as an internationally renowned inverter manufacturer, it is likely that they didn’t pay to participate in the testing.

 

 Growatt Inverters – Point of Difference

The Growatt CEC approved Inverter range differs from other inverter manufacturers by offering different types and configurations in the typical power range. Growatt manufactures Single Phase Inverters with one or two MMPTs (Maximum Power Point Tracking). Three Phase Inverters with dual MMPTs. And a Single Phase Hybrid Inverter with 2 MMPTs and a low voltage battery. All of the CEC approved Growatt Inverter range are Transformerless Inverters, which contributes to the high Growatt 2500-6000TL-X/XHefficiency.

The Growatt MIN 2500-6000TL-X/XH is a 2.5-6kW Single Phase Inverter with 2 MPTTs. This inverter is showcasing the developments of inverter technology, function, and appearance. This inverter ranges from 98.2% to 98.4% efficiency, making it one of the most efficient residential inverters on the market. This in combination with the Touch key, OLED display and sleek modern design is setting a new standard for inverters.

 

Growatt Inverter Efficiency

Residential inverter efficiency standards are generally 95 to 98 percent. Growatt inverters meet or exceed these standards, with the CEC approved inverters ranging from 97.2-98.4% efficiency. The Growatt MIN 2500-6000TL-XH for example has up to 98.4% efficiency. This situates Growatt as one of the top inverter manufacturers in the industry for residential inverter efficiency.

 

Growatt Inverter Costs

The below prices are an indicative guide of the wholesale costs of Growatt Inverters. These prices are only available to solar installation companies, not to end customers.

Model Number Description Indicative Net Price Range
GW-1500-S Growatt 1500-S Inverter $310-$320
GW-2000-S Growatt 2000-S Inverter $330-$340
GW-3000-S Growatt 3000-S Inverter $400-$410
GW-MIN5000TL-X Growatt MIN5000TL-X Inverter $560-$570
GW-MIN6000TL-X Growatt MIN6000TL-X Inverter $590-$600

Keep in mind that inverter costs generally only run between 10-20% of your total system, so often it is worth investing in a high quality inverter given this will have a large impact on the efficiency and performance of your Solar Power project.

Compare quotes from up to 7 installers in your area now.

 

Growatt Inverter Warranty

Growatt’s warranty document is perhaps one of the shortest documents across the inverter market with only one page of T&Cs. They offer a standard warranty of 5 years, however this can be extended to 10 years for free if the product is registered online via Growatt’s website. This is similar to some other companies offers in the market and offers consumers a good length of protection.

The warranty document states that in the event of the device becoming defective Growatt will repair the product or replace with a device of equivalent value. There is no further detail to cover whether there are any exclusions (like labour and freight).

Growatt also have a list of scenarios where warranty would be voided, like improper installations and reselling of devices. Most of these exclusions seem reasonable and comparable with other warranty documents Solar Choice has examined.

The only concerning part is that a lot of the terms are quite vague and in the document it states “please note Growatt reserve the ultimate explanation right on this warranty card”.

For warranty claims, your best off going through your installer, otherwise you could contact Growatt on 02 8065 1298 or 1800 476 928.

 

A Full Range of Growatt Inverters Available in Australia 

The majority of Growatt’s Inverters are approved by the Clean Energy Council for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, which is Australia’s home solar rebate program. Important to note that not all kW on certain inverters are approved.

The following Growatt Inverters are CEC approved:

Growatt 750-3000-S 1-2kW & 3kW

Growatt MIN 2500-6000TL-XH 2.5-6kW

Growatt MIN 2500-6000TL-X 2.5-6kW

Growatt 3000-6000TL3-S 3-6kW

Growatt 7000-11000TL3-S 7-11kW

Growatt SPH 3000-6000 3-6kW

 

Growatt Solar Inverters Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Growatt offer some of the lowest priced solar inverters on the market which cater well to buyers on a budget
  • The maximum efficiency rating of Growatt’s inverter range compares well against other options in the market with most ratings between 97.2% and 98.4%

Cons

  • As no financial information is released it is difficult to form any opinion on the financial health and longevity of the company
  • Minimal warranty document leaves space for confusion and for Growatt to avoid claims

 

Growatt Inverter Specifications

  Growatt 3000-S Growatt MIN 3000TL-XH Growatt SPH 3000
Rated AC Power Output 3000W 3000W 3000W
Maximum Continuous Output Current 14.3A 13.6A 16A
Maximum DC Voltage 550V 500V 550V
Maximum Inverter Efficiency 97.6% 98.2% 97.5%
Dimensions with Safety Switch/Connection Unit 271 x 359 x 141 mm 375 x 350 x 160 mm 547 x 516 x 170 mm
Weight 9.1kg 10.8kg 27kg
Warranty 5 years (Extendable to 10 years) 5 years (Extendable to 10 years) 5 years (Extendable to 10 years)
Operational Temperature Range -25°C to 60°C

 

-25°C to 60°C

 

-25°C to 60°C

 

Made in China China China

Growatt Commercial Solar Project 

In 2016 a 1.5MW system was installed in the Netherlands for the Dutch utility company Liander. The parking lot solar plant at the time was the largest solar system installation in the Netherlands. The system utilised 70 Growatt 20kUE inverters, which was the first generation three phase inverter manufactured by Growatt.

Liander Parking Lot Solar Plant

 

Read more product reviews from Solar Choice

Compare quotes from up to 7 pre-vetted installers in your area now.
Since 2008 our knowledge and sophisticated software has allowed over 300,000 Australian households and businesses to make a well-informed choice on their solar & battery installer.

 

Reviews from Australians who have installed Growatt Inverters

Rated 4.36 from 45 reviews
29th May 2023
Jorge
-
3kW system
4.00

17th May 2023
Kimberley
-
5kW system
5.00

16th May 2023
Parneet
-
6kW system
3.00

16th May 2023
Kristy
-
6kW system
5.00

Neat and tidy installation

16th May 2023
Brian
WA - 6108
3kW system
4.00

I was told that these inverters have 10 year replacement warranty so should be of a good quality

16th May 2023
Cliff
-
10-15kW system
5.00

Newly installed system so we are still assessing but we did a lot of research prior to purchase and this system was best rated

15th May 2023
Henry
-
5kW system
5.00

12th May 2023
Brett
-
30-50kW system
5.00

Outstanding customer service

12th May 2023
Dee
-
6kW system
5.00

Good and easy to operate

28th April 2023
Jimmy
-
7kW system
5.00

30th March 2023
Lysander
VIC - 3461
2kW system
5.00

19th March 2023
Marie-therese
WA - 6060
30-50kW system
4.00

13th February 2023
Samuel
-
6kW system
5.00

11th February 2023
Pin
-
6kW system
5.00

# 1 Growatt - most selling, good app in phones

3rd February 2023
Denica
QLD - 4300
6kW system
4.00

Works great does what it suppose to do.

29th December 2022
Stewart
WA - 6536
7kW system
5.00

Great

22nd December 2022
Ian
QLD - 4670
10-15kW system
5.00

Appears to be working fine

27th November 2022
Edwin
-
6kW system
5.00

14th November 2022
Michael
-
6kW system
1.00

9th November 2022
David
ACT - 2581
10-15kW system
1.00

Didn't get that far

13th October 2022
Karen
-
6kW system
5.00

Compact unit and the monitoring app works well.

27th September 2022
Clive
-
6kW system
1.00

25th September 2022
Michael
-
10kW system
1.00

No sure not connected to the grid

23rd September 2022
Fong
-
6kW system
5.00

20th September 2022
Alistair
VIC - 3363
10kW system
5.00

Very happy with reviews

1st August 2022
Tas
VIC - 3161
6kW system
5.00

30th July 2022
Jim
WA - 6172
6kW system
5.00

Appears to work well.

26th July 2022
Peter
QLD - 4370
6kW system
5.00

25th July 2022
Ken
-
6kW system
5.00

7th June 2022
Christian
QLD - 4305
6kW system
1.00

Monitoring app doesn’t work, tech support non existent. Cheap system.

26th May 2022
Tan
-
6kW system
5.00

Simple to use

6th May 2022
Raghav
-
6kW system
5.00

5th May 2022
Carrafa
-
10kW system
5.00

25th March 2022
Mark
VIC - 3207
6kW system
4.00

NA

1st March 2022
Alexander
WA - 6163
5kW system
5.00

The inverter works fine. To get added import export power and energy cost tracking I opted for a 3rd party monitoring system from Reduction Revolution

10th February 2022
Naveen
NSW - 2155
6kW system
5.00

2nd February 2022
Ian
VIC - 3160
6kW system
5.00

So far so good.

9th August 2021
Ron
WA - 6169
6kW system
5.00

Again looks like a world wide product

7th August 2021
Vicky
-
10kW system
5.00

Put my trust in Get greener owner as I new he was genuine and cared about his clietal

2nd August 2021
Brian
-
3kW system
5.00

Seems to be a very well know brand

23rd June 2021
Marie-therese
WA - 6060
3kW system
5.00

21st June 2021
Duncan
VIC - 3127
6kW system
4.00

Seems fine. I note you only get ~85% capacity which I didn't realise before installation.

11th June 2021
Stephen
NSW - 2540
6kW system
5.00

No problems.

7th June 2021
Ryan
VIC - 3214
6kW system
4.00

Difficult to assess savings at this point due to slow install of interconnect by powerCore

28th May 2021
Andrei
NSW - 2264
8kW system
5.00