How hard to commission a "SunVolt" (Solar Zero) hybrid inverter?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › How hard to commission a "SunVolt" (Solar Zero) hybrid inverter?

Pete101

15 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 6

#319105 22-Mar-2025 21:09

Hi,

I see Turners are selling old Solar Zero stock, both on Trademe and their own website. This includes SunVolt 16 amp hybrid inverters and the "R30" ~5kWh battery packs, plus other bits and pieces. I'm wondering if there are any former Solar Zero installers out there who can tell me if it's possible for a non installer to actually setup and commission these inverters, or do you need some app that only installers have access to?

Thanks.

TerryP

1 post

Wannabe Geek
+1 received by user: 2

#3358763 30-Mar-2025 16:59

Hi,

I take it you have purchased some equipment?

If you have then you will need a licensed electrician to install. Some of the equipment sold by Turners has communication set up for the Solar Zero lease system with added emu’s and such other stuff for connection to the internet. You will need someone who is familiar with Goodwe and Panasonic R30 battery protocols to set up, ideally an accredited installer. Since Solar Zero gone under there is not much information out there to go by. I have spent considerable hours/time getting a system up and running without all the Solar Zero paraphanalia for a customer who purchased equipment from Turners that I tested and am just about ready to install. Yes I am an electrician and solar installer. My inquiries to obtain information has been meet with silence for Solar Zero installers……I don’t blame them as they have been left thousands of dollars out of pocket since the collapse and the receivers only interested in getting rid of gear to get some return.

It is a case of buyer beware!

LinziD

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3360237 3-Apr-2025 16:03

Hi Guys,

I’ve also bought some of the Solar Zero Kit from Turners (along with lots of others). Currently looking for an Installer in Christchurch - the one I used last time at our previous house does have experience with the GoodWe inverters, so one option is to forget the pre-wired cabinet just use the inverter and let them do all the usual cabling etc, or we could try using the pre-wired Inverter cabinet (SV-INVCABKIT-G3) as it supposedly has an inbuilt wifi and monitoring system, plus looks like it is just ‘plug and play’ with the Sunvolt R30 battery?.

https://www.panasonic.com/content/dam/Panasonic/au/en/PDF/A4_Brochure_Sunvolt_Energy_Storage_Solution.pdf

Is this the same one you are installing Terry?

LinziD

cruxis

512 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 346

#3360295 3-Apr-2025 19:34

LinziD:

Hi Guys,

I’ve also bought some of the Solar Zero Kit from Turners (along with lots of others). Currently looking for an Installer in Christchurch - the one I used last time at our previous house does have experience with the GoodWe inverters, so one option is to forget the pre-wired cabinet just use the inverter and let them do all the usual cabling etc, or we could try using the pre-wired Inverter cabinet (SV-INVCABKIT-G3) as it supposedly has an inbuilt wifi and monitoring system, plus looks like it is just ‘plug and play’ with the Sunvolt R30 battery?.

https://www.panasonic.com/content/dam/Panasonic/au/en/PDF/A4_Brochure_Sunvolt_Energy_Storage_Solution.pdf

Is this the same one you are installing Terry?

LinziD

If your Christchurch try Grenz Electrical Ltd, Solar Zero servicing. Battery upgrades etc

LinziD

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3360318 3-Apr-2025 20:33

Thanks for that, looks like they install the GoodWe Inverters and know the Solar Zero kit - will give them a call.

Thanks

LinziD

dzh

50 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 2

Trusted

#3380458 4-Jun-2025 15:23

Have you made any progress?

LinziD

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3380573 4-Jun-2025 20:13

Hi, Yes, Install being done next week by CPS Solar (Christchurch). We are using the Inverter taken out of the SunVolt cabinet with 10 of the JA Solar 450W panels and we also managed to get one of the Panasonic/LinkData 6.35Kw batteries. The Inverter is a GoodWe ES with Wifi etc which has a very good reputation and an excellent app for monitoring. We have used CPS before to install kit we bought ourselves on our previous house, and they are GoodWe Installers, so we're happy to use them again. Once we found out it was a GoodWe inverter in the cabinet and we didn't get the SunVolt battery that fits underneath, it made more sense to remove the Inverter and not use the big SunVolt cabinet as it takes up a lot of space and has a few SZ bits that need removing/taking out of the circuits before use. I'll be selling the cabinet once the install is complete.

There are some of the Panasonic/Linkdata batteries for sale on Trademe along with a complete SunVolt kit inc battery, (with the SZ bits removed) by Terry a Solar Installer in Timaru who was very helpful on here.

If I remember I'll post an update after the install is complete to let you know if there are any issues etc

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

BlargHonk

176 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 131

#3380613 5-Jun-2025 08:21

If anyone is interested, there is someone selling a 2020 SOLARZERO Installer's Manual on TradeMe for $40

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/business-farming-industry/industrial/generators/solar/listing/5353159197

wellygary

8810 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5287

#3380625 5-Jun-2025 08:49

There appear to be a decent number of Solar Zero Customers wanting out of their agreements, so there will presumably be a fairly steady flow of SZ gear on the reselling market..

https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/06/04/solarzero-customers-trapped-with-high-fees-everyone-wants-out/