Adding a battery to solar you already have.
Last updated 1 October 2026
Most Australian homes installing a battery today already have solar. What actually needs to change depends mostly on one thing: how the battery connects to your existing system.
AC coupling versus DC coupling
AC-coupled batteries connect on the household side of your existing solar inverter, after your solar power has already been converted. Your existing solar inverter generally keeps doing its job unchanged, and the battery handles its own conversion separately.
DC-coupled batteries connect before that conversion happens, directly alongside your solar panels, which is typically more efficient but means the battery has to work with a compatible hybrid inverter, either one you already have or one installed alongside it.
Some battery systems come with their own inverter built in and effectively replace your existing inverter as part of the install, rather than pairing with it.
When a hybrid inverter swap is needed
A hybrid inverter swap typically comes up when:
- The battery you want is DC-coupled and only pairs with a specific brand or family of hybrid inverter you don't already have.
- The battery comes as an all-in-one system with its own integrated inverter, which takes over from your existing one.
- Your existing inverter is older, undersized, or not compatible with battery retrofits at all.
An AC-coupled battery is the more common way to avoid that, since it's designed to sit alongside most existing solar inverters rather than replace them.
How published models connect
Based on each manufacturer's own published specs:
- AC-coupled, generally pairs with existing solar inverters: AlphaESS, Enphase
- DC-coupled to a specific inverter brand or family: Sungrow, GoodWe, FoxESS
- DC-coupled, pairs with third-party hybrid inverters more broadly: BYD
- Integrated inverter, replaces your existing one: Tesla Powerwall 3, Sigenergy SigenStor
See each brand's page for the specific inverter models it pairs with.
Retrofit questions
What is the cost to add a battery to existing solar?+
It depends mainly on whether your existing inverter is already compatible (no swap needed), whether a hybrid inverter swap is required, the battery's own size and brand, and your site's electrical work. BatteryMe doesn't have live installer pricing yet, so we can't quote a figure here, get a real quote from a participating installer's rate card instead.
Can I keep my current solar inverter?+
Often yes, if you choose an AC-coupled battery or a DC-coupled one that's already compatible with your existing inverter brand. An integrated all-in-one battery system typically replaces your existing inverter instead.