Posts By Ronald Brakels, Author & Fact-Checker At SolarQuotes

About Ronald Brakels

Joining SolarQuotes in 2015, Ronald has a knack for reading those tediously long documents put out by solar manufacturers and translating their contents into something consumers might find interesting. Master of heavily researched deep-dive blog posts, his relentless consumer advocacy has ruffled more than a few manufacturer's feathers over the years. Read Ronald's full bio.

The Refreshed Tesla Model 3 Is A Damn Fine Car – With One Major Elon Error

May 28, 2024 2024-05-29T03:37:57 by 34 Comments
A refreshed Tesla Model 3 next to a Challenger tank.

Tired of filling your tank?  Go electric!

Last weekend I drove to Naracoorte to check out some holes in the ground.  While this may not sound exciting, what made it special was driving there in a brand new “refreshed” Tesla Model 3.

In almost every way but one, the car was great.  Perhaps even amazing.  However, tragically, I’m unable to give it the coveted title of totes amazeballs.  This is due to one annoying penny-pinching design choice I will heartily complain about later.  I’ll hold off for now because there are far too many miserable bastards on the internet and I’d much rather go straight to telling you how cool it was using it to tool around South Australia. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Electric Vehicles

A Battery Without Solar Can Be Worth It in WA, But Only Just

August 23, 2023 2023-08-23T11:07:05 by 5 Comments

Installing home batteries without solar panels in Western Australia

Basking in sunlight from dawn to dusk, Western Australia is a great place for solar panels. But not everyone can install solar, which got me thinking. Is WA a great place for batteries without solar panels? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Battery Storage

3 Million EVs, 22.46 Gigawatts: A Sober Look at Australia’s V2G Future

August 11, 2023 2024-04-10T13:54:34 by 31 Comments

a v2g utopia

Many clued-up Australians dream of their electric car not only taking them places but powering their home and even the grid.

Keep reading, and you’ll discover how Vehicle-to-Grid technology (V2G) could outdo Australia’s entire coal fleet in terms of power delivered (kW) but not energy (kWh) and what that means for our future energy mix.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: EV Chargers

Jinko’s Suntank Battery Bounces Back With An Improved Warranty

August 8, 2023 2023-08-08T11:07:20 by Leave a Comment

jinko warranty doc and battery

This article is all about the Jinko Suntank Battery’s technical specs.  Two months ago, I wrote about its terrible warranty and decided no one in their right mind should buy it. But — to their credit — Jinko replaced the original warranty with a much better one shortly after my post was published. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Battery Storage

Battle Royale Of EV Charger Warranties: Who Will Be Crowned Champion?

June 20, 2023 2024-04-10T09:32:29 by 12 Comments

Ronald in boxing garb surrounded by EV chargers and warranty documents

I have 11 EV charger warranties, and I will make them fight. [Read more…]

Filed Under: EV Chargers

The Fronius Wattpilot Warranty: It’s Too Short

June 7, 2023 2024-04-11T08:11:08 by 4 Comments

Fronius Wattpilot and a 2-year warranty badge

This is a deep dive into the Fronius Wattpilot EV charger warranty.  If you don’t know what that is, it’s a device for charging EVs. 

There is nothing especially wrong with the warranty Fronius provides — except that it’s too short.  The Wattpilot warranty is only two years. [Read more…]

Filed Under: EV Chargers

Drowning In Despair:  A Deep Dive Into The Jinko Solar Suntank Warranty

June 1, 2023 2023-07-17T14:21:02 by 9 Comments

jinko suntank battery and warning symbol

UPDATE JULY 2023: Jinko has updated and improved the SunTank warranty, also retroactively applying it to existing installations. Good on them! The new warranty document is available here. Summary of changes below:

Features Old Warranty New Warranty
Energy Retention 70% for the first 5 years
50% for another 5 years		 60% for 10 years
Life Cycle or Life Cycle Power Shouldn’t be over 300 per year Total energy discharged from the battery reaches 3.05MWh per kWh usable capacity
Accessories Warranty Period 1 year 2 years
Warranty if not connected with Internet 3 years 5 years
Operating Temperature -10 ～ +45 -10 ～ +50
Transferrable No Yes
Others – Applies to all previously sold systems

 

Jinko Solar launched their Suntank low-voltage home battery in July 2022.  This article is my opinion of its warranty.  While it’s possible the battery could be good, I can tell you right now its warranty isn’t.   [Read more…]

Filed Under: Battery Storage

US Study Shows EV Batteries Should Last An EV’s Lifetime

May 23, 2023 2023-05-24T12:59:24 by 32 Comments

a very old Tesla

Good news! As your EV gets old, its battery should be fine.

How long do electric vehicle batteries last?  According to a study by Recurrent — a US company devoted to helping people buy and sell used EVs — it’s a long time. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Electric Vehicles

Home Batteries Finally Taking Off?

May 18, 2023 2023-05-22T12:14:17 by 40 Comments
Fronius Gen24 and BYD battery installation, Australia

Installation by DJM Electrical

This year’s Smart Energy Conference was abuzz with news on solar and batteries — more abuzz than a bucket of Queensland prawns on a hot tin roof.  The hottest of hot topics was home batteries — not because dodgy ones were spouting flame — but because their installation rate is soaring.  If growth continues, by the end of 2027, Australia could have as many home batteries as some optimists predicted for the year 2020. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Battery Storage

A Deep Dive Into The Sungrow Battery Warranty — It Can’t Take The Heat

May 15, 2023 2023-05-12T18:57:56 by 9 Comments

a bearded man in a desert overloaded with warranty documents

I read the Sungrow Battery Warranty so you don’t have to…

Could Bad Weather Kill Your Battery Warranty?

Home battery sales are growing, with around 47,000 Australian installations last year.  One popular choice that won’t break the bank — but may still put a major dent in it — is from Sungrow.  Their High Voltage SBR battery is competitively priced and, because it’s modular, provides from 9.6 to 25.6 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of storage.  This article will be a deep dive into the details of its warranty. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Battery Storage
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