SolarEdge Home Battery vs Tesla vs Enphase Calculator
3-way comparison: SolarEdge 10 kWh (94.5% RTE, DC-coupled) vs Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh, integrated inverter) vs Enphase IQ Battery 5P (96% RTE, most modular). Enter your existing solar brand, backup goal, and capacity — get a side-by-side table and recommendation.
| Metric | SolarEdge Home Battery | Tesla Powerwall 3 Recommended | Enphase IQ 5P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity per module | 10 kWh | 13.5 kWh | 5 kWh |
| Modules needed | 2 modules | 1 unit | 3 modules |
| Total capacity | 20 kWh | 13.5 kWh | 15 kWh |
| Installed cost (before ITC) | $16,500 | $9,200 | $16,500 |
| Net cost after 30% ITC | $11,550 | $6,440 | $11,550 |
| $/kWh stored (net) | $578/kWh | $477/kWh | $770/kWh |
| Continuous power output | 15.2 kW | 11.5 kW | 11.52 kW |
| Round-trip efficiency | 94.5% | 90% | 96% |
| Coupling type | DC | AC (built-in inverter) | AC |
| Requires specific inverter | Yes — SolarEdge | No (any inverter) | No (any inverter) |
| Modular (add later) | Yes | Yes (up to 4) | Yes (any time) |
| Max system capacity | 30 kWh (3 modules) | 54 kWh (4 units) | 40 kWh (8 modules) |
| Ecosystem lock-in | Required: SolarEdge HD-Wave inverter ($1,500–$3,000 if not installed) | AC couples with any inverter; built-in inverter for new solar | No separate inverter needed; best with Enphase IQ microinverters |
| Warranty | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your existing solar setup
Start with your existing solar system size (enter 0 for a new install) and brand. This matters more for home batteries than most people realize: SolarEdge Home Battery requires a SolarEdge HD-Wave inverter — if you already have one, there's no compatibility surcharge. Enphase IQ Battery works with any inverter but integrates most seamlessly with Enphase IQ microinverters (no additional gateway device required). Powerwall 3 includes its own inverter and AC-couples with any existing solar system.
Set backup hours and capacity target
The calculator uses both inputs to determine units needed: it takes the larger of (backup hours × 1.5 kW essential load) and your explicit capacity target. This ensures you meet both the time goal and the storage goal. SolarEdge modules come in 10 kWh increments (max 30 kWh), Powerwall 3 in 13.5 kWh (max 54 kWh), and Enphase IQ 5P in 5 kWh increments (max 40 kWh across 8 modules).
Select your scenario for a recommendation
The scenario dropdown drives the recommendation badge. "Existing SolarEdge owner" recommends the SE Home Battery because DC coupling is more efficient and no additional inverter is needed. "Existing Enphase owner" recommends IQ Battery 5P for seamless system integration. "New install max capacity" recommends Powerwall 3 for its integrated inverter and largest single-unit capacity. "Modular expansion priority" recommends Enphase for its add-one-at-a-time flexibility.
The Formula
Key spec differences drive the comparison: SolarEdge leads on round-trip efficiency (94.5% — best of the three) because DC coupling avoids an extra DC-to-AC-to-DC conversion. Enphase leads on modularity and also achieves excellent RTE (96%) through distributed microinverter architecture. Tesla Powerwall 3 leads on continuous power output per unit (11.5 kW) and is the only option with a fully integrated solar inverter, reducing new-install labor cost.
Example
Sarah — Existing SolarEdge 9 kW system, wants 20 kWh backup
Sarah has a 9 kW SolarEdge system in California with TOU pricing ($0.40 peak / $0.12 off-peak). She wants 20 kWh of backup to cover 12 hours during wildfire outage season.
Side-by-side result
For Sarah, the SolarEdge Home Battery is the clear winner: she already has the required SE inverter, so there's no compatibility surcharge. Two modules give exactly 20 kWh at the lowest net cost ($11,550 after ITC), and the 94.5% RTE captures strong daily TOU arbitrage on California's spread between peak and off-peak rates.
Ecosystem Lock-In: What You Need to Know
SolarEdge Home Battery
The SolarEdge Home Battery is DC-coupled, meaning it connects directly to the DC output of your solar panels before the inverter. This is the most efficient architecture (one fewer conversion = 94.5% RTE), but it requires a SolarEdge HD-Wave or Energy Hub inverter. If you don't have one, add $1,500–$3,000 for a compatible inverter to the total cost. For the roughly 30% of US residential solar owners who already have SolarEdge, this is a non-issue — and a significant advantage over the alternatives.
Tesla Powerwall 3
Powerwall 3 is the most flexible: it includes its own integrated solar inverter (can directly connect new solar panels DC) and also AC-couples with any existing inverter. For a new combined solar + battery install, Powerwall 3 reduces total cost because you don't need a separate string inverter. For existing solar owners with any brand, just AC-couple — one installation appointment. The trade-off: no official third-party battery expansion; you're in the Tesla ecosystem for future additions.
Enphase IQ Battery 5P
Enphase batteries are AC-coupled and designed to work with any inverter, but they integrate most seamlessly with Enphase IQ microinverter systems. With an existing Enphase system, batteries connect through the existing IQ System Controller 3 with no additional hardware. With other inverters, you may need an additional gateway. The standout advantage: add one 5 kWh module at any time without a system redesign — making it the most flexible long-term expansion path of the three.
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