FranklinWH review

FranklinWH - Battery Reviews

4.9

Based on 71 ratings
Michael Bloch

Michael's FranklinWH Batteries Review & Verdict

Michael Bloch covers the latest developments in home electrification for SolarQuotes.

FranklinWH entered the Australian home battery market with the first residential installation of its X-01-AU battery in 2023. Since that time, customer reviews on SolarQuotes have generally been positive. Common themes in feedback are the system is easy to use, understand and monitor, and is backed by solid support from the firm.

FranklinWH Batteries: Pros & Cons

  • Seem to have been well-received by Australian customers to have installed them.
  • Reportedly good support from the company.
  • No DC-coupled option
  • A bit more expensive than some comparable products.

About FranklinWH

FranklinWH is a residential energy management and storage solutions firm headquartered in the USA's San Francisco Bay area.

Australian Contact Details

Address: Suite 4, Level 4, 4 Drake Ave, Macquarie Park NSW 2113
Phone: 1800 161 300
Email: mail: [email protected]
Website

Company Information

FranklinWH was founded in 2019 with funding from Sequoia Capital.  So, what's with the name?

It seems it was inspired by Benjamin Franklin, who first coined the word “battery”.  That explains the first part of the name (Franklin), but as for the WH - that initially stood for watt-hour, which is a unit of energy; but it then evolved to mean to "whole home". Naming a company after someone who fiddled with electricity has worked well for Tesla; but it's arguably a much snappier name.

While an American company, FranklinWH batteries are reportedly manufactured in China - although you won't find this mentioned on the company's website.

FranklinWH aPower X-01-AU Battery

The core Franklin Home Power components are the aPower battery, the aGate intelligent controller, and the FranklinWH App for monitoring and configuration. aPower product highlights include:

  • AC coupled system
  • Lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry
  • 13.6kWh usable capacity
  • 5kW continuous output / 10kW surge 10 S
  • You can increase continuous (20kW) and surge (40kW) output by stacking multiple aPowers.
  • Up to 15 aPowers can be deployed per aGate (204KWh)
  • Natural air cooling
  • IP67 (Battery and Inverter), IP56 (Wiring Compartment)
  • Operating temperature: -20C - 50C
  • Auto black start feature enabled
  • Generator compatible
  • Off grid capability

The aGate is a separate bit of kit allowing you to integrate solar, grid, generator and aPower batteries to support home loads.

Warranty Information

The FranklinWH aPower X-01-AU is accompanied by a 12 year product warranty. The firm also guarantees the aPower will have the rated energy capacity of 13.6 kWh from the outset, and capacity retention will be not less than 70% of the rated capacity when either the 12-year warranty period expires, or the aggregate energy throughput has reached 43MWh - whichever comes first. 

The communication module in the aGate carries a 5-year warranty.

Images from customers

FranklinWH has 3 solar batteries in our database

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Battery Type 
Usable Storage 
Power 
All-In-One unit 
Off-grid capable 
Product Name
Approx Price
Battery Type
Usable Storage Capacity
Power
All-In-One unit
Off-grid capable
FranklinWH aPower X-02-AU (15 kWh)
$10,800
Lithium-ion (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
15 kWh
5kW steady, 10kW peak (10 seconds)
Kind of. Includes AC battery inverter but requires solar inverter.
Yes
+ More details
FranklinWH aPower X-02-AU (30 kWh)
$21,000
Lithium-ion (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
30 kWh
5kW steady, 10kW peak (10 seconds)
Kind of. Includes AC battery inverter but requires solar inverter.
Yes
+ More details
FranklinWH aPower X-02-AU (45 kWh)
$32,400
Lithium-ion (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
45 kWh
5kW steady, 10kW peak (10 seconds)
Kind of. Includes AC battery inverter but requires solar inverter.
Yes
+ More details

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FranklinWH Reviews (71)

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  • 5 star 67
  • 4 star 3
  • 3 star 1
  • 2 star 0
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Installed By

Solargain PV

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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RESINC Solar

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SAE Group GC South

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

Koala Solar

Installed By

Koala Solar

An incentive was offered by Koala Solar for this review. Learn more here.

Very early to judge performance over time, but the overall system is very easy to understand and maintain/monitor on the app.
Simple to check how much solar is generated vs fed into or pulled from the grid, along with how much charge to the battery and how much discharged.
I can change how the battery is used as well to maximise the different tariffs I have during the day.

Installed By

Koala Solar

Installed By

Koala Solar

Installed By

SAE Global

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar
Warranty is 12 years enables EV or generator charging as additional features. Tony Flint Rep for Victoria amazing knowledge regarding this product and everything renewable we cannot wait for our power outage to test our new set up. Franklin app so adaptable to maximising our power even possible if we are not at home. Our place is 5 bedrooms two loungerooms so pretty large we feel we are absolutley set for being totally self sufficent.

Installed By

Solargain Melbourne
I can fully recomend dealing with the people from SAE

Installed By

SAE Global

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

Solargain Bendigo
Early days but very happy with battery so far.

Installed By

Solargain SA

Installed By

RESINC Solar

Installed By

RESINC Solar
The batteries look amazing and the set up is actually cool to look at, the best thing is I’m saving thousands per month having a solar battery system

Installed By

RESINC Solar
Excellent battery system.

Installed By

DSW Energy Group - SA

Installed By

Solargain Hastings

Installed By

Trentham Electrical and Solar VIC
Early days but very impress with the whole system including the app to control the FranklinWh batteries.
Solid build and the team did a great job with the installation. Would happily use the installers again in the future
Over the past 12 months, I’ve been researching battery systems that could meet the needs of my household. As a high energy user - averaging between 50 to 70 kWh per day during the winter months - my power bills were regularly exceeding $800 a month. This was largely due to our ducted heating, in-slab hydronic system, and the general demands of a large home.

One of my key requirements was a battery system capable of powering large appliances when the sun was shining but the grid was down. Living in Tasmania, we experience multiple power outages each year, which became especially disruptive during the COVID pandemic while working from home.

Most battery suppliers I spoke with only offered limited backup options - typically just one or two circuits, such as lights and few power points. For a system of this cost, that level of backup just didn’t make sense. I needed whole home backup, which significantly narrowed my choices.

FranklinWH – all metal design, longer warranty 12 year warranty, generator port option, 2 smart circuits, easy to use app, works with practically all inverters.

Sigenergy SigenStor – Plastic covers, more expensive over multiple batteries, 10 year warranty, app and warranty keeps on changing, uncertain of future, 1 smart circuit, generator addon available (believe via using the smart circuit)

Tesla Powerwall – all metal design, 10 year warranty, more suited if you have a Tesla vehicle, limited smart circuit, works with some inverters.

I compared the above systems including total system costs and installation after rebates and ultimately chose the FranklinWH battery system installing 3 batteries at a total 40.8kwh.

FranklinWH stood out for several reasons:

High Startup Power: A 10-second ramp-up of 10 kW allows for reliable startup of power-hungry appliances.

Scalable Storage: The ability to stack multiple batteries means I can power my entire home during extended outages.

Durable Build: All-metal construction ensures longevity and resilience in the harsh Australian climate - no flimsy plastic covers to warp in summer heat, unlike another popular brand.

User-Friendly App: The interface is polished with plenty of information available, with several smart operating modes to optimise performance.

Generator Port Add-on: Provides a backup option for extended outages (we experienced a 3-day outage a few years ago where this would have been invaluable).

Smart Circuits: I’ve connected the two smart circuits to our highest-demand appliances. These automatically shut off if the battery drops below a set threshold, extending available power for lighting and essential loads.

Storm Hedge Feature: Monitors weather events and can automatically charge the battery from the grid ahead of potential outages, this can be set to manual or automatic, in manual mode the app will alert your phone via a message where you can allow or deny the battery charge.

Near-Instant Switch-over: Seamlessly changes between grid and battery power.

I now highly recommend Franklin batteries to family and friends. Their sleek design, backed by excellent customer service, makes them a worthwhile investment. Based on our current usage, I estimate a payback period of around 7 to 8 years. With a 12-year warranty and a minimum 70% retained capacity expected beyond that, I’m confident these batteries will last at least 20 years.

It’s only been a week since the system was installed, but I’ve already experienced one weather event and one minor outage; both handled flawlessly. For the first time last night, I can run our washing machine and dryer during peak power periods without concern.
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