DC cables need mechanical protection. That’s not up for debate. But the way some of the industry is achieving it, by plumbing conduit directly into inverters, is creating a new problem: water ingress. [Continue reading…]
SolarQuotes Blog
Exposed Battery Cables Are Everywhere. Regulators Don’t Seem to Care.
Once again the solar and storage industry is facing some uncomfortable questions about whether the rules we work with actually line up with each other.
Finn did an excellent job of explaining this issue a few weeks back1 but strap in and we’ll get into the weeds of wiring rules and ask, why are they being ignored by installers, inspectors and regulators and who is going to bear the cost of getting this right? [Continue reading…]
Federal Budget 2026: What It Means For Home Electrification
The Federal Budget has been handed down, with measures affecting electric vehicles, home batteries, charging infrastructure and Australia’s energy transition.
[Continue reading…]EV Electricity Plans: Do You Really Need One?
This article explains how EV-specific electricity plans work and what EV plans are currently available in Australia
[Continue reading…]Cold Snap, Hot Mess: Fox ESS in an Australian Winter
Fox ESS batteries recently became the most popular battery in Australia thanks to their nice stackable design and a price that undercuts most of the competition. When asked, my personal verdict on Fox has been: I don’t have enough real-world data to vouch for their quality in harsh Australian conditions, and I’ve consistently recommended waiting […]
[Continue reading…]Smart Energy Day 2: A Senator, a Silent Disco, and a New-Rebate Sized Battery
Max is still on holiday. I am still in Sydney. Here’s what happened on Day 2 of the Smart Energy 2026 Conference & Expo in Sydney.
[Continue reading…]Smart Energy 2026 Day 1: A Billionaire, a Group Hug, and an Illegal Battery
I’m filling in for our editor, Max, who has taken himself on holiday like someone who doesn’t understand the gravity of the Smart Energy Conference. Someone had to go. So I went to Sydney. Here’s what happened.
[Continue reading…]New WA Solar Installs — What To Check Before Signing A Quote
From 1 May 2026, new inverter rules apply to solar and battery systems connected to WA’s main electricity grid, managed by Western Power. Your installer is responsible for making sure your system meets the technical requirements – that’s their job. But there are two things worth discussing with them: how your export limits are configured […]
[Continue reading…]Too Much Of A Good Thing: Dynamic Solar Connections Explained
When Australian households first started installing solar, there were almost no restrictions on how much energy they could export back to the grid, and they received up to 60c per kWh for exporting it. Fast forward to today, and we have millions of rooftop solar systems meeting more than 13% of the country’s electricity demand.
[Continue reading…]When A Battery Company Sues Its Critics, It Tells You Everything
We’ve been running this website for 16 years. In that time, we’ve published tens of thousands of reviews and written plenty of posts about installers and manufacturers. Shock horror, some have been critical.
[Continue reading…]
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