Solis - Inverter Reviews

About Solis

Ginlong (Solis) is a Chinese firm specialising in the design and manufacture of solar and battery storage inverters. The company is one of the world's largest manufacturers of inverters. Solis:

• Manufactures everything in-house.
• Bases its conversion efficiency data on real-world rather than ideal conditions.
• Offers local (Australian) support 5 days a week.
• Was the 3rd largest PV inverter manufacturer globally in 2023 in terms of shipments according to Wood Mackenzie.
• Produces inverters for home solar systems that are at the budget end of the spectrum.
• Has been shipping inverters to Australia for around 13 years.

Solis Australian Office

Having local warranty and technical support is incredibly important, particularly for inverters as it's the component most likely to fail in a solar power system.

Here are the Australian office address and other contact details for Solis:

5/109 Tulip St, Cheltenham VIC 3192
Service hotline: 03 8555 9516 / 1800 928 995
Service manager: 049 886 4577
[email protected] (Sales)
[email protected] (Service)
Contact form

Company Info

Ginlong Solis was established in Ningbo, China back in 2005 - so they've had many years of inverter manufacturing under their belt. Ginlong Technologies, which is the company behind the Solis brand, started spreading its wings early last decade, and entered the Australian market around 2011.

The company has more more than 4,500 employees worldwide; with 800+ of those working in research and development. 

More than 80GW of Solis inverters have been installed globally, and the company's annual manufacturing capacity was set to exceed 80 gigawatts by the close of 2023.

Solis Inverter Models

Solis offers a range of single-phase, three-phase and battery storage inverters to Australian customers.

Single Phase - S5

In single phase, the later generations including the S5 Series for home applications. This series is available in Australia from 3kW through to 10kW capacities and has a maximum efficiency of up to 98.0%; depending on model. In the 7 - 10kW range, the S5 boasts 3 maximum power point trackers (MPPTs) instead of 2 in the 3 - 6 kW models. Multiple MPPTs are usually needed if you're installing panels on roof faces oriented in different directions. The Solis S5 supports consumption monitoring with a smart meter.

Weights of the S5 start at 11kg through to 18.5 kg depending on model, while dimensions are 310 x 543 x 160 mm for the 3kW to 6kW, to 333 x 579 x 253 mm for the 7kW to 10kW

Single Phase - S6

The newest single phase Solis models are the S6 series; available in 3, 4, 4.6, 5 and 6 kW capacities. The S6 offers maximum efficiencies of up to 97.7% and like the S5 supports consumption monitoring with a smart meter. It features 2 MPPTs - which is pretty common among inverters.

The S6 weighs in at 8.3 to 9 kg, which is a few kilograms lighter than the equivalent S5, and dimensions for all models in this range are 330 x 371 x 161 mm.

Three-Phase - S5

The three-phase Solis S5 is available in capacities from 5kW to a whopping 15kW. It has 2 MPPTs, but in the 12kW+ models, the maximum number of strings per input is 4 rather than 2. Weight ranges from 17.8 kg to 20 kg and dimensions (all models) are 310 x 563 x 219 mm.

Hybrid Inverter - S6

The S5 also comes in a hybrid flavour, in capacities from 5kW to 10kW and is compatible with many batteries. A stand out feature is the number of MPPT's - 3 or 4 depending on model. It supports stand-alone / off grid applications and has generator communication support. This range boasts up to 50A/10kW maximum charge/discharge rating and has UPS level switching time (<10ms).

The hybrid S5 is quite a beast, weighing in at 32.6 kg and measuring 600 x 500 x 230 mm. Maximum efficiency is stated at just under to just over 98%.

You can compare estimated pricing and specifications of Solis inverters available in Australia with those from other manufacturers using the SolarQuotes inverter comparison table (note: hybrid inverter comparison here).

Solis Inverter Warranty Notes

Solis inverter products were originally supplied with an industry standard 5 year warranty that could be optionally extended to 8 or even 10 years. However, residential inverters up to 20kW capacity installed from the beginning of July 2021 carry a standard 10 year warranty that can be extended to 15 or even 20 years. A ten-year product warranty as standard is reassuring for an inverter brand in this price range.

Note that if you live more than 50 kilometers from the nearest Ginlong Solis authorized service agent's location, then you'll be liable for any freight costs, fees, charges or levies that may be incurred as a result of a valid warranty claim.

If you're the owner of a Solis inverter and have a warranty issue, your first point of contact should be the business that installed the device. Regardless of what they may state, they are the party liable for the repair/replacement of a faulty inverter if the unit still within its warranty period.

Solis advise that customers who can no longer contact their original installer should visit their website and fill out their Service Request Form, available here.

Solis will then arrange for replacement of the inverter. Note that Solis will charge a quote fee or minimum service charge for arranging the replacement/inspection of the inverter.

Conclusion

Solis is among the cheapest we list among SQ-recommended brands. The company has proved itself here in Australia over time, and its inverters should be a safe best if money is tight.

If you want to find out more about Solis solar inverters and whether one might be a good choice for your installation situation, read the experiences of  Australian customers who have had the units installed below. You can also submit a Solis inverter review if you own one of their products - share your thoughts with others who would find the information valuable by clicking the "leave a review" button above.