A 32 kWh Sigenergy Battery Added to Existing Solar at Federal: Case Study

At Federal, the small village in the green hills between Bangalow and Lismore: the existing solar kept and tied in through a Sigenergy Gateway, seven new AIKO panels, and a 32 kWh Sigenergy battery with four modules against an old red brick wall.

Our own in-house team designed and installed the system in November 2025.

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Keeping the solar, adding storage

This home already had solar on its tiled roof. Rather than replace it, the design kept it, tied it into a Sigenergy Gateway so it keeps working in a blackout, and added seven new AIKO panels. Storage was the big part: four battery modules, about 32 kWh.

The pieces

• Battery: a Sigenergy SigenStor with four battery modules, about 32 kWh (32.24 kWh)
• Existing solar: kept, and tied in through a Sigenergy Gateway so it produces during blackouts
• New solar: seven AIKO Neostar panels added to the roof
• Monitoring and app training

On site

The battery stands on its feet against the old brick wall at the side of the house, under the eave and beside the garden, with conduits run up the bricks and the safety signs fitted. We agreed that spot face to face before install day, along with what stays on in a blackout. On the roof, the new panels went on the tiles in straight rows above the lawn.

The hills around Federal

Federal sits among farms, rainforest gullies and acreage homes, where long power lines and storms make blackout backup a common request. See also 20.9 kW of Jinko solar and a Sigenergy battery at Federal and a 24 kWh Sigenergy battery in Bangalow.

How every job like this runs

1. Free energy assessment from one or two recent power bills, or a quick phone call on 0483 903 020.

2. Custom design sized from the household’s real usage, with the federal Cheaper Home Batteries rebate and solar STCs taken off at point of sale. We handle the paperwork. See your rebates or try the battery rebate calculator.

3. Face-to-face site visit before install day: compliant battery position, switchboard and RCBO check, and agreement on what stays on in a blackout. No surprises on the day.

4. Install, usually one day, by our own electricians. No subcontractors. Then monitoring set-up, grid connection and a sign-off call.

Warranties

Every new install from us now comes with a 10-year battery warranty, 10-year inverter replacement, 25-year panel performance and our 25-year workmanship warranty on our installation work. Equipment is covered by the manufacturer warranties.

The federal battery rebate steps down on 1 January 2027 and again on 1 July 2027, based on install date. If a battery is on your list, it’s worth getting your assessment done early.

Questions we get asked

Can my existing solar keep working with a new battery?

Often, yes. Here the existing system was tied into the Sigenergy Gateway, so it charges the new battery and keeps producing in a blackout. See adding a battery to existing solar and does my solar work in a blackout.

How long does a 32 kWh battery last in a blackout?

It depends on what the home runs. A big battery like this carries a typical home through a night, and the solar tops it up the next day. See how long a battery runs a house.

Why only seven new panels?

Because the home already had solar. The new panels topped up the daytime generation; the existing array does the rest.

What happens when the grid goes down?

The Sigenergy Gateway switches the home over to the battery and solar. A typical install backs up the whole home unless you ask us to leave circuits out. See blackout backup batteries.

Thinking about solar and a battery?

We’re based near Mullumbimby and install across the Northern Rivers. See Bangalow and solar and batteries in Lismore, or compare Sigenergy, GoodWe and Sungrow, Solax and Tesla.

Get a free energy assessment · or call 0483 903 020

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More from Sun Connect Solar: your rebates; battery rebate calculator; customer reviews; FAQ; recent installs: 6.65 kW solar and 9 kWh Sigenergy battery, Mullumbimby · Solar and a 24 kWh Sigenergy battery, Mullumbimby area · 8.4 kW Jinko solar and 24 kWh Sigenergy battery, Ocean Shores · all recent installs.