Padbury solar & battery case study
Padbury Solar & Battery Installation with Backup
Australis Solar, a Perth-based and WA-owned solar company operating since 2008, first upgraded this Padbury home with a 6.11 kW AIKO solar array and 5 kW three-phase Fronius Symo GEN24 inverter with PV Point backup. Months later, our team returned to add 10.24 kWh of BYD HVS battery storage and a Fronius Back-up Box.
The staged design allowed an ageing solar system to be replaced while retaining a practical pathway for later storage and backup. Roof access, panel placement, existing electrical equipment, the battery position and backup equipment all had to be considered as the project developed.
- 6.11 kW solar array using 13 × AIKO Neostar 2P 470 W panels
- 5 kW three-phase Fronius Symo GEN24 inverter
- 10.24 kWh BYD HVS battery retrofit
- PV Point plus later Fronius Back-up Box integration
Confirmed project specifications
Padbury project snapshot
This was a staged residential solar and battery project. The original solar upgrade was later expanded with BYD battery storage and additional backup equipment.
Padbury, WA
Residential solar upgrade followed by a battery retrofit.
6.11 kW
13 × AIKO Neostar 2P 470 W solar panels.
Fronius Symo GEN24 5 kW
Three-phase inverter installed as part of the original solar upgrade.
10.24 kWh BYD HVS
Four 2.56 kWh HVS modules with battery base and BMS.
PV Point + Back-up Box
PV Point was enabled initially, with a Fronius Back-up Box added during the later battery installation.
Clenergy racking
Rails and racking used for the 13-panel rooftop array.
Meter board adjustments
Three switches were relocated and a fire seal was added at the existing meter/distribution board.
Fronius Solar.web
Monitoring enabled through the inverter's WLAN interface following commissioning.
Designed for the property
Customer objective and design considerations
This project developed in two stages. The first requirement was to replace an ageing 12-panel solar system while dealing with limited roof access and existing electrical work. The later requirement was to integrate battery storage and additional backup equipment with the Fronius-based system already installed.
Replace the ageing solar system
The property had an older 12-panel solar installation dating from 2010. Australis Solar removed the previous system and installed 13 higher-capacity AIKO panels with a new three-phase Fronius inverter.
Preserve roof access
The homeowner still required access to the roof cavity through the tiled roof. Panel placement therefore had to leave practical access rather than simply filling every available section.
Work across the available roof orientations
The confirmed installation used multiple roof areas, including a limited southwest section. The array layout was planned around the available roof geometry while maintaining the required access.
Plan for later battery storage
The original Fronius-based solar design was selected with future battery integration in mind. Months later, Australis Solar returned to add 10.24 kWh of BYD HVS storage rather than replacing the recently installed solar array.
Confirm a practical battery position
The battery was installed at the front of the property beside the garage. The location of the meter board, battery equipment, Back-up Box and cable route formed part of the retrofit planning.
Coordinate electrical and connection requirements
The complete project included meter-board remedial work, commissioning, monitoring and the required Synergy and Western Power connection processes rather than treating the battery as a standalone appliance.
A staged solar and storage system
System design and installed components
The final project combines rooftop solar, a three-phase Fronius inverter, dedicated PV Point backup, BYD battery storage, additional backup equipment and Fronius monitoring. Each component has a different role within the complete system.
13 × AIKO Neostar 2P 470 W panels
The 13-panel array provides 6.11 kW of installed solar capacity and replaced the older 12-panel system.
The array was laid out around the usable roof areas while retaining the roof access required by the homeowner.
Compare solar panels for Perth homesFronius Symo GEN24 5 kW
The three-phase Fronius inverter was installed with the original solar upgrade and provides the power-conversion and monitoring platform for the system.
The later battery project was integrated with this existing Fronius-based installation rather than replacing the recently installed solar array.
Explore Fronius solar and battery systemsFronius PV Point
PV Point backup was enabled during the original installation to provide a dedicated emergency-power outlet when the required operating conditions are available.
PV Point should not be confused with whole-home backup.
10.24 kWh BYD HVS battery
The later retrofit added four 2.56 kWh BYD HVS modules, providing 10.24 kWh of stated battery capacity together with the required base and battery-management equipment.
The battery allows compatible solar energy to be stored for use later rather than relying only on real-time rooftop generation.
Compare solar battery optionsFronius Back-up Box
A Fronius Back-up Box was added as part of the battery installation and mounted below the meter board.
The supplied project information confirms backup functionality but does not confirm that every household circuit is backed up, so this case study does not describe the installation as whole-home backup.
Clenergy mounting, electrical work and monitoring
Clenergy rails and racking support the rooftop array. Three switches were relocated and a fire seal was added at the existing meter/distribution board during the original project.
The completed solar and battery installation was commissioned with monitoring enabled through the inverter's WLAN interface and Fronius Solar.web.
Learn about solar upgrades in PerthDesigned, installed and followed through
Problems and Australis Solar solutions
The value of this project was not simply the equipment installed. The solar layout, existing electrical infrastructure, later battery retrofit and post-installation close-out each required a practical response.
Roof access limited the available panel area
The homeowner required continued access through the roof tiles, which meant the new array could not simply cover all otherwise usable roof space.
The team had to balance the required 13-panel layout with roof geometry, different orientations and the access area that needed to remain available.
The AIKO array was distributed across the available roof areas while preserving practical roof access and retaining the confirmed 6.11 kW solar capacity.
Existing meter-board work was required
The existing meter/distribution board required a fire seal and three switches needed to be relocated as part of the original solar installation.
The electrical work had to be incorporated into the installation scope rather than leaving the new solar equipment disconnected from existing board conditions.
A fire seal was added and the three switches were relocated before the system was completed and commissioned.
The homeowner later wanted battery storage and additional backup
The battery project occurred months after the original solar installation, so the new storage equipment had to be integrated with the Fronius-based system already operating at the property.
The existing inverter, three-phase supply, battery location, meter-board position, backup equipment, monitoring and connection requirements all needed to be considered as one retrofit.
Australis Solar added 10.24 kWh of BYD HVS storage using four battery modules, installed the Fronius Back-up Box and recommissioned the complete system with monitoring enabled.
A battery terminal cover was delayed by the supplier
The battery installation could not be considered fully closed out until the outstanding terminal/housing cover became available.
The outstanding supplier item needed to be tracked and completed rather than treated as the homeowner's responsibility.
Australis Solar kept the homeowner updated and returned once the replacement cover was available to complete the hardware installation.
The Plenti close-out email appeared suspicious
The customer's first close-out email was poorly formatted and appeared similar to a phishing message, creating a reasonable concern about replying to it.
The communication needed to be verified before the customer proceeded with the administrative close-out.
Australis Solar contacted Plenti to have the email reissued. The customer subsequently confirmed receipt and the application process could continue.
WA connection requirements
The project records confirm Synergy and Western Power involvement. Western Power also requires an Embedded Generation Connection application when another generation source such as a battery is added or an inverter installation is changed.
Read Western Power connection guidanceInstalled by Australis Solar
Padbury installation gallery
Genuine photographs from the Padbury solar installation and later battery retrofit show the rooftop array, AIKO panels, Fronius inverter and BYD storage installation.
Padbury project questions
Solar, battery and backup FAQs
These answers relate to the confirmed Padbury installation. A similar Perth property still requires its own solar, battery, switchboard and backup assessment.
Why was the battery added after the solar system?
The solar system was installed first using a Fronius-based design that allowed future storage to be considered. Months later, Australis Solar returned to add 10.24 kWh of BYD HVS battery storage and a Fronius Back-up Box to the existing installation.
How much battery storage was installed in Padbury?
The battery installation has 10.24 kWh of stated capacity using four BYD HVS 2.56 kWh battery modules together with the required battery base and BMS.
Does this Padbury project have whole-home backup?
The project scope confirms PV Point backup in the original solar installation and later backup functionality through a Fronius Back-up Box. The supplied records do not confirm that every circuit in the home was backed up, so this case study does not describe the system as whole-home backup.
Where was the BYD battery installed?
The battery was installed at the front of the property beside the garage. The Fronius Back-up Box was mounted below the meter board as part of the battery and backup installation.
What electrical work was completed with the solar installation?
The confirmed original scope included relocation of three switches and installation of a fire seal at the existing meter/distribution board. The system was then tested, commissioned and connected to Fronius monitoring.
Can a battery be added later to an existing solar system?
Often, but compatibility must be checked first. Australis Solar assesses the existing panels, inverter, phase configuration, switchboard, battery location, backup requirements, monitoring and current Western Power connection requirements before recommending a retrofit.
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