Hilbert Solar Installation: 18.48kW AIKO array, 20kW Sigenergy SigenStor, full home backup and DC EV charging

For this Hilbert home we upgraded an ageing 5kW system to a high performance hybrid package built around an 18.48kW AIKO solar array and a three phase 20kW Sigenergy SigenStor Energy Controller with whole home backup. The design is modelled to generate 27,137kWh per year, lifting production to match a growing, electrified household and frequent evening usage.

The system now also supports on site DC fast charging via a 25kW Sigenergy EV DC charger, turning daytime solar into low cost kilometres.

The brief and existing system

The owners bought the property which originally had a December 2020 installation with a 5kW inverter and 5.5kW of panels. They wanted:

• More generation to reduce Synergy bills

• Substantial battery storage to ride through outages

• Whole home backup for blackout protection

• A clean, compliant upgrade that reused existing roof space

• A pathway to EV charging once their vehicle arrived

We were asked to remove the old system completely and install a modern, future ready solution that satisfied Western Power and AS/NZS 4777.2 requirements.

System design and equipment

The final system consists of:

• 18.48kW of AIKO solar, using 42 x 440W AIKO 2S modules (42 × 440W = 18,480W)

• Sigenergy SigenStor EC 20.0TP three phase Energy Controller

• 4 x SigenStor BAT 8.0 modules, giving 32kWh battery storage

• Sigenergy Gateway, configured for whole home backup with 0ms switchover when the grid fails

• Bollard protection for the battery stack in the garage

• Supply and installation of fibre cement sheeting to the garage ceiling to meet the compliance and safety requirements around the equipment

• Rain cover over the Sigenergy Gateway to protect from direct weather exposure

• Removal and repurpose of the original 5kW inverter and 5.5kW of rooftop panels

The AIKO modules use high efficiency N type cell technology with partial shading optimisation and low temperature coefficients, which maintains output in Perth’s heat and in light shade conditions .

The Sigenergy battery uses LFP (lithium iron phosphate) cells with a design life of 10,000 cycles, IP66 enclosure rating and multi layer safety protections including cell level temperature monitoring and internal fire suppression . This chemistry is very stable and well suited to residential garages in WA.

Generation, layout and compliance

The Solar Software modelling for this roof shows annual production of 27,137kWh from the 18.48kW array. Summer months peak at around 3,000kWh, with winter production still around 1,400 to 1,800kWh per month, aligned with the north and west roof aspects in Hilbert.

Key design points:

• The 20kW SigenStor inverter supports up to 32kW of PV on the DC side with four MPPTs, so 18.48kW is well within its capability .

• We applied generation and export limiting on the SigenStor to keep the site compliant with Western Power and Synergy limits while still allowing the larger array to charge the batteries and supply house loads.

• A larger AC cable run was installed across the garage to the Gateway to correctly handle the increased inverter capacity, preventing voltage rise and ensuring safe operation in line with AS/NZS 4777.2.

Storage, backup and everyday operation

With four BAT 8.0 modules the SigenStor provides around 31kWh of usable storage at 100 percent depth of discharge . In practice this means:

• Daytime surplus is captured into the battery instead of being exported at 1.5kW to the grid.

• Most evening and overnight usage can be covered from stored solar energy for much of the year.

• During a grid outage, the SigenStor and Gateway keep the entire home powered, with 0ms load side disruption, so sensitive devices remain online .

The mySigen app gives the owners real time visibility of solar production, battery state of charge and individual load flows, helping them tune their usage for maximum savings.

25kW Sigenergy DC EV charging

After the main system was commissioned, the owners elected to install a Sigenergy SigenStor EVDC 25kW DC charger. This unit connects directly to the SigenStor DC bus, providing up to 25kW of bidirectional charging within a 150 to 1000V operating range .

Benefits of this DC coupled approach include:

• Higher round trip efficiency, as power flows from PV to battery to EV without unnecessary AC conversions.

• Fast charging entirely from solar and stored energy when conditions allow.

• V2X readiness for future vehicle to home or vehicle to grid functions, subject to EV support and local standards.

This turns the Hilbert home into a genuine clean energy hub where the car, house and battery all work together.

Replacing the old system, safely

Our in house A Grade electricians removed the previous 5kW system, isolated and decommissioned the old circuits, and then installed the new hybrid system with updated AC protection, CT metering and communications. All work was completed to current AS/NZS 5033 and AS/NZS 4777.2 requirements, with Western Power connection rules and Synergy tariff settings observed.

The fibre cement sheeting upgrade and bollard protection in the garage bring the installation into line with current best practice for battery placement and vehicle access.

A milestone review for Australis Solar

After the project was completed, the homeowners left a detailed Google review of their experience with Australis Solar. This installation happened to be Google Review number 100 for our business, which we genuinely appreciate. It is a strong marker that our focus on in house installation, careful design and thorough communication is landing well with Perth families.

Why this solution suits Hilbert and Perth’s south east corridor

Hilbert homes often have long, open roof lines and high summer solar resource, which rewards high efficiency panels and larger storage systems. Pairing AIKO modules with a Sigenergy SigenStor controller, battery and DC EV charger gives:

• Strong annual production at 27,137kWh from an 18.48kW array

• Around 31kWh of usable LFP storage for reliable evening supply

• Instant whole home backup through the Sigenergy Gateway

• Efficient DC fast charging for present and future EVs

If you are planning a solar and battery upgrade in Hilbert or nearby suburbs, talk to Australis Solar about a Sigenergy based design that covers your bills today and your EV, hot water and heating loads tomorrow.

Australis Solar delivers high quality solar and battery solutions to homes and businesses in Hilbert and Perth’s south east corridor. We understand the newer estates, growing families and higher summer air conditioning loads in Hilbert, so every system is designed around real usage, roof layout and future plans such as EV charging.

Our in house installers work exclusively with trusted brands like AIKO and Sigenergy to provide efficient, compliant and cost effective systems that cut Synergy bills and lower carbon footprints. Whether you are upgrading an older array or installing solar for the first time, we tailor your design for long term savings, strong performance in WA conditions and greater day to day energy independence.