How to choose the best balcony solar storage with HiBattery AC: Beginner’s guide
Crafted for DIY home solar energy storage, Hoymiles HiBattery AC represents the next-level simplicity, flexibility and efficiency for urban homeowners.
We explored DC-coupled vs AC-coupled vs hybrid energy storage solutions, and in this blog, we’ll dive into how Hoymiles HiBattery system works in different applications and help you choose the right product combination for your own situation.
AC-coupled HiBattery AC, built for ultra-flexibility
Before we move on to more details, let’s review how Hoymiles HiBattery AC works.
As shown in the picture below, there are two ports on HiBattery AC:
On-grid cable entry to be connected to your home socket
Off-grid cable entry for your microinverter to plug in. But depending on your installation conditions, HiBattery AC can be placed anywhere without physically pairing with a microinverter, which we’ll talk about later.
When used on-grid, HiBattery AC serves as your home battery backup and your energy management hub. When used off-grid, it is your power bank and can form a microgrid with microinverter and solar panels. This makes Hoymiles HiBattery AC extremely flexible for any scenarios. Now let’s dig into more details.
How to use HiBattery AC in different applications
Now let’s explore how HiBattery AC can be flexibly used to make your life easier in different scenarios.
Balcony solar power station
If you’d like to place the storage unit outdoors just as in traditional balcony PV, you simply plug your microinverter into HiBattery AC, and plug HiBattery AC cable into your home socket. This is suitable when the micro storage is close to the microinverter, such as on balcony and in courtyard.
Plug your micro storage anywhere at your home
If your installation space is limited and can’t place the micro storage together with the microinverter, or you’d like to put micro storage indoors to ensure its best performance, then you’re also free to put HiBattery AC at any place—garage, basement, or even living room.
Don’t worry, HiBattery AC won’t disturb you because it adopts a natural cooling without fans, and it’s only 17dB when in full operation, so quiet that you won’t even notice it.
When sockets are available, you can plug HiBattery AC in any socket; if there is no socket, you can choose to connect it into your power distribution box with the help of an electrician. That’s a great advantage over DC or hybrid solution which need extension cables if the storage and microinverter are far apart.
In this case, you’ll need smart meter on the grid side like Shelly 3EM Pro to accurately control the power.
Off-grid: HiBattery AC as power bank for outing
Whether you’re camping, hosting an outdoor event, or dealing with a power outage, Hoymiles’ HiBattery AC can also work as a portable power station. Enable the off-grid function in two steps:
Disconnect the cable from HiBattery AC’s on-grid port.
Touch and hold the “off grid” button on the display screen to enable the off-grid mode.
Then plug household appliances such as laptop, charger and fan into the off-grid outlet on HiBattery AC and you will have a portable power station.
Off-grid: HiBattery AC to form a solar power kit and charge power from solar
What if the battery runs low when you go camping? No problem. HiBattery AC can be paired with microinverter and solar panels to form a solar power kit and charge itself from solar.
As long as the sun shines, the solar power kit will keep you connected, allowing you to charge and use electricity simultaneously and ensuring a continuous, reliable power supply.
Off-grid: HiBattery AC to form a micro grid and sustain power supply
Hoymiles HiBattery AC can also form a microgrid, namely a standalone solar system that generates power on its own.
By plugging microinverter and HiBattery AC into sockets, you’ll have an independent solar power system without relying on the grid.
Futureproof your energy needs: Easy system expansion
You can stack and connect two HiBatteries with Hoymiles’ plug-and-play cable to double the total system capacity. Not only will the storage grow from 1.92 to 3.84, but also the whole output power from 800W to 1600W.
HiBattery supports up to six units, with two units paired together per socket, as illustrated below. That way, the total storage capacity goes up to 11.52 kWh and the system output power will be 2.4 kW.
If you connect the battery directly to your power distribution box, then the output power for each pair is 2,000 W, bringing the total system output power to 6,000 W.
How to choose the Hi series microinverter to bring the best out of your balcony solar?
If you are starting from scratch, Hoymiles new Hi series microinverter would be the best option to go with HiBattery AC.
Many first-time balcony solar users are suffering from heavy energy losses due to the single-orientation spatial constraint. A solar setup that cannot be fully utilized is like a top runner being held back by a pair of ill-fitting shoes.
To bridge that gap, Hoymiles remixed its 12 years of tech know-how and 37 patents and eliminated all the technical barriers to capture the golden balance. So the HiFlow Series was created, one that is both professional and accessible, precisely engineered to deliver top performance in single-orientation setups.
Specifically, we launched two HiFlow microinverters: HiFlow and HiFlow Pro, designed to pair with HiBattery AC to bring out the best performance of your balcony solar system.
The best microinverter HiFlow for two panels with same orientation
HiFlow microinverter was created with single-orientation conditions in mind, which will help users make full use of the spatial constraint and unleash the best solar performance.
| Model | HiFlow 800 |
| Rated output power | 800 VA |
| Number of inputs | 2 |
| Number of MPPT | 1 |
| Peak efficiency | 97% |
What HiFlow microinverter promises:
Innovative topology means 97% peak efficiency and the ability to capture even the slightest changes of sunlight.
Over 250,000 hours of rigorous testing.
Professional design crafted for beginners.
Please note that you should choose the HiFlow microinverter only if you are going to install both panels in the same direction.
HiFlow Pro microinverter for best performance in multi-orientation installation
For users seeking ultimate efficiency on multi-orientation rooftops, HiFlow Pro carries a grander vision. It’s an all-terrain powerhouse equipped with dynamic power adjustment to maintain peak performance when other microinverters fall behind.
Please note that you should choose HiFlow Pro microinverter only if you have multiple panel orientations.
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