Solis vs Sungrow inverter Perth: which budget-friendly Chinese brand is right for your home?

Solis and Sungrow are frequently quoted together at the budget-to-mid-tier end of the Perth market. Both are Chinese manufacturers with global scale, good Australian distribution, and comparable price points. Sungrow has the larger Perth footprint; Solis is growing. Here's what separates them.

Company background

Sungrow (Sungrow Power Supply) was founded in 1997 and is one of the world's two or three largest inverter manufacturers by installed capacity. Sungrow has had an Australian office since approximately 2015 and has the largest inverter-specific market share in Australian residential and commercial solar.

Solis (Ginlong Technologies) was founded in 2005. Solis is a significant global inverter manufacturer with a smaller but growing Australian presence. Solis inverters have been available in Australia since approximately 2018 and are increasingly common in Perth quotes.

String inverter products

Sungrow string inverters

Sungrow's current residential string inverter range:

| Product | Output | Single/Three phase | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | Sungrow SG3.0/5.0RS | 3–5kW | Single-phase | Most common in Perth residential | | Sungrow SG8.0/10RS | 8–10kW | Single-phase | For larger Perth homes | | Sungrow SG10RT | 10kW | Three-phase | Common for three-phase Perth installs |

Sungrow string inverter highlights:

• Peak efficiency: 98.4% (SG5RS)
• Dual MPPT (SG5RS)
• Warranty: 5 years standard, 10 years with registration
• Fan-cooled for Perth's heat

Solis string inverters

Solis's current residential string inverter range:

| Product | Output | Single/Three phase | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | Solis S6 Mini | 3–6kW | Single-phase | Entry-level residential | | Solis S6 | 3–10kW | Single-phase | Current residential standard | | Solis S5 (older) | 3–6kW | Single-phase | May still appear in some quotes |

Solis string inverter highlights:

• Peak efficiency: 97.7–98.0% (S6 single-phase)
• Dual MPPT (S6)
• Warranty: 5 years standard, 10 years with registration (via Solis distributor portal)
• Natural cooling (fanless) on some smaller models

Hybrid inverter products

Sungrow hybrid: SH series

The Sungrow SH5RS/SH6RS (single-phase) and SH10RT (three-phase) are the most common hybrid inverters in Perth. The SH series:

• DC-coupled to Sungrow SBR battery (battery is locked — SBR only, no third-party)
• Peak efficiency: 98.4%
• Backup capability (with SBR battery)
• Strong Perth installer support
• Very common in Perth — most hybrid-solar-battery quotes will include SH

Solis hybrid: RHI series

Solis's hybrid range is the RHI series (S6-RHI in the current generation):

• DC-coupled to Solis EHV-B battery (Solis's own LFP battery)
• Also compatible with some third-party batteries (Pylon, Alpha ESS)
• Peak efficiency: ~97.5%
• Less common in Perth than Sungrow SH — installer familiarity varies
• Backup capability with compatible battery

Key difference: Sungrow SH is more common in Perth with a larger installer support base. Solis RHI has broader third-party battery flexibility than Sungrow SH (which is SBR-locked).

Head-to-head comparison

| Factor | Sungrow (SG5RS / SH5RS) | Solis (S6 / RHI) | |---|---|---| | Peak efficiency | 98.4% | 97.7–98.0% | | MPPT channels | 2 | 2 | | Standard warranty | 5 years | 5 years | | Extended warranty | 10 years (registration) | 10 years (registration) | | Battery options (hybrid) | Sungrow SBR only | Solis EHV-B + some third-party | | Perth installer depth | Very deep — most common inverter brand | Growing but thinner than Sungrow | | Monitoring platform | iSolarCloud | SolisCloud | | Perth pricing | Benchmark | Comparable or slightly less |

Monitoring platforms

Sungrow iSolarCloud: Mature, well-developed monitoring platform. Web + mobile app. Shows real-time power flow, historical generation, battery state (for SH hybrid), consumption, and export. Very widely used by Perth installers — most will have familiarity with iSolarCloud. Generally considered one of the better monitoring platforms at this price point.

Solis SolisCloud: Web + mobile app. Functional monitoring with real-time data, generation history, and alerts. Less widely used in Perth than iSolarCloud. Adequate for homeowner monitoring but with fewer Australian installer users.

Perth pricing

For a 6.6kW system with string inverter only:

| System | Approximate Perth installed price | |---|---| | 6.6kW + Sungrow SG5RS | $6,500–$9,500 | | 6.6kW + Solis S6 (5kW) | $6,200–$9,000 |

Both brands land in a very similar price range. Solis is occasionally quoted $200–$500 less per system, but overlap is common — the price difference is usually smaller than the variation between different installer quotes for the same brand.

For a hybrid inverter (6.6kW system, no battery):

| System | Approximate Perth installed price | |---|---| | 6.6kW + Sungrow SH5RS | $7,000–$10,500 | | 6.6kW + Solis S6-RHI (5kW) | $6,800–$10,000 |

Which to choose

Choose Sungrow when:

• You want the deepest Perth installer base and the strongest post-installation service network
• Battery plans include Sungrow SBR (the most common DC-coupled battery in Perth)
• iSolarCloud monitoring familiarity is important to you
• Your installer has specific Sungrow expertise and prefers that ecosystem

Choose Solis when:

• Your installer has specific Solis experience and service relationships
• Broader third-party battery compatibility for the hybrid is a priority (RHI ecosystem)
• A small price saving (typically $200–$500) matters at the margin
• You're comfortable with a thinner Perth installer network

When the decision is close: For most Perth buyers comparing Solis and Sungrow at the string inverter level, both are capable products at similar price points. The installer's experience and service quality with the specific brand they recommend typically matters more than the brand itself.

Sungrow's Perth installer depth is a genuine advantage for post-installation support — it's simply more likely that a Sungrow-trained installer or service technician is nearby in Perth. For buyers who prioritise that, Sungrow is the safer choice.

Solis and Sungrow compete closely at the budget-to-mid-tier Perth price point. Sungrow's broader Perth installer network and iSolarCloud monitoring make it the default recommendation for buyers who prioritise service coverage. Solis is a credible alternative when installer experience and pricing favour it — verify post-installation service access with any Solis installer you're considering.