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Input your Eskom load-shedding stage, monthly household consumption, and desired backup duration. Get a sized battery recommendation across the dominant SA-cluster LFP options (Hubble Lithium AM-5, Pylontech US3000C, BYD Battery-Box Premium LVS), inverter recommendation, and generator-displacement payback economics.
For deeper deployment context see the South Africa country guide and the SA mid-tier case study.
Severe β 4 outages or extended blocks, daily occurrence
Typical SA mid-bracket residential: 400-600 kWh. Premium upper-tier: 700-1,200 kWh. Lower-mid: 200-350 kWh.
Typical: 4 hours (covers Stage 4-6 outage blocks). Premium: 8+ hours (full overnight backup).
| Brand / Model | Units | Total Capacity | Approx Cost | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubble Lithium AM-5 | Γ2 | 10 kWh | R84,000 | View β |
| Pylontech US3000C | Γ3 | 8.4 kWh | R48,000 | View β |
| BYD Battery-Box Premium LVS | Γ2 | 7.7 kWh | R48,000 | View β |
Recommended inverter: Sunsynk 5K-SG04LP3 (5 kW continuous covers typical mid-bracket residential). Read review β
If you currently use (or would otherwise use) a diesel generator for backup, the solar + battery system displaces approximately R97,222/year in generator fuel cost.
With estimated total system cost of ~R171,000 turn-key (Hubble AM-5 + Sunsynk 5K + 5 kWp PV + installation), the generator-displacement-only payback is approximately 1.8 years. Real payback is meaningfully shorter when you also count grid-tariff displacement and load-shedding inconvenience value.
See the YourWatts methodology document for the full evaluation framework, and the SA mid-tier case study for canonical installation context.
Compare batteries and inverters with full African-context reviews + decision matrices.