AC-Coupled vs DC-Coupled Batteries Explained
Once you have decided to add a battery to your solar system, one technical question decides how much of your solar you actually keep: should the battery be AC-coupled or DC-coupled? It sounds like installer jargon, and most homeowners glaze over when they hear it. But the choice affects how efficient your system is, what it costs, and how well it holds up in a blackout. At Greenlight Solar we install both across New South Wales and Queensland, on brand-new systems and as retrofits onto solar that has been on the roof for years. This guide explains the difference in plain terms, weighs up the real advantages and drawbacks of each, and shows you how to work out which one suits your home. First, the only bit of theory you need Three things in your home speak different electrical languages: Your solar panels generate direct current (DC). Your home and the grid run on alternating current (AC). Your battery stores energy as DC. An inverter is the translator that converts between D...