Compare like with like. Aligned scores, specifications and local evidence within one scoring class or tier.
Market context
Australia purchasing view
SOFAR | ESI-5K-T1 / ESI-6.5K-T1 / ESI-8K-T1 / ESI-9.9K-T1-A / ESI-10K-T1 / ESI-12K-T1; scored model ESI-12K-T1
73/ 100
Strong evidence coverage · 100%
Evidence checked 2026-08-10
Available in Australia · checked 2026-08-10
Buyer evidence: Ready (100% direct coverage).
Deye | SUN-7K-SG05LP1-AU-AM2-P / SUN-7.6K-SG05LP1-AU-AM2-P / SUN-8K-SG05LP1-AU-AM2-P / SUN-10K-SG05LP1-AU-AM2-P; scored model SUN-10K-SG05LP1-AU-AM2-P
70/ 100
Strong evidence coverage · 100%
Evidence checked 2026-08-10
Available in Australia · checked 2026-08-10
Buyer evidence: Ready (100% direct coverage).
marks the better value on rows where a higher number is better. Temperature coefficient counts as higher when it is closer to zero. Size measures such as rated power carry no marker, because a larger product is a different choice rather than a better one.
| Measure | PowerAll ESI T1 | SUN SG05 AU-AM2-P |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency | ||
| Design & Flexibility | ||
| Thermal & Physical Resilience | ||
| Features & Integration | ||
| Safety & Compliance | ||
| Guarantee & Backbone | ||
| Energy Ecosystem |
marks the better value on rows where a higher number is better. Temperature coefficient counts as higher when it is closer to zero. Size measures such as rated power carry no marker, because a larger product is a different choice rather than a better one.
| Measure | PowerAll ESI T1 | SUN SG05 AU-AM2-P |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Hybrid inverter | Hybrid inverter |
| Published rated AC power range | 5–12 kW | 7–9.999 kW |
| Scored benchmark | 12 kW | 9.999 kW |
| Power | 12.0 kW | 9.999 kW |
| Type | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Peak eff | 98.2 % (better value on this row) | 97.6 % |
| MPPTs | 3 (better value on this row) | 2 |
| Evidence | PowerAll ESI T1 | SUN SG05 AU-AM2-P |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome | Available in Australia | Available in Australia |
| Checked | 2026-08-10 | 2026-08-10 |
| Certifications | The CER export last modified 10 August 2026 lists all six exact ESI T1 codes through 28 May 2029., Australian factory warranty Version 2.4 explicitly names ESI 5-12K-T1. | The CER export last modified 10 August 2026 lists exact 7, 7.6, 8 and 10 kW AU-AM2-P codes through 20 July 2029., The exact Australian datasheet names AS/NZS 4777.2 and IEC/EN 62109-1/-2. |
| Warranty scope | SOFARSOLAR Australian factory warranty Version 2.4 explicitly covers ESI 5-12K-T1 for 120 months. Necessary product labour and one freight movement are included, while third-party site costs and broader transport remain excluded or discretionary. | Deye warranty Version 2.16 covers all SUN-series AU-type hybrid inverters and explicitly includes the 7, 7.6, 8 and 10 kW SG05LP1-AU-AM2-P pattern for ten years, with narrower coverage in years six to ten. |
| Warranty remedy | SOFAR may repair on or off site, replace, or pay repair or replacement costs. | Deye may repair or replace using new or reconditioned parts or products. |
| Labour and reinstallation | Necessary product labour is covered; third-party site labour is excluded unless SOFAR authorises a discretionary rebate. No unconditional full removal and reinstallation entitlement is stated. | Repair labour applies in years one to five; uninstalling and reinstalling are excluded. Labour is excluded in years six to ten. Excluded. |
| Freight | One freight movement to the end user is covered; express, travel and broader transport are excluded. | Non-expedited shipment from Deye within Australia and New Zealand is covered; transport damage and broader freight are excluded or not stated. |
| Transfer and registration | No automatic subsequent-owner transfer right is stated. No baseline registration or continuous cloud condition is stated. Claims require serial, invoice, fault and system evidence and must be reported within one month. | No automatic subsequent-owner transfer right is stated. No pre-registration condition is stated. Claims require serial, invoice, system and fault evidence and must be made within one month after failure. |
| Grid compatibility | Three-phase Australian identity. CER product listing does not establish DNSP, site, export-limit, installation or commissioning approval. | Single-phase Australian identity. CER product listing does not establish DNSP, site, export-limit, installation or commissioning approval. |
| Local product pathway | No separate local pathway recorded | No separate local pathway recorded |
| Buyer evidence | Ready (100% direct coverage): Local availability, buyer evidence, and the publication threshold are confirmed. | Ready (100% direct coverage): Local availability, buyer evidence, and the publication threshold are confirmed. |
| Safety notice | No model-specific notice recorded | No model-specific notice recorded |
| Review note | ESI-12K-T1 is the highest exact current model. External switching and battery requirements remain outside this independent inverter record. | SUN-10K-SG05LP1-AU-AM2-P is listed at 10 kW in the current CER export. External switching and battery requirements remain outside this independent inverter record. |
| Register: parts term | stated: The exact ESI 5-12K-T1 family receives a 120-month factory warranty. | stated: Ten years applies. Years six to ten exclude LCD and fan components. |
| Register: labour and service | conditional: Necessary product labour is covered, but third-party personnel, travel and accommodation are excluded. An on-site service rebate is discretionary and requires prior authorisation and a confirmed defect. | conditional: Repair labour is covered in years one to five, but uninstalling and reinstalling are excluded. Labour is excluded in years six to ten. |
| Register: transport and freight | conditional: One freight movement to the end user is covered. Other transport, travel and express delivery are excluded. | conditional: Deye covers non-expedited shipment of a repaired or replacement product from Deye within Australia and New Zealand. Transport damage and broader freight obligations are excluded or not stated. |
| Register: registration | not stated: No baseline product registration or continuous cloud condition is stated. A claim requires model, serial, invoice, fault and system information and reporting within one month. | conditional: No pre-registration condition is stated, but a claim requires serial number, invoice, system details, fault evidence and a claim within one month after failure. |
| Register: transferability | not stated: The remaining term transfers to a replacement product, but no automatic transfer right to a later owner is stated. | not stated: No automatic transfer right to a later owner is stated. |
| Register: explicit unknowns | 3 retained | 3 retained |
| Latest reviewed Approval Watch event | No exact-identity event in reviewed history | No exact-identity event in reviewed history |
| Sources | Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5 | Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5 |
These checks sit beside the benchmark score. They are site, tariff and contract questions that no product score can settle.
Ask for every model number to appear on the quote and order. The Clean Energy Council product lists are live: STC creation requires listed products at installation, and network requirements may also depend on current approval.
Have the retailer state the supply phase, inverter connection limit, export limit and any export-control cost. The local network connection agreement, not a generic datasheet, determines those settings. See the Australian Government's connection guidance.
Ask which bills or interval data, tariff, feed-in rate, export limit and future loads support the savings and payback claim. Self-consumed electricity and tariff timing usually matter more than a headline feed-in rate. See the system sizing and battery savings guidance.
Confirm the proposed inverter phase, PV input design, battery pairing and export-control configuration against the final connection agreement. A suitable product can still require a different site design or control setting.
Keep the retailer, installer, manufacturer warranty and escalation path in the contract. Australian Consumer Law guarantees apply separately from any manufacturer warranty; where one business supplied both product and installation, it is generally responsible for the remedy. See the ACCC guidance.
A score lead is only meaningful inside this shared class or tier. Weigh it against the specification and evidence rows above before deciding.
Both products are scored in the Inverter class, on the same rubric weighting. Scores are not comparable across classes or tiers. Full methodology.