A Real Yarrabilba Homeowner’s Experience

If you’ve ever wondered whether a solar battery is worth it, here’s a real snapshot from right here in Yarrabilba — my own home.

On Tuesday, 27 January 2026, before installing a battery, my house pulled 16.47 kWh from the grid. That cost $5.83 for the day. Even though my 10.56 kW solar system generated 17.69 kWh, most of that energy wasn’t being used efficiently. A small portion fed back to the grid, earning just $0.71.

Fast forward to Friday, 30 January, after installing my new FOX ESS battery system — and the difference was massive. My grid usage dropped to 0.36 kWh, costing just $0.13. Solar feed‑in increased to 18.29 kWh, earning $0.73.

From nearly six dollars a day… to almost nothing.

This wasn’t a small tweak. It was a complete shift in how my home uses energy.

🔋 What I Installed

• 41.94 kWh of FOX ESS battery storage (9 × 4.66 kWh modules)
• 10 kW hybrid inverter with blackout protection
• 10.56 kW of solar panels on the roof
• DC‑coupled setup for maximum efficiency
• Smart metering for export control and real‑time optimisation

The system now stores my excess solar during the day and powers the house through the night — exactly how solar should work.

❄️ “But What About Running Ducted Aircon at Night?”

This is the big question everyone asks.

I have a 12.5 kW Panasonic ducted air conditioner, and people assume it would drain the battery overnight. But the real‑world numbers tell a different story.

If you force the aircon to aggressively cool the house at night, sure — it can spike up to 8 kW. But that’s only during the initial cool‑down. Once the house reaches the set temperature (mine is 24°C), the system barely sips power.

Throughout the night, it was drawing around 400 W while maintaining temperature. That’s nothing for a 41.94 kWh battery. It handled it easily, with plenty of capacity left by morning.

Even fan‑only modes or gentle cooling barely move the needle.

The takeaway: A properly sized battery can absolutely run ducted aircon overnight — comfortably.

💰 The Cost, the Savings… and the Profit Potential

Everyone’s installation cost will vary depending on system size, roof layout, and existing solar setup. But what matters most is the return.

For me, the payoff was immediate:

• Daily grid usage dropped by 98%
• Daily cost dropped from $5.83 to $0.13
• Solar feed‑in increased
• Comfort stayed exactly the same — even with ducted aircon running

And here’s the part most people don’t realise:

If you’re smart with your usage, you can actually turn this into profit.

By timing high‑demand appliances during the day, exporting excess solar, and letting the battery carry the night load, you can end up earning more from feed‑in than you spend on grid imports. It’s not just about reducing your bill — it’s about flipping the balance entirely.

For many homes in Yarrabilba, a well‑designed system can genuinely put you into credit.

💬 Got Questions? Happy to Help

If you’re in Yarrabilba and curious about solar batteries, aircon usage, or how to size a system properly, feel free to reach out. I’m more than happy to share what I’ve learned, show real data, or point you in the right direction.