All-in-one battery or separate inverter and battery?

Quick answer: an all-in-one home battery stacks the inverter and the battery modules into one unit, and in the GoodWe ESA the whole-home backup switching is built in too. A separate system pairs a wall-mounted hybrid inverter with its own battery stack, as FOXESS does with the CQ7. All-in-one suits homes that want whole-home backup in one tidy column. Separate suits homes that want to choose the inverter size on its own or only need backup for essential circuits.

An all-in-one home battery is one product: one system to buy, one column of space, and parts designed to stack together. A separate system is two products that work as one. Both store solar energy for the evening, both can keep power on in a blackout, and both brands we install have their batteries on the Clean Energy Council’s approved list. The choice comes down to space, backup, flexibility, and how each part is repaired and warranted. If you are choosing between the two brands rather than the two layouts, FOXESS vs GoodWe compares them model by model.

What is an all in one home battery?

In an all-in-one system the inverter is part of the battery stack. On the GoodWe ESA, the hybrid inverter is the top module: the solar panels connect to it through four solar inputs (MPPTs), the 8 kWh battery modules sit beneath it on a shared base, and an internal 63 A bypass handles whole-home backup. You will also see it called an integrated battery inverter, because the battery and the inverter come as one designed system rather than two products paired by the installer. GoodWe says the integrated design reduces wiring complexity and installation time.

“Modular” is a different idea. Both layouts are modular in the sense that the battery is built from stackable modules, and you choose how many. The real difference is whether the inverter and the backup switching sit in the same stack. Our GoodWe ESA all-in-one guide covers the ESA in full.

How does a separate inverter and battery system work?

In a separate system the hybrid inverter hangs on the wall and the battery stands beside it, connected by cable. On FOXESS, the inverter is an H1 G2, KH8, KH9.9 or H3 Smart, and the battery is a CQ7 stack: one CQ7-M master module, which contains the controller for the whole stack, plus CQ7-S modules, each module holding 6.96 kWh. Backup comes from the inverter’s EPS (emergency power supply) output, which feeds a dedicated backed-up circuit. Whole-home backup takes extra switching equipment in the switchboard. Our FOXESS battery systems guide explains the range.

All-in-one vs separate: side by side

The ESA height is our arithmetic from GoodWe’s module and inverter heights; the FOXESS heights are from the CQ7 datasheet.

Which layout handles backup better?

If whole-home backup is the priority, the all-in-one layout has the advantage in our range. The ESA’s 63 A bypass is inside the unit, it switches in under 4 ms, and it supplies 10 kVA of backup on the 9.999 kW models and 15 kVA on the 15 kW model. A FOXESS system backs up a dedicated circuit through its EPS output as standard, which suits homes that only need lights, the fridge, internet and a few power points through an outage. Whole-home backup on FOXESS takes extra switching equipment, which adds to the wall space and the cost.

The layout doesn’t remove the limits: what can run in an outage is still capped by the backup rating and the charge left. Our guide to whole-home vs essential-circuit backup explains how to choose what to keep running.

Space, installation and weather

An all-in-one takes one column. The ESA is 800 mm wide and about 270 mm deep and grows upward by about 326 mm per module, so a six-module system stands roughly 2.3 m tall before its base. A separate system spreads out instead: the FOXESS CQ7 stack has a 660 × 360 mm footprint and stands 730 mm tall with four modules or 1,040 mm with six, while the inverter needs its own patch of wall, from 434 × 418 mm for the H1 G2 to 600 × 450 mm for the H3 Smart. Where height is limited, the shorter stack fits more easily; where wall length is limited, the single column does.

An all-in-one means fewer separate boxes to mount and connect. A separate system needs a wall that can carry the inverter (22 kg for the H1 G2, 34 kg for the H3 Smart) and a spot for the battery within cable reach. The ESA is rated IP66 and FOXESS’s inverters and CQ7 battery IP65, but both makers recommend a sheltered spot out of direct sun and rain, and the same Australian location rules apply to both. Our GoodWe ESA installation guide covers siting in detail.

Expansion, repairs and warranties

Adding storage. Both layouts grow by adding modules within each maker’s limits. Our 48 kWh ESA packages already fill a six-module column, while FOXESS’s compatibility list allows a CQ7 stack of up to 41.76 kWh on the H1 G2 and KH inverters and 83.52 kWh on the H3 Smart. Talk to us before planning on it, because module versions and program rules change.

Inverter size. A separate layout lets the inverter and the battery be sized independently. A 5 kW FOXESS H1 G2 can run a 41.76 kWh battery, which suits a modest roof with a big evening load. The ESA inverters we install start at 9.999 kW.

Repairs. In both layouts the inverter and the battery modules are separate pieces of hardware, so a fault in one doesn’t have to mean replacing the other; the ESA’s inverter simply sits on top of the stack instead of on the wall.

Warranties. Both makers give 10 years on the inverter and the battery. FOXESS issues separate inverter and battery warranties and asks for the battery to be registered within 36 months. GoodWe covers the ESA unit and its battery modules for 10 years, with the battery keeping at least 70% of its usable energy or reaching a set throughput, whichever comes first. Our home battery warranty guide compares the terms.

Which layout suits your home?

An all-in-one suits you if whole-home backup matters, you would rather have one unit than two, you have a floor or wall spot about 800 mm wide, and your roof and loads justify a 9.999 kW or 15 kW inverter. The GoodWe ESA 9.99 kW single-phase system with 24 kWh is one example.

A separate system suits you if backup for essential circuits is enough, your roof suits a 5 kW or 8 kW inverter, or you want a shorter battery stack with the inverter on the wall. The FOXESS 5 kW single-phase system with 27.84 kWh and the FOXESS 8 kW single-phase system with 27.84 kWh are examples.

Homes that already have solar have a third option: an AC-coupled battery added beside the existing inverter, covered in adding a battery to existing solar. If you are not sure which layout fits, Build Your System asks four questions, including whether you want backup power, and recommends a system with indicative pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Is an all-in-one battery better than a separate inverter and battery?

Neither is better for every home. An all-in-one such as the GoodWe ESA is tidier and, in the ESA’s case, includes whole-home backup through a built-in 63 A bypass. A separate system such as FOXESS lets you choose a smaller inverter, backs up a dedicated circuit as standard and needs extra switching equipment for whole-home backup.

Can you add batteries to an all-in-one system later?

Yes, within the maker’s limits. The GoodWe ESA takes up to six battery modules in a column, so a smaller stack can grow towards that. Check before relying on it: module versions change, mixing GoodWe’s G20 and G21 modules makes the battery heating unavailable, and the federal discount rules for added capacity are worth confirming first.

Does an all-in-one battery need a backup gateway?

It depends on the product. The GoodWe ESA doesn’t: its internal 63 A bypass lets the whole switchboard run through it in an outage, within its backup rating of 10 kVA on the 9.999 kW models and 15 kVA on the 15 kW model. Other all-in-one designs differ, so check whether whole-home backup is built in or sold as an extra.

Do all-in-one and separate batteries get the same federal discount?

The layout makes no difference to the program. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount depends on the battery being on the Clean Energy Council’s approved list, being technically able to join a virtual power plant, and its usable capacity, with support tiered by size. Our federal battery rebate guide has the current details.