BYD Battery-Box Premium HVS 12.8 vs SMA Home Storage 3.2
Technical comparison · High voltage
Two high-voltage LFP batteries of very different size: the BYD Battery-Box Premium HVS 12.8 is a floor-standing column with 12.8 kWh usable, the SMA Home Storage 3.2 is a wall-mounted module with 3.28 kWh that grows one piece at a time. The size of the system and the inverter already installed decide (manufacturer-declared figures).
| Parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| In brief | ||
| Usable capacity | 12.8 kWh | 3.28 kWh |
| Cell chemistry | LFP (lithium iron phosphate) | LFP (lithium iron phosphate) |
| Weight | 205 kg | 38 kg |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 58.5 × 29.8 × 146.1 cm | 61 × 21.46 × 48.3 cm |
| How long it lasts | ||
| Battery life cycles | 3010 cicli | 730 cicli |
| The limit that runs out first | energia garantita | anni di garanzia |
| Rated cycles | 3650 cicli | 8000 cicli |
| Capacity at end of cycle life | — | 60 % |
| Warranty | 10 anni | 2 anni |
| Guaranteed throughput | 38.53 MWh | 23.616 MWh |
| Guaranteed remaining capacity | 60 % | 60 % |
| The numbers | ||
| Energy density | 62.4 Wh/kg | 86.3 Wh/kg |
| Identity | ||
| Use tier | F4 — House-sized (8–20 kWh) | F3 — Flat-sized (3–8 kWh) |
| Category specs | ||
| Depth of discharge | 100 % | 100 % |
| Expandable | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum expanded capacity | 38.4 kWh | 16.4 kWh |
| Battery voltage | 512 V | 96 V |
| Declared compatible inverters | Sedici marchi nell'elenco ufficiale: Fronius, GoodWe, Viessmann, KOSTAL, SMA, Sungrow, GE, KACO, KACO NH, Ingeteam, Solis, Canadian Solar, Deye, Solplanet, Western CO, Sosen. Per ciascun modello l'elenco dà il numero di moduli ammessi e la versione minima del firmware. | Compatibile solo con l'inverter monofase SMA Sunny Boy Smart Energy, che con questo modulo singolo supporta da 1 a 4 moduli SMA Home Storage. Non compatibile con il trifase Sunny Tripower Smart Energy, che richiede almeno 2 moduli. Non retrofittabile sui vecchi Sunny Boy Storage (SBS2.5-1VL-10, SBS3.7-10-SBS6.0-10) né con inverter di altri marchi. |
| Round-trip efficiency | 96 % | 94.5 % |
| Standby consumption | — | 2 W |
| Ingress protection | IP55 | IP65 |
| Mounting | Floor standing | Wall mounted |
| Minimum temperature | -10 °C | -10 °C |
| Maximum temperature | 50 °C | 50 °C |
| Works without internet | Fully | — |
| Local control | Local network | — |
| Open protocols | CAN bus | — |
| Remote updates | Can be disabled | Can be disabled |
| App required for setup | Yes | — |
| Declared standards | CE, UN 38.3, IEC 62619, VDE 2510-50 | CE, UN 38.3, IEC 62619, IEC 62477, VDE 2510-50 |
The differences that matter
- 12.8 kWh vs 3.28 kWh usable → the BYD puts the energy in one column and expands up to 38.4 kWh; the SMA starts from one module and grows by adding more, up to four with the single-phase inverter.
- Inverter → BYD publishes an official list of sixteen brands (with the module count and minimum firmware for each model); the SMA works only with the single-phase Sunny Boy Smart Energy, not with other brands or the old Sunny Boy Storage.
- 10 years vs 2 years of warranty → BYD declares 10 years and 38.53 MWh of guaranteed energy; SMA declares 2 years and 23.616 MWh.
- Floor-standing, 205 kg, IP55 vs wall-mounted, 38 kg, IP65 → the BYD needs a floor that takes the load and a sheltered room; the SMA hangs on a wall and copes better with splashes.
Which one to choose
Choose BYD Battery-Box Premium HVS 12.8 if…
the house already has an inverter from one of the sixteen brands on BYD's official list (Fronius, GoodWe, KOSTAL, Sungrow, Deye and others) and you want a single battery that covers the storage need, with room to expand. You accept a heavy floor-standing column and the app on first start-up.
Choose SMA Home Storage 3.2 if…
you start small with a single-phase SMA Sunny Boy Smart Energy inverter and want to add modules as you go, from one to four. You accept a locked-in inverter (no other brand, no three-phase), a much shorter warranty and a small starting capacity.
Where to buy
The purchase links are the same as on the two product pages and don't influence the verdict. The product pages have the complete data.