BYD Battery-Box Premium HVS 12.8 vs SMA Home Storage 9.8
Technical comparison · High voltage
Both are high-voltage LFP home batteries, but they connect to different inverters: the BYD is listed for sixteen inverter brands, the SMA only for its own Smart Energy inverters. The choice usually starts from the inverter you already have or have been quoted.
| Parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| In brief | ||
| Usable capacity | 12.8 kWh | 9.84 kWh |
| Cell chemistry | LFP (lithium iron phosphate) | LFP (lithium iron phosphate) |
| Weight | 205 kg | 114 kg |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 58.5 × 29.8 × 146.1 cm | 61 × 21.46 × 145.5 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 | 70.848 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) | F4 — House-sized (8–20 kWh) |
| Category specs | ||
| Depth of discharge | 100 % | 100 % |
| Expandable | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum expanded capacity | 38.4 kWh | 16.4 kWh |
| Battery voltage | 512 V | 288 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 con entrambi gli inverter ibridi della gamma Smart Energy di SMA: il monofase Sunny Boy Smart Energy (da 1 a 4 moduli) e il trifase Sunny Tripower Smart Energy (da 2 a 5 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 | — | 6 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
- Compatible inverters → sixteen brands for BYD, only Smart Energy for SMA: if the inverter is already there, the choice is often made.
- Maximum expansion → 38.4 kWh against 16.4 kWh: matters if you plan to add modules over the years.
- Installation → floor-standing (205 kg) against wall-mounted (114 kg): changes where it can go and who lifts it.
- Warranty and guaranteed throughput → 10 years and 38.53 MWh against 2 years and 70.848 MWh: the limit that hits first is energy for BYD and years for SMA. Manufacturer-declared values.
Which one to choose
Choose BYD Battery-Box Premium HVS 12.8 if…
You have an inverter from one of the listed brands (Fronius, Sungrow, GoodWe and others) and want 12.8 kWh usable, with room to grow to 38.4 kWh. The cost is space and weight: 205 kg standing on the floor, 146 cm tall, rated IP55.
Choose SMA Home Storage 9.8 if…
The system is built around an SMA Sunny Boy or Sunny Tripower Smart Energy inverter and there is a free wall: the unit weighs 114 kg, hangs on the wall and is rated IP65. The trade-off is that it only works with those inverters (it cannot be retrofitted to the older Sunny Boy Storage) and stops at 9.84 kWh usable, expandable to 16.4 kWh.
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.