LGES 10H and 16H Prime Battery Evaluation: Good Batteries at a Nice Value

Whether or not you have got photo voltaic panels or not, it is at all times helpful to have a backup answer when the energy goes out. That could possibly be a battery. 

LG Vitality Answer, an affiliated firm of LG group, gives two of the preferred house battery backup choices available on the market: the 10H and 16H Prime. Each batteries are fairly bare-bones and do not provide any wild “luxurious battery” options, like sensible load automation. However you do get a big capability battery with stable efficiency specs at an reasonably priced worth. You needn’t have photo voltaic panels with this battery both. What is the draw back right here? They are not very modular, making capability upgrades tougher than different choices.

“Each the 10H Prime and the 16H Prime have been conceptualized across the wants of the common house owner in North America, and plenty of different world markets,” stated Steve Myung, a North American residential ESS Crew Chief for LG Vitality Answer HQ. “These two batteries are constructed round our cutting-edge battery cells, the JH5, which represents a leap ahead from our final technology, when it comes to energy output and capability.”

Since photo voltaic batteries are a part of a posh house power system that closely depends upon a person house’s power wants and photo voltaic panels, it is exhausting to carry out hands-on testing. As an alternative, we reviewed specs offered by LGES on-line and requested LGES inquiries to get probably the most correct and up-to-date details about these batteries.

This is every thing you might want to know concerning the LGES 10H and 16H Prime batteries.

What do I get with an LGES Prime battery?

LGES gives two battery choices in its “Prime” lineup: the 10H Prime and the 16H Prime. Each batteries are good choices, however the 16H Prime gives extra storage capability and energy output. LGES additionally gives a brand new battery configuration named Prime Plus, which basically combines two of both the 10H or 16H Prime batteries and provides an inverter. Each Prime batteries and the brand new Prime Plus configuration are appropriate with and with out photo voltaic panels, making these batteries nice choices in case you simply need the backup however do not wish to set up photo voltaic. They’re additionally appropriate with new and current photo voltaic panels. 

LGES Prime battery specs

Class	10H Prime	16H Prime
Usable capability	9.6kWh	16kWh
What number of can I stack?	As much as two 10H Primes (19.2kWh)	As much as two 16H Primes (32kWh)
Spherical-trip effectivity	>90%	>90%
Depth of discharge	100%	100%
Peak energy output	7kW	11kW
Steady energy output	5kW	7kW
Battery sort	Lithium-ion	Lithium-ion
Value	$5,700 – $8,500	$7,000 – $11,000

What’s LGES Prime Plus?

LGES’s Prime Plus is not a brand new Prime battery. Moderately, it is a new system configuration that provides extra capability flexibility and will increase your battery’s energy output past the bottom stage of a person 10H or 16H Prime battery. 

A Prime Plus configuration connects two 10H or 16H Prime batteries collectively for a storage capability of 19.2 or 32kWh. However you possibly can’t combine and match between the 2 batteries, that means you may have to decide on both two 10H Primes or two 16H Primes. This new setup additionally consists of an inverter, pushing your most energy output to 9.6kW.

Prime Plus is the primary residential power storage system launched by LGES within the US that features an inverter. Each of LGES’s different batteries, the 10H and 16H Prime, do not embody inverters. This implies you may have to purchase a separate appropriate inverter. The brand new Prime Plus system can also be designed for quicker set up. 

“What makes Prime Plus distinctive is that the set up course of is quicker than ever. It takes lower than 10 minutes for full inverter and battery commissioning, considerably lifting the time burden for the installers,” Ryan Simpson, gross sales director of LGES ESS Crew in North America, stated in a press launch.

Prime Plus consists of the identical guarantee because the 10H and 16H Prime batteries, with the addition of a 10-year guarantee for the inverter and auto backup machine. We’ll speak extra about guarantee particulars beneath. 

System parts 

The 10H and 16H Prime aren’t as seemingly sophisticated as different batteries we have seen, which is good. Nevertheless, remember that these batteries do not embody an inverter, so you may additionally have to buy one off of LGES’s checklist of appropriate inverters. However in case you select the Prime Plus system, your buy will embody an inverter.

SolarEdge and Growatt are two stand out 10H and 16H Prime-compatible inverter manufacturers that ranked extremely in CNET’s overview of the very best photo voltaic inverters. 

This is what comes within the field:

• Two battery modules: Labeled for entrance and rear meeting.
• Battery management unit: Connects on prime of the 2 battery modules and screens the battery’s state of cost, in addition to performing as a communication machine for the battery.
• Join plate: Used for ground mounting.
• Wall bracket: Attaches to the wall and is used to supply additional stability.

Capability and modularity

The 10H and 16H Prime each provide stable capability, however are missing in modularity. What you see is what you get. One 10H Prime battery has 9.6kWh, with one 16H Prime battery providing a bit extra capability at 16kWh. You’ll be able to set up one extra 10H or 16H Prime for a further 19.2kWh to 32kWh. Remember the fact that you possibly can’t combine and match sizes. You’ll be able to both set up two 10H Primes or two 16H Primes. 

One of many largest downsides with the LGES Prime batteries is how tough and costly it’s to improve your capability. As an instance you got a 10H Prime battery that holds 9.6kWh of power and meets your family’s present power wants. However sooner or later, you may purchase an EV or add an enlargement to your property. Now you are serious about upgrading your battery capability to account for these new power wants. Since you got a 10H Prime, your solely choice is to purchase one other 10H Prime for a further 9.6kWh, which is sort of a big leap in capability. And also you probably will not even want that a lot. This identical state of affairs additionally applies to the 16H Prime. If you happen to want greater than 16kWh, you may want one other massive 16kWh battery.

LGES Prime battery capability breakdown

Battery configuration	Usable capability
10H Prime	9.6kWh
16H Prime	16kWh
Two 10H Primes	19.2kWh
Two 16H Primes	32kWh

Efficiency and effectivity 

Each the 10H and 16H Prime are stable of their efficiency specs, and about business common of their effectivity. Each batteries have a round-trip effectivity ranking of better than 90%, which is often the norm for lithium-ion batteries. 

What stands out is the depth of discharge ranking on the 10H and 16H Prime. A depth of discharge ranking is a restrict set by the producer on how a lot power you possibly can safely discharge (drain) out of your battery suddenly with out compromising its lifespan. Each batteries have a depth of discharge ranking of 100%. This implies you’ll safely use all of the power in your battery earlier than needing to recharge once more. Nevertheless, producers suggest you continue to do not achieve this. Extended use of any battery will naturally result in put on and tear. Constantly deep biking your battery (draining all of your power without delay after which recharging) can have an effect on its lifespan.        

Energy output rankings for each batteries look good too. Peak energy output tells you ways a lot energy your battery is ready to put out suddenly and steady energy output tells you ways a lot energy your battery outputs always. The 10H Prime has a peak energy output of 7kW and a steady output ranking of 5kW. That is fairly typical for a battery of this dimension. The 16H Prime’s energy output is way greater, which is sensible for a bigger battery. It has a peak energy output ranking of 11kW and 7kW of steady energy. It is a bit greater than related batteries we have reviewed.   

If you happen to select to put in an LGES Prime Plus system, the system’s inverter will push your most steady energy output even greater to 9.6kW.

Guarantee

The warranties on the LGES Prime batteries are fairly normal so far as photo voltaic batteries go. Nothing stands out specifically, and that is fantastic. This is a breakdown of the main points.

Guarantee particulars

Class	10H Prime	16H Prime
Years lined	10	10
Combination power throughput	32MWh	54MWh
Finish-of-warranty capability assure	70%	70%

Years lined: The variety of years your battery is roofed below guarantee. After the required variety of years move, your guarantee expires.

Combination power throughput: It is a certain amount of power (normally labeled in megawatt-hours, or MWh) that the producer expects the battery will ship all through its lifespan. Typically, as soon as your battery hits its listed throughput, your guarantee expires, no matter what number of years you may need left in your guarantee. At all times be sure that to test the fantastic print for throughput or cycle clauses when purchasing for batteries. 

Finish-of-warranty capability assure: The producer’s assure that your battery will retain a sure proportion of its authentic capability by the point your guarantee interval expires.

Buyer help

LG Vitality Answer is a subsidiary of the broader LG firm, so discovering buyer opinions particularly associated to LGES is a bit tough. Nevertheless, we will check out what prospects are saying about LG. Buyer opinions on LG’s Higher Enterprise Bureau web page and Trustpilot embody complaints round poor buyer help and repair. Nevertheless, these opinions are extra reflective of consumers that purchased different LG merchandise, not the LGES Prime batteries. 

LGES additionally issued a product security recall on its RESU 10H ESS Dwelling Battery in 2020 attributable to sure items posing dangers of a hearth hazard. The RESU 10H is an older battery mannequin and isn’t featured on this overview. 

LG RESU Monitor

With the acquisition of an LGES Prime battery, you may additionally acquire entry to the LG RESU Monitor app. This app is used throughout the set up of the battery and acts as a method so that you can monitor your battery’s state of cost. Compared to different battery companion apps, the LG RESU Monitor app is not something particular. You will not discover any sensible options, time-of-use calculators or numerous energy modes. Consumer opinions on the Google and Apple app shops aren’t so nice both, with a mean overview rating of about 1.3 out of 5 stars on each app shops.   

How a lot does an LGES Prime battery value?

LGES didn’t give us a worth estimate, however we will nonetheless get a good suggestion of how a lot the 10H and 16H Prime batteries value by listings from third-party photo voltaic gear retailers on-line. Compared to different related batteries, LGES Prime batteries are less expensive and are among the many extra reasonably priced battery choices we have come throughout. 

The 10H Prime sometimes prices someplace between $5,700 and $8,500 earlier than set up and the 16H Prime is about $7,000 to $11,000 earlier than set up. These worth ranges mirror the most affordable and costliest listings we discovered. Each battery is totally different, however you possibly can typically count on to pay between $1,000 and $3,000 for battery set up. For the reason that Prime Plus configuration is way newer, dependable pricing data is presently unavailable. 

As a rule of thumb relating to battery pricing, you possibly can normally count on to pay between $1,000 and $2,000 per kWh of storage, however there are exceptions. The 10H and 16H Prime are a superb instance of being an exception right here, since each batteries value much less per kilowatt-hour. Different elements affecting battery pricing are location, the installer and what number of photo voltaic panels you have got.

Nevertheless, these worth ranges ought to be taken with a grain of salt. For probably the most correct pricing, you may want to talk with an LGES Prime-certified installer in your space. We additionally suggest purchasing round for a number of photo voltaic estimates from nationwide and native installers to see who’s prepared to provide the lowest worth.

Is an LGES Prime battery my best option?

It could possibly be, relying on your property’s power wants and your funds. Each the 10H and 16H Prime provide stable efficiency specs and a reasonably normal guarantee. And it is provided at a lower cost than related batteries available on the market. The LGES Prime batteries are a bit lackluster when it comes to cool options, and capability upgrades can get a bit tough. And by tough, we imply having to purchase one other new battery. But when your funds is a bit tighter and you do not have huge power plans and do not care about fancy battery bells and whistles, then this is perhaps one in all your greatest choices. You may as well get this battery without having to put in photo voltaic panels.

If you happen to plan on shopping for two 10H or 16H Prime batteries, think about going with the Prime Plus configuration. Prime Plus consists of the system’s inverter, so you will not have to purchase it individually. And the inverter gives a fairly good energy output ranking (9.6kW). 

How we evaluated the very best photo voltaic batteries 

Not each battery is the correct match for each house. With out an on-site inspection and power audit, it is tough to find out which photo voltaic battery is the “greatest” battery for each house and its power wants. Because of the complexity of photo voltaic panel programs, we’re unable to do any hands-on testing of those photo voltaic batteries. Nevertheless, there are methods to objectively consider and examine these batteries towards one another. This is how we consider photo voltaic batteries.

First, we created classes to guage the battery’s effectivity, efficiency, capability and worth. We additionally gave every class its personal weight. A class’s weight displays the significance we felt was related to the common shopper. Listed below are the classes we thought of and their weights:

• Battery modularity (stackability): 20%
• Guarantee: 20%
• Spherical-trip effectivity: 15%
• Depth of discharge: 10%
• Energy output: 10%
• Value: 10%
• Buyer opinions: 10%
• Battery capability: 5%

We checked out greater than 15 of the most typical batteries available on the market and picked up the information for every class to match the numbers. Every class (for each battery) was given a tier-style ranking (from 1 to five) to see which metrics of every battery have been above common (amongst these on our checklist), common or beneath common. 

Incessantly requested questions

Correction, Aug. 7, 2023: An earlier model of this text misstated the connection between LG Vitality Options and LG Electronics. LG Vitality Options is an affiliated firm of LG group, not a subsidiary of LG Electronics.