Deye is a Chinese manufacturer best known in South Africa for hybrid inverters, and its batteries now turn up on many quotes alongside them. The range is bigger than most buyers expect. Deye's low-voltage battery catalogue lists more than a dozen 51.2V home batteries, and several of the 5kWh models look almost identical on a quote while differing in usable capacity, warranty and throughput.
This review covers the Deye batteries listed for Africa: the SE-G5.1 Pro-B, SE-G5.1, SE-G10.2, the SE-F5 family, the SE-F16 and the RW-F16. It sets out what Deye publishes for each, how the warranty works, and which inverters Deye documents as compatible. Everything comes from Deye's own brochures, manuals and warranty letters, plus South African retailer listings for price. We have not tested the batteries, and we have no commercial relationship with Deye.
Key takeaways
The Deye 5kWh models are not interchangeable. The SE-F5 is set to 80% depth of discharge with a 5-year warranty and 8MWh throughput; the SE-G5.1 Pro-B and SE-F5 Plus are set to 90% with 16MWh.
Deye's brochures give the warranty as "5 years / 10 years", depending on the installation site, and refer to a warranty letter. We could not find a South African letter, so get the terms for your battery in writing.
The Deye warranty letters we read for Australia and Europe exclude use with an inverter Deye has not certified, and end the capacity guarantee at a minimum throughput.
Deye's own compatibility statements name only Deye inverters. For any other inverter, get written confirmation before you buy.
On 26 October 2026, PV Power listed the SE-G5.1 Pro at R18,290 and the SE-F16 at R31,150, including VAT.
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Deye at a glance
The batteries come from Ningbo Deye ESS, the energy storage arm of Deye, which its warranty documents place in Ningbo, China. Deye sells through distributors and installers in South Africa rather than directly. Deye and Sunsynk inverters share a common hardware origin, which our guide to Sunsynk vs Deye inverters explains. The battery ranges are separate products, and our Sunsynk battery review covers Sunsynk's own.
Every model in this review is a 51.2V lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery with a built-in battery management system (BMS), communicating with the inverter over CAN or RS485.
Which Deye batteries are sold for Africa?
Deye marks each model with the regions it is sold in. On 26 October 2026, the low-voltage models listed for Africa were the SE-G5.1 Pro-B, SE-G5.1, SE-G10.2, SE-F5, SE-F5 Plus, SE-F16, RW-F16 and the RW-F5.3 all-in-one unit. The SE-F5 Pro brochure, dated 15 October 2026, lists Africa as well.
Some Deye names you may see online are for other markets. The RW-F10.2 is listed for Europe and Australia, and the AI-W5.1-B for Europe and Australia. If a South African quote names one of these, ask why and who will handle the warranty here.
DoD means depth of discharge: the share of the battery's capacity the system uses. At 90%, a 5.12kWh Deye gives you about 4.6kWh a cycle. At 80%, it gives about 4.1kWh. That is our arithmetic.
The cycle-life figures are measured at 25°C and a gentle 0.5C rate, with the battery ending at 70% of its original capacity. Real homes run warmer and harder than that. Treat the cycle count as a laboratory result and look at the throughput figure for what Deye actually warrants.
The recommended 50A is the number to plan around. At 51.2V, it is about 2.5kW. If your backed-up loads often sit above that, a single 5kWh Deye is working harder than Deye recommends, and two units share the load better. Our guide to what a 5kWh battery can run shows how quickly common appliances use that energy. The older SE-G5.1 is the weakest here, with a 50A maximum.
The SE-F5 Pro is the newest 5kWh model. Its brochure lists 90% DoD by default, adjustable to 100%, with 50A recommended and 100A maximum discharge. The SE-F series brochure gives it the same "5/10 years" and 16MWh terms as the Plus, but check the warranty letter for the unit you buy.
The SE-F16 and RW-F16 suit an 8kW or larger inverter where you want long evening runtime from one cabinet rather than three small modules. At over 100kg, both need a floor that can carry them. None of these batteries is IP65, so all belong indoors or in a dry, enclosed space.
The Deye warranty: get the letter
Deye's brochures and product pages say "5 years / 10 years", add that the term depends on the final installation site, and refer to the Deye warranty letter for conditions. On 26 October 2026, Deye's warranty download page carried letters for Australia only, and we could not find a South African or African letter. That gap matters: you need to know which term applies before you buy.
The letters we could read show how Deye structures its cover. The Australian RW-F10.2 warranty gives:
10 years on the product and BMS, and five years on accessories.
70% capacity retention for the term, or until the battery reaches a minimum throughput, whichever comes first.
An exclusion for uncertified inverters. Running the battery with an inverter that is not Deye ESS certified is excluded.
A regional condition. The battery must have been bought in Australia.
A European SE-G5.1 Pro-B warranty letter published by a Dutch retailer adds conditions we would expect to see in a South African version too: installation within three months, no cover if the battery sits fully discharged for more than 48 hours or unused for six months, and no cover if the owner refuses Deye access to the battery's performance data over the internet. That letter is for Europe, so treat it as a guide to what to ask, not as South African terms.
Which limit ends the warranty first?
Divide the throughput by the usable energy per cycle to see how many full cycles the warranty covers. This is our arithmetic from Deye's published figures, not a Deye statement.
SE-G5.1 Pro-B: 16MWh ÷ 4.6kWh is about 3,470 full cycles, or 9.5 years at one cycle a day.
SE-F16: 50MWh ÷ 14.4kWh is about 3,470 full cycles, also about 9.5 years.
SE-F5: 8MWh ÷ 4.1kWh is about 1,950 full cycles, or 5.3 years at one cycle a day.
SE-G5.1 Pro-B or SE-F16 at one full cycle a day9.5 years
SE-G5.1 Pro-B at two full cycles a day4.8 years
SE-F5 at one full cycle a day5.3 years
When Deye throughput runs out, SolarGuide calculation from Deye brochure figures
The SE-F5 is the cheapest of the three, and the lower throughput is part of what you give up. For a backup-only home that rarely cycles the battery, it may be enough. For a home that cycles daily, the SE-F5 Plus or SE-G5.1 Pro-B buys roughly twice the warranted throughput. Our guide to lithium battery lifespan and cycles explains how these limits interact.
Inverter compatibility
Deye's own compatibility statements list Deye inverters only, and the RW-F16 manual says monitoring and firmware upgrades run through a Deye inverter. Because the warranty letters exclude inverters Deye has not certified, a Deye battery is simplest with a Deye inverter.
Installers do pair Deye batteries with other inverters, including Sunsynk, and third-party lists circulate online. We could not open an official Deye list naming other brands on 26 October 2026. If your inverter is not a Deye, get written confirmation from the Deye distributor for your exact battery and inverter models, and keep it with your invoice.
Who Deye batteries suit
Good fit
Homes with a Deye inverter. Compatibility is documented, and monitoring runs through the inverter.
Buyers who compare on throughput. Deye publishes throughput on most current brochures, which makes like-for-like warranty comparison possible.
Systems that may grow. Most models allow 32 batteries in parallel, and up to 64 with Deye's add-on hardware.
Price-sensitive backup systems. The SE-F5 is one of the cheaper 5kWh lithium batteries listed, provided its 80% DoD and 8MWh throughput suit how you will use it.
Think twice if
Your inverter is not a Deye and you cannot get written confirmation of compatibility.
The seller cannot show you a South African warranty letter. The 5-or-10-year term depends on it.
You want an outdoor-rated battery. The models listed for Africa are IP20 or IP21.
You cannot keep the battery online. The European letter makes performance-data access a condition, so ask whether the South African terms do the same.
How Deye compares on the criteria that matter
Our home battery buyer's guide ranks batteries on criteria, not brand names. Here is how the Deye range measures up:
Criterion
What Deye publishes
What to compare
Usable capacity
80% or 90% DoD depending on model
Usable kWh on the same DoD basis
Continuous power
5kWh models: 50A recommended, 100A to 120A maximum
Your inverter's continuous load and motor surges
Warranty term
"5 years / 10 years", depending on installation site
The South African letter for your exact model
Throughput
8MWh (SE-F5) to 52.5MWh (RW-F16)
How many cycles a day your system will really do
Compatibility
Deye inverters on Deye's own statements
Written confirmation for any other inverter
Placement
IP20 or IP21 for African models
An indoor, cool, dry location
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What Deye batteries cost
Deye does not publish South African retail prices. On 26 October 2026, PV Power's Deye battery listings showed these prices, including VAT and excluding delivery:
Smartechs listed the SE-F16 at R32,257.50 including VAT on the same day. These are listed equipment prices for the battery alone, not quotes. They exclude the inverter, protection, cabling, installation and the Certificate of Compliance (CoC), and they change often.
Before you buy a Deye battery
Ask the installer or seller for:
the exact model (for example SE-F5, SE-F5 Plus or SE-G5.1 Pro-B), not just "Deye 5kWh";
the South African warranty letter for that model, showing the term, throughput and conditions;
written confirmation that your inverter model is Deye-certified for that battery, with the communication settings;
the depth of discharge the system will be set to;
the recommended discharge current against your inverter's continuous load;
whether the battery must stay online for the warranty, and how monitoring will be set up;
the manufacture date and installation date; and
a paid invoice showing the battery serial numbers.
Our guide to comparing solar quotes shows how to check the battery line against the rest of an itemised quote.
Getting a quote through SolarGuide
SolarGuide is an independent referral partner. Alumo supplies, installs, finances and warrants the systems we refer. Alumo's advertised home packages are built around a Solis inverter and an Eenovance battery, so a quote through us will compare a battery from Alumo's range against your needs. If you already own a Deye inverter or battery and want to add capacity or panels, share the model and serial details when you ask for a quote so compatibility can be checked first.
Deye publishes usable-capacity, current and throughput figures for most of its current models, which makes them easier to compare than many. The catch is the warranty: the brochures say "5 years / 10 years" depending on the installation site, and we could not find a South African warranty letter. Get the letter for your exact model before you buy.
What is the difference between the Deye SE-F5 and SE-G5.1 Pro-B?
Both are 5.12kWh. The SE-F5 is set to 80% depth of discharge, carries a 5-year warranty on its brochure and lists 8MWh throughput. The SE-G5.1 Pro-B is set to 90%, lists "5 years / 10 years" and 16MWh throughput. The SE-F5 is cheaper, but the SE-G5.1 Pro-B warrants about twice the energy over its life.
How much does a Deye 16kWh battery cost?
On 26 October 2026, PV Power listed the Deye SE-F16 at R31,150 including VAT, and Smartechs listed it at R32,257.50. These are equipment-only listed prices, not installed quotes.
Can I use a Deye battery with a Sunsynk inverter?
Some installers do, but Deye's own compatibility statements name Deye inverters, and its warranty letters exclude inverters Deye has not certified. Get written confirmation from the Deye distributor for your exact battery and inverter models before you buy.
Is SolarGuide the installer?
No. SolarGuide is an independent referral partner. Alumo supplies, installs, finances and warrants the systems. We help you compare options and get a free quote. We have no commercial relationship with Deye. All pricing is indicative and subject to a site assessment and credit approval.
SolarGuide is an independent referral partner. We help you compare options and arrange a free quote — Alumo supplies, installs, finances and warrants the systems. Pricing is indicative, sourced from Alumo’s published catalogue, and subject to a site assessment and credit approval.
