Sungrow — SH5.0RS-20 single-phase hybrid inverter
A 5 kW single-phase hybrid with 97.7% peak efficiency and an 80–460 V battery window — which means it pairs with high-voltage batteries, not the 48 V packs most Indian homes use.
Reviewed 6 October 2026
The SH5.0RS-20 is Sungrow’s single-phase residential hybrid: solar input, grid connection and a battery port in one IP65 wall-mounted unit. It has two MPPT trackers with one string each, a 600 V maximum PV voltage, 5,000 W of AC output, 97.7% maximum and 97.3% European efficiency, and a backup (off-grid) output with a switchover time under 10 ms.
The detail that matters most for an Indian buyer is on the battery side: the datasheet lists a battery voltage range of 80–460 V and “Li-ion” only. That is a high-voltage battery port, not the 40–60 V (48 V-class) port found on the Deye and Solis hybrids we reviewed. It needs a compatible high-voltage lithium battery, and it will not take a 48 V Pylontech- or Luminous-type pack or lead-acid batteries.
The datasheet lists IEC/EN 62109-1/-2 safety standards and NRS 097-2-1, but not IEC 61727 or IEC 62116 (the anti-islanding and grid-interface standards), no integrated arc-fault protection, no India-specific approvals, and no warranty term. It carries DC and AC Type II surge protection, PID Zero, 50 A charge/discharge current and up to three units in master-slave parallel.
For Installers & Engineers
Deeper technical detail beyond the homeowner-facing summary above.
PV sizing: the table’s “recommended max. PV input power” is 7,500 Wp, while a footnote says max input PV power for the SH5.0RS-20 is 12,000 Wp. Treat 7,500 Wp as the design target and ask Sungrow’s distributor what 12,000 Wp allows. Each of the two inputs is limited to 16 A (20 A short-circuit).
Worked string example (our arithmetic, using the Premier TOPCon figures from our review: Voc 51.42 V, −0.27%/°C): cold-morning (0 °C) Voc is about 54.9 V, so a string of 10 modules reaches about 549 V and stays under the 600 V limit, while 11 modules (about 604 V) does not. Our string-sizing calculator does this for your own module.
Battery side: 50 A maximum charge and discharge current, with maximum power 6,600 W charge and 5,000 W discharge for the 5.0 model — and the footnote says the real limit depends on the connected battery. Confirm your battery is on Sungrow’s compatibility list before buying either.
Backup: the grid-connected backup output can supply up to 6,000 W (27.3 A at 220 V, per the datasheet), and the off-grid rating is 5,000 W / 5,000 VA with an 8,400 VA peak for 10 s. Backup switch time is under 10 ms.
Operating range is −25 °C to +60 °C, noise under 45 dB(A), 18.5 kg and 490 × 340 × 170 mm, with natural convection cooling. Communication is RS485, Ethernet, WLAN and CAN, with iSolarCloud monitoring on app and web, 10-second data refresh and online I-V curve scanning.
The Scorecard
How we scoreConversion Efficiency
97.7% maximum and 97.3% European efficiency are among the best figures in our inverter reviews, with an efficiency curve published.
Reliability & Build
IP65, −25 °C to +60 °C, Type II surge protection and PID Zero are good; no arc-fault protection is listed and we have no India field data.
Monitoring & Software
iSolarCloud app and web, 10-second refresh, I-V curve scan and four communication interfaces.
Service Network & Support
Sungrow is an established inverter maker, but the datasheet states no warranty term and gives no India service route; battery compatibility must be confirmed.
Value for Money
Not assessed — we have not sourced a current India price for the inverter or a compatible battery.
Strengths
- High efficiency: 97.7% maximum, 97.3% European, and a published efficiency curve
- Wide 80–460 V battery window and a 50 A charge/discharge port suit modern high-voltage lithium batteries
- Backup switchover under 10 ms and up to 8,400 VA peak for 10 s
- IP65, −25 °C to +60 °C, DC and AC Type II surge protection, PID Zero and iSolarCloud monitoring with I-V scan
Watch-outs
- High-voltage battery port (80–460 V, Li-ion only) — not compatible with 48 V packs or lead-acid
- Lists NRS 097-2-1 and IEC 62109 but not IEC 61727 / IEC 62116, and no India-specific approvals; no arc-fault protection is listed
- No warranty term on the datasheet; recommended PV (7,500 Wp) and footnote maximum (12,000 Wp) differ
- Whether a battery-connected hybrid is allowed under your DISCOM’s net-metering rules is a local question the datasheet cannot answer
Datasheet Specifications
| Rated AC output | 5,000 W / 5,000 VA · 220/230/240 V · max AC output current 22.8 A |
|---|---|
| PV input | 600 V max · 40 V min / 50 V start · MPPT 40–560 V · 2 trackers, 1 string each · 16 A per input (20 A Isc) |
| Recommended / maximum PV power | 7,500 Wp recommended · footnote: 12,000 Wp maximum input PV power |
| Battery | Li-ion · 80–460 V · max 50 A charge/discharge · 6,600 W charge / 5,000 W discharge |
| Backup | On-grid backup up to 6,000 W · off-grid 5,000 W / 5,000 VA · 8,400 VA for 10 s · switch time < 10 ms |
| Efficiency | 97.7% max · 97.3% European |
| Protection / function | DC Type II / AC Type II SPD · PID Zero · DC switch · leakage-current protection · DRM · DI×4 / DO×1 |
| Enclosure | IP65 · −25 to +60 °C · 4,000 m · < 45 dB(A) · 18.5 kg · 490 × 340 × 170 mm |
| Standards listed | IEC/EN 62109-1, 62109-2, 61000-3-11, 61000-3-12, EN 62477-1, NRS 097-2-1 |
| Warranty / India approval / AFCI | Not stated on the datasheet |
Specifications marked “datasheet-stated” are manufacturer figures we have not independently measured. Always confirm the exact model on its current datasheet before purchase.
Open the manufacturer’s datasheet for Sungrow SH5.0RS-20 single-phase hybrid inverterWho It’s For
- Single-phase homes planning a high-voltage lithium battery and wanting high efficiency and fast backup switchover
- Buyers who have a compatible Sungrow-approved battery and a distributor who will give the India certificates in writing
- Not for anyone wanting to reuse a 48 V battery or lead-acid bank
Our Verdict
A highly efficient single-phase hybrid with a fast backup switchover — but it is a high-voltage-battery inverter. Choose it only if you will buy a Sungrow-approved high-voltage battery, and get the warranty term and India certificates in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Sungrow SH5.0RS-20 use a 48 V battery?
No. The datasheet lists a battery voltage range of 80–460 V and Li-ion only, so it needs a compatible high-voltage lithium battery. 48 V packs and lead-acid batteries need a low-voltage hybrid inverter instead.
How many solar panels can I connect to the SH5.0RS-20?
The datasheet recommends up to 7,500 Wp, with a footnote giving 12,000 Wp as the maximum input PV power, across two trackers with one string each and a 600 V maximum. As a worked example with Premier 590 W modules, a string of 10 stays under 600 V on a cold morning (our arithmetic).
How fast does the SH5.0RS-20 switch to backup?
The datasheet lists a backup switch time of under 10 ms, with a rated 5,000 VA output and an 8,400 VA peak for 10 seconds.
Data Provenance
- Verified on
- 6 October 2026
- ALMM status
- Unknown — verify directly
- Source datasheet
- View official manufacturer datasheet
More inverters reviews
- Growatt — SPH 5000TL BL-UP single-phase hybrid inverterHUM score 3.6/5 · reviewed 2026-10-06
- Huawei — SUN2000-5KTL-L1 single-phase battery-ready inverterHUM score 4.1/5 · reviewed 2026-10-06
- Livguard — LS OG5048M 5 kVA / 48 V MPPT solar power conditioning unitHUM score 3.0/5 · reviewed 2026-10-06
- Solis — S6-EH1P6K-L-PLUS single-phase low-voltage hybrid inverterHUM score 3.5/5 · reviewed 2026-10-06
Learn more
Comparing options? See our solar inverter comparison for India.
Found this useful? Send it to someone planning solar.
No paid rankings, no affiliate links. No manufacturer can pay for a score or a place on this page. We review published specifications and field reality against a transparent methodology — we are not a laboratory, and we never present a number as a test we did not run.