POWERBANK X: REA Power's Next-Generation Home Battery, Explained

POWERBANK X is REA Power's newest home battery, designed for households and small businesses looking to add battery storage to a new or existing solar system. It's a modular system, with 7kWh of usable capacity per unit and options for both single-phase and three-phase properties.

Here's a closer look at how POWERBANK X works, what its specifications mean in practice, what the PowerHub Gateway does, and whether it could be a good fit for your energy needs.

What is POWERBANK X?

POWERBANK X is a modular home battery from REA Power, built on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry - LFP is widely used in battery storage applications because of its stability and long cycle life.

Each unit stores 7.168kWh of total energy, of which 7kWh is usable. Total energy is what the cells can physically hold; usable energy is what you can actually draw on day to day. A 100% usable depth of discharge means the rated 7kWh usable capacity is available for normal operation rather than a portion being excluded from the stated usable capacity.

It comes in two configurations — POWERBANK X-1P for single-phase homes (most Australian houses) and POWERBANK X-3P for three-phase properties (larger homes, rural properties, and some small businesses) — and is modular, so multiple units can be installed together to increase total storage. That matters if your energy use is likely to change over time. A household that later adds an EV, for example, may have different storage requirements from when the original battery was installed.

It's aimed at homes and small businesses adding battery storage to a new solar installation, or retrofitting a battery onto a system that's already generating power.

The Engineering Behind POWERBANK X

POWERBANK X is designed in Germany by ATMOCE, REA Power’s technology partner. Its battery cells, power-conversion electronics and advanced Dual Active Bridge architecture work together to intelligently manage energy flow between the battery, solar system and home.

The PowerHub Gateway shares the same German engineering foundation, while its energy-trading intelligence has been specifically optimised with REA Power for the Australian energy market. It automatically responds to wholesale electricity prices, solar generation and household energy use to help maximise the value of stored energy.

REA Power brings this advanced energy platform to the Australian market. Learn more about the collaboration on our dedicated ATMOCE page

What's Different About POWERBANK X?

The main difference between POWERBANK X and the existing POWERBANK is size and configuration, not one being a straightforward upgrade of the other.

The existing POWERBANK offers 10.1kWh of usable capacity in a single unit. POWERBANK X offers 7kWh usable per unit, in a slimmer enclosure just 195mm deep — a footprint that can be easier to fit into tighter spaces, such as a narrow side passage or a compact garage wall.

The smaller capacity per unit reflects a different approach to system design. Because POWERBANK X can be scaled using multiple units, it gives households more flexibility in choosing their starting capacity and expanding their storage later.

Here's a look at the specifications where both products have a directly comparable figure:  

If you’re comparing POWERBANK X with the existing POWERBANK, it’s worth looking at the full specifications of both products and discussing your requirements with an installer. The right configuration will depend on factors such as your energy use, available space and how much storage you need.

What Do The POWERBANK X Specifications Mean?

A few of the numbers on the datasheet are worth translating into plain language.

7.168kWh total / 7kWh usable, 100% depth of discharge — usable capacity is what actually matters day to day. A 100% usable depth of discharge means POWERBANK X is rated to use effectively all of that 7kWh, rather than reserving a further chunk you never access.

5kVA maximum output power — this is the maximum apparent power the battery system is rated to deliver at a given moment. kWh tells you how much energy is stored; kVA describes the system's power output. In practical terms, the output rating helps determine how much electrical load the system can support at once.

LFP chemistry, 10,000-cycle rating — a cycle is roughly one full charge and discharge. The rating gives a sense of how many cycles the battery is designed to handle, though real-world longevity depends on how the system is used.

96% DC round-trip efficiency — how much of the energy that goes into the battery comes back out when you use it. Some energy is always lost as heat during charging and discharging; 96% means those losses are relatively small.

IP66, -20°C to 55°C — IP66 rates how well the battery's enclosure resists dust and water, relevant for outdoor installation in Australian conditions. The stated operating range means the battery is rated for operation across a wide range of temperatures, which is relevant when considering outdoor installation. Note this isn't the same rating as the PowerHub Gateway, which has its own IP65 enclosure — covered below.

Floor or wall mounting, multiple-unit scalability — installers can fit the unit either way, and the system can grow with additional units later. Each weighs around 73.5kg, a factor in how and where it's mounted.

REA Cloud / REA App — lets you check how the battery and connected solar system are performing from a phone or computer.

Why Does The PowerHub Gateway Matter?

The PowerHub Gateway is more than an accessory — it's the part of the POWERBANK X system that connects the battery with the solar system, grid and home's electrical circuits.

The POWERHUB-1P or POWERHUB-3P contains the REA-Gateway, along with breakers for the PV system, grid, battery and backup loads. It also provides CT metering for solar generation, battery charge and discharge, and household consumption, with the supplied specifications stating accuracy of up to 0.1%.

That allows the system to manage functions such as whole-home backup, self-consumption and time-of-use energy management, as well as communication with the grid. The battery stores and supplies energy; the Gateway is what coordinates these functions across the wider system.

The Gateway is a separate enclosure from the battery and has its own IP65 rating and operating temperature range. Its exact installation and configuration should be confirmed by the installer.

Who Might POWERBANK X Suit?

POWERBANK X isn't a one-size-fits-all product, and suitability depends on the details of a particular property. It may suit homeowners adding a battery to an existing solar system (particularly where space is limited), homeowners installing solar and battery together, households wanting whole-home backup, properties needing three-phase compatibility, homes where modular expansion appeals, and small businesses exploring battery storage.

Is POWERBANK X a Good Fit For Your Solar System?

That's genuinely a question for a licensed installer rather than something to work out from a datasheet alone. Worth checking before you commit: phase configuration (single or three-phase determines X-1P or X-3P), your existing solar system's generation profile, backup requirements (whole-home versus critical circuits), available installation space, desired capacity, and future energy needs such as an EV that might increase household load.

POWERBANK X: The Basics At A Glance

• What it is: A modular home battery from REA Power, using LFP chemistry
• Capacity per unit: 7.168kWh total energy, 7kWh usable
• Configurations: POWERBANK X-1P (single-phase) and POWERBANK X-3P (three-phase)
• Maximum output: 5kVA
• Cycle rating: 10,000 cycles
• DC round-trip efficiency: 96%
• Depth of discharge: 100% usable
• Battery enclosure: IP66-rated, -20°C to 55°C operating range, 73.5kg
• Mounting: Floor or wall
• Gateway: Dedicated PowerHub Gateway (POWERHUB-1P / POWERHUB-3P), IP65-rated, -30°C to 50°C, with CT metering accurate to 0.1%
• Compliance: Includes AS/NZS 4777.2, the Australian grid-connected inverter standard
• Monitoring: REA Cloud / REA App
• Technology partner: ATMOCE (Germany), power-conversion electronics
• Manufacturer: REA Power (Australia)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much energy does POWERBANK X store? 

7.168kWh total energy, 7kWh usable, per unit. Multiple units can be installed together to increase total storage.

Is POWERBANK X available for three-phase homes? 

Yes — POWERBANK X-3P is the three-phase configuration; POWERBANK X-1P is for single-phase homes.

What is the difference between POWERBANK X and POWERBANK? 

POWERBANK offers 10.1kWh usable capacity in a single unit; POWERBANK X offers 7kWh usable per unit in a slimmer, 195mm-deep enclosure built for modular scaling. POWERBANK X also introduces single- and three-phase configurations and a dedicated PowerHub Gateway.

What does the PowerHub Gateway do? 

It houses the REA-Gateway and dedicated breakers for PV, grid, battery, and backup loads, plus a bypass breaker for circuits that don't need backup power. It also provides CT metering accurate to 0.1%, and coordinates whole-home backup, self-consumption, time-of-use optimisation, and grid communication — functions the battery alone doesn't manage.

Can POWERBANK X be expanded? 

Yes — its modular design allows multiple units to be installed together. REA Power's published specifications support scaling up to 112kWh of total battery capacity and 80kVA of power output across multiple units.

Is POWERBANK X suitable for outdoor installation? 

The battery is IP66-rated (-20°C to 55°C); the PowerHub Gateway has its own IP65 rating (-30°C to 50°C). Both are built for outdoor-capable installation, though final placement should be confirmed with an installer.

Want to know if POWERBANK X suits your home?

The right configuration, capacity and number of units comes down to your property’s phase setup, existing solar system and backup needs – details an installer can work through with you. Get in touch with REA Power or call 1300 360 047 to discuss your options.