One of the most common surprises with home batteries is this: a battery on its own does not keep your lights on in a power cut. For safety, a grid-connected system shuts down when the grid goes, unless it has a way to safely disconnect your home from the grid first. On a Sigenergy system, that job is done by the Sigen Gateway.
What does the Sigen Gateway do?
The gateway sits between your home and the grid. When it detects a power cut, it isolates your home from the network so your SigenStor can safely keep powering your circuits from the battery and solar. When the grid comes back, it reconnects you. It also measures what flows in and out of your home so the system can manage export limits and smart tariff charging.
HomePro SP vs HomePro SP-F
For single phase homes, Sigenergy’s HomePro gateway comes in two versions, and this is where quotes can differ.
| HomePro SP | HomePro SP-F | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | Around 54.6 A, 12 kW | 100 A, 22 kW nominal |
| Typical use | Backing up selected circuits | Whole-home backup |
| Switchover | Sigenergy specifies 0 ms load-side disruption on the SP-F when used with a Sigen Energy Controller and Sigen Battery | |
Figures are from Sigenergy’s published datasheets and may change. Three phase gateways are also available for three phase homes. We confirm the exact model on your quote.
The practical takeaway: if a quote says “whole-home backup”, check that it names the SP-F. A typical UK home with a 100 A supply will usually need the SP-F for genuinely whole-home cover.
What does 0 ms switchover mean?
Many backup systems take a short moment to switch over when the grid fails. You may see lights flicker, and computers or routers without their own battery may restart. Sigenergy’s figure of 0 ms load-side disruption means supported circuits should carry on without that interruption, under the conditions Sigenergy specifies.
It does not mean every appliance in the house can run at once. The inverter rating, the battery size and how the backup is wired still set the limits. If the oven, kettle, shower and EV charger all come on during a power cut, the system can still be overloaded.
Whole-home or partial backup?
- Partial backup keeps the essentials running: lights, fridge and freezer, router, boiler controls and a few sockets. It is simpler and usually needs less electrical work.
- Whole-home backup keeps everything connected, but you have to be sensible about heavy loads, and the controller and battery need to be sized for it.
We talk this through at survey. Most people know straight away whether a power cut is an inconvenience or a real problem for them, for example if they work from home, run medical equipment or live somewhere rural where cuts last longer.
Do I need a gateway if I just want to save money?
No. If you only want the battery to store solar and charge on cheap overnight rates, you do not need backup. The system still needs to measure your import and export, which is usually done with a meter or sensor rather than a full gateway. A gateway can be added later, but it is usually simpler and cheaper to plan it in from the start.
How does this compare with GoodWe and Tesla?
GoodWe ESA uses a GoodWe gateway with a 4 ms switchover, and Tesla Powerwall 3 uses the Backup Gateway 2. All three give real backup when designed properly. We compare them in Sigenergy vs GoodWe and Sigenergy vs Tesla Powerwall 3. For a wider view, read our guide on solar panels in a power cut.
Planning Sigenergy backup with DES
We are MCS certified and fit Sigenergy with our own employed electricians across Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire. We will tell you which gateway you need, which circuits to back up, and how big the controller and battery should be, then put it all in a fixed written quote. Visit our Sigenergy installer page, read our SigenStor battery guide, or request a free quote.