Predictika · Battery-inverter system configuration checks

An AI sales agent's battery storage quote, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent assembles a home battery storage quote: the Sunny Boy Storage inverter, the battery and its module count, the use case, any second battery and the battery communication cable. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the public approved-battery tables and cable requirements and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: Quotes for the Sunny Boy Storage 2.5, 3.7, 5.0 and 6.0 inverters (SBS2.5-1VL-10, SBS3.7-10, SBS5.0-10, SBS6.0-10) with approved batteries: battery approval, module counts, sizing, use case, multi-battery operation and communication cable. See everything this validator covers

This validator models the compatibility rules of SMA's approved-battery document, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Approved batteries — which batteries are approved for which inverter, including batteries not released for the SBS2.5 and the RESU10M, which is approved only for the SBS3.7.
  • Module counts and item numbers — the approved module range for each modular battery (for example 2 to 4 for the Battery-Box Premium HVS), non-modular batteries, and the item numbers the AXIstorage Li SH, era:powerbase and Hyperion are compatible with.
  • Inverter sizing — combinations the table marks as a limited approval need a person to confirm the sizing.
  • Use cases — the SBS2.5 is listed for increased self-consumption only; SMA notes restrictions for battery-backup operation with some batteries.
  • Multi-battery operation — which batteries can be combined on the SBS3.7, 5.0 and 6.0, of the same type and of different types.
  • Battery communication cable — at most 10 m, at least CAT5e, shielded, insulated for 600 V, and UV-resistant outdoors.
  • Stated capacity — the nominal battery capacity stated on the quote is compared with the capacity the module configuration gives.

Any battery storage quote that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (SMA publishes none in this document, so no price build-up or line-item quote is produced), the US inverter models, firmware versions, installation and certification, and batteries added to the approved list after the document's status of November 2021.

The AI sales agentBuilds the quote from the customer's request and says it is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

7 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
A battery that is approved for some inverters but not othersOnly with care
Approval is a table of inverter and battery pairs, so the allowed set has to be kept per inverter as batteries are added.		The inverter and battery are in one request and compared together on every call.
A module range that differs by battery, including batteries with no modulesOnly with care
Each battery has its own range, and the non-modular ones must reject any module count.		The range for the chosen battery is checked together with every other rule, with the quoted count in the answer.
A limited approval that depends on inverter, battery and module count togetherOnly with workarounds
The combinations that need a person's sign-off are a lookup over three choices, which takes many scoped rules or a table to maintain.		The combination is one rule, and it returns an approval finding rather than a block.
A stated battery capacity that disagrees with the modules and the number of batteriesOnly with workarounds
The capacity comes from the battery, its module count and how many batteries are quoted; checking a stated figure against it takes extra formulas.		The stated figure is one more field in the request and is compared with the computed capacity on every call.
A cable length limitEasy
A numeric limit on one field; routine in a product-rules CPQ.		The same rule, checked together with all the others on every call.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the quote is saved or a step is completed, so a rep often fixes one error and meets the next.		All findings come back together, whatever order the choices arrived in.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the quote; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
1This battery is not approved for the selected Sunny Boy Storage inverter in the approved-battery table.
2For the Sunny Boy Storage 2.5 the table lists only increased self-consumption; secure power supply and battery-backup operation are marked as not possible.
3The table does not allow multi-battery operation with batteries of this type on this inverter (marked not possible or in planning).
4The quote has 5 battery module(s); the approved range for this battery is 2 to 4 module(s), where 0 to 0 means the battery is not modular.
5The quote has 1 battery module(s); the approved range for this battery is 2 to 4 module(s), where 0 to 0 means the battery is not modular.
6The quote has 2 battery module(s); the approved range for this battery is 0 to 0 module(s), where 0 to 0 means the battery is not modular.
7AXIstorage Li SH, era:powerbase and Hyperion are compatible only with the item numbers the approved-battery table lists, and this battery is not one of them.
8The table marks this inverter and battery size as a limited approval, because the battery cannot always deliver the inverter output; a person should confirm the sizing.
9SMA notes restrictions for battery-backup operation with this battery (for example the backup grid can be interrupted for a few seconds on large load jumps); a person should confirm the customer accepts them.
10The table does not list this combination of different battery types for multi-battery operation.
11The battery communication cable is 11 m; the maximum between battery and inverter is 10 m.
12The battery communication cable is category 4; the minimum is CAT5e (category 5).
13The battery communication cable must be shielded.
14The battery communication cable has to be insulated for 600 V.
15A battery communication cable run outdoors has to be UV-resistant.
16The quote states 10,200 Wh of nominal battery capacity; the module configuration gives 7,700 Wh.
17The quote states 7,700 Wh of nominal battery capacity; the module configuration gives 15,400 Wh.
18The quote has 9 battery module(s); the approved range for this battery is 3 to 8 module(s), where 0 to 0 means the battery is not modular.
19The battery communication cable is 14 m; the maximum between battery and inverter is 10 m.
20The battery communication cable is category 3; the minimum is CAT5e (category 5).

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Inverter and battery: A Sunny Boy Storage 2.5 quote with a battery SMA has not released for it and a secure power use case

    
The agent's request. Please prepare a quote for a Sunny Boy Storage 2.5 with a BYD Battery-Box Premium HVM battery of 4 modules, for secure power supply, with a 6 m battery communication cable. The quote states 11,000 Wh of nominal battery capacity. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Battery not approved for this inverter. This battery is not approved for the selected Sunny Boy Storage inverter in the approved-battery table.
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  • Use case not listed for the SBS2.5. For the Sunny Boy Storage 2.5 the table lists only increased self-consumption; secure power supply and battery-backup operation are marked as not possible.
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2. Inverter and battery: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please prepare a quote for a Sunny Boy Storage 5.0 with a BYD Battery-Box Premium HVM battery of 4 modules, for increased self-consumption, with a 6 m battery communication cable. The quote states 11,000 Wh of nominal battery capacity. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Battery summary. 1 battery system(s); the first battery is 11,000 Wh nominal and the total is 11,000 Wh when all batteries are of one type (0 where the table gives no capacity or the types differ).
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3. Two batteries and an outdoor cable: A Sunny Boy Storage 5.0 quote with two different batteries and a 14 m outdoor cable that is not UV-resistant

    
The agent's request. Please prepare a quote for a Sunny Boy Storage 5.0 with a BYD Battery-Box Premium HVS battery and a LG RESU7H battery of 3 modules, for increased self-consumption, with a 14 m battery communication cable run outdoors. The cable is not UV-resistant. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Battery combination not listed. The table does not list this combination of different battery types for multi-battery operation.
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  • Communication cable too long. The battery communication cable is 14 m; the maximum between battery and inverter is 10 m.
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  • Outdoor cable not UV-resistant. A battery communication cable run outdoors has to be UV-resistant.
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4. Two batteries and an outdoor cable: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please prepare a quote for a Sunny Boy Storage 5.0 with a BYD Battery-Box Premium HVS battery and a BYD Battery-Box Premium HVM battery of 3 modules, for increased self-consumption, with a 10 m battery communication cable run outdoors. The cable is not UV-resistant. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Outdoor cable not UV-resistant. A battery communication cable run outdoors has to be UV-resistant.
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5. Two batteries and an outdoor cable: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please prepare a quote for a Sunny Boy Storage 5.0 with a BYD Battery-Box Premium HVS battery and a BYD Battery-Box Premium HVM battery of 3 modules, for increased self-consumption, with a 10 m battery communication cable run outdoors. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Battery summary. 2 battery system(s); the first battery is 7,700 Wh nominal and the total is 0 Wh when all batteries are of one type (0 where the table gives no capacity or the types differ).
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6. Sizing and stated capacity: A Sunny Boy Storage 6.0 quote with a 5-module Battery-Box H and a wrong stated capacity

    
The agent's request. Please prepare a quote for a Sunny Boy Storage 6.0 with a BYD Battery-Box H battery of 5 modules, for increased self-consumption, with a 5 m battery communication cable. The quote states 7,700 Wh of nominal battery capacity. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Stated capacity does not match. The quote states 7,700 Wh of nominal battery capacity; the module configuration gives 6,400 Wh.
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  • Limited approval for this inverter and battery size. The table marks this inverter and battery size as a limited approval, because the battery cannot always deliver the inverter output; a person should confirm the sizing.
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7. Sizing and stated capacity: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please prepare a quote for a Sunny Boy Storage 5.0 with a BYD Battery-Box H battery of 5 modules, for increased self-consumption, with a 5 m battery communication cable. The quote states 6,400 Wh of nominal battery capacity. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Battery summary. 1 battery system(s); the first battery is 6,400 Wh nominal and the total is 6,400 Wh when all batteries are of one type (0 where the table gives no capacity or the types differ).
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI sales agent assembles a home battery storage quote: the Sunny Boy Storage inverter, the battery and its module count, the use case, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the public approved-battery tables and cable requirements and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Please prepare a quote for a Sunny Boy Storage 5.0. The cable is not UV-resistant. The rest of the request is on screen.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
    5. 
      
  5. Blocked, with three findings, all in one answer. The table does not list this combination of different battery types for multi-battery operation. The battery communication cable is 14 m; the maximum between battery and inverter is 10 m. A battery communication cable run outdoors has to be UV-resistant.
    6. 
      
  6. The validator returned three blocking findings in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the quote are checked against each other.
    7. 
      
  7. What this shows: for a battery that is approved for some inverters but not others, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
    8. 
      
  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the second battery to BYD Battery-Box Premium HVM and the communication cable length to 10 m.
    10. 
      
  10. It calls the validator again.
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  11. Still blocked, with one finding, all in one answer. A battery communication cable run outdoors has to be UV-resistant.
    12. 
      
  12. Two findings cleared. Still blocking: outdoor cable not UV-resistant.
    13. 
      
  13. The agent resubmits once more.
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  14. The revised request. It changes the Cable UV-resistant to yes.
    15. 
      
  15. It calls the validator once more.
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  16. This time the validator clears it.
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  17. The earlier finding is cleared.
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  18. Three problems caught in one call, fixed in two passes, and a clean quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
    19.