Growatt VITA 550 vs Ampace Andes 1500
Side-by-side on the specs that decide it — surge, capacity, runtime and price.
Both models' specs verified against manufacturer listings · Last updated
The short answer
Growatt VITA 550 costs $600 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Ampace Andes 1500 holds 172% more energy (1462Wh vs 538Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Ampace Andes 1500 has 2400W more surge headroom (3600W vs 1200W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- Growatt VITA 550 is 19.2 lb lighter (17.6 lb vs 36.8 lb).
Growatt VITA 550
A tidy half-kWh unit with fast charging and a 1,200W surge that lets it start small appliances a 600W rating wouldn't suggest.
Best for: Campers who want fast charging and a bit of surge headroom at half a kWh.
Where it falls short:
- 538Wh is weekend-scale
- 3-year warranty
Ampace Andes 1500
Backed by an Amperex/CATL cell pedigree, the Andes 1500 stands out on charge speed — 0-80% in well under an hour — and a light 36.8 lb for 1.5kWh.
Best for: Buyers who prize fast charging and low weight at 1.5kWh.
Where it falls short:
- Newer brand with a thinner track record
- Not expandable
| Spec | Growatt VITA 550 | Ampace Andes 1500 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399 | $999 |
| Capacity | 538 Wh | 1462 Wh |
| Continuous output | 600 W | 2000 W |
| Surge output | 1200 W | 3600 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycles | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 17.6 lb | 36.8 lb |
| Max solar | 300 W | 1000 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 1h | 55 min |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | Growatt VITA 550 | Ampace Andes 1500 |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 7.6 hrs | 20.7 hrs |
| Mini fridge | 14.5 hrs | 39.5 hrs |
| Chest freezer | 5.7 hrs | 15.5 hrs |
| CPAP machine | 11.4 hrs | 31.1 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | 1.6 hrs |