How often should you check a home battery?

Blocked ventilation, stored clutter and ignored fault codes are what turn a battery fault into a fire.

Clutter stacked against the unit, a blocked vent or an ignored fault makes any battery problem worse, and Australian electrical regulators treat a home battery as a possible source of ignition. Some warranties also set servicing or connectivity conditions.

1. Clear the space around the battery. Keep the clearance the manual specifies, and move anything flammable such as cardboard, fuel cans or paint.
2. Check the app and the unit for faults. Look for fault codes, capacity warnings and whether the battery still reaches full charge on sunny days.
3. Confirm firmware updates are installing. Most batteries update over the internet. A battery that has been offline for months may be missing updates.
4. Look for heat, swelling or smells. The casing should be intact and not unusually hot. Any swelling, hissing or chemical smell means switch off at the isolator if safe and call the installer.
5. Check the warranty terms. Note whether the maker requires servicing at set intervals, and keep the installation certificate and invoices in the vault.

• A fault code or offline status in the app
• Capacity dropping faster than the warranty allows
• Clutter stored against the unit

• Storing garden fuel or paint next to the battery
• Letting the internet connection lapse so updates and monitoring stop

Immediately for swelling, heat, smoke, hissing or a chemical smell. For any repeated fault code, use the installer.