Batteries Are Discharging Quickly
Understand changing runtime, compare loads and charging, and know when to arrange an assessment.
Compare the energy put into the battery with the energy used by the property. Faster discharge may reflect heavier loads or less charging, but repeated early shutdowns, missing modules and alarms also need investigation.
Check what has changed
- Air conditioning, electric heating, cooking or hot-water use.
- Pumps, EV charging, workshop equipment or other new appliances.
- Equipment left running overnight, including timers or automatic controls.
- Cloudy weather, shading, seasonal changes or a battery bank that did not finish charging.
- A change in operating mode, reserve requirements or available modules.
Take a useful set of readings
- Check that the app information is current.
- Record the battery percentage and site load before and after a consistent period, such as overnight.
- Record the charge level at sunset and whether charging completed that day.
- Use normal controls to turn off non-essential appliances one at a time and note whether the displayed load falls. Keep essential and safety-critical equipment operating.
- Compare with days having similar weather and loads. Photograph any alarms or unexpected module counts.
Understand power and energy
Power in kilowatts (kW) is the rate of use. Energy in kilowatt-hours (kWh) is the amount used over time. For example, an appliance drawing 1 kW continuously for two hours uses 2 kWh, before allowing for system losses.
Battery runtime also depends on the permitted reserve, usable capacity, temperature, battery condition and other loads. A nameplate capacity divided by one appliance rating is only a rough illustration, not a reliable backup-time promise.
AGM and gel systems
Lead-acid battery capacity is affected by the discharge rate and charging history. Heavy loads or repeated incomplete charging can change performance. Do not apply lithium depth-of-discharge expectations to a VRLA bank. See VRLA battery care for AGM and gel guidance.
When approaching the reserve
Follow the reserve and generator instructions in your handover. Reduce non-essential loads and check charging availability. Do not lower the reserve or bypass battery protection to extend runtime.
When to request an assessment
Contact MyEnergy if runtime falls substantially under comparable conditions, charge percentage jumps repeatedly, shutdowns occur earlier than expected, a module disappears, or alarms persist. A monitoring review can help distinguish load, charging, configuration and battery issues before replacement is considered.
Send a support request with your battery model, approximate age, recent load changes, time-stamped readings and screenshots.