I recently installed a new back up system. A growatt inverter and a Cyclone C5 5k battery. The system was installed in August and in October, while I was away, someone ran the battery down to absolutely zero. To the point of not being recharge with mains or our backup generator. This was previously set up and worked perfectly when we had cable theft etc.  I managed to reset the inverter to charge the battery eventually. The problem is that the battery charges to 30% in an hour from base 9% but then to 99% in 30 minutes. In terms of usage - We can run two TVs, router, PC, phones on charge and fans for about 3-4 hours. But so much as a hairdryer switched on and the inverter immediately starts beeping and the battery reads 9% charge. 

 

Is the battery salvagable? Is there a programming issue?  No one seems to have a clue, not even our installer. The battery supplier wants to remove the battery and return it for testing first. This is a costly exercise too so I am trying to eliminate options before shelling out another few K.

 

23 minutes ago, hamish pillay said:

I recently installed a new back up system. A growatt inverter and a Cyclone C5 5k battery. The system was installed in August and in October, while I was away, someone ran the battery down to absolutely zero. To the point of not being recharge with mains or our backup generator. This was previously set up and worked perfectly when we had cable theft etc.  I managed to reset the inverter to charge the battery eventually. The problem is that the battery charges to 30% in an hour from base 9% but then to 99% in 30 minutes. In terms of usage - We can run two TVs, router, PC, phones on charge and fans for about 3-4 hours. But so much as a hairdryer switched on and the inverter immediately starts beeping and the battery reads 9% charge. 

 

Is the battery salvagable? Is there a programming issue?  No one seems to have a clue, not even our installer. The battery supplier wants to remove the battery and return it for testing first. This is a costly exercise too so I am trying to eliminate options before shelling out another few K.

 

It seems like your 99% SOC is incorrect as it should take much longer. This has the effect that the SOC is lower and thus not enough power to drive a hairdryer or high load. 

My 2c based on what we know. 

@hamish pillay Good afternoon and welcome to the forum.

I did not know the battery in your installation so I searched a bit and found these documents:

https://www.solarwaysuppliers.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/LES-AND-ES-series-Lifepo4-battery-catalog-5KW-C-SERIES.pdf
https://www.solarwaysuppliers.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/powerwal-battery-setting-guide-with-inverter.pdf
https://www.solarwaysuppliers.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Y-and-R-Solar-pty-Ltd-LES-Powerwall-Battery-Pack-User-Manual.pdf

According to the battery settings guide the battery can communicate with the inverter via the RS485 or CAN bus the question is, is there a communications cable installed between the battery and the inverter?

It is possible that there is a setting which is not set up correctly or that the BMS of the battery is damaged, from what I have seen in the manual's settings pages is that there are not many settings which can be set.

What is strange is that the battery discharged down to 0% because the BMS must protect the battery from such a situation.

It is strange that you must fork out any money to get the battery to the supplier or manufacturer for testing - usually the installer collects the battery and send it away to their supplier for testing.

Kind Regards

GerhardK83