Why is my home battery not charging, and what should I check first?
Short answer. Most of the time the battery is behaving as set. The common reasons are: it is already full, there is no spare solar (cloud, winter, evening), the mode or schedule only charges at certain times, or it is paused by temperature. Check the app’s power flow first, then the lights. A red or orange light, or a fault in the app, is a call to us.
Safety first. Never open a switchboard, remove a cover from your battery or inverter, or touch any wiring. Anything beyond the app, a light you can read from a safe distance, or your own router is a job for a licensed electrician. If you see smoke, smell burning, hear arcing or see water on or near the unit: keep everyone away, switch off at your main switch only if it is safe to do so, and call 000 if there is any fire or smoke.
Check these, in this order
- Is it already full? A battery at or near 100% will not charge. See why is my battery full but still exporting?.
- Is there spare solar? A battery charges from solar left over after the house is supplied. On a cloudy day, in winter, in the evening, or when the house is using most of the solar, the battery may get little or nothing.
- What mode and schedule is it on? Time-based or time-of-use settings may only allow charging in set windows, and backup modes hold a reserve. See battery modes explained and Backup Reserve.
- Is it meant to charge from the grid? Many systems charge only from solar unless a grid-charge window is set. See why is my battery charging from the grid?.
- Is it very hot or cold? Batteries pause or limit charging outside their temperature range. For example, Sungrow lists charging between 0 and 55 degrees C. See does my battery work differently on very hot or cold days?.
- Do the lights or the app show a fault? Brand guides: Sigenergy lights, GoodWe lights, Sungrow SBR, Sungrow SBH, SolaX and Tesla Powerwall.
- Is the inverter producing? If the solar itself is down, the battery has nothing to charge from: see my solar isn’t producing.
If the app just says offline
The battery may still be charging normally; only the monitoring has dropped. See my battery app says offline: is it still working?
What not to do
Do not reset breakers, press buttons on the battery or dongle, or open anything. If the lights show red or orange, or the app shows a fault, take a photo and screenshot and call us.
When to call us
If we installed your system, call us on 0483 903 020. Our service help for existing customers is free: we start by working through it with you by phone. If you are not yet a customer, a service call is $250 + GST, which covers one hour on site within 20 km of Mullumbimby; travel further out is quoted separately. Contact us or call 0483 903 020 (Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 7am-4pm). We do not repair systems we did not install.
Quick questions
Why is my battery not charging on a sunny day?
A mode or schedule may be holding it back, it may be full, or your house may be using most of the solar. Check the power flow in the app and the mode.
Why did my battery stop charging in winter?
Shorter days and lower output mean less spare solar, and cold temperatures can limit charging on some batteries. Many systems also charge in set windows only.
Is a battery that sits at 0% broken?
Not necessarily, but it needs checking. See our guide to a battery at 0% or very low.
Will you check my battery if you did not install it?
We do not repair systems we did not install. If we installed it, call us on 0483 903 020.
Sources
Last checked 7 October 2026. Only the manufacturer’s, the network’s or the government’s own documents are used; app menus and defaults change between models and versions, so if your screen looks different, call us rather than guess.
- Sungrow’s official SBR user manual: operating temperature and fault guidance
- SolaX’s official X1-VAST user manual: working modes and charge settings
- Tesla Australia support: Backup Reserve
