After roughly an hour of flooding in a U.K. garage, one homeowner was left trying to sort through the fallout.
Water had reached the bottom of the resident's backup power equipment, a solar battery, and soaked the wall behind the inverter, leading the homeowner to ask the internet, "Is my battery toast?"
Here's what to know
Writing on Reddit's r/SolarUK forum, the original poster described water rising to about the height of a can, with runoff moving down the wall behind the inverter and up to the base of a Growatt battery.
They said the main solar equipment was shut off at the isolators and fuse board once the garage started taking on water. However, the homeowner concluded the battery may never have powered down, since cables seemed to obstruct its button.
"How bad should I expect the damage to be?" they asked. "Tried to google but got very mixed responses on whether or not the battery will be completely ruined."
The poster also said they had previously told the electrician that the garage had flooded before and that heavy rain had sent water down the exterior walls.
One commenter put the likely outcome bluntly, writing, "IP66 doesn't provide protection against being submersed."
Another added, "Direct a fan towards it and leave a few days to ensure it's completely dry before powering back on. There's likely moisture higher than the water line that'll need time to clear."
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More background
When functioning properly, backup batteries can keep the lights on, avoid peak electricity costs, and make better use of rooftop solar, but placement is critical.
A system installed low in a flood-prone garage can become both a safety concern and a financial headache over the course of a single storm.
Still, homeowners comparing systems can explore EnergySage and its free tools for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
EnergySage has teamed up with the electrification brand Qmerit to guarantee you get the best price on home battery storage solutions. Another option is Pila, whose plug-and-play batteries are priced at a fraction of what a whole-home backup system would cost.
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