Powervault has published the warranty terms for its P5 home battery, applying to "products sold from 16 July 2024 to customers within the United Kingdom"1. The document states that the warranty for repair and/or replacement of faulty parts "is included in the retail price of Powervault P5" and that it applies only to P5 products1. It remains in force until Powervault updates the document1.
The warranty splits the system into two parts. The Base Product covers "all components and parts that constitute the Powervault Product (e.g. inverter/charger, control boards, Smartbridge), other than the Battery Pack", while the Battery Pack is defined as the lithium-ion battery1. Powervault warrants that the Base Product "will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for the Warranty Period" and will, at its sole discretion, either repair it or provide a replacement in exchange for the defective unit1. The Warranty Period is calculated in calendar months from the Production Date, and the duration itself is specified on the Data Sheet rather than in the warranty text1.
For the battery, a unit is not treated as defective if its performance in usable AC kWh under test conditions matches or exceeds the End State of Health recorded on the Data Sheet, or if its Production Date is more than 10 years old1. Where Powervault accepts a battery is defective, it may repair it, supply a replacement at a pro-rata cost, or supply a reconditioned battery at an expected capacity set out in a table1. The pro-rata discount runs from 100 per cent off the price of a new battery in the first year to zero at 10 years and beyond, with expected reconditioned capacity falling from 100 per cent to 70 per cent over the same span1. All capacity calculations are in AC usable kWh measured under test conditions, and "any nominal DC kWh performance parameters are expressly excluded and disclaimed from this warranty"1.
| Years since production date | Pro-rata discount off new battery pack | Expected capacity of reconditioned battery pack |
|---|---|---|
| < 1 year | 100% | 100% |
| 1-2 years | 90% | 97% |
| 2-3 years | 80% | 94% |
| 3-4 years | 70% | 91% |
| 4-5 years | 60% | 88% |
| 5-6 years | 50% | 85% |
| 6-7 years | 40% | 82% |
| 7-8 years | 30% | 79% |
| 8-9 years | 20% | 76% |
| 9-10 years | 10% | 73% |
| 10+ years | 0% | 70% |
Several conditions attach to claims. The customer "must notify Powervault of any defect within 10 days of the defect becoming apparent and before the expiration of the Warranty Period"1. No warranty is provided for Internet Components, and providing an internet connection to the unit is the customer's responsibility1. The document lists exclusions including loss of internet connection for more than 10 consecutive days at any time during the Warranty Period, installation by a non-authorised installer, purchase from a non-authorised reseller or second hand, and use other than as a battery storage system on a daily cycle basis1. Customers in a Remote Area, defined to include Northern Ireland, the Isle of Wight, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and parts of mainland Scotland more than 1.5 hours' drive from Glasgow or Edinburgh, are subject to Remote Area Charges1. Replaced parts remain Powervault's property1. On upgrades, Powervault "commits to provide upgrade options for a period of 24 months following the purchase of the product"1.
The document also notes that if a product is faulty on first delivery, within up to 30 days, a customer may be entitled to claim a refund or part refund, and refers to the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requirement that goods be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality1.
Why it matters for households
A home battery's warranty is the part of the purchase that determines who pays when the hardware fails, and how much. For a P5 owner, the split between Base Product and Battery Pack matters because the two are treated differently: the electronics are repaired or replaced outright, while a battery claim can carry a pro-rata charge that rises with the age of the unit. The table makes that cost curve explicit, so the value of a claim in year eight is materially different from one in year two. The requirement to report a defect within 10 days of noticing it, and the exclusion covering a lost internet connection of more than 10 consecutive days, place duties on the household rather than the manufacturer. The warranty also states plainly that Powervault does not warrant that use of the product will save money or reduce a household's carbon footprint1. For a home weighing up how much of its electricity supply it can shift away from the grid, the length of cover and the conditions attached to it are part of the same calculation as the battery's capacity. General background on how such terms compare across makers is set out in Manufacturer Warranties on Home Energy Equipment, with the wider context in the home-batteries hub and the manufacturers hub.
What happens next
The warranty applies until Powervault updates the document1. No date for an update has been reported. The Warranty Period for each product is stated on its Data Sheet, which the warranty text does not reproduce1.