Check first
- Mode and thresholds — open the platform’s settings page. A reserve target or a hold mode is the first thing to rule out before any deeper diagnosis.
- Is the sensing right? If the CT or meter is misread, the inverter doesn’t know the house has a load to cover. Run the Energy-Flow Test direction check.
- Is SOC live and updating? Comms down can freeze the inverter’s discharge decisions — verify the SOC figure is changing.
Causes
| Cause | How to confirm | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Reserve or hold threshold reached | Kent G3: SOC sits exactly at Battery reserve (default 80%) on-grid · Kent M1: Back Up mode holding its SOC target | Working as designed — adjust the design values per the platform settings page if the customer’s intent differs |
| TOU window says idle or charge | Slot table on the platform settings page vs the inverter’s own clock | Correct the TOU windows or the RTC time per the platform settings page |
| Low-SOC cut-off reached | SOC at or below the platform’s overdischarge or shutdown threshold | Legitimate protection — let the bank recharge; revisit the reserve settings for backup-priority homes |
| Sensing wrong — inverter blind to the load | Direction test fails; load reads 0 W or signs are flipped | Fix per Wrong-CT Symptoms, then re-test discharge |
| Kent G3 ECO standby | PV under 100 W and SOC below the overdischarge point; unit in grid-standby | Design behaviour — the pack recharges from grid or PV first before discharging |
| Discharge capped by the battery bank | Discharge flatlines at (pack count × per-pack discharge limit) under large loads | Design behaviour — check the pack count against the pairing matrix |
| BMS comms down | SOC frozen; a comm alarm is present on the display | Follow the Comm Fault flow |
“Inverter buys from grid with a full battery” is the highest-repeat complaint on hybrid sites. Walk mode → TOU → reserve → sensing in that order, demonstrate the corrected behaviour to the customer before you leave, and confirm the discharge is working on the display.
Escalate when
- Configuration is verified correct, the sensing test passes, and the battery still never discharges — collect the settings snapshot and SOC/voltage readings and send to Kent service.
- Discharge stops far above any configured threshold with BMS comms confirmed healthy.
Escalate to Kent New Energy service only — through your registered Kent partner channel or the Kent service desk details on your work order. Do not contact any third-party or component-manufacturer support line for a Kent-branded system: tickets outside the Kent channel are not tracked, not covered, and can void warranty handling.