Ecoult UltraFlex Battery System Recall

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published a recall notice for Ecoult UltraFlex battery systems manufactured over a five-and-a-half year period.

The Ecoult Ultra Battery, on which the UltraFlex system is based, is a hybrid ultra-capacitor/lead acid battery originally developed by CSIRO with some Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) funding support. The technology was sold to another party, Smart Storage Pty Ltd (trading as Ecoult), and ARENA committed a further $4.1 million in recoupable funding to assist in commercialising Ultra Battery.

UltraFlex is a 48-volt battery system designed for applications including solar energy storage. It consists of up to sixteen 12-volt Ultra Battery “monoblocs” connected into four parallel strings; along with monitors, a control system, fusing, and racking that looks like something you’d see as a lockup end display at Woolies. A full system has a one hour discharge rate of 20kW and can deliver more than 25kWh of energy in a reserve event, or 17kWh when used in continuous cycling.

Ecoult UltraFlex Recall Detail

The recall affects UltraFlex 48-4, 48-3 and 48-2 units sold between June 2014 and November 2019. Very few units have been installed in residences – only 34 serial numbers have been noted, but that’s little comfort for owners of those systems.

The ProductSafety.gov.au notice states:

“The UltraFlex was not designed to independently protect itself or the user against excessive voltage, overheating, or excessive gassing when combined with particular other equipment in a system.”

The ACCC didn’t expand on what that “particular other equipment” is, but given residential units are affected it’s not unreasonable to suggest it may include solar power systems.

The ACCC notes a risk of fire and electrocution. It advises UltraFlex owners to immediately contact Ecoult to arrange for the decommissioning and removal of their UltraFlex system by a licensed electrician – and for a refund.

Further information on the Ecoult UltraFlex recall along with serial numbers of affected residential installations can be found here.

Battery Test Centre Fail

The Ecoult UltraFlex has some previous form on not being up to scratch. SQ’s Ronald mentioned the Canberra Battery Test Centre’s 7th report released in September last year noted the UltraFlex unit supplied for testing suffered a fault and was replaced. The replacement unit also developed/had a fault, it wasn’t replaced and testing ended. The Centre’s report noted in both instances:

“SOC Algorithm errors result in the battery pack cycling outside of design parameter.”