Quick Answer: Before you sign for a home battery shipment, inspect three things: the outer packaging for shipping damage, the cabinet exterior for dents or wetness, and the included documents (unboxing photos, serial numbers, and certificate copies). Take photos before the driver leaves. If the packaging is crushed, wet, or the cabinet is visibly damaged, refuse the shipment or note the damage on the delivery note. Once you sign without noting damage, damage claims become much harder.
Why the first 10 minutes matter
A home battery weighs 80–300 kg and ships on a pallet in a reinforced wooden crate. In transit, it can be dropped, tipped, or exposed to rain. Most shipping damage is visible on the outside — but only if you look before signing.
Once you sign the delivery note, the freight carrier's liability drops sharply. Damage claims after a clean signature are usually denied or take months to resolve. The 10 minutes you spend inspecting at the dock are worth more than the 10 hours of paperwork to claim damage later.
What to check before the driver leaves
1. Outer packaging
- Wooden crate intact? No crushed corners or split boards?
- Moisture marks? Rain streaks on the top or sides?
- Straps and banding tight? No signs the pallet was dropped and re-strapped?
- Shipping labels legible? Model and serial number match your order?
Take photos of all six sides of the crate before opening.
2. Unboxing inspection
- Cabinet exterior clean? No scratches, dents, or wet patches?
- Door seals intact? No gap around the edges?
- Mounting brackets, wall plate, and accessories present?
- Terminal covers on? No bent cable lugs?
- Nameplate legible? Model, serial number, voltage match the order?
3. Documentation check
- Unpacking checklist in the box?
- Warranty registration card or QR code?
- User manual (in your language)?
- Certificate copies (CE, IEC 62619, UN 38.3)?
- Battery serial number matches the warranty card?
Photograph the nameplate and serial number before wall-mounting.
When to refuse the shipment
Refuse the delivery if any of these apply:
- Crate is crushed, split, or has major water damage
- Cabinet is visibly dented or wet
- Terminal covers are missing or cables are exposed
- The model number on the box does not match your order
- Accessory pack is missing entirely
Do not sign and then call later. Tell the driver the shipment is refused, take photos, and contact your supplier immediately.
When to note damage and still sign
Minor damage (a scratch on the packaging, a small dent on the cabinet) is acceptable. But before signing:
- Note the damage on the delivery note ("crate corner dented, cabinet unharmed")
- Take timestamped photos
- Send the photos to your supplier the same day
- Do not power the battery on until your supplier confirms
Most minor cosmetic damage does not affect performance. But you need the photos and the delivery note notation for warranty records.
Before wall-mounting
After the driver leaves, before installation:
- Wait at least 2 hours after unboxing if the battery came from a cold truck. LFP cells should acclimate to room temperature before charging.
- Check the battery's resting voltage on the front display. A new battery should read around 50% SoC (state of charge). If it reads 0% or shows a fault, do not install it — contact the supplier.
- Do not open the cabinet yourself. The internal high-voltage busbars are dangerous.
After installation
Once installed, run the commissioning checklist:
- Inverter recognizes the battery on the correct CAN/RS485 address
- State of charge reads correctly (50% at first setup)
- Battery balances and charges without alarm
- Communication between inverter and battery is stable for 24 hours
If any of these fail in the first week, this is a factory defect claim — not installation error. Keep the shipping photos and serial number records.
A note on freight insurance
For international shipments (FOB/CIF from China to Europe or the US), the shipping insurance covers damage in transit. But the insurance claim requires:
- Photos of the outer packaging before opening
- Photos of the damaged product
- The delivery note with damage notation
Without this evidence, the insurance company cannot process the claim within 30 days.
Who should be present
The installer, not the homeowner alone, should inspect the delivery. The installer knows what the cabinet should look like and can identify shipping damage vs factory defect. If the installer cannot be there, have them video-call through the unboxing.
Ruibit includes an inspection checklist with every Dawnice home battery shipment, and we ask installers to send us photos of the nameplate and packaging before wall-mounting. This simple step catches factory defects before they become warranty disputes.
FAQs
Q: Can I refuse a damaged battery and get a replacement? Yes. That is exactly what freight insurance is for. Note the damage on the delivery note, photograph everything, and contact your supplier within 24 hours. Replacement shipping is covered by insurance.
Q: What if the battery shows 0% charge on arrival? This is normal if the battery has been in transit for several weeks. Let it sit for 2 hours, then plug in the charger. If it does not start charging after 30 minutes, contact the supplier.
Q: Do I need to keep the original packaging? Yes, keep the wooden crate and foam for at least 12 months. If the battery needs warranty return, you must ship it in the original packaging. Most carriers refuse bare battery returns.
Q: How heavy is a home battery crate? A 5 kWh wall battery weighs about 60 kg. A 10 kWh unit weighs 120 kg. A pallet with packaging can reach 150 kg. Do not attempt to lift it alone.
Q: Can I inspect the battery after signing? Technically yes, but you lose the right to refuse. After signing, freight damage claims are processed through insurance, not automatically. Always inspect before the driver leaves.
