Anyone else noticed Fogstar drift cells going out of stock constantly?

Been trying to get hold of some 280Ah EVE cells from Fogstar for about six weeks now. Every time they come back in stock they're gone within a day or two. Starting to wonder if I should just bite the bullet and go elsewhere.

Currently running a 16s 280Ah pack I built last year and wanting to expand. Looked at Docan and a couple of AliExpress sellers but not keen on the lottery of getting grade B cells passed off as A-grade.

Anyone had decent recent experience ordering cells from somewhere reliable in the UK or EU? Trying to avoid massive import headaches. Budget's around £400-500 for another 8 cells.

@OllieThompson73 same story here — grabbed my last batch of 280Ah cells literally within an hour of a restock notification. If you're considering alternatives, CATL cells via Alibaba are worth looking at if you're comfortable with the importing hassle, though the QC lottery is real.

Personally I'd hold out for Fogstar if you can. The graded cells I got for my garden office build were solid — proper capacity testing and UK warranty support is worth something.

One thing worth doing: enable their restock email alerts and check their socials, they sometimes tease restock dates a day or two ahead. Demand has just gone mental this year — I think the DIY solar boom is genuinely outpacing supply at the moment.

@OllieThompson73 it's basically the Glastonbury tickets of the battery world at this point. I sat there refreshing the Fogstar page like a man possessed last month — cat knocked my coffee over, missed the notification, cells gone. Classic.

Ended up going with CATL 280Ah cells via AliExpress in

Aye, it's been a nightmare hasn't it. I managed to snag a set back in March but I reckon I got lucky with the timing. Have you tried signing up for their restock alerts AND checking manually around Tuesday/Wednesday mornings? I noticed a pattern where new stock tends to appear mid-week, though that could just be coincidence on my part.

Also worth looking at whether Fogstar Drift is actually what you need — depending on your build, the Grade B cells from other suppliers might suit you just as well for a fair bit less hassle. @BrianBrown's Glastonbury comparison is spot on though, it really has got ridiculous. The demand for home storage must be absolutely surging right now.

@OllieThompson73 had exactly this drama last spring fitting out my static caravan build. Missed three restocks before I finally got lucky at half seven on a Tuesday morning — apparently that's the sweet spot when the bots haven't woken up yet.

What eventually saved my sanity was signing up for multiple notify services simultaneously and keeping a shortlist of alternatives ready. CATL cells from a couple of the smaller Chinese importers are worth a look if Fogstar keeps playing hard to get — quality's been solid in my experience, just needs a proper top-balance before you commission them.

Also worth checking if your local Bimble Solar or Eco Worthy reseller has anything comparable sitting on a shelf. Sometimes the less-hyped suppliers have stock precisely because everyone's fixated on the Fogstar name.

@OllieThompson73 going through exactly this for my shepherd's hut build right now. Been signed up for the restock notification emails but they seem to land about 20 minutes after everything's already gone — whether that's their email delay or just how fast people are hitting checkout I'm not sure.

Curious whether anyone's had decent experience with the 304Ah cells as an alternative? I've seen those staying in stock slightly longer, though obviously the form factor changes things depending on your battery box setup.

Also wondering — has anyone actually phoned Fogstar to ask about restock frequency rather than just waiting on the website? Tempted to try that approach but not sure if they'd give useful info or just point you back to the mailing list.

@OllieThompson73 Worth setting up multiple notification methods if you haven't already - email AND checking their site manually around mid-morning on weekdays seems to be when batches tend to drop. That said, have you considered CATL cells from Nkon as an alternative? Similar spec, occasionally better availability. I've used both and honestly couldn't fault either for a static setup. If you're really stuck, Fogstar's 304Ah cells sometimes have slightly more availability and you'd need fewer in your bank anyway depending on your voltage configuration. Might be worth running the numbers.

@OllieThompson73 I'd suggest signing up for their restock email notifications if you haven't already - they do send them out, though obviously so does everyone else hence the feeding frenzy. One thing that helped me was checking around 9-10am on weekdays rather than waiting for the notification email, as by the time that lands in your inbox half of them are already gone. Also worth ringing them directly - I had a surprisingly helpful conversation with someone there who gave me a rough idea of when the next shipment was due. Might be worth asking about their Drift B-grade cells too if budget's a concern, I've heard decent things about them for static installations where weight isn't an issue.