My old solax packed in and was replaced by solar tech support. I am impressed at the very short time scale, sorted in only 3 days. Some were quoting 2-3 weeks. The old unit and all the packing was taken away.
Paul Riddick · Jul 2026 Google
Fault guide · GivEnergy battery
GivEnergy Battery Not Charging from Solar — Diagnostic Guide
Solar panels generating but the battery SoC stays put. This is usually a settings issue — system mode, SoC limits, export limiting, or a battery pause — not a hardware fault. This guide covers every cause in order of likelihood. If it is the overnight cheap-rate charge that fails instead, see GivEnergy battery not charging overnight.
Free remote diagnostic £125 only if we fix it remotely
- Written from real diagnostic experience
- Covers LV and HV GivEnergy battery systems
- All-in-One, Gateway2, Gen 2, Gen 3
Worked through this and battery still won't charge from solar?
Solar charging issues are often buried in portal data — CT clamp readings, generation curves, and export logs tell the real story. We review your monitoring data remotely and identify the exact cause.
Book your free remote diagnosticBattery not discharging?Not affiliated with GivEnergy Ltd. Independent diagnosis and repair.
I have a GivEnergy system consisting of two batteries, two inverters and a controlling EMS (Energy Management System) which has not worked since Nov 2025. After six months I discovered Solar Tech Support, reached out to them and Ron phoned me back – how often do you get that service? Could not be more helpful – worked directly with me over the phone, outside what I would call normal working hours. Lucid explanations and we were able to discuss the issues and history using camera and email history. As this was a very rare setup, Ron was able to access an EMS expert in the field to confirm the solution. One sunny day in, I am now only paying for standing charge and a few pence for spikes in grid consumption while battery catches up with house demand.
Ian · May 2026 Trustpilot
I received a prompt response and excellent technical support for the remote diagnosis (Oxfordshire) and resolution of my GivEnergy EMS configuration. My GivEnergy issue involved a single inverter and battery that had a loss of calibration, a critical low voltage drop. It needed a recovery and re-calibration, and was supported via email into yesterday evening being resolved within 24 hours. Ron demonstrated a very high level of knowledge and experience in the intricacies of a GivEnergy EMS configuration, even surpassing the understanding of GivEnergy itself when it was still operational. I have already recommended their services to a neighbour as I’d be happy to use their services again based on the fair pricing and the quality of their support.
In MINI · Jul 2026 Google
Givenergy panels and battery had been offline for a couple of months after various changes by Givenergy to their app etc. Ron did a fantastic job of sorting it out - got things up and running almost immediately, followed by some fine tuning to get things fully configured. What a legend - great service, great comms, great result.
spamicus · Aug 2026 Trustpilot
As a Givenergy customer I have been forced to get familiar with my system since it developed battery failure. I managed to find someone to repair the battery and managed to do the physical install and connection. I reached out to Ron at Solar Tech Support and with the help of whatsapp and many screenshots of the system, cloud and App Ron managed to get me through getting it all up and running. Big thanks to Ron.👏👏
Mark Calvert · Sep 2026 Google
Ron very quickly diagnosed what was wrong with my GivEnergy system. Unfortunately the kit has died after only 3.5 years of use-which is quite sad and timing couldn’t be worse with GivEnergy gone bust. Ron gave me advise on how to handle this with my installer. I’m hoping they’ll be forthcoming, but if they aren’t i now have a good idea how to deal with that. Thanks a lot Ron!
Dennis Koenen · Jul 2026 Google
Start here
4 quick checks before anything else
These checks take under three minutes and eliminate the most common causes without any specialist tools.
1
Confirm solar is actually generating
Open the GivEnergy portal or app and look at the live Solar power reading. It should show a positive kW value above 0.5–1 kW on a clear day. If it shows zero or a negligible figure, the issue is with generation itself — not with battery charging. Check for shade, dirty panels, or a tripped inverter before going further. See the solar not generating guide if generation is the problem.
2
Check for a Timed Export slot running in daylight
Go to givenergy.cloud → My Inverter → System Mode Settings. If a Timed Export slot runs during daylight, the battery is discharging at full power (or at the set power, depending on the inverter generation) and will not charge from solar at the same time. Disable the slot, or move it out of daylight hours, if you did not mean it to run then. Leave Eco Mode on: it is the solar-first setting and automatically routes surplus solar into the battery.
3
Check the battery state of charge (SoC)
Check the current battery SoC in the portal or app. If it reads 100% — or close to the maximum set in Battery Options — there is simply no room to charge. The system is working correctly. This is one of the most common "false faults" we see: the battery is full and the homeowner expects it to keep charging. Also check My Inverter → System Mode Settings → Battery Options → Operating Range — if the maximum SoC is set below 100%, the battery won't charge beyond that level.
4
Check whether the battery is paused via Remote Control
In the portal go to My Inverter → Remote Control → Battery and check the Pause Battery setting. If it shows Paused, the battery is deliberately halted — it will not charge from solar (or any source) regardless of generation levels or system mode. Change it to Not paused to restore normal operation.
Important distinction: This guide covers the battery not charging from solar panels that are generating. If your solar panels are not producing power at all, that is a different fault — start with the solar not generating guide instead.
Cause 1 — settings
Check first
A Timed Export slot is discharging the battery in daylight
Timed Export pushes power out of the battery. During the window the battery discharges at full power, or at the power you set (depending on the inverter generation). That output covers the house load first, and the excess goes to the grid. While the battery is discharging it cannot take a charge from solar, so if a Timed Export window runs in daylight hours, solar output goes to the house and the grid instead of into the battery.
Blocks solar charging
Timed Export
Discharges the battery at full power, or the set power, during the window. The output covers the house first and the excess goes to the grid. The battery cannot charge from solar while this is running.
Use for: export tariffs where you want to sell stored energy at peak rates.
Solar-first — correct
Eco Mode
Solar surplus charges the battery automatically. Home demand is met by solar first, then battery, then grid — in that priority order.
Leave it on, including when you add a Timed Charge window: outside the window, the system goes back to Eco.
Reacts to load
Timed Discharge
During the window the battery reacts to load, supplying the home's demand down to the target SoC. It does not push power out to the grid. GivEnergy's guide notes it is overridden by Timed Charge or Timed Export.
Use for: setting when the battery powers the house, such as through the evening peak.
How to check your settings for solar charging
1
Log into the portal and go to System Mode Settings
Log into givenergy.cloud, click My Inverter, then navigate to System Mode Settings. You'll see Eco and the timed settings listed.
2
Check Timed Export and leave Eco Mode on
Open Timed Export and check each slot's times. If a slot runs during daylight and you did not mean it to, disable it or move it, then press Submit. Check Eco Mode is enabled. The change takes effect within a few minutes. You do not need to restart the inverter.
3
Watch the live power flow
In the portal, return to the live overview. When solar generation exceeds home consumption, you should see the excess routing into the battery. On the GivEnergy portal a charging battery reads as a NEGATIVE battery power figure with SoC rising (positive means discharging). If the battery SoC still isn't rising, check the remaining causes below.
Note on Eco Mode and grid charging: Eco Mode on its own does not charge the battery from the grid. If you need overnight grid charging on a time-of-use tariff, set a Timed Charge window for the cheap hours and leave Eco Mode on. Inside the window the battery charges from the grid. Outside it, the system goes back to Eco and charges from surplus solar. See the Eco Mode and system modes guide for the full picture.
Cause 2
Very common
Battery is full — SoC at maximum or operating range cap
GivEnergy will not charge the battery beyond its maximum SoC. This is correct behaviour — not a fault. There are two separate settings that define the maximum, and either can prevent solar charging from appearing to happen.
CHECK THIS FIRST
Current SoC in live monitoring
Look at the battery SoC in the portal right now. If it shows 100% (or close to it) on a sunny afternoon, the battery charged successfully earlier in the day — there's nothing left to fill. This is the system working correctly. Solar surplus at this point will export to grid rather than charge a full battery.
Where: Portal dashboard → Battery icon → Current SoC percentage
CHECK THIS TOO
Operating Range maximum SoC
The Operating Range slider in Battery Options sets the ceiling for charging. If it's set to 80%, the battery will never charge above 80% from any source — including solar. If you've recently had a firmware update or someone changed this setting, it may be limiting charging unexpectedly.
Where: givenergy.cloud → My Inverter → System Mode Settings → Battery Options → Operating Range slider
Cause 3
Common on restricted connections
Export limit throttling solar output before battery can charge
Many grid connections have an export limit imposed by the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) — typically 3.68 kW or less. The GivEnergy inverter enforces this by curtailing its total output. On high-irradiance days, the inverter may throttle solar output to stay within the export cap, which can reduce or block battery charging.
How export limiting affects battery charging
Without export limiting
Solar charges the battery fully, then excess power flows to grid. The inverter can operate at maximum solar capacity for charging.
With aggressive export limit
If the export limit is 0 kW (zero export), the inverter must consume all solar within the home or battery. On a bright day with a full battery and low home consumption, solar output may be completely curtailed — no generation, no charging.
How to check export limit settings
1
In the portal go to My Inverter → Export Limit Settings. Check whether export limiting is enabled and what the cap is set to.
2
If export limiting is active, check your portal's live power flow on a sunny day. If solar output appears low despite clear skies, the inverter may be curtailing generation to stay within the limit.
3
If the export limit was set by your DNO or installer during commissioning, do not increase it beyond the approved value — this is a G98/G99 compliance requirement. Contact your installer if you believe the limit is set incorrectly.
Zero export systems: Some installations have a hard zero-export requirement (common on commercial properties or sites with limited grid headroom). On these systems, the GivEnergy inverter is specifically configured to never export — which means solar output is strictly limited to what the home and battery can absorb at any moment. If your battery is full and home demand is low, solar generation will appear to stop entirely.
Full guide
GivEnergy export limit — full guide
How export limiting works on GivEnergy, how to check and adjust the setting, and DNO compliance requirements.
Read the export limit guide →
Cause 4
Check the basics
Low solar generation — not enough surplus to charge the battery
GivEnergy charges the battery from surplus solar — power that exceeds what the home is already consuming. In Eco Mode, if solar output barely covers home demand, there's little or nothing left to put into the battery. This is especially common in winter, on overcast days, and when panels are dirty or shaded.
Reasons solar output may be insufficient
→Cloud cover and weather: UK solar output drops significantly in winter and on overcast days — sometimes to under 10% of rated capacity. The battery may charge slowly or not at all on grey days.
→Panel shading: Even partial shade on one panel (from a chimney, tree, aerials, or neighbouring property) can dramatically reduce output — particularly on string inverter systems where one shaded panel reduces the whole string.
→Dirty panels: Moss, bird droppings, and grime reduce output. Panels that haven't been cleaned in 2–3 years may be losing 10–20% of their capacity.
→High home consumption: If the home is consuming more power than solar generates (heating, EV charging, hot water, appliances), all solar is used in-home — nothing is left for the battery.
→Panel orientation and angle: North-facing or low-pitch panels generate significantly less than south-facing 35° panels. East/west split arrays generate more in morning/evening but less at peak midday.
→Panel degradation: Solar panels lose approximately 0.5–1% of capacity per year. Older arrays (10+ years) may generate noticeably less than their rated output.
How to check whether low generation is the issue
Compare your portal's solar output against your system's rated capacity on a clear, sunny day around solar noon (roughly 12:00–14:00 BST). A 4 kW system on a cloudless June midday should generate close to 3.5–4 kW. If it's generating significantly less, low generation is contributing to the lack of battery charging.
Useful tool: pvoutput.org allows you to compare your system's daily generation against other systems of similar size and orientation in your area — a useful baseline check for whether your panels are underperforming.
Related guide
GivEnergy solar not generating — full guide
How to diagnose why solar output is zero or abnormally low — covers inverter faults, DC isolation, panel issues, and portal readings.
Read the solar generation guide →
Cause 5 — cold weather
Cold weather
Low temperature lockout — BMS blocking all charging below 0 °C
GivEnergy lithium batteries include built-in low-temperature protection. If battery cell temperature falls below approximately 0 °C, the Battery Management System (BMS) refuses to accept a charge current to prevent lithium plating and irreversible cell damage. This applies to all charge sources — including solar. It is protective behaviour, not a fault.
How to check for temperature lockout
→Open the portal and go to My Inverter → Event Log
→Look for BMS temperature events or low-temperature fault codes in recent entries
→Check the battery temperature reading if displayed in the portal overview — values below 5 °C indicate the battery is approaching the lockout threshold
→Compare timing: did the charging stop during a cold snap or overnight frost? If yes, temperature lockout is the likely cause
What to do
Temperature lockout is temporary and self-resolving — the battery will resume charging automatically once it warms above the threshold. No intervention is needed.
If your battery experiences frequent winter temperature lockouts, consider insulating the area around the battery installation. GivEnergy does not recommend installations in fully exposed, unheated outdoor locations.
Note: GivEnergy batteries have an operating charge temperature range of 0 °C to 50 °C (Gen 3) or 0 °C to 55 °C (Gen 1/2). Discharge can occur at lower temperatures than charge. If the battery discharges but won't charge, temperature is a strong candidate.
Cause 6 — hardware
Less common
Hardware fault — inverter, CT clamp, or BMS issue
If you've confirmed system mode, SoC, export limit, generation levels, and temperature are all fine, a hardware fault may be preventing solar charging. The most likely candidates are a CT clamp error (inverter misreading solar or grid), a BMS fault inside the battery, or a communication fault between the inverter and the battery's BMS.
CT clamp error — inverter misreading solar output
GivEnergy systems use CT clamps to measure both grid and solar current. If the solar CT clamp is installed incorrectly or has become loose, the inverter may be misreading solar generation. A solar CT clamp that reads zero or negative will make the inverter "think" no solar is available — so no battery charging is triggered even when panels are generating.
Signs of CT clamp error
→Solar shows as zero in the portal on a sunny day
→Grid reading shows export at night with no solar (inverted direction)
→Monitoring shows implausible power flow directions
What to do
Do not touch the CT clamps — they sit on live cables. A remote diagnostic can confirm whether CT clamp readings appear correct from portal data. If a fault is confirmed, a site visit by a qualified engineer is required to reposition or replace the clamp.
BMS fault or BMS Comm Fail
A fault in the battery's BMS, or a BMS communication fault (BMS Comm Fail) between inverter and battery, can prevent charging from any source. Check the portal event log for battery-related fault codes or comms errors. A solid red light on the battery means a fault that needs an engineer to investigate. Flashing red on a Gen 1 or Gen 2 battery means very low charge, not a fault. Amber means the BMS is not talking to the inverter: see the BMS Comm Fail guide below. If the diagnosis shows the pack itself has failed beyond economic repair, replacement GivEnergy batteries are supplied and installed at a fixed price per battery.
Do not open the battery enclosure. All diagnostic steps are done via the portal, app, and inverter display only. BMS and battery hardware faults require a qualified GivEnergy-trained engineer to diagnose and repair.
When to get professional help
Escalation
When to stop self-diagnosing and call an engineer
Call now — do not wait
Solid red status light on the inverter or battery with no obvious cause
Burning smell, scorch marks, or visible physical damage anywhere on the system
System trips the consumer unit breaker repeatedly
Portal shows fault codes in the BMS or inverter error category
Book a remote diagnostic
→All portal settings appear correct but battery still won't charge from solar
→Solar output appears unexpectedly low and you've ruled out weather and shading
→Portal power flow readings look inverted or implausible
→You've worked through this guide and can't isolate the cause
Safety: All diagnostics on this page are done through the GivEnergy portal and app only. Do not open the inverter, battery enclosure, or consumer unit. Do not touch CT clamps, DC cables, or any electrical connections. Solar panels generate voltage even on cloudy days — the DC side of the system is live whenever any light reaches the panels.
Solar and battery behaviour is clearest in monitoring data
We review your portal generation curves, CT clamp readings, and power flow logs to find the exact cause. Most solar charging issues are identified and resolved in a single remote session.
Related GivEnergy pages
Solar not generating
Zero or abnormally low solar output — inverter faults, DC isolation, and panel issues.
See solar not generating →Battery not charging overnight
Battery not charging from grid during cheap-rate windows — Timed Charge, CT clamp, SoC limits.
See battery not charging overnight →Eco Mode explained
How Eco Mode, Timed Charge, Timed Discharge, and Timed Export work — and how they work together.
See Eco Mode explained →Export limit settings
Configuring and troubleshooting GivEnergy export limiting — DNO caps, zero export, G98/G99.
See export limit settings →This is a brand-specific version of our general battery not charging guide, which covers all brands.
GivEnergy solar charging questions
The usual causes, roughly in the order to check them: a Timed Export slot is running in daylight (the battery is discharging, so it cannot charge from solar), the battery is already at its maximum SoC (no room to charge), the battery is paused via Remote Control, an export limit is restricting solar output, low solar generation due to cloud/shade/dirty panels, or a temperature lockout below 0°C. With Eco Mode on, surplus solar charges the battery. Check the portal for live solar readings and current SoC before investigating further.
If solar is generating (confirmed by a positive kW reading in the portal) but battery SoC isn't rising, check these in order: is a Timed Export slot running? Is the battery already at or near 100%? Is the battery paused via Remote Control? Is an export limit restricting total inverter output? Is the solar output covering home demand with very little surplus left over? Each of these can independently prevent solar from reaching the battery.
Eco Mode is the solar-first setting: it routes surplus solar into the battery before exporting to the grid, and discharges the battery to meet house demand. Leave it on. Eco stays on alongside a Timed Charge window, and outside that window the system goes back to Eco. Timed Discharge reacts to load: during its window the battery supplies the home's demand, and it does not push power out to the grid. A Timed Export slot does stop solar charging while it runs, because the battery is discharging at full power, or at the set power depending on the inverter generation.
Yes. An aggressive export limit restricts total inverter output — if the limit is set very low (or at zero), the inverter curtails solar generation to stay within the cap. On days when the battery is already at a high SoC and home consumption is low, the export limit can cause solar output to be cut almost entirely. This is most obvious on bright summer days when a zero-export system appears to have stopped generating despite sunshine.
If Timed Charge charges the battery overnight but solar doesn't charge it during the day, the most likely cause is that the battery is already full when solar is available (the overnight Timed Charge filled it to 100%), or a Timed Export slot is running during daylight hours, discharging the battery while solar is available. Check whether a Timed Export slot is set for daytime hours in the portal. This is easy to miss on export tariff setups.
The remote diagnostic is free. Most 'not charging from solar' cases turn out to be a setting — system mode, a battery pause, or an export limit — that we can spot in your portal data. If we can put it right remotely it's £125, and you only pay if we fix it; anything needing an on-site visit is quoted first, from £295. The remote diagnostic itself costs nothing. If it turns out to be a genuine hardware fault, note that GivEnergy Ltd is in administration and is no longer honouring hardware warranties — so we cover the realistic repair and warranty routes too.
Usually the same day. We read your GivEnergy generation curve, system mode, and export logs in a 30-minute remote session, and you get a written summary of why the battery isn't taking charge from solar — and how to fix it — straight after the call.
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Battery still not charging from solar? We'll find the cause.
Tell us what you're seeing — what your portal shows for solar generation, what system mode you're in, and what the battery SoC is doing during the day. We'll review your monitoring data and come back with a clear diagnosis.
- Not affiliated with GivEnergy Ltd
- Free remote diagnostic — pay only if we fix it
- Most solar charging issues identified from portal data
GivEnergy support · UK-wide
GivEnergy problems? Remote fixes: no fix, no fee.
I’ve worked on hundreds of GivEnergy systems and know the kit inside out. If yours is playing up, my promise is simple — no fix, no fee: just £125 if we fix it, free if we don’t.
Ronald Director, Solar Tech Support
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