Outstanding support, very detailed knowledge of the system and clarity on what was needed to fix it, no hesitation in recommending them to all.
Robert Grant · Jul 2026 Google
Fault guide · GivEnergy battery
GivEnergy Battery Not Discharging — Diagnostic Guide
Your GivEnergy battery shows as charged — or even full — but the house is still importing from the grid and the battery isn't powering anything. In most cases this is a configuration issue: the wrong system mode, a reserve SoC set too high, or a discharge schedule that isn't active. This guide covers every cause in order of likelihood so you can fix it without a site visit.
Free remote diagnostic £125 only if we fix it remotely
- Covers GivEnergy Hybrid and AIO models
- Most causes are configuration — no visit needed
- Smart tariff lockout covered in full
Battery charged but the house still uses grid?
If you've checked the obvious settings and the battery still won't discharge, the portal event log and settings history usually tells us exactly why — whether it's a mode conflict, a tariff override, or a BMS protection event. We review this remotely.
Book your free remote diagnosticGivEnergy hubNot affiliated with GivEnergy Ltd. Independent diagnosis and repair.
Absolutely wonderful. Would recommend without hesitation. I had an issue I was thinking would never be fixed and they fixed it. Help, advice and support every step of the way. I can't recommend highly enough. Thank you so much ⭐
jill brocklehurst · Jul 2026 Google
Solar Tech have been everything you expect and want from a support organisation. Easy to contact, quick to respond and their expertise and knowledge about GivEnergy Systems was amazing. All the work was done remotely, and they guided me through the recovery of a failed system, which ended up to be down to a physically damaged USB key installed in production that was corrupted and stopping one battery from working, locking the whole system. All fixed and the system is working again. Massive thanks to the team and their help. Will be my goto for any future issues with our GivEnergy system. The pictures shows the condition of the USB as installed..
Paul Davies · Jul 2026 Google
The ONLY technical person, who has ever exceeded my own high standards !!!! Being a professional commissioning engineer of over 37yrs in the field of emergency power generation, I approached Ron for some advice on a GivEnergy battery issue as happy to state I don't know everything. Not only did he reply immediately, his advice got the system working and all on a Sunday. You really do not get support as good as this anywhere now for anything. Thank you Ron
Ridgeback Ray · Oct 2026 Trustpilot
Wow... a firmware update to my inverter sent the whole system into meltdown – the battery discharged, and the house seemed to be drawing power, and the solar, who knows where that was going? Aghhh... A short email exchange with Roland and Solar Tech Support sorted the problem... the firmware had reversed a setting (from when it was installed), and the CT clamp needed to be reversed. As soon as I had done that, the world returned to normal. Thanks, Roland; there is no way I would have come to that conclusion. Would I recommend them? You bet! Worth the fee? You bet, again!
Pete Hawkins · Jul 2026 Google
Brilliant service from Ron - our GivEnergy inverter stopped working on Tuesday what a nightmare seen as the company who installed it are no longer in business. Through social media I found STS (Ron) he had a new inverter and it was fitted and working by Friday - what I thought was going to be a nightmare turned out not to be!!! Great guy great company - def my go to now for anything solar related - Thank you so much
Jane Thomas · Oct 2026 Google
WHAT YOU SEE
Charged battery, grid importing
The portal shows the battery at 80%, 90%, or even 100% SoC. But when the house needs power — in the evening, overnight, or any time solar isn't producing — the inverter draws from the grid instead of discharging the battery.
WHY IT HAPPENS
Usually a configuration issue
GivEnergy batteries don't discharge automatically in all modes. The system mode, reserve SoC setting, and active schedules all control when the battery discharges. If any of these are misconfigured — or were reset by a firmware update — the battery holds its charge unnecessarily.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT
Not discharging vs can't discharge
There's an important distinction: a battery that won't discharge (mode/schedule issue) vs one that can't discharge (BMS fault, hardware failure). The first is fixed in settings. The second requires a diagnostic. This guide starts with configuration — hardware faults are covered at the end.
Normal grid blips are not a fault. It is normal for a GivEnergy system to briefly pull 50–200W from the grid even when the battery is full. This is inverter lag — the inverter reacts to demand in real time and there is always a small window before it adjusts. Sustained grid import of 500W+ when the battery is charged and no discharge schedule is active is the issue this guide addresses.
Start here
Quick checks
Two checks before anything else
Confirm the basics before adjusting any settings — these catch the most common misunderstandings immediately.
1
Confirm the battery is actually charged above its reserve level
Open givenergy.cloud or the GivEnergy app and check the live battery State of Charge (SoC) percentage. Then go to Settings → Battery → Reserve SoC and note the reserve value. If the battery SoC is at or below the reserve, the inverter is working correctly — it is protecting the reserve. The problem is either that the reserve is set too high (covered in Cause 2) or that the battery isn't charging properly.
Example: reserve SoC is set to 75% and the battery shows 78%. The battery will only supply the 3% above the reserve — you'll see minimal discharge and most load drawn from the grid.
2
Check whether the battery has been manually paused
In the GivEnergy app there is a pause/resume button that can temporarily suspend all battery activity. This is easy to activate accidentally. Open the app, navigate to the battery status screen, and confirm the battery status shows as Active (or similar) rather than Paused. If it shows paused, tap the button to resume. This is more common on newer app versions that have a prominent pause control on the home screen.
Cause 1 — settings
System mode
Eco Mode switched off, or a schedule holding the battery back
With Eco Mode on, a GivEnergy battery discharges to meet live house demand, overnight included, and charges from surplus solar. So when a charged battery is not powering the house, check the settings first. If Eco has been switched off, the battery no longer follows house demand by itself: it only discharges inside a Timed Discharge or Timed Export window. Inside a Timed Charge window the battery charges from the grid instead, because charging takes priority.
GivEnergy system modes and how they affect discharge
Eco Mode
The inverter discharges the battery to meet live house demand whenever solar is not covering it, overnight included, and charges the battery from surplus solar. Eco Mode on its own does not charge the battery from the grid. It stays on alongside a Timed Charge window: outside the window, the system goes back to Eco. Brief 50–200W import blips while the battery is full are normal inverter lag. Sustained import of 500W or more with a charged battery is not, and that is the symptom this guide addresses.
Timed Discharge
During the window the battery reacts to load, supplying the home's demand down to the target SoC you set. GivEnergy describes it as controlling when the battery supplies energy to your home, and it is overridden by Timed Charge or Timed Export. Use it to control when, and how far, the battery discharges: for example a window over your evening usage (16:00–23:00) with a target SoC of 10–15%.
Timed Export
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. So the battery is still powering the house, but a Timed Export slot that runs early can bring the battery down to its target SoC before your evening peak.
How to check the discharge settings
1
Open the GivEnergy app or portal and go to Settings
In the app: tap the inverter → Settings → System Mode. In the portal: My Inverter → Settings → System Mode.
2
Check Eco Mode is on, then check your timed slots
Confirm Eco is enabled. Then look at each Timed Charge, Timed Discharge and Timed Export slot: which are enabled, their start and end times, and their target SoC. A Timed Charge slot over your evening hours charges the battery from the grid instead of discharging it. If you want a set evening discharge, add a Timed Discharge slot covering those hours (typically 16:00–23:00) with a target SoC of 10–20%. That is the lowest level the battery will discharge to in the window.
3
Confirm the settings are saved
After saving, return to the settings screen and confirm Eco and any slots you set appear as enabled. Then check the portal in the evening to confirm the battery is discharging. On the GivEnergy portal dashboard, battery discharge is shown as a positive battery power figure. Charging is shown as a negative figure.
Midnight boundary note: If your discharge window crosses midnight (e.g., 22:00–00:30), you must create two separate time slots — one ending at 23:59 and one starting at 00:00. GivEnergy schedules do not automatically span the midnight boundary.
Cause 2
Reserve SoC
Reserve SoC too high — battery won't discharge below the threshold
Every GivEnergy installation has a Reserve SoC setting — a minimum battery level that the inverter will not discharge below. This is intended to protect the battery cells from deep discharge and to maintain a power cut reserve. If this is set too high, the battery appears to stop discharging early — or barely discharges at all.
Common reserve SoC problems
→Reserve set to 75–80% by installer at commissioning — never adjusted. Battery only uses the top 20–25% of capacity.
→Reserve reset to default (often 50–75%) after a firmware update. Battery performance suddenly appears worse than before the update.
→Reserve set high intentionally for EPS backup but homeowner not realising it also restricts daily discharge.
→Smart tariff integration changing the reserve setting automatically — check if value reverts after manual adjustment.
What reserve SoC to set
→
No EPS requirement: 10–15%. This maximises daily discharge while protecting cells from deep discharge cycles.
→
EPS backup required: Set to the minimum SoC needed to run critical loads for your target duration. 20% of a 9.5kWh battery = ~1.9kWh backup.
→
Smart tariff (e.g. Octopus Flux): Your energy provider may override this value during certain periods. If the reserve resets, check whether smart tariff control is active.
Finding Reserve SoC in the portal: Go to givenergy.cloud → My Inverter → Settings. Look for Battery Reserve, Reserve SoC, or Backup Reserve — the label varies by firmware version. The value is a percentage. If you cannot find it in the app, it may be under Advanced Settings or behind a settings PIN.
Cause 3
Configuration
Timed Export slot running early, or discharge power limit set to zero
Two less obvious settings change how the battery discharges: a Timed Export slot can run the battery down early, and a discharge power limit set to zero stops it discharging at all.
Timed Export slot, or Export First selected
During a Timed Export 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. The portal will show the battery discharging and, once the house is covered, the system exporting. If the slot runs before your evening peak, the battery can reach its target SoC early and have little left when you need it.
Is this intentional? Timed Export is intentional if you are on a smart export tariff (Octopus Flux, Agile) and want to sell stored energy at peak rates. If you did not set it up deliberately, disable the Timed Export slot.
Separately, GivEnergy's own checks say that if Export First is selected in the portal's export settings, the system may prioritise sending power to the grid. To put the home load first, change it to Load First on the Remote Control page.
Discharge power limit set too low
In Settings → Battery there is a Discharge Power Limit (sometimes labelled AC Charge Rate or Battery Power Limit — label varies by firmware). This sets the maximum rate at which the battery discharges in kilowatts. If this is set to 0 kW or 0.1 kW, the battery will appear to do nothing even when a discharge schedule is active.
→Check: Settings → Battery → Discharge Power Limit
→Expected value: should match your battery's rated output (e.g., 3.6 kW for a standard GivEnergy 9.5 kWh unit)
→If it reads 0 or 0.1: increase to the battery rated output and save
Cause 4
Schedule
Discharge schedule not active or conflicting with charge windows
Even when a Timed Discharge slot is set, the battery will only discharge if the time slot is active, the target SoC is below the current battery level, and no conflicting Timed Charge window overrides it.
1
Confirm the discharge slot is enabled, not just created
In Settings → Timed Discharge, each time slot has an on/off toggle. Creating the slot and setting a time does not automatically enable it. Confirm the toggle next to the slot is switched on. Slots saved in a disabled state look correct in the settings view but have no effect.
2
Check the target SoC is below the current battery level
If the discharge target SoC is set to 80% and the battery is currently at 75%, the inverter has already met the target and will not discharge further. Set the target to 10–15% so there is headroom for the battery to discharge meaningfully through the evening.
3
Check for overlapping Timed Charge windows
If a Timed Charge window overlaps with the Timed Discharge window, the charge instruction takes priority and the battery will charge from the grid instead of discharging. Review all active time slots in Settings → Timed Charge and Timed Discharge and ensure the windows do not overlap. A common mistake is having an afternoon Timed Charge slot from a previous configuration that was never removed.
Settings reset after firmware update: GivEnergy firmware updates sometimes reset Timed Discharge schedules to their default state (inactive), while Timed Charge schedules — if present — remain active. After any firmware update, review all four schedule types: Timed Charge, Timed Discharge, Timed Export, and Timed Import.
When to escalate
Escalate
When the battery genuinely can't discharge — not a settings issue
If you have worked through all the configuration checks above and the battery still won't discharge, there is likely a hardware or BMS fault that requires a diagnostic review. These are the signs that point beyond configuration.
Signs of a BMS or hardware fault
→Battery SoC shows 0% or N/A despite the system being powered on
→Portal event log shows
STORAGE_ERROR_ fault codes→Battery is discharging according to the portal but house power consumption doesn't drop
→Settings are correct but behaviour changes day to day without explanation
→Solid red status light on the battery unit (flashing red on a Gen 1 or Gen 2 battery means very low charge, not a fault)
Smart tariff control — settings reverting
→Settings change correctly but revert within minutes or hours
→Discharge window appears greyed out or locked
→Reserve SoC resets to a high value repeatedly
→A smart tariff or Axle Energy grid events have control of the inverter
Remote diagnostic — we review your portal data
If the above checks haven't resolved the problem, we can review your monitoring history, event log, and settings remotely to identify the exact cause. Most GivEnergy battery discharge faults are resolved remotely — no site visit required. And on the rare occasion the battery itself has failed for good, a replacement GivEnergy battery — supplied and installed at one fixed price — is usually the cleanest way forward.
Related GivEnergy pages
Smart tariff lockout
Settings reverting or greyed out — how to identify and remove energy provider control.
See smart tariff lockout →Charge schedule setup
Full guide to Timed Charge, Timed Discharge, Timed Export — and how schedule conflicts cause unexpected behaviour.
See charge schedule setup →Settings changing themselves
Why GivEnergy charge schedule or system mode keeps reverting — and which external service is causing it.
See settings changing themselves →GivEnergy hub
All GivEnergy fault guides, configuration pages, and services.
See GivEnergy hub →This is a brand-specific version of our general battery not discharging guide, which covers all brands.
GivEnergy battery discharge questions
With Eco on, the battery discharges to meet live house demand, so a charged battery should be covering the house. Brief import blips of 50–200W while the battery is full are normal inverter lag. Sustained import of 500W or more with a charged battery is not normal and is worth diagnosing. Check, in this order: is Eco still on? Is the battery at or below its reserve SoC? Is the battery paused? Is a Timed Charge window running, which takes priority over discharge? Is the discharge power limit set to zero? If Eco has been switched off, the battery only discharges inside a Timed Discharge or Timed Export window.
If a Timed Discharge slot is active and correctly configured but the battery still won't discharge, check in this order: (1) reserve SoC — if set to 75% and battery is at 78%, it will barely discharge; (2) an overlapping Timed Charge window that overrides the discharge at the same time; (3) the discharge slot toggle — slots can look active but have the enable switch off; (4) discharge power limit under Battery Settings — check it hasn't been set to 0 kW. If all of these look correct, a remote diagnostic of your portal event log will identify the cause.
Yes — this is a Smart Tariff Lockout. If you are on Octopus Intelligent, Agile, or Flux and have connected the GivEnergy smart tariff integration, your energy provider can temporarily override discharge settings to manage grid demand. Your settings may revert after you change them, or the discharge window may appear greyed out. This is a contractual feature of those tariffs, not a fault. See our Smart Tariff Lockout guide for how to identify and manage this.
Almost certainly yes. GivEnergy firmware updates sometimes reset schedule settings and mode configurations to defaults. A common pattern: after an update, the system reverts to Eco Mode, Timed Discharge windows become inactive, or the reserve SoC resets to 50–75%. After any firmware update, go to Settings and review your system mode, all four schedule types (Timed Charge, Discharge, Export, Import), reserve SoC, and discharge power limit. Recreating your schedules after an update usually restores normal discharge behaviour.
The remote diagnostic is free — if we can't get your battery discharging, there's nothing to pay. Discharge faults here are nearly always configuration (system mode, reserve SoC, an overriding schedule, a tariff lockout, or settings reset by firmware) and we fix those remotely for a flat £125, only if it works. A genuine BMS hardware fault needing an on-site engineer is rare and quoted up front. No fix, no fee. Full pricing → If it is a hardware fault, see the GivEnergy warranty after administration position first — GivEnergy Ltd has ceased trading and is no longer honouring hardware warranties.
Usually the same day. The portal settings, schedules and event log almost always show why the battery isn't discharging in a single 30-minute remote session — mode, reserve SoC, a schedule conflict, or a smart-tariff lockout. Configuration fixes are applied on the call and take effect in about 60 seconds.
Book
Battery still not discharging? We'll find out why.
Tell us what you're seeing — your system mode, the portal overnight data, and what settings you've already tried. We review the monitoring history and event log and come back with a clear diagnosis, usually same day.
- Not affiliated with GivEnergy Ltd
- Free remote diagnostic — pay only if we fix it
- Most GivEnergy discharge faults fixed without a site visit
GivEnergy support · UK-wide
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