A solar system health check includes an assessment of your current inverter, generation profile, and the best battery retrofit option for your setup — whether AC coupling, DC coupling, or a different approach entirely.
Book a System Health CheckWhat's includedBrilliant support to get my solar battery working again. I didn’t expect help on a Saturday but Ron answered the phone, listened and sent me the information I needed to get it going, answered questions etc. A brilliant service I’d happily recommend.
Ron was brilliant. He really tried to help. He spent hours trying to fix our GivEnergy AIO and ultimately it became apparent that it needed parts to fix the BMS management system. As there appears to be no replacement parts available on the market, he gave excellent advice on what options are now available to move forward. He is incredibly helpful and knowledgeable.
Called back within a day and gave good advice.
Ron was extremely helpful and tried his best to repair/reset our GivEnergy inverter remotely. In the event he was unsuccessful but he couldn’t have been more helpful. If you have problems with a GivEnergy system please contact him. Highly recommended
Big thanks to Ron. He was incredibly patient and helpful over the phone, taking the time to walk myself and the installer through every troubleshooting step. Through lots of testing he figured out the issue was definitely a hardware issue, which allows us to consider our next steps. Support fees are clear and they operate a “no fix no fee” policy. It is rare to find that kind of honesty combined with dedicated phone support nowadays. I highly recommend Ron, if you need help with your solar system don’t hesitate to give him a call.
A superb service from Ron who went beyond the normal service received from other Tech support companies. I live abroad and was badly let down when my givenergy system failed (and the company went bankrupt) and the local supplier ran away from the problem. Ron sorted the problem and even accessed specialist coding for the inverter that would not be available for suppliers. Ron also ran a full diagnostic to insure that all was in good working order afterwards. Without Rons support and patient assistance I doubt I would ever have got the system back up and running. Well done and thankyou and you have a customer for the future.
Brilliant support to get my solar battery working again. I didn’t expect help on a Saturday but Ron answered the phone, listened and sent me the information I needed to get it going, answered questions etc. A brilliant service I’d happily recommend.
Ron was brilliant. He really tried to help. He spent hours trying to fix our GivEnergy AIO and ultimately it became apparent that it needed parts to fix the BMS management system. As there appears to be no replacement parts available on the market, he gave excellent advice on what options are now available to move forward. He is incredibly helpful and knowledgeable.
Called back within a day and gave good advice.
Ron was extremely helpful and tried his best to repair/reset our GivEnergy inverter remotely. In the event he was unsuccessful but he couldn’t have been more helpful. If you have problems with a GivEnergy system please contact him. Highly recommended
Big thanks to Ron. He was incredibly patient and helpful over the phone, taking the time to walk myself and the installer through every troubleshooting step. Through lots of testing he figured out the issue was definitely a hardware issue, which allows us to consider our next steps. Support fees are clear and they operate a “no fix no fee” policy. It is rare to find that kind of honesty combined with dedicated phone support nowadays. I highly recommend Ron, if you need help with your solar system don’t hesitate to give him a call.
A superb service from Ron who went beyond the normal service received from other Tech support companies. I live abroad and was badly let down when my givenergy system failed (and the company went bankrupt) and the local supplier ran away from the problem. Ron sorted the problem and even accessed specialist coding for the inverter that would not be available for suppliers. Ron also ran a full diagnostic to insure that all was in good working order afterwards. Without Rons support and patient assistance I doubt I would ever have got the system back up and running. Well done and thankyou and you have a customer for the future.
For most solar-only systems, the choice comes down to whether you keep your existing inverter (AC coupling) or replace it with a hybrid model (DC coupling).
In most cases, start with AC coupling. It works with any existing solar inverter, is cheaper, and is simpler to install. Only consider DC coupling if your current inverter is already a hybrid model that supports battery retrofit, or if you are planning to replace the inverter for other reasons and want to combine the work.
In AC coupling, you install a battery inverter (such as a GivEnergy AIO unit) alongside your existing solar inverter. Both are connected to the AC side of your installation — they each export to your house and grid independently.
Charging: The battery charges from grid (during cheap overnight tariff periods) or from solar excess (when generation exceeds household demand). The battery inverter has its own CT clamp monitoring import/export.
Discharging: When household demand exceeds solar generation, the battery discharges to cover the deficit — reducing grid import.
Compatibility: Works with every solar inverter on the market. No changes to your solar array or existing inverter required.
Typical cost: £2,995–7,000 installed for 5–10 kWh including hardware, circuits, and DNO variation.
In DC coupling, the battery connects directly to the DC bus of a hybrid solar inverter. The same unit manages solar generation, battery charging, house loads, and export — no separate battery inverter needed.
Efficiency: Solar energy flows DC-to-DC into the battery without the AC conversion step — approximately 2–5% more efficient than AC coupling.
Control: The hybrid inverter manages all energy flows in real time — smarter than having two independent inverters.
Compatibility: Requires replacing your existing string inverter with a hybrid model (GivEnergy, Sunsynk, Growatt SPH, SolaX, Fox ESS). Not compatible with standard string inverters.
Typical cost: £7,000–12,000 installed — includes the inverter replacement cost.
DC coupling requires a hybrid inverter with a battery port. Most older string inverters do not have this. Check your inverter against the list below.
Fronius: Gen24, Symo Hybrid series
SMA: Sunny Boy Storage SM4/SM5/SM6
SolaX: Hybrid G4, X3 Hybrid
Growatt: SPH, SPA series (with ARM firmware)
GivEnergy: AIO (already hybrid — has battery)
Sunsynk: Hybrid 3.6–8 kW
Fronius Symo: Non-hybrid series
SMA Sunny Boy: Standard series
SolaX Mono/Triple: Non-hybrid models
Growatt ShineWay: String inverter
Sungrow SG5K/SG8K: Standard string
Most pre-2018 inverters
How to check: Find your inverter's exact model number (it's on a label on the unit). Search the manufacturer's website for that model. If there is no battery port or battery compatibility listed, it is a string inverter — AC coupling is your option. If in doubt, a system health check includes an inverter compatibility assessment.
Your current solar system uses a CT clamp to measure house consumption. When you add a battery, the clamp position may need changing so the battery inverter correctly measures what it should charge from or discharge to. In AC coupling, the battery inverter typically has its own CT — your installer will confirm the correct position during survey. In DC coupling with inverter replacement, the CT is usually repositioned as part of the new installation.
AC coupling requires new circuits from the battery inverter to your consumer unit — new MCBs and typically a dedicated battery isolation switch. Older consumer units may need upgrading to accommodate additional circuits. Budget £500–1,500 for switchgear work depending on your current setup. This is a standard part of any AC coupling installation.
Adding a battery changes your registered installation and requires a G99 variation form to your network operator. This is simpler than a full G99 application and is usually approved automatically within 2–4 weeks. Your installer should handle this. Operating without notifying the DNO technically breaches your grid connection agreement — always confirm the variation has been submitted.
Battery units and inverters are wall-mounted or floor-standing. The battery unit needs clear wall space in a utility room or garage with adequate ventilation and no risk of temperature extremes. For AC coupling, both the existing solar inverter and the new battery inverter must be accessible. Typical GivEnergy AIO units are approximately 600 × 400 × 220mm — similar to a boiler in footprint.
To benefit from cheap overnight electricity (e.g., Octopus Go, Agile), the battery inverter must be configured with a timed charge window that matches your tariff's cheap rate hours. This is done in the battery's monitoring portal (e.g., GivEnergy portal). Your installer should configure this as part of commissioning. If they don't, you will be charging at standard rate rather than taking advantage of time-of-use pricing.
Battery prices have fallen significantly. These are realistic current figures — always get written quotes from MCS-accredited installers.
Notes: Costs vary by region — London and the South-East typically run higher. Always get 2–3 written quotes from MCS-accredited installers. Battery size affects cost — 5 kWh is cheaper than 10 kWh. Finance options are available from some installers. These are estimates only — confirmed written quotes are essential before committing.
These systems are commonly used in the UK for adding battery storage to existing solar-only systems.
Battery inverter + storage unit combined in one package. Very popular for UK retrofits. Smart charge scheduling supports Octopus Go, Agile, and other time-of-use tariffs. Available in 2.6 kW / 5.0 kW with up to 19.2 kWh storage. Excellent monitoring portal. Typical installed cost: £2,995–6,500. See the GivEnergy support hub for setup guides.
Sunsynk hybrid inverters can be used for AC coupling in a retrofit scenario. Excellent for time-of-use tariff management. Supports Pylontech and other compatible batteries. UK-based support. Typical installed cost: £2,995–6,000.
Growatt hybrid units support AC coupling. Available in 3 kW, 5 kW, 6 kW. Supports ShinePhone monitoring and time-of-use scheduling. Compatible Growatt GBLI batteries. Typical installed cost: £3,500–5,500.
Already have a battery and want to expand? This guide covers adding a second module to an existing hybrid system.
Adding a battery opens the door to EPS backup. What enabling emergency power supply involves.
If DC coupling is your preference, inverter replacement with a hybrid model is the first step.
Setup guides, portal configuration, monitoring setup, and tariff optimisation for GivEnergy systems.
A solar system health check assesses your current inverter, generation profile, consumption patterns, and roof/wall space — then recommends the best battery retrofit approach for your situation. We explain the trade-offs between AC and DC coupling and provide a realistic cost estimate before you commit.
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