I can add to the list of customers who had already 'given up' on GivEnergy due to their appalling customer service, and that was before they went into administration. So you can imagine my desperation when, having changed my ISP and my Inverter, predictably, proving to be the only device that didn't connect automatically to my new network, I found zero prospect of any customer support with GivEnergy having called in the administrators just five days earlier! The salvation came from Solar Tech Support. My IT advisor stumbled across their web site and some very helpful tips for beleaguered GivEnergy customers, as well as an offer to provide direct assistance. Nothing ventured, I decided to drop them an E-Mail, with very low expectations based on my experience of GivEnergy customer support. Within an hour Ron had responded with some pin point advice, and after a few exchanges of E-Mails he had nailed the problem, enabling the combined efforts of my IT advisor and solar installer to resolve it and reconnect my Inverter. Thank you Solar Tech Support, and Ron in particular, for coming to the aid of a deserted and despondent GivEnergy customer. Expert, razor sharp advice and first class customer service, even though I wasn't officially a customer.
Add Battery to Existing Solar in Cardiff
- Home base — same-day / next-day site surveys
- GivEnergy specialists — also SolarEdge, Enphase, Fronius, Solis
- FiT payments unaffected
Share your inverter brand and system size — we'll recommend the right GivEnergy battery, coupling method, and provide a written quote. Cardiff is home territory, so we can survey your property the same day or next day, and run a free remote diagnostic immediately.
Book consultationFree remote diagnosticMassively massively recommended. We had a big battery array (49kW across three phases) put in four years ago. c £35k cost. It’s been a total nightmare for many reasons, not least 1. our installer being totally useless and unresponsive and 2. Givenergy, our battery supplier, going bust. Long story short it had never worked anywhere near properly despite countless hours on phones and emails; the best we’d achieved was one third of the batteries working. Rather than write it off, I asked a PM friend to try to source someone who could come on site and review and revive the system. He found Solar Tech Support and Ron. Ron assured us he was the man to get it going again. After so many years of pain, I was not convinced but, true to his word, five hours later it was up and running. Lovely chap, super knowledgeable with a support team to lean on who are also clearly super technical. I honestly didn’t think there was much chance of getting this array going ever again so was absolutely delighted when Ron and team pulled it off. Bravo!
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.
My GivEnergy solar and battery system is failing intermittently, GivEnergy is in administration and so is my installer, so it was a relief to get Ron’s expert advice.
Our 3 year old GivEnergy batteries froze. They were showing 0% on the app, but they were fully charged. Some how Ron took over our inverter and remotely cured the problem. We live in King’s Lynn, he is in Leeds I believe. Very grateful.
Contacted Solar Tech Support when trying to understand what my Givenergy inverter problem might be and what might be my options. Received good/honest advise which backed up my thoughts.
Cardiff is full of FiT-era solar with no battery — and we're based here
South Wales took up the Feed-in Tariff in big numbers between 2011 and 2016, and most of those Cardiff systems are still solar-only a decade later. They generate happily through the day, export the surplus for pennies, then buy it back at a much higher rate every evening. A battery closes that gap. Because our engineer is Cardiff-based, the survey-to-install loop is shorter here than anywhere else we cover — and we start with a free remote diagnostic the same day you get in touch.
FiT-boom era when most Cardiff solar was fitted — solar-only, ready for a battery retrofit now
Free remote diagnostic, with a same-day or next-day on-site survey from our Cardiff base
Our most-installed retrofit battery in South Wales — pairs with any existing inverter brand
Some of those early Cardiff systems were fitted by installers that have since closed — PV Solar Solutions, a Cardiff company, was dissolved in 2015, and several other South Wales firms followed. If yours was one of them, the panels are almost certainly still generating but may never have been upgraded. Adding a battery is straightforward: we identify the existing hardware, recover monitoring access, verify FiT registration, and retrofit a GivEnergy battery in a single process. No original documentation needed.
How a GivEnergy battery retrofit works with your specific inverter
Every inverter brand integrates with storage a little differently. Here's what the retrofit looks like for the brands most common across Cardiff — with GivEnergy as the battery in almost every case.
GivEnergy is the dominant battery in Cardiff retrofits. If you already have a GivEnergy AIO or hybrid and want more capacity, we add a slave or expansion battery to your existing stack — no new inverter needed. If your GivEnergy system isn't performing as expected, we diagnose and reconfigure remotely before recommending any new hardware. GivEnergy support → · add an expansion battery →
SolarEdge systems use DC optimisers on each panel with a central inverter. AC-coupling a GivEnergy battery alongside SolarEdge is straightforward — the battery inverter connects to the consumer unit independently. SolarEdge's own StorEdge interface exists but needs a compatible SolarEdge inverter. For most Cardiff homes, an independent AC-coupled GivEnergy battery is cheaper and more flexible than the StorEdge route, and your panel-level optimisation continues unchanged.
Enphase converts DC to AC at each panel, so there's no central string inverter. That means DC coupling isn't an option — AC coupling is the only route, which is actually ideal. You add a GivEnergy battery inverter to the consumer unit, the CT clamp monitors total consumption, and the battery charges from surplus Enphase output. Enphase's own IQ battery exists but costs significantly more than a third-party AC-coupled alternative. We install both — your choice.
The most straightforward retrofit. Fronius IG, Primo, and Solis string inverters are simple solar-only units — AC-coupling a GivEnergy battery alongside them needs no changes to the existing system at all. If the Fronius or Solis is approaching end of life (10+ years), consider combining the inverter replacement with a DC-coupled battery in one visit — saves a second installation and often works out cheaper than two separate jobs.
AC or DC coupling? The right answer depends on your inverter
For most Cardiff systems — the solar-only FiT-era arrays on terraces across Cathays, Roath and Canton — AC coupling is the better option. DC coupling makes sense when an older inverter is already failing and due for replacement anyway.
Cardiff-specific recommendation: If you have a SolarEdge or Enphase system, AC coupling is the only practical route — and a GivEnergy battery does the job perfectly. If you have a healthy Fronius or Solis, AC coupling is cheaper. If that Fronius or Solis is showing its age, DC coupling lets you swap the inverter and add a battery in one go. A free remote diagnostic tells you exactly where you stand — same day. Full technical comparison →
Battery systems we install across Cardiff
Cardiff's housing runs from tight Victorian and Edwardian terraces in Cathays and Grangetown to larger semis in Llanishen, Whitchurch and Cyncoed. A 4.8 kWh GivEnergy AIO suits a 2–3 kW terrace; a larger stack makes sense for a bigger system running Octopus Flux. We recommend on your system, usage and space — not on commission.
The most popular battery retrofit in Cardiff by a wide margin. 4.8 kWh or 9.5 kWh in a single wall-mounted unit. Pairs with any existing inverter brand and expands with extra battery modules later. Optional EPS backup available. GivEnergy support →
Modular battery stack that scales from around 5 kWh upward. A strong choice for larger Cardiff properties with bigger systems and high evening consumption. Works in both AC and DC coupling, with reliable firmware and a clean monitoring interface.
Compact and quiet — fits well in the under-stairs cupboards and small utility spaces common in Cardiff's older terraced housing across Roath and Splott. Solid app-based monitoring, and good value in the smaller-capacity range.
All offer AC and DC coupling with built-in EPS capability. Popular on full new-build installs across Cardiff and the Vale. Brand choice often comes down to monitoring-platform preference and consumer-unit layout. We install and commission all three.
Already have a battery? Add extra storage → · GivEnergy expansion →
Battery retrofit pricing in Cardiff
A GivEnergy AIO added to a solar-only system — ideal for Cardiff's compact 2–3 kW FiT-era arrays. Captures the daily surplus on a terraced property and covers evening use through to bedtime. Capacity confirmed in your quote.
Already running a GivEnergy AIO or hybrid? Add a slave or larger expansion battery to your existing stack — no new inverter needed. Best for larger Cardiff homes on time-of-use tariffs wanting more overnight capacity.
Hybrid inverter plus battery in one package — the hybrid inverter is quoted separately by capacity. The smart move if your Fronius or Solis is already failing — combine the inverter replacement with the battery in a single visit.
Every quote includes hardware, installation, CT clamp, commissioning, DNO G99 variation, and a written post-installation report. Cardiff is our engineer's home base — no travel surcharges, fastest scheduling in our coverage area. Full battery guide with technical details →
Cardiff installer closed down? Add a battery and we'll recover the whole system
Plenty of South Wales solar firms from the FiT boom have since dissolved — PV Solar Solutions, a Cardiff company, was wound up in 2015, and others followed. If your installer is gone, your panels are almost certainly still generating, but you may have no monitoring, no documentation, and no one to call. We combine a battery retrofit with full system recovery in a single engagement: identify the hardware, recover monitoring, verify warranties, fit a GivEnergy battery, and leave you with a fully documented, actively managed system.
For former PV Solar Solutions customers in Cardiff — monitoring recovery, warranty claims, ongoing support.
PV Solar Solutions guide →Full fault diagnosis, maintenance, and ongoing support across all Cardiff postcodes. All gone-bust installers →
Cardiff solar repair →Cardiff areas we cover for battery installation
The whole of Cardiff falls within our core coverage, plus the Vale of Glamorgan and Caerphilly. Same pricing, fastest scheduling, and no travel surcharges anywhere across CF postcodes — this is our engineer's home patch.
For full fault diagnosis and ongoing support see solar repair in Cardiff. We also cover battery retrofits and repairs across Swansea and Newport.
Adding a battery in Cardiff — common questions
Ready to keep your solar energy instead of giving it away?
Tell us your inverter brand, system size, and whether you're on a time-of-use tariff. We'll recommend the right GivEnergy battery size and coupling method, and send a written quote — no hidden charges, no pressure. If you're not sure about your system details, we work it out during the same-day remote diagnostic or the site survey.
- GivEnergy AC-coupled from £2,995 · DC-coupled from £3,495
- Home base — same-day / next-day survey
- Not sure what you have? Free same-day remote diagnostic
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Got a solar fault or need a quick answer? Drop us a message — we usually reply within a few minutes. Mon–Fri, 9am–7pm.