Case Study- Reviving a Dormant GivEnergy Battery Installation
Client: Domestic Homeowner
Location: Whichford
System Type: GivEnergy Hybrid Inverter & Battery Storage
Installation Date: June 2023
Issue Reported: Battery not charging or discharging
Background
In June 2023, a GivEnergy hybrid inverter and battery storage system was installed by a company that has since ceased trading. Just one month later, in mid-July 2023, the homeowner began experiencing issues — the battery ceased to function, unable to charge or discharge. Over the course of the following year, the client made numerous unsuccessful attempts to resolve the issue through both the original installer and other third-party contractors.
Our Involvement
The client contacted us on a Friday in [June 2024]. Given the nature of the problem and the original installer no longer being in business, our first step was to transfer the monitoring account associated with the system to our online portal. This enabled remote access to the system for diagnostic purposes.
After reviewing the available data, we scheduled a site visit for the following Wednesday.
Diagnosis & Repair
To recover the battery:
- We used an external DC power supply to “wake up” the battery.
- The recovery process took approximately three hours.
- All firmware was updated.
- A full battery calibration was performed later that evening, with the support of GivEnergy’s technical team.
Ongoing Monitoring & Follow-Up
We closely monitored the system over the following days to ensure stable operation and proper charging/discharging cycles. The system has remained operational and efficient since the repair.
Additional Issues Identified
During the site visit, we identified several installation shortcomings that did not comply with GivEnergy or MCS standards. The most critical issue was with the DC miniature circuit breaker (MCB) between the inverter and battery. Poor cable termination had caused intermittent tripping, ultimately leading to the battery being isolated and discharging completely.
To rectify:
- We replaced all battery cabling.
- Installed ferrules in accordance with GivEnergy’s wiring standards.
- Properly torqued all terminals to 3.5Nm as per manufacturer specifications.
Client Impact & Ongoing Support
Unfortunately, due to the lack of MCS certification and DNO notification from the original installer, the client was unable to set up a Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) with their energy supplier. As a result, over 1.5MWh of surplus energy was exported to the grid without any financial return.
We are now assisting the client in retrospectively obtaining the necessary documentation to allow SEG registration, ensuring they can fully benefit from their system moving forward.
Conclusion
Thanks to our intervention, the client’s GivEnergy system is now fully operational, safe, and compliant with industry standards. Although the client lost out on significant energy.
