Is the click of death dangerous?

The clicking itself is not immediately dangerous — the inverter is working as intended by refusing to connect to an out-of-spec grid. However, the rapid relay cycling accelerates relay wear and can eventually cause the relay to fail permanently. The inverter will not be generating or charging during clicking. If the clicking has been happening for more than a day or two, arrange an engineer visit to assess the cause before the relay fails entirely.

Will a firmware update fix the GivEnergy click of death?

Sometimes. If the clicking started after a firmware update, a newer release may have resolved the bug — or a rollback to the previous version may help. If the cause is high grid voltage or a hardware relay fault, firmware alone will not fix it. Check the GivEnergy knowledge base for any known issues with your current firmware version, and contact a trained engineer to assess whether a firmware change is appropriate before updating.

How do I fix GivEnergy high grid voltage causing clicking?

High grid voltage is a DNO (Distribution Network Operator) issue, not a GivEnergy settings issue. If your grid voltage is consistently above 253 V, your network operator is obliged to address it. You can report high voltage to your DNO directly — they are required to maintain voltage within statutory limits. Your GivEnergy engineer can also enable a VAR response or voltage ride-through setting in the portal that may help with borderline voltage conditions.

Fault guide · GivEnergy inverter

GivEnergy Click of Death — Relay Clicking Diagnostic Guide

Q: What is the GivEnergy click of death?

The GivEnergy click of death refers to a fault where the inverter produces a rapid mechanical clicking sound — the relay repeatedly opening and closing as it tries to connect to the grid and immediately trips its own protection circuit. The inverter is stuck in a loop: connect attempt → protection trip → reconnect attempt → trip again. The clicking is the audible sound of the relay switching many times per minute.

Q: What causes the GivEnergy click of death?

Common causes include: AC grid voltage outside the inverter's accepted range (too high or too low), grid frequency out of tolerance, a failed or worn relay inside the inverter, a firmware bug introduced by an update, or a hardware fault in the inverter's grid connection circuitry. High grid voltage (above 253 V) is a particularly common trigger, especially in rural areas or on stiff grid connections where other solar installations on the street are pushing voltage up.

Rapid mechanical clicking from inside your GivEnergy inverter — the relay cycling endlessly as it tries and fails to connect to the grid. This guide explains every cause: high grid voltage, relay failure, firmware bugs, and grid frequency faults.

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Clicking accelerates relay wear — don't leave it running

GivEnergy clicking and won't stop?

The click of death is one of the most disruptive GivEnergy faults — the inverter produces no power and the relay cycling causes progressive wear. We diagnose the cause and provide a clear fix plan, usually without a site visit.

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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

When my GivEnergy system had an issue, I was completely left without support and had honestly lost all hope. Thankfully, I searched online and found Ron, which completely turned things around. After sending him a message, he responded incredibly fast and called me to assure me that he would get the problem fixed. I really admire his dedicated, supportive nature and his determination to find a solution. With this kind of outstanding attitude and customer service, he has absolutely secured a future customer in me.

Sree · May 2026 Trustpilot

Ron want out of is way to help, nothing was to much. He was very thorough in what he did Very knowledgeable I would highly recommend Ron and his company He did a fantastic job for me. if you have any problems, he'll do his best to help you out and resolve your problem. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them

Dennis Brown · May 2026 Trustpilot

Ron took me through a diagnostic to confirm my GivEnergy Inverter had a fault. A common one as it turns out with the AC Inverter. As GivEnergy is defunct there is no immediate fix, aside from sourcing 2nd hand replacement. It may be that a fix becomes available over the summer which would make a lot of GivEnergy customers happy (Again)

Tony Deacon · May 2026 Trustpilot

Contacted Ron with a problem and he sorted it out quickly with no problems at all. Very knowledgeable on anything solar/ batteries. I would recommend him to anyone

Phill · May 2026 Trustpilot

I've spoken to Ron a couple of times with issues with my Givenergy installation. Such a friendly knowledge guy very highly recommended. Thank you very much for resolving my issues

michael fairhurst · May 2026 Trustpilot

Contacted Solar Tech Support in desperation. After explaining the issues I had with my system a diagnosis was made and a solution proposed. Fantastic service, even contacted a manufacturer to arrange replacement parts for me. Great communications, explained all they were doing and what I had to do, clearly and precisly. Followed up to confirm all was ok. Excellent service.

Mr Machin · May 2026 Trustpilot

After GivEnergy went into liquidation, just my luck, my battery started playing up (internal board crashed). Contacted my installer - not interested! Found Solar tech support on a Google search. Sooo glad I found this company! Ron is extremely helpful and has plenty of experience. He soon confirmed what the fault was, and helped me to get my system up and running again. Now moved my GivEnergy account to Solar tech support, and will definitely use again if I have more issues. Unusual to find such a helpful company in these times, no morons reading scripts, just direct contact with the engineer.

Keith Ballard · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

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.

Hugh Speirs · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Ron is a super star. Two months ago my GivEnergy battery failed a firmware upgrade leaving it a brick. My installer couldn't/wouldn't fix it. GivEnergy couldn't/wouldn't fix it. Then they went into administration and all hope was lost. A flurry of emails later and Ron had diagnosed the fault (failed USB flash drive, something I'd suspected) and talked me through resolving it. Two months of nothing resolved in about 3 hours. It's great to work with someone who pays attention to the details, knows that they're doing (not just following a script) and gets stuff sorted without a fuss or up-charging.

Christopher · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

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 (their Trustpilot reviews don't lie!). 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.

customer · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

This company are a rare gem, I had a very unusual problem following a failed firmware upgrade on my GivEnergy kit. I then found out GivEnergy were in administration and had dismissed all their support staff! None of the usual fixes to try and restore my inverter comms would work, and I looked everywhere, forums, GivEnergy youtube support videos - even AI couldn't figure it out. My installer was talking about huge sums for system replacements, and being vague / evasive about if they'd even install replacement GivEnergy inverter. Enter Solar Tech Support, reassuring and knowledgeable from the very start, I've learnt loads about my solar system though the friendly chat while my engineer worked as he diagnosed the problem and figured out a fix procedure that I've not found anywhere else - amazing . If you need solar system repairs - especially if you like me have been left high and dry by GivEnergy, I cannot recommend this company enough. Give them a call.

Andy Thomas · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

I sent a message on their website regarding a problem I have on my Givenergy system. Although not supplied by Ronald, I thought it was worth an email. Within the hour on a Saturday, he phoned and we discussed the problem. He logged in remotely and gave excellent advice. I'm too far away for his on-site help but he did diagnose the problem and was happy also to chat through my thoughts about an upcoming solar/battery install I'm planning. Great bloke.... if only he was nearer!

Philip · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Ian · May 2026 Trustpilot

Sree · May 2026 Trustpilot

Dennis Brown · May 2026 Trustpilot

Tony Deacon · May 2026 Trustpilot

Contacted Ron with a problem and he sorted it out quickly with no problems at all. Very knowledgeable on anything solar/ batteries. I would recommend him to anyone

Phill · May 2026 Trustpilot

I've spoken to Ron a couple of times with issues with my Givenergy installation. Such a friendly knowledge guy very highly recommended. Thank you very much for resolving my issues

michael fairhurst · May 2026 Trustpilot

Mr Machin · May 2026 Trustpilot

Keith Ballard · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

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.

Hugh Speirs · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Christopher · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

customer · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Andy Thomas · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Philip · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

All problems Click of death Battery not charging Red light flashing CAN comm fault Portal offline EPS not working Firmware issues Hardware diagnostics Fault codes →

Understanding the fault

Active fault

What is the GivEnergy click of death?

The "click of death" is informal but widely used terminology for a specific GivEnergy failure mode: the inverter repeatedly attempts to synchronise with and connect to the AC grid, immediately trips its own protection circuit, and then tries again — endlessly. The audible result is a rapid mechanical clicking, typically 1–3 clicks per second, coming from the relay inside the inverter chassis.

What you'll see and hear

→Rapid mechanical clicking from inside the inverter unit — not from the consumer unit or isolators

→Inverter display cycling through states or showing a fault/error code

→Zero solar generation and battery not charging despite the system appearing powered on

→Portal may show inverter offline or repeatedly connecting and disconnecting

→Event log showing repeated connection attempt errors

Why it's urgent

The clicking is not just annoying — it is mechanically destructive. Every click is the relay switching under load. Relays have a finite switching life (typically 100,000–500,000 operations). If the inverter cycles 2 clicks per second, it can exhaust years of relay life in a matter of days.

While the inverter is clicking, it generates no power — your home is running entirely from the grid. Battery charging is also suspended. The sooner the cause is identified and the clicking stopped, the better for the hardware.

⚠️

Do not open the inverter. The inverter contains live high-voltage DC from the solar panels (present whenever light reaches the panels) and high-voltage AC from the grid. Do not attempt to inspect or repair relay components yourself. All diagnostics on this page are done through the portal and app only.

Start here

Quick checks

Check these immediately

Before investigating specific causes, run through these three checks to gather the information needed for an accurate diagnosis.

Check the portal event log for fault codes

Log into givenergy.cloud → My Inverter → Event Log. Look at entries from when clicking started. Common codes associated with click of death: AC voltage out of range (V too high/low), grid frequency fault, relay fault, or connection timeout errors. Note the exact code — it often identifies the cause immediately. Cross-reference with the GivEnergy fault code index.

Check the grid voltage reading in the portal

In the portal's live overview, look for the Grid Voltage reading. UK grid voltage should be 230 V ±10%, giving an acceptable range of approximately 207–253 V. If the reading is consistently above 253 V, the inverter is correctly refusing to connect because grid voltage exceeds G99 limits. This is a DNO issue, not a GivEnergy fault — see the high voltage section below.

Check when clicking started and what changed

Was there a firmware update just before clicking started? Did it start after a power cut or grid outage? Did it start on a very hot day? Did it start after a storm or lightning nearby? The timing often points directly to the cause: firmware update → check firmware section; power cut → try a full restart; hot weather → check for overtemperature fault codes; storm → suspect a hardware fault requiring an engineer visit.

Cause 1 — most common

Most common cause

High grid voltage — inverter correctly refusing to connect

High grid voltage is the single most common cause of the click of death on GivEnergy systems. When grid voltage rises above 253 V (the G99 upper limit), the inverter is legally and technically required to disconnect from the grid. If the voltage stays high, the inverter will keep attempting to reconnect — and keep immediately disconnecting — producing the characteristic clicking.

Why grid voltage spikes above 253 V

Common causes

→Multiple solar installations on the same street all exporting simultaneously — particularly on sunny midday periods

→Rural or semi-rural grid connections with high impedance — voltage rises quickly when solar exports

→Long cable runs between substation and property

→DNO substation operating at the top of its voltage range

How to confirm

Check the portal live monitoring for the Grid Voltage reading. If it shows 253 V or higher during clicking, high voltage is confirmed as the cause.

Clicking that happens mainly in the middle of the day on sunny days — and stops in the evening or on cloudy days — is almost always a high voltage issue.

What you can do about high grid voltage

Report to your DNO

Your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) is legally required to maintain voltage within statutory limits. Report the high voltage — include your address, the dates and times of the problem, and the voltage readings from your portal. In England and Wales, voltage must be maintained within ±10% of 230 V under the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002.

Ask your installer to enable voltage ride-through or VAR response

GivEnergy inverters have a voltage ride-through setting that allows operation at slightly elevated voltages, and a reactive power (VAR) response mode that helps push voltage down by absorbing reactive power. These are engineer-level settings not available in the standard portal — contact a GivEnergy-trained installer or STS to assess whether these are appropriate for your installation.

Consider an export limit as a temporary measure

Reducing the export limit reduces the power pushed onto the grid, which reduces voltage rise from your installation. This won't fix the underlying DNO issue but may allow the inverter to connect on borderline days while you pursue the DNO complaint. Note: this reduces how much you can export, affecting SEG payments.

ℹ

Important: If the portal shows grid voltage fluctuating around the 253 V threshold — sometimes over, sometimes under — the inverter will continue clicking. Even brief excursions above the limit cause a disconnect. The only permanent fix is to have the DNO reduce the supply voltage at the substation level.

Cause 2 — hardware

Hardware fault

Relay failure — worn or damaged grid connection relay

The relay inside the GivEnergy inverter is a mechanical component that physically opens and closes the grid connection. Relays have a finite operational life measured in switching cycles. If the relay has been weakened — either by age, previous fault conditions, or by the relay cycling accelerated by the click of death itself — it may fail to make a clean connection, causing the inverter's internal self-tests to reject the connection every time it attempts to close.

Signs pointing to relay failure

→Grid voltage is confirmed normal (210–245 V) but clicking continues

→Full system restart doesn't resolve the clicking (transient faults usually clear on restart)

→Portal shows a relay-specific fault code

→Clicking started abruptly — no warning, no external trigger, no weather event

→Inverter is older (5+ years) and has high total generation hours

→Clicking started after a period of frequent disconnections (prior high-voltage events that accelerated relay wear)

⚠

Relay replacement requires a site visit. The relay is an internal component of the inverter. Replacement requires a qualified, GivEnergy-trained engineer to open the inverter chassis under controlled conditions. This is not a homeowner task. If relay failure is suspected, the inverter should be isolated until the repair is completed to stop further relay wear.

Is relay replacement covered under warranty?

GivEnergy inverters typically carry a 5-year warranty (extendable). Relay failure within the warranty period is usually covered, particularly if the failure was not caused by external factors (such as extreme over-voltage events from the DNO). A written engineer report confirming the fault and ruling out installation error is recommended for warranty claims.

We can provide a diagnostic report that documents the fault and supports a warranty submission with GivEnergy. Contact us to arrange a remote assessment first — this determines whether a warranty site visit or a billable repair is appropriate.

Cause 3

Post-update

Firmware bug — clicking started after an update

Several GivEnergy firmware versions have introduced bugs that alter grid connection logic, changing voltage thresholds or connection timing in ways that cause the relay to cycle. If clicking started immediately following a firmware update, the update is the prime suspect.

How to check if firmware is the cause

Go to My Inverter → Event Log and look for a firmware update event in the days before clicking started. If a firmware update event immediately precedes the first relay clicking event, firmware is the likely cause.

Note the current firmware version shown in My Inverter. Search the GivEnergy knowledge base or community forums for reports of relay cycling on that specific firmware version — known issues are often documented.

Contact GivEnergy support directly and report the firmware version and the clicking behaviour. GivEnergy may be able to push a corrective update remotely, or advise on a rollback. Do not attempt to manually flash firmware yourself — this requires authorised tools and can brick the inverter.

ℹ

GivEnergy firmware updates are pushed automatically if the inverter has an active internet connection. They are not opt-in. If your inverter updated overnight and started clicking in the morning, the update is almost certainly involved. Report to GivEnergy support with your inverter serial number, the firmware version, and the event log showing the update and subsequent relay events.

Try this first

Restart procedure

Full system restart — clears transient relay faults

A full power cycle — in the correct sequence — allows the inverter firmware to reinitialise its grid connection logic from a clean state. This clears transient relay faults, resets protection thresholds that may have latched in a fault state, and re-establishes communication between the inverter and battery. It should be the first active step for any click of death fault.

Full restart sequence — follow exactly in order

Pause the battery via the portal

Go to givenergy.cloud → My Inverter → Remote Control → Battery and set to Paused. This safely halts the battery before you cut power. If the portal is not accessible because the inverter is offline, proceed to step 2 — the battery has its own BMS protection.

Switch off the AC isolator

This disconnects the inverter from the grid. The AC isolator is typically a red rotary switch mounted near the inverter. Turn it to the OFF position. Do not touch any wiring.

Switch off the DC isolator

The DC isolator disconnects the solar panels from the inverter. It is typically mounted below the inverter. Switch it to OFF. Note: panels continue generating voltage — only the connection to the inverter is broken.

Switch off the battery isolator

The battery has its own isolation switch or button — usually on the battery unit itself. Switch it OFF. On GivEnergy battery units the isolator is typically a large switch or a small breaker on the side panel.

Wait a full 2 minutes

Allow all internal capacitors to fully discharge. Do not skip this wait — a premature restart can cause the same fault to reinitialise without clearing. Two minutes is the minimum; five minutes is safer.

Restore power in reverse order: battery → DC → AC

Switch on the battery isolator first, then the DC isolator, then finally the AC isolator. The inverter will take several minutes to complete its start-up sequence, synchronise with the grid, and begin normal operation. Do not interrupt this process.

Unpause the battery and monitor for 5–10 minutes

Once the inverter appears to have started normally, go to Remote Control → Battery and set to Not paused. Listen for clicking. If the inverter runs normally for 5–10 minutes without clicking, the transient fault has cleared. Check the portal for any remaining fault codes.

⚠

If clicking resumes after the restart, the cause is not a transient fault — it is either high grid voltage (which will still be present after restart), a hardware relay fault (which will still manifest), or a firmware issue. Proceed with the specific cause sections above to narrow down which it is.

When to get professional help

YMYL

When to stop self-diagnosing and call an engineer

Call now — isolate the system

⚠Clicking accompanied by burning smell or scorch marks anywhere on the system

⚠Clicking trips the consumer unit breaker repeatedly

⚠Any signs of overheating on the inverter chassis — warm to touch is normal; hot is not

⚠Portal shows a critical inverter fault code (not just a connection retry code)

Book a remote diagnostic

→Clicking persists after a full system restart

→Grid voltage is normal but clicking continues

→Clicking started after a firmware update

→You need a written report for a GivEnergy warranty claim

→Clicking has been happening for more than 24–48 hours (relay wear concern)

⚠️

Safety reminder: Do not open the inverter enclosure or the consumer unit. The DC side of the system is live at all times when light reaches the panels — voltages can exceed 400 V DC. The AC side is live from the grid. All diagnostics on this page are done through the GivEnergy portal only.

Every click is wearing out your relay faster

We review your portal event log, grid voltage history, and firmware version to identify the cause — and come back with a clear fix plan, usually without needing a site visit.

Book remote diagnostic

Related GivEnergy pages

🔧

Hardware diagnostics

LED status codes, isolator positions, restart sequence, and hardware checks for all GivEnergy models.

🔴

Red light flashing

What different LED flash patterns mean on GivEnergy inverters and batteries.

⚙️

Firmware issues

What to do when a firmware update breaks settings or system behaviour.

🔌

DC MCB tripping

Similar clicking but on the DC side — battery isolator tripping from cable or inverter faults.

This is a brand-specific version of our general inverter not turning on guide, which covers all brands.

FAQ

GivEnergy click of death questions

What is the GivEnergy click of death?

The click of death is a GivEnergy inverter fault where the internal relay repeatedly opens and closes — producing a rapid mechanical clicking sound. The inverter is stuck in a loop of attempting to connect to the AC grid and immediately disconnecting via its own protection circuit. While clicking, the inverter generates no power and produces no solar or battery output. The term is widely used in the UK solar community and refers specifically to this relay cycling pattern.

What causes the GivEnergy click of death?

The most common cause is high grid voltage above 253 V — the inverter is correctly refusing to connect to an out-of-spec grid, and the problem is with the DNO supply rather than the inverter itself. Other causes include relay wear or failure, a firmware bug introduced by an update, grid frequency outside tolerance, or a hardware fault in the inverter's AC connection circuitry. The portal event log usually contains codes that indicate the specific cause.

Can I fix the click of death myself?

You can safely perform a full system restart (isolate AC, DC, and battery in sequence, wait two minutes, restore in reverse order) and check the portal for fault codes — both of which are homeowner-safe. You can also report high grid voltage to your DNO. However, if the cause is a failed relay, a firmware issue requiring engineer tools, or any hardware fault inside the inverter, this requires a qualified engineer. Do not open the inverter enclosure.

How urgent is the click of death — can I leave it clicking?

You should not leave it clicking for more than a day or two. Every click is a relay switching operation, and relays have a finite operational life. Sustained clicking can exhaust the relay's life in days or weeks. Additionally, while clicking, the inverter produces no generation and the battery doesn't charge — you're paying grid rates for all your electricity. Arrange diagnosis and repair promptly.

My GivEnergy starts clicking on sunny days only — why?

Clicking that occurs only on sunny days — particularly around solar noon — is almost certainly caused by high grid voltage. When many solar installations on the same grid connection all export simultaneously at peak generation, grid voltage rises. Your inverter protects itself by disconnecting, then tries to reconnect, then disconnects again. This pattern (fine in the morning, clicking by 11am, recovering by late afternoon) is a textbook high-voltage signature. Report the voltage readings from your portal to your DNO.

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GivEnergy still clicking? We'll diagnose the cause.

Tell us what you're seeing — when the clicking started, what the portal event log shows, and what the grid voltage reading is. We'll identify the cause and advise on the correct fix, usually without needing a site visit.

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