Skip to content
Diagnostic guide · Tesla Powerwall

Tesla self-consumption issue — mode & tariff fix

Your Powerwall should charge from excess solar and discharge to power your home. If it's exporting when it shouldn't, not charging during cheap rates, or draining overnight, one of six common misconfigurations is likely responsible. This guide covers Powerwall 2 and Powerwall 3 across all UK tariffs.
  • Powerwall 2 and Powerwall 3
  • Free remote-first diagnostic · no fix, no fee
  • Not affiliated with Tesla
Not self-consuming as expected?

Tell us your Powerwall model, what the Tesla app shows for solar generation and house load, and whether you're on a smart tariff. We review app data and Gateway configuration remotely.

Book your free remote diagnosticTesla Powerwall hub

Independent — not affiliated with Tesla Inc.

5.0
13 Trustpilot reviews
Trustpilot Google

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

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

⚡ Safety Warning

Do not open your inverter or interfere with DC cabling. Solar panels produce live DC voltage whenever exposed to light. Always use your DC isolator switch and contact a qualified solar engineer for hands-on fault diagnosis.

ℹ️
Before you start: open the Tesla app and check the energy flow diagram for the last 24 hours. Note whether the solar reading shows a kW value, whether the Powerwall percentage rises during daylight (charging) and falls in evening (discharging), and whether excess solar is being exported. If the battery stays flat or exports even when not full, self-consumption is not configured correctly.
Diagnosis

6-step self-consumption diagnostic

Work through these steps in order. Step 1 catches mode misconfigurations. Step 2 addresses backup reserve settings. Steps 3–6 cover CT orientation, export settings, Octopus tariff configuration, and firmware issues.

1
Check the operating mode in the Tesla app

Open the Tesla app → Settings → Customize. The mode should be Self-Powered for most UK homeowners without a smart tariff, or Time-Based Control for Octopus customers. Self-Powered mode charges from excess solar and discharges to cover house load. Time-Based Control follows a tariff schedule. If the mode is set to Backup Only or Cost Savings, the battery will not self-consume as expected during normal operation. Verify the correct mode is active for your situation.

2
Check Self-Powered percentage (backup reserve)

In Self-Powered mode, the percentage slider sets the backup reserve — the state of charge below which the battery stops discharging for daily use and reserves power for emergencies. If set to 100%, the battery never discharges because all capacity is reserved and will not self-consume. Set to 20% for a balance of daily self-consumption and backup protection. Values above 50% will severely limit how much solar energy is used for daily loads.

3
Check CT clamp orientation and metering

A backwards load/site CT causes the Gateway to misread house consumption — it thinks the house uses less power than it actually does, so the battery won't discharge enough and will sit full, exporting excess instead. A backwards solar CT means the system thinks solar isn't generating. Check the energy flow diagram in the Tesla app — values should match your inverter's monitoring app and main meter. If readings don't match, the CT is likely reversed 180 degrees and needs rotating, which requires an electrician.

4
Check Permission to Export and Energy Exports settings

Go to Settings > Customize > Energy Exports. If set to "Everything", the system exports all excess once the battery is full — this is normal. If set to "Solar Only", only solar-generated energy exports and grid-charged energy is reserved. Check Grid Charging — if restricted, the battery cannot charge from grid for off-peak tariffs. For Time-Based Control with smart tariffs, Grid Charging must be enabled. Export may also be capped by G98/G99 compliance rules depending on your location.

5
Configure for Octopus or smart tariff if applicable

For Octopus Go: use Time-Based Control with off-peak window 00:30-04:30 (or 23:30-05:30 for Intelligent Go). For Octopus Flux: Octopus controls the battery directly via their integration — you lose Tesla app control but gain VPP optimisation. For Octopus Agile: use Time-Based Control with a third-party integration like Home Assistant. Grid Charging must be enabled for any tariff that charges from grid overnight. Time windows must precisely match your tariff to avoid wasting cheap-rate energy.

6
Check firmware and power cycle the Gateway

Firmware updates can occasionally reset mode settings or introduce bugs. Check current firmware version in Tesla app > Settings. If the issue started after an update, a power cycle may help: turn off the Gateway circuit breaker, wait 30 seconds, turn it back on. Allow 5 minutes for reconnection. If the issue persists, the mode or schedule likely needs reconfiguring. Contact STS for a remote diagnostic — we review your Tesla app data, energy history, and Gateway configuration.

Self-consumption vs export — the difference

Self-consumption is the practice of using stored solar energy to power your home, avoiding expensive grid imports during peak times. When your solar panels generate excess energy during the day, the Powerwall stores it. When the sun sets or clouds pass over, the battery discharges to cover your household load, reducing reliance on the grid. Optimising self-consumption is the primary goal for most UK homeowners — it maximises the benefit of your solar investment and reduces bills. A misconfigured system can undo these savings by exporting excess instead of storing it.

UK smart tariff landscape: Octopus dominates the UK smart tariff market with flexible products like Octopus Go, Octopus Flux, and Octopus Agile. Tesla Powerwall integrates well with these tariffs, but configuration is complex — mode selection, time windows, grid charging, and export restrictions must all align. Incorrect setup can result in the battery charging when power is expensive, discharging when it should charge, or missing tariff opportunities entirely. STS helps homeowners configure these settings remotely, ensuring the Powerwall works in harmony with their tariff.

FAQ

Self-consumption — common questions

This typically happens when the mode is set incorrectly, a CT clamp is backwards causing the Gateway to misread consumption, or the battery is full and excess solar is exporting — which is normal. Verify that Self-Powered mode is active and backup reserve isn't set to 100%. If the battery is not full and still exporting, check that your load CT is installed correctly. Compare your Tesla app energy readings with your inverter monitoring and main meter — they should match.
Self-Powered charges from excess solar and discharges to cover load, with no tariff awareness. The battery acts independently based on solar generation and house consumption. Time-Based Control follows a schedule — charges during cheap rate, discharges during peak, requiring tariff configuration. Most UK homeowners without smart tariffs should use Self-Powered. Octopus customers typically use Time-Based Control to optimise for their tariff windows and save on electricity costs.
Use Time-Based Control mode. Set the off-peak window to match your Go tariff — standard Go is 00:30–04:30, Intelligent Go is 23:30–05:30. Enable Grid Charging so the battery charges from cheap-rate grid during off-peak. Set the peak period to match your export window and test by checking the Tesla app shows grid charging during the off-peak window. Make sure the times are precise to your tariff — even 30 minutes out will cost you money.
Yes — Octopus Intelligent Flux integrates directly with Tesla Powerwall. Octopus controls the battery via their platform, optimising charge/discharge for their VPP. You lose direct Tesla app control of the battery schedule but gain automated optimisation and often higher export rates. To regain manual control, disconnect the integration through the Octopus app.
Common causes are mode misconfiguration (Time-Based Control without correct off-peak/peak windows), Self-Powered with a high house baseload that drains the battery, or automation tools like Predbat or Home Assistant sending discharge commands. Review the Tesla app Energy History to see exactly when discharge occurred and correlate with your tariff windows. Check if any automation is active on your network.
Book

Still not self-consuming?

If you have checked the mode, backup reserve, CT orientation, and tariff settings — and the Powerwall still won't self-consume as expected — the issue may be a Gateway metering fault, a firmware bug, or a misconfigured automation. We review your Tesla app data, energy history, and Gateway configuration remotely. Independent from Tesla and your installer.

  • Not affiliated with Tesla Inc
  • Free remote diagnostic · no fix, no fee
  • On-site visits available across the UK

By submitting you agree to be contacted about your diagnostic request. We don't share your data with 3rd parties.

Call 07944 877 329 Book free diagnostic