Battery fault · All brands

Solar battery not discharging

Q: What is the minimum SoC reserve and how do I change it?

The minimum SoC (state of charge) reserve is the lowest level to which the battery will discharge. It is typically set between 10–20% to protect battery longevity. You can usually find and adjust it in the operating range or system mode settings in your inverter app or portal. Reduce it carefully — going below 5–10% consistently will accelerate battery degradation over time.

Q: Why does my battery stop discharging at 20%?

The battery has a minimum SoC reserve set to 20%. This is deliberate — either configured by your installer to protect battery cell longevity, or set as a default by the manufacturer. The battery is functioning correctly. If you want to use more of the stored capacity, lower the minimum SoC setting in your system mode or operating range configuration. Be aware this increases cycle depth, which can affect long-term battery health.

Q: My battery is discharging but my grid import isn't falling — what's happening?

If the portal shows battery discharging but the home is still importing from the grid, the most likely cause is a reversed CT clamp. The discharge energy is being measured incorrectly — it may appear to be flowing to the grid rather than the house. Run the live load test: turn on a kettle and watch the grid import figure. If it moves in the wrong direction, the CT clamp is the cause.

Battery has charge but the home is still drawing from the grid. Not discharging at night. Stopping too early. In the majority of cases this is a system mode setting, a minimum SoC reserve, or a CT clamp issue — not a battery hardware failure.

Diagnose it Book a diagnostic

Usually a settings or CT clamp issue
All brands affected
Hardware failure is less common

Battery still not discharging after the checks?

A remote diagnostic session reviews your portal data live — system mode, discharge history, CT clamp readings, and event log — and confirms the exact cause.

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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

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

What actually stops a battery discharging

In order of how commonly we see each cause.

Wrong system mode

Eco Mode only discharges reactively when house demand exceeds solar. It does not proactively power the home at night. For scheduled discharge you need Timed Discharge or Time of Use mode.

Minimum SoC reserve too high

The battery stops discharging when it hits its minimum SoC floor. If this is set to 30% or higher, a large share of stored energy appears locked away. Find and lower the operating range minimum in your portal settings.

CT clamp installed backwards

A reversed CT clamp means the inverter cannot correctly read house demand. The battery may appear to discharge but all energy flows to the grid rather than covering home loads. See CT clamp installed wrong.

Discharge window wrong or not set

In Timed Discharge mode, the battery only discharges during the configured window. If the window is not set, is set to the wrong times, or is running on the wrong clock timezone, the battery will sit idle during the intended discharge period.

Grid overvoltage protection

When grid voltage exceeds the inverter's safety threshold, the inverter suspends discharge as a protection measure. Most common on summer afternoons. Check the event log for overvoltage entries.

BMS or hardware fault

Less common. A BMS protection event — due to cell imbalance, over-temperature, or voltage deviation — can lock the battery out of discharge. Usually shows as a fault code in the event log. Requires engineer involvement.

Step-by-step diagnostic

Work through these in order — most cases are resolved before step 4.

Check system mode and discharge configuration

Open your portal or app and find the system mode setting. Eco Mode and Self-Consumption mode are reactive — they discharge only when house demand exceeds solar output. They will not proactively discharge the battery overnight to cover home loads.

If you want the battery to discharge on a schedule — for example during 4pm–8pm peak-rate electricity — you need Timed Discharge or Time of Use mode. Set the mode, configure the discharge window and target SoC, save, and verify the setting has stuck.

Check the minimum SoC reserve

Find the operating range or minimum SoC setting in your portal. Check what the floor is — if it is set to 20% and the battery is currently at 21%, it will not discharge any further. Note the current battery SoC and compare it to the minimum. If they are close, the battery is working correctly — it has just reached its configured floor. Lower the minimum SoC if you want to access more of the stored energy.

Check the discharge window times

If you are using Timed Discharge or Time of Use mode, confirm the discharge window matches your intended period. Also check the inverter clock — if it is running on UTC when the UK is on BST (UTC+1), the window runs one hour out of phase.

Example: if you want the battery to discharge 16:00–20:00 and the inverter is on UTC during BST, you need to set the window to 15:00–19:00 — or switch the inverter clock to local time.

Run the CT clamp live load test

Turn on a kettle and watch the grid import or house load reading in your portal. It should rise by approximately 2,000–3,000W. If the reading falls, stays flat, or moves in the wrong direction, the CT clamp is reversed — the inverter cannot correctly read house demand, so it cannot direct the battery to cover it. See the CT clamp installed wrong guide for the full diagnostic.

Check the event log for overvoltage and fault codes

Open the event log in your portal and look for grid overvoltage events, battery protection trips, BMS warnings, or cell voltage alarms. Grid overvoltage (typically above 253V) causes the inverter to suspend discharge automatically. BMS protection events indicate a battery-side hardware issue. Either way, note the exact fault codes — they are the most useful information for a remote diagnostic session.

Battery discharging but not powering the home

If your portal shows the battery discharging but the home is still drawing from the grid — or your export figure rises when the battery discharges — the discharge energy is going the wrong way. This is almost always a CT clamp or metering issue.

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CT clamp reversed — discharge appears as grid export. A backwards CT clamp inverts the grid measurement. When the battery discharges, the inverter reads it as energy flowing to the grid rather than to the home — so it appears to export rather than consume. The home continues drawing from the grid as normal. The CT clamp test above will confirm this.

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Export limit set to 0W blocking discharge. On some systems, a 0W export limit can cause the inverter to restrict or curtail discharge if the CT clamp reading suggests export is occurring. Check the export limit setting in your configuration — if it is 0W and the CT is misreading, discharge may be suppressed. See CT clamp installed wrong for the fix.

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Grid overvoltage causing intermittent discharge suspension. If the battery discharges inconsistently — powering the home sometimes but not others — check the event log for intermittent overvoltage events. Grid voltage spikes cause temporary discharge lockouts that can look like the battery is failing to discharge when it is actually responding to a grid protection trigger.

Brand-specific discharge guides

GivEnergy battery not discharging Sunsynk Growatt SolarEdge

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Why won't my battery discharge at night?

The most common causes are: system mode is set to Eco Mode which only discharges reactively to cover demand, not proactively at a set time; the minimum SoC reserve is set too high so the battery stops discharging too early; the discharge window is not configured correctly; or the CT clamp is reversed so the inverter cannot read house demand. Check in this order.

My battery shows charge but isn't powering my home — why?

If the battery shows charge but the home is drawing from the grid, the most likely causes are: the system mode is not configured to discharge at that time of day; the CT clamp is reversed so the inverter cannot direct the discharge correctly; or the minimum SoC has been reached. A reversed CT clamp is particularly common and causes discharge energy to appear to flow to the grid rather than the home.

What is the minimum SoC reserve and how do I change it?

The minimum SoC reserve is the lowest level to which the battery will discharge — typically set to 10–20% to protect cell longevity. You can find and adjust it in the operating range or system mode settings in your inverter app or portal. Reduce it carefully — discharging below 5–10% consistently will accelerate battery degradation over time.

Why does my battery stop discharging at 20%?

The battery has a minimum SoC reserve set to 20% — either configured by your installer to protect battery longevity, or set as a manufacturer default. The battery is functioning correctly. If you want to use more of the stored capacity, lower the minimum SoC setting in your system mode or operating range configuration. Be aware this increases cycle depth and may affect long-term battery health.

Could grid overvoltage be stopping my battery discharging?

Yes. When grid voltage rises above the inverter's safety limit — typically 253V — the inverter suspends discharge as a protection measure. This is most common during sunny afternoons in summer when local grid voltage is elevated by other solar exports nearby. Check the event log for overvoltage or grid fault entries. Persistent events should be reported to your DNO.

My battery is discharging but my grid import isn't falling — what's happening?

If the portal shows the battery discharging but the home is still importing from the grid, the most likely cause is a reversed CT clamp. The discharge energy is being measured incorrectly — appearing to flow to the grid rather than the house. Run the live load test: turn on a kettle and watch the grid import figure. If it moves in the wrong direction, the CT clamp is the cause.

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Still not discharging after working through this?

A remote diagnostic session includes a live review of your portal data — system mode, discharge history, CT clamp readings, and event log. We confirm the exact cause and tell you whether it is a settings fix or whether an engineer needs to attend.

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