Add an extra GivEnergy battery — KB-sourced expansion guide
- KB-sourced — every spec cited against datasheet
- Independent of GivEnergy (in administration)
- STS handles the install and the portal config
STS handles GivEnergy battery additions end-to-end — compatibility check, supply and installation, dip-switch addressing on LV (or HV-kit work on the Gen 3 8.0), portal configuration, and DNO notification.
Get a battery expansion quoteGeneric battery expansion guideI 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.
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.
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
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)
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
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)
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Covers expansion for GivEnergy hybrid inverters and AIO systems — including LV battery RS485 dip-switch addressing (the actual GivBat architecture per the manuals), HV stackable kit options for the Gen 3 8.0kW, AIO 2 expansion battery, GivEnergy portal configuration, and the post-administration installer position. For other brands see the generic battery expansion guide.
GivEnergy Ltd entered administration on 9 April 2026. The administrator has confirmed no further hardware warranties will be honoured by GivEnergy Ltd. The "GivEnergy approved installer" certification scheme no longer means anything in the warranty sense; the safety + legal frame for any expansion install now is MCS accreditation, Part P / BS 7671 compliance, and DNO modification process. From May 2026 the cloud is under GivEnergy Software Ltd on a paid subscription model — portal access still works, just on a paid tier.
GivBat Gen 3 LV expansion batteries
GivEnergy's current LV range uses LiFePO₄ chemistry with 100% depth of discharge, IP65 weatherproofing per datasheet. Both Gen 3 LV models support up to 5 units in parallel. Manufacturer warranty was 12 years — see the post-administration note above for what that actually means now.
STS prices include battery hardware, installation by an MCS-accredited engineer, RS485 dip-switch addressing, portal configuration, and the blanking plug + correct cable(s). Note: per the Gen 3 battery manuals, all Generation 3 battery cables are sold separately — they do not ship with the battery itself.
GivEnergy inverter expansion limits
The 8.0kW Gen 3 hybrid is HV-only and does not accept the LV GivBat range. Everyone else takes LV. Check your inverter before ordering — datasheets are the source.
| Inverter model | Battery family | Max stack | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid 3.6kW Gen 3 (GIV-HY-3.6) | LV (51.2V GivBat) | 5 × 9.5 = 47.5kWh | Inverter only pushes 3.6kW — a 47.5kWh stack still charges/discharges at 3.6kW max |
| Hybrid 5.0kW Gen 3 (GIV-HY-5.0) | LV (51.2V GivBat) | 5 × 9.5 = 47.5kWh | Most common Gen 3 hybrid pairing |
| Hybrid 8.0kW Gen 3 (GIV-HY-8.0) | HV only (CAN, 120–510V) | HV stack 13.6 / 17.0 / 20.4 kWh | Datasheet: Battery Voltage 120–510V, Communication Interface CAN. Does NOT accept LV GivBats. |
| Hybrid Gen 1 / Gen 2 | LV (51.2V GivBat) | Check inverter datasheet | Mix with Gen 3 LV with correct cable; Gen 3 must be master |
| AIO 2 + MPPT (GIV-BAT-13.5-AIO2) | HV expansion (307VDC) | Up to 2 × 13.5kWh expansion | GIV-BAT-13.5-AIO2-E · expansion datasheet states 15-year warranty |
| AIO original AC-coupled (GIV-AIO-AC-13.5) | Internal modules | Per-unit | 13.5kWh integrated — internal modules are not separately retrofittable |
HV stackable battery kits
The Gen 3 8.0kW hybrid pairs with a pre-built HV stackable kit. Per UKDatasheetStackableBatteriesv2.pdf, three kit sizes exist (minimum 3 packs, maximum 6):
HV stack uses CAN over the orange HV-kit connector — NOT RS485, and NOT the same plug/lug cable as LV GivBats. Stack expansion within an HV kit follows its own rules — talk to STS before committing to a target capacity.
How LV GivBats actually talk to the inverter
Per the GivBat 9.5 Gen 3, GivBat 5.12 Gen 3 and GivBat 9.5 Gen 2 manuals, LV inverter-to-battery comms are RS485 over the proprietary plug/lug DC+comms cable. There is no RJ45 chain between batteries and no 120-ohm terminator plug — that is the HV stackable architecture (CAN over RJ45), not the LV one.
Dip-switch addressing on each LV battery
Every battery in an LV stack has a unique address set by four dip switches on the DC MCB unit. The master is always 0,0,0,0; slaves get a different ID each:
The new battery takes the next free slave ID. If two batteries share an address, the inverter only sees the lower one — the second appears missing. This is the actual KB-documented troubleshooting reflex, not "move the terminator".
Cabling + blanking plug
Mixing Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3 LV GivBats
Generations can be mixed on the LV side per the Gen 3 manuals — but with strict rules. None of this applies to the Gen 3 8.0 hybrid (HV only).
| Combination | Supported? | Cable | KB-required protection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 + Gen 2 on same string | Yes | Lug-to-plug | No DC isolator required between G1 and G2 in the LV manuals sampled |
| Gen 2 + Gen 3 on same string | Yes | Plug-to-plug | Gen 3 = master · DC isolator required per Gen 3 manuals |
| Gen 1 + Gen 3 on same string | Yes | Lug-to-plug | Gen 3 = master · DC isolator required per Gen 3 manuals |
Explicit in the Gen 3 manuals. The Gen 3 battery must be set as master (dip switches 0,0,0,0); Gen 1/2 batteries are slaves. Max five batteries total regardless of generation mix.
How the installation actually works
A GivEnergy battery expansion must be carried out by an MCS-accredited installer or qualified electrician working to BS 7671 and Part P. Self-installation creates safety, fire and electric-shock risks; the previous "voids manufacturer warranty" deterrent is no longer the live concern post-administration.
Installer confirms inverter model, current battery generation, remaining expansion capacity, LV vs HV path, and whether a DNO modification notification is needed. STS does this remotely over modbus.
Shutdown in GivEnergy's prescribed order: battery off, DC isolator off, AC isolator off. Lock-out applied. Battery SoC noted so it can be verified post-install.
New unit mounted alongside the existing stack. GivBat 5.12 Gen 3 = 48±2kg; GivBat 9.5 Gen 3 = 85±2kg — wall-mount requires solid brick or properly noggined stud, never lath-and-plaster.
The new battery's dip switches are set to the next free slave ID (1,0,0,0 → 0,1,0,0 → 0,0,1,0 → 0,0,0,1 in sequence). Plug-to-plug or lug-to-plug cable connects from the master's free socket. The blanking plug moves to whichever master port is now unused — IP65 depends on it. There is no RJ45 terminator to move on LV.
Once re-energised, installer logs into givenergy.cloud, navigates to the inverter device settings, and updates battery count and total system capacity. Charge schedule reviewed at the same time so the overnight window covers the larger stack. Without this step, the inverter reports incorrect SoC and the larger battery never fills.
Full charge/discharge cycle confirms all batteries are detected and balanced. Cell voltages checked. GivEnergy's KB recommends a calibration run after expansion. DNO modification notification submitted with the updated configuration.
Portal configuration after battery addition
Portal config is the step most third-party installers skip — and the one that causes the most ongoing problems. From May 2026 the cloud is paid-tier under GivEnergy Software Ltd; access is fine, just on subscription.
DNO notification when adding a battery
G98 vs G99 is determined by inverter rated output per phase — not battery storage. Per the Gen 3 hybrid datasheets, the 3.6kW is G98-certified, the 5.0kW and 8.0kW are G99.
The 3.6kW Gen 3 hybrid falls under G98 (notification only, no prior approval). The notification is filed after install.
5.0kW and 8.0kW Gen 3 hybrids fall under G99 — variation application to the DNO before re-energising. Timeline varies by DNO.
Sizing the overnight window for cold-weather inhibition
Per GivEnergy's "Cold Weather Guide for GivEnergy Batteries", charging is inhibited below 0°C. Discharging is allowed to about ‒1°C. There is no internal heater. Expect roughly 10% capacity reduction at 5°C. If the battery is in an unheated space, your overnight tariff window may run while the cells are too cold to accept charge — sized purely on capacity vs kW, the schedule still misses. Worth factoring in when choosing the charge window length.
GivEnergy battery expansion — common questions
Want to expand your GivEnergy storage?
STS handles GivEnergy battery additions from KB-sourced compatibility check through commissioning — including battery supply, RS485 dip-switch addressing on LV systems (or HV kit work on the Gen 3 8.0), portal reconfiguration, and DNO notification.
- KB-correct LV expansion — RS485 + dip-switch addressing
- HV-stackable expansion on the Gen 3 8.0 (no LV mixing)
- Portal reconfiguration + DNO notification handled
Got a solar fault or need a quick answer? Drop us a message — we usually reply within a few minutes. Mon–Fri, 9am–7pm.