GivEnergy Forum Archive (Read Only!)
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95 comments started 2026-04-08 last 2026-05-03
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#1 Vestas

Since nobody else is doing it..... please list alternate homes for us.

reddit is an option as far as I'm concerned

@hoggy has space but I don't think any of us should be taking this on in terms of hosting.

PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC.

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#2 BobB

In the "Community post GE" thread (which subsequently got hijacked, I agree with Vestas' plea - please stay on topic) I proposed https://www.reddit.com/r/SolarUK/ It's already up and running, it's reasonably friendly. It's freely accessible.
Thoughts?

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#3 Leeshore

The reddit solarUK forum does have rules of a sort:

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#4 ectoplasmosis

BobB The SolarUK subreddit seems to be completely clogged with people posting inane "please check my solar install quote" requests, as well as being (I feel) way too general to facilitate concentrated GivEnergy-specific chat.

How about creating a new, dedicated 'Ghosts of Giv' subreddit?

Or using the Terravolt forum?

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#7 sponev

I'd be up for a new sub-reddit or a dedicated area on the Renewable Heating forum. We need to decide and crack on I think. Firmware and manuals all downloaded today, just in case.

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#8 neomancer

i've requested to bring back /r/givenergy from the mods!

#9 hoggy

I vote for whatever doesn't involve me setting the forum up ideally!
So Renewables heating forum as I presume it's easier to attach images / files than Reddit? Although it would need it's own area.

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#10 sponev

Are we happy with Renewable Heating forums then folks? I think we need to decide and do it as we don't know when/if the plug will get plugged here. If so how do we proceed from here? Is the guy who offered the service still keeping tabs? If so, are you happy to set up a separate area so we can subscribe please? At least then we have a destination if things go belly up. Thanks.

#11 Hook

sponev good bunch over there. A lot of good knowledge.

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#12 sponev

Hook We have a couple of heat pumps too, so might be handy. I think the guy who runs it also has a YouTube channel?

#13 Hook

sponev yes and he has good connections too.

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#14 Robgy

sponev I'm happy with rhh, it'll give Mars an opportunity to sell some more books too 😄.
It looks like he has offered to make a separate section for givenegy 👍

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#15 downfield

I'm active on the Renewable Heating Hub and find the members and moderators very helpful

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#16 wrighar

Discord is another option.

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#19 Robgy

Rubikcube registered and it's just gone 5 am 😂

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#20 AndyZ900rs

Me too - registered

#21 Watcher

Me too.

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#22 wrighar

I'm in, only too 4 goes at the anti robot.

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#23 sanj

Just joined too. Thanks for setting this up.

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#24 Vestas

Rubikcube Have you done the compulsory risk assessment/appointed a moderation team/have policies to deal with abuse/illegal materials and have you registered yourself with Ofcom as the senior person legally responsible for the forum?

If not you're in breach of the OSA 2023 and are committing an offence.

This is why I advised (at the start) that running "our own" forum was a non-starter unless someone wants a full-time unpaid job...

NB - I haven't even started on age verification....

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#25 TimHutchings

Vestas Goodness me! You can be a grumpy old bugger sometimes! 😂
I for one, in this evolving situation, am very grateful to Andrew for sorting this out as a place to go if this forum closes suddenly. Whether it lasts, or where the future goes is unknown, so having an environment like this is needed. It may be that Andrew decides a a later time that it's too much trouble, but at least it gives some breathing space for the time being.
Anyway it's still nice and sunny here in the South East today!

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#26 Rubikcube

Vestas All under control. And I'm too small a fish for anyone to bother with.

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#27 Vestas

TimHutchings I'm just telling you what has to be done legally.

A friend ran a very busy (8000+ users) tech forum for 23 years. They took it down in February because Ofcom insisted on 24 hour moderator coverage (amongst other things).

If you want to call facts "grumpy" then go ahead.

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#28 Vestas

Rubikcube No you're not - doesn't matter if its just you and one other UK resident, the law applies and Ofcom will respond to any complaints anyone makes.

I know its stupid but you are putting yourself on offer here - especially as the forum is primarily commercial.

Its your business not mine 🙂

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#29 ChrisRowe

wrighar I failed the anti robot check 5 times and it won’t let me have another go! My brain doesn’t seem to be able to decipher these sort of tests!

#30 Maxwell

Vestas Do you reckon that is what did for GE, someone complain to Offcom and boom they weren’t meeting their obligations with this forum ? 😉

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#31 duplada

Rubikcube Registered - Thank You Andrew

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#32 Vestas

Maxwell Joke all you like. I saw the email correspondence from Ofcom to my friend & I wouldn't want that hassle, never mind the explicit threat of a five figure fine.

Like I said, not my business anyway.

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#33 AndyZ900rs

Vestas
Vestas thanks for all your advice all over this forum...I think you have made your point to Rubikcube (Andrew) - it is cear he should do all that is necessary - due diligence is never wasted

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#34 Vestas

AndyZ900rs I haven't looked but if the forum is closed (like this one) then that removes a fair bit of the requirements I saw, which are onerous to say the least.

Edit - also I think his forum is going to be quite busy with app discussions in the early days and that's what he'll be putting his effort into. His app is about the only silver lining in the cloud as far as I'm concerned. He did it for nothing, didn't up his prices even when urged to do so and due to events outside his control is likely to get a good wedge of cash!

Nicely done Andrew 🙂

#35 26Left

Can I suggest this Poll to draw this debate to a conclusion? I've pulled together various options that I've seen raised across the various threads.

I'll add anything else I've missed via Other - and have set it for a close date a week from now.

https://forms.gle/echmVY1VQvwweKem9

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#37 Vestas

bRhFDKtjRMK9 I've got one on there and the "end of days" @hoggy option or even reddit will do.

I rather think tempus fugit is the order of the day as these forums are on AWS.

I'm agnostic (bar discord) so decide tonight peeps 🙂

I don't think there's a lot more time.

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#38 Vestas

My plan is the renewableheatinghub.co.uk initially. I think they have the ability to host us temporarily/whatever.

@Rubikcube - phpbb is going to do your head in. Don't do it. Trust me on this I spent many (free) hours fixing phpbb sites for friends. Also paid pentests which always failed back in the day (nothing has changed really).

Pick something else. Anything rather than phpbb.

Hopefully we're all here after dinner 😃

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#40 Rubikcube

Vestas Thank you for the advice, I wish I had asked before diving in. This isn't my area of expertise.

My shortlist of forum software was phpBB, SMF, myBB, AEF, Vanilla, punBB.
I chose phpBB because it seemed to be popular.
If I decide I need to jump ship, what software would you recommend?

Given the situation, I am anticipating thousands of new users of my app, all wanting answers to basic questions. Up until now, my app has mainly been used by the smart people on this forum, but the Facebook mob are heading my way!!

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#41 bRhFDKtjRMK9

@Rubikcube Maybe consider a public group where you are not legally exposed?
Discord, Telegram, and the likes. Not a lawyer though, just thinking out loud, in my mind - personal website with my IP = bad, public group in Telegram = good.

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#42 sponev

Rubikcube I ran phpBB for a large motorcycle group and another for a speech therapist for years with no issues. I was diligent in keeping tabs on updates etc - maybe I was just lucky but it's a very popular system and generally considered OK. I also used Simple Machines Forum (SMF) a good while back and I also got on well with that.

Good luck with all the new app subscriptions. You deserve the reward but of course it will bring some grief unfortunately.

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#43 Vestas

Rubikcube I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending anything really. I just think starting out with phpBB now is an exercise in masochism rather than anything else. Vanilla phpBB out of the box is one thing but you will end up modding it to do what you want and that's the entrance to the rabbit hole 🙂

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#44 Robgy

From my limited experience, phpBB is a little more resource hungry than sms but it depends how active it is, if it's like this forum in terms of active posters then either should be fine.
I assume the rubicube forum will primarily be for people who people who have paid for the app?

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#45 ectoplasmosis

Is Discourse not an option? Keep the interface familiar…

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#48 neomancer

www.reddit.com/r/givenergy is back!

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#49 ectoplasmosis

26Left Ah, I meant @Rubikcube using Discourse-flavoured forum software instead of phpBB...

With r/givenergy having been resurrected, surely this is now the path of least resistance?

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#50 TX200

To be fair, having multiple places is probably better than just one.

Some people like Reddit, some like forums, etc.

As long as there's enough of us on each service to answer questions.

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#51 Vestas

neomancer ...and they're looking for a mug person to moderate it 😃

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#52 downfield

Has anyone thought to ask GE Software what the plans are for this forum? I didn't see it mentioned in the GE Premium email that has just landed.

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#53 downfield

I have just emailed them to ask about the Forums and will report back if any news.

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#54 neomancer

Vestas
i try not to get myself mixed up in these things.. but here i am

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#55 Vestas

neomancer I'd rather slit my wrists than moderate anything again 😃

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#56 mrand31

I've already got shanghaied into being a moderator for a gardening forum. 😮

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#57 Vestas

mrand31 Moderating anything busy is an unending nightmare IME. Wouldn't ever do it again.

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#58 Neal720

sponev I’m due a firmware and software updates, I’d like to do it but reluctant to bite the bullet, should the system crash and have no way of assistance from Giv,

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#59 sponev

Neal720 I'm on 3020 which has been decent and I'm not touching it. I know how to update locally if needed (plus there was a link to the documentation on here recently) so I'll only move to 3022 etc if it becomes necessary. Make sure you download the various files etc before they disappear - links also on here.

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#60 Neal720

sponev I’m on dongle firmware 101 and battery 3015 so feel it’s a leap of faith to update, I’m moderately tech savvy, but not to the extent of some on here don’t understand predbat for example, I’ll
Search the forum for the files and download just in case, either way there’ll be no support other than on here!

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#62 Neal720

Maxwell Thankyou!!

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#64 rio911

I would just like to make a point: to anyone considering engaging with GivEnergy Software, please assume that it is the same people that shafted the original Ltd. The other thing to consider is what you are getting from your subscription money? There is no support or warranty to your system, so what are they giving you? Just access to your own system. I will not be engaging with them, and not giving them a dime, unless they take some responsibility for the system, such as warranty offer.

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#65 geoffreycoan

rio911 I think you are muddling the different business entities up.

GivEnergy Software runs the portal and app on behalf of the different GivEnergy local country businesses.

It’s the GivEnergy UK company that sold the hardware, owned the warranties, failed to deliver decent support and is now in administration.
GivEnergy Europe and Australia that do the same for those countries continue to trade AFAIK

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#66 CW

geoffreycoan I wonder if the same software is used for the commecial installations - does anyone know?

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#68 Vestas

geoffreycoan He may be referring to the sole director who effectively is "Givenergy UK". He controls/owns all the companies* so it is in fact the same person.

*Givenergy Ltd
*Givenergy Software Ltd
*Givenergy Commercial Ltd
*Givenergy Property Ltd
*Givenergy Group Ltd
*Osler Holding Ltd

One person. One director. One owner. Jason Osler.

#71 hoggy

Vestas I think someone in (what's left of Givenergy) is a moderator on Reddit. Seems all the comments from ex employees get removed.

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#72 Vestas

hoggy I noticed. Anything even vaguely critical is taken down almost immediately. Edit - and accounts removed by the looks of things. That's a fairly good reason to strike reddit off the list of potential "homes".

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#73 wrighar

hoggy You can log onto the epever portal with your Givenergy cred's.

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#74 Vestas

wrighar Why am I not surprised?

That's it, they're blocked - no more comms with anything that isn't local.

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#75 neomancer

Vestas

I mean, depends on the subreddit - I'm the mod of the givenergy subreddit and won't be removing anything like that.

#77 nophead

Neal720 I have only ever had one firmware update and that screwed the meter settings and left a none working system. Fortunately that was in 2023 when GE were responsive and they had to change the settings that are hidden from users to make it work again. So I won't be updating again.

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#78 Vestas

hoggy Liquidating everything & banking it all back in Singapore then.

With the exception of GE Software, which we're supposed to trust. Uhuh....

#79 Maxwell

hoggy Are you saying you have your kit using the epever portal ?

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#80 Vestas

Maxwell No it was @wrighar who mentioned the GE creds work on the other portal. What you've listed is Alicloud which coincidentally (heh!) is where early dongles point to.

@hoggy was just saying he was right about the Australian Givenergy going under.

#81 Maxwell

wrighar And does that give you access to your system and it’’s historical data ?

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#82 Vestas

Maxwell No idea but it does sound rather like a cross-site scripting vuln which I thought they'd fixed a long time ago. Pretty sure that was part of the "all your inverters are belong to us*" vuln which was reported a year and a bit back.

The fact that creds are usable on an entirely different site hosted on entirely different infrastructure doesn't exactly inspire any confidence in how our data is stored - for one thing. Also anyone paying GE Software, well you might want to ask about this before you pay....

*ancient way of saying you've been owned

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#83 wrighar

Maxwell
If you login in to the hy.epever.com/login site with your Givenergy Credentials, you will get a full functioing GE portal experience, just with a hy.epever.com domain heading in gthe address bar

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#84 Vestas

wrighar On different infrastructure in a different country.

Lovely...

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#86 Vestas

wrighar Same AWS load balancers as well.

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#87 CW

wrighar hy.epever.com/login

Good Lord! 😠

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#88 mrand31

So, is the dashboard owned by the 'defunct' GE (or GE software now) or another entity?

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#89 wrighar

mrand31 GE Software owns the apps and portal.

Looks to be holding it for Polar-ESS, EPEver, GE Home and Commercial, and probably other regions such as Australia.

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#90 geoffreycoan

wrighar that was my understanding as well, that GE Software was the global portal and app for all other GE countries, and as we have identified, for any other company they have resold the back end to.

You can just think of the URL as being a skin over the top of the portal, so hy.epever.com is just a different way of getting to givenergy.cloud. Doesn’t really mean anything, its the same single backend

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#94 Anomnomnomaly

A proper forum would be my preferred choice, are they still built around phpbb? It's been about 14yrs since I lasted ran one for a car club.

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#95 Jellybaby

Rubikcube to be fair they only state its held there not that you will have access to it for free