I'm considering a second battery, I'm confident about installing and connecting a second battery myself but does the second battery need to installed and comissioned by qualified givenergy electrician? My original system was installed and commissioned by my solar installers.
regards
That's a good point I too want to do this. Assuming I can get one reasonably priced!!
Needs to be a GE trained engineer.
When dealing with things that can kill or hurt in a variety of ways, I always use the maxim "If you have to ask then you do not have the necessary skills for the task". See also: The Dunning Kruger effect.
That's a good point I too want to do this. Assuming I can get one reasonably priced!!
They are out there....my installer fitted a second 8.2 to my system this week (I ordered it last week).
I would like a second battery - but we rarely fill the current one (8.2kWh) unless there is a lot of sun. But would be ideal in the winter to fill overnight - we use over 8kWh a day with “nothing” on. Yes I do need to work out where it’s all going! But as we have no ev we can’t get a decent overnight tarrif (we are on a decent fixed rate until sept 2023)
Batteries really come into their own where there is a difference in off-peak vs peak rates. You can then "time-shift" your usage, filling up in cheap off-peak times and using it in peak times.
The way I look at it is this: I am on Intelligent Octopus. Every kWh that I consume to fill the battery costs 7.5 pence. If I use that kWh in peak time I am saving 31.75 pence (peak rate is 39.25 pence /kWh). If I fill an 8.2kWh battery and empty it at peak rate then I am saving £2.60 (minus conversion losses). Do that 5 times per week and the saving works out at £676 per annum. Thats about a 5 year payback on the battery cost. And that's ignoring all the times that the solar panels fills the battery, effectively for free.
Without a Time-of-use tariff then the ROI on a battery doesn't really add up.
Octopus Agile outgoing rates just now are crazy - I saw over 70p/kWh yesterday and today it hasn't fallen below 35p at the cheapest off peak time.
Naturally, I am charging and discharging my battery back to the grid as fast as I can !
The Octopus Agile outgoing has been a far better tariff for us than any SEG I have seen. Just wish I could get onto "Go" for incoming.....................
Zakalwe Certification does not = ability. there is a difference between someone with a low ability and intellect who have an over estimate of their own comptence. To someone who is asking whether they need to be a "certified" GE engineer to comission a battery. You make assumptions I am low ability and intellect because I ask if you need to be "certfiied". You can be "certified" to commission a battery but still have low intelect and abilty.
I'm completely able to install and connect a new device. My question was do you need a certfied GE engineer to "commission" the battery.
GoneNuclear cool story to tell your insurer
I believe that the training courses comprise an online/Zoom training session at the moment unless GE have gone back to physical training sessions now that Covid is becoming less of an issue.
There should be no great reason why a competent person should not obtain GE certification.
Being a Competent person under the Wiring Regs does not require the membership of any trade body or payment of any annual registration fees. It requires competence and knowledge of the skills required.
I can't be bothered to argue the toss about capability but it basically boils down to:
Do you currently have engineer access to the portal - if not then you need to do the training course to get setup as an "Engineer" tier user so that you can access the engineer level settings.
There's no other way around it to get the system to accept there is another battery present & for it to go through it's little calibration runs - it's not just a case of wiring it up.
hoggy Well said. That is it in a nut shell.
Engineer level doesn't give that much more access, but does allow you that all important edit battery capacity, pack number and the calibration process. Which is crucial.
It doesnt allow editing the safety settings, such as Grid voltage limits, so even as a n engineer, you cant ignore high or low grid.
hoggy Thank you hoggy, that is all I wanted to know, my question was about do you need to commission a second battery, which the answer is yes. Effectively you have to have engineer access to commision the battery.
Well GivEnergy can commission battery as well. The question is do they willing to do so. You can ask.
If not there is a option to buy another inverter Growatt or Solis and build your own 14AH battery for below £2k. Even if you spend £2,5k for battery and extra inverter its still way less than Givenergy charge for 9.5AH currently for £3.5k. So you gain 5AH and save around £1.3k. I think with this setup you loose ability to recharge battery from grid but i could be wrong.
BTW How much electrician will charge for commission battery? Maybe its not worth the hassle but i presume they will abuse of power and charge quite huge amount.
wilfleek I’ll see if one of my children could buy next door… we can eat at my house and charge up at theirs 😂