[Odinias]

Hi Guys

I'm considering getting a GivEnergy battery installed where I can charge it at night when it's cheap and then use it during the day. However, I spoke to a company who specialises in home battery installations and they said the battery must be within 3 metres of the fuse box. Now the problem is, my fuse box is in the house under the stair case so the battery would have to be installed on the wall in the hallway.

My question is, are GivEnergy batteries (9.5kWh capacity one) noisy when trying to cool down? Is it fan cooled or liquid cooled? If fan, I suspect it can get quite noisy in which case I wouldn't really want it in the hallway.

Can anyone who has a GivEnergy battery let me know your experience?

Cheers.

 

[Harry6]

My inverter and 9.5kWh battery are under the stairs the only noise are the extra fans I installed to circulate the air and blow it out a small vent.

 

[Rbrian]

I installed my Sofar inverter and Pylontech batteries in the airing cupboard just across the hallway from my bedroom, and I don't hear them. In summer, I may have to do something about the heat, perhaps vents, perhaps fans, but as I charge from the grid at night, and in summer I plan to charge off my weedy 2kwp panels, it shouldn't be too bad.

 

[donald]

Why within 3m?

 

[Odinias]

Why within 3m?

No idea, that's just what they told me.

Ideally I want it installed in the garage which is next to the house but detached (still has electricity though). Not sure if that is possible as it's quite far from the fuse box and I suspect it would require a lot of cabling? Any info on how this would work would be good as I know nothing about battery installation.

 

[donald]

No idea, that's just what they told me.

Ideally I want it installed in the garage which is next to the house but detached (still has electricity though). Not sure if that is possible as it's quite far from the fuse box.

Challenge them on that, then, makes no sense to me.

OK, so you might have to pay a bit more for thicker gauge cable (6mm instead of 4, or 10 instead of 6, whatever, and more of it of course) maybe they were referring to how they had priced it.

But you are the customer, have it where you want it I would say. No technical reason for it to be close I am aware of. Just a cost issue for the cable.

I'd have thought the saving in time and buggeration by being able to go for a clean install in a garage, than wedged into some interior cupboard, would outweigh the price of the cable.

 

[Odinias]

Challenge them on that, then, makes no sense to me.

OK, so you might have to pay a bit more for thicker gauge cable (6mm instead of 4, or 10 instead of 6, whatever, and more of it of course) maybe they were referring to how they had priced it.

But you are the customer, have it where you want it I would say. No technical reason for it to be close I am aware of. Just a cost issue for the cable.

I'd have thought the saving in time and buggeration by being able to go for a clean install in a garage, than wedged into some interior cupboard, would outweigh the price of the cable.

Thanks Donald. I'll have another chat with them.

Another question, to everyone. How much did your battery installation cost just so that I can get a ball park figure of what is reasonable. The company that I've contacted quoted me just over £7, 300k for the 9.5kWh battery and the AC charge controller.

 

[Stinsy]

Hi Guys

I'm considering getting a GivEnergy battery installed where I can charge it at night when it's cheap and then use it during the day. However, I spoke to a company who specialises in home battery installations and they said the battery must be within 3 metres of the fuse box. Now the problem is, my fuse box is in the house under the stair case so the battery would have to be installed on the wall in the hallway.

My question is, are GivEnergy batteries (9.5kWh capacity one) noisy when trying to cool down? Is it fan cooled or liquid cooled? If fan, I suspect it can get quite noisy in which case I wouldn't really want it in the hallway.

Can anyone who has a GivEnergy battery let me know your experience?

Cheers.

The installer is talking nonsense. My battery is in the attic, I know plenty of people who have theirs in outbuildings. I guess the installer is too lazy to install a cable more than a few ft long.

Batteries are silent. As in completely silent there is no way they can make any noise at all.

Inverters sometimes make noise and it used to be common for them to have small cooling fans. However more-efficient modern inverters don’t have cooling fans iD be very surprised if the GivEnergy inverter has one, they might make clicking or wiring or humming noises so you possibly don’t want the inverter in your bedroom, but otherwise you’ll be fine.

 

[Odinias]

The installer is talking nonsense. My battery is in the attic, I know plenty of people who have theirs in outbuildings. I guess the installer is too lazy to install a cable more than a few ft long.

Batteries are silent. As in completely silent there is no way they can make any noise at all.

Inverters sometimes make noise and it used to be common for them to have small cooling fans. However more-efficient modern inverters don’t have cooling fans iD be very surprised if the GivEnergy inverter has one, they might make clicking or wiring or humming noises so you possibly don’t want the inverter in your bedroom, but otherwise you’ll be fine.

Thanks for the info. They've informed me that I don't need an inverter as I don't have solar. I'll be charging it from the grid when it's cheap so I need an AC charger instead (apparently).

 

[Stinsy]

Thanks for the info. They've informed me that I don't need an inverter as I don't have solar. I'll be charging it from the grid when it's cheap so I need an AC charger instead (apparently).

Seriously?

They don’t know what they’re talking about!

Most house batteries are 48V DC. Most houses are 230V AC. The thing that changes DC into AC is an “inverter”. Strictly speaking what you need is an “inverter/charger” because it charges the batteries from the grid and discharges them into the grid, but everyone just calls it an “inverter”.

• A “Battery inverter” is the inverter/charger you need.
• A “Solar inverter” is what connects solar panels to the grid.
• A “Hybrid inverter” is both of the above in one box.
  
  
  
  

 

[Stinsy]

I guess this is the INVERTER the installer was planning to fit?

GivEnergy Gen2 3.6kW Hybrid PV Battery Inverter suitable for Economy 7 & Octopus Go – ITS Technologies

New GivEnergy Gen2 Hybrid inverter. Givenergy design and manufacture their own inverters, batteries and state-of-the-art management system and monitoring platform which combine to offer an exceptional storage package.

www.itstechnologies.shop

 

[Odinias]

Christ oh mighty, it really does sound like this installation company doesn't have a clue! Think I'm going to go with a different company!

 

[Stripy]

Hi Guys

I'm considering getting a GivEnergy battery installed where I can charge it at night when it's cheap and then use it during the day. However, I spoke to a company who specialises in home battery installations and they said the battery must be within 3 metres of the fuse box. Now the problem is, my fuse box is in the house under the stair case so the battery would have to be installed on the wall in the hallway.

My question is, are GivEnergy batteries (9.5kWh capacity one) noisy when trying to cool down? Is it fan cooled or liquid cooled? If fan, I suspect it can get quite noisy in which case I wouldn't really want it in the hallway.

Can anyone who has a GivEnergy battery let me know your experience?

Cheers.

Good choice on the GivEnergy.
I have mine placed outside in the carport, cable run is possibly 8m from the inverter to CU - however, distance from battery to inverter i believe is fixed cable length of 90cm (or is it 100cm, can't remember - but what's 10cm between friends )

I think their rule of 3m seems quite odd.
What size inverter are you getting?
Not noisy at all IMHO

 

[Stinsy]

I installed my Sofar inverter and Pylontech batteries in the airing cupboard just across the hallway from my bedroom, and I don't hear them. In summer, I may have to do something about the heat, perhaps vents, perhaps fans, but as I charge from the grid at night, and in summer I plan to charge off my weedy 2kwp panels, it shouldn't be too bad. View attachment 171758

Room for two more?

 

[Odinias]

Good choice on the GivEnergy.
I have mine placed outside in the carport, cable run is possibly 8m from the inverter to CU - however, distance from battery to inverter i believe is fixed cable length of 90cm (or is it 100cm, can't remember - but what's 10cm between friends )

I think their rule of 3m seems quite odd.
What size inverter are you getting?

3.6kW inverter, which should hopefully be more than enough to power the house. There's only two of us (with a baby coming along soon) but I can't imagine us having so many devices on at the same time that it would go beyond 3kW.

And if it does, it's not the end of the world if we have to draw from the grid a little bit.

 

[donald]

Christ oh mighty, it really does sound like this installation company doesn't have a clue! Think I'm going to go with a different company!

Possibly, or they are talking about something different to what you think they are talking about. Just seek clarification on these things, and if they are not forthcoming then you know what to do.

 

[Stinsy]

3.6kW inverter, which should hopefully be more than enough to power the house. There's only two of us (with a baby coming along soon) but I can't imagine us having so many devices on at the same time that it would go beyond 3kW.

And if it does, it's not the end of the world if we have to draw from the grid a little bit.

Correct!

Lots of people get their knickers in a twist over this, but the reality is that your house demand very rarely exceeds 3.6kW and when it does that is for a very brief time period. The vast majority of high-power devices (washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, etc.) only pull full power for a small proportion of their duty cycle. so the chances of them coinciding are very small and if that does happen it isn’t for long.

If you had an ASHP then that would be a reason to consider a larger (eg 5kW) inverter.

 

[Stripy]

The Gen2 Hybrids can both deliver 3.6kw from battery alone.
I can't for the life of me see the difference of if those 3.6kw comes from the arrays or from the battery, why that should have an impact of the distance to the consumer unit - the power still comes through the same cable from the inverter!

 

[Odinias]

Correct!

Lots of people get their knickers in a twist over this, but the reality is that your house demand very rarely exceeds 3.6kW and when it does that is for a very brief time period. The vast majority of high-power devices (washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, etc.) only pull full power for a small proportion of their duty cycle. so the chances of them coinciding are very small and if that does happen it isn’t for long.

If you had an ASHP then that would be a reason to consider a larger (eg 5kW) inverter.

That's reassuring to hear as I was initially one of those people getting my 'knickers in a twist' over the kW.

Thanks for your help, everything you've said (and everyone else) has been really useful. Appreciate the time.

 

[robert79]

Another question, to everyone. How much did your battery installation cost just so that I can get a ball park figure of what is reasonable. The company that I've contacted quoted me just over £7, 300k for the 9.5kWh battery and the AC charge controller.

We've already established that the installer need to clarify some stuff/is a bit useless, but that sounds a bit on the expensive side to me. You can buy the kit they are proposing to install retail for £5,500. So they want £1,800 for a bit of cable, a mini-CU with RCBO, breakers local to the inverter, sundry parts and about a days labour?
I installed 15kWh Pylontech batteries and a 5kW Sunsynk inverter for £6,500 + cable (£150), breakers, sundry parts etc (another £200-£250) and my electrician friend came and helped me wire it all up for some beer money. If I've been paying him his normal rate the installation would have cost about £700. So around what you've been quoted but for a third more storage capacity and a bigger inverter. Oh, and it's a 12m cable run for me as it's installed in the loft.