Hi, I recently installed a Livoltek ESS and I can constantly see the draw from the battery is nearly always double (low loads) to that of the demand (Home) is this normal or am I missing something obvious.
Answer
ESS Battery drawing more power than demand
Best answer by waltyboy
Hi
I have noticed, though, that the “zero export” functionality of my little system goes a bit bananas if my house’s demand drops below around 20 Watts (for example during periods when the ‘fridge freezer and the chest freezer compressors aren’t running). For that reason, I’ve stopped going around at bedtime switching off router, neon switch for the cooker, doorbell transformer etc., as the inverter seems to “like” the household load never dropping below 20Watts or so. The “low loads” you mention, are they below this kind of minimal level?
As
On one occasion, but only once, I caught my small (battery-based) inverter fleetingly showing a mysterious and random 300W drain on the battery, but only for half a second or so, thankfully! 300 Watts is not unusual when everything clicks on at once, but I’m talking about a fleeting completely random 300 Watt demand, which I’ve only caught it doing that once. Goodness knows what it thinks is going on if and when it does that, perhaps it’s an internal check or something. It’s certainly not enough to register on my nighttime usage stats…your situation doesn’t sound similar though, I think?
You can get your own import/export meter very inexpensively: I hard-wired mine, but there are CT-based ones as well, although space may be limited in and around your consumer unit? And you may glean enough information from your IHD and the smart meter itself, but I like to have my own kit as a “second opinion”!
Good luck with it, it’s a frustrating conundrum you’ve got there! Is the Livoltek tech support any good?
+5- Plan Zero Hero
Hi
Do you have a smart meter and IHD? If so, does the demand figure agree (more or less) with the consumption you show ?
Most of these type of systems measure via a CT which can be somewhat inaccurate. It can also depend on the placement and positioning of the CT as to what it tells the system control (inverter) is required.
How long has the system been installed?
Have you seen changes in it’s behaviour?
Can your installer check things for you?
Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP}
Hi
The CT is fitted on the infeed inside the consumer unit as I live in an apartment and the meter cupboard is not easy to reach.
This has been the same since it was installed back in Nov 23, which was done by an electrician friend of mine.
+5- Plan Zero Hero
Hi
The CT is fitted on the infeed inside the consumer unit as I live in an apartment and the meter cupboard is not easy to reach.
Ok - solar-less makes more sense.
On the CT, there should be an arrow in the moulding. If you can check which way it’s pointing, that might also help
Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP}
Hi
+5- Plan Zero Hero
I’ve been looking through the various user guides but can’t see an exact match with your images.
https://livoltek.com/service/downloads/#toggle-id-27
Do you have a days log of battery consumption? Some of these devices only poll the battery every few minutes so a snapshot might show an odd combination.
Incidentally, what do the coloured dots indicate? Input and output ?
Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP}
I can’t offer a lot because I don’t have this brand of battery.
I’d first be looking at the CT clamp, that will be measuring the whole house demand/load, I would be tempted to switch off the battery, read the meter and see whether the meter load is similar when not using the battery. Either read your smart meter live reading or in-home display if you have one. CT clamps, and their cabling can be subject to interference, particularly if installed inside the consumer unit where lots of cables are close together.
The other thing to look at is the settings within the battery inverter. Is it configured for self-consumption? It is configured with Solar panels even though there aren’t any? Does it have the correct battery capacity configuration?
Those are the obvious things, just off the top of my head.
Good luck.
15kwh grid-tied battery, ASHP Daikin 11kw R410 mono + 300l Cylinder. 3.3kw Solar PV. Kia e-Niro EV
+2- Plan Zero Hero
- Answer
Hi
I have noticed, though, that the “zero export” functionality of my little system goes a bit bananas if my house’s demand drops below around 20 Watts (for example during periods when the ‘fridge freezer and the chest freezer compressors aren’t running). For that reason, I’ve stopped going around at bedtime switching off router, neon switch for the cooker, doorbell transformer etc., as the inverter seems to “like” the household load never dropping below 20Watts or so. The “low loads” you mention, are they below this kind of minimal level?
As
On one occasion, but only once, I caught my small (battery-based) inverter fleetingly showing a mysterious and random 300W drain on the battery, but only for half a second or so, thankfully! 300 Watts is not unusual when everything clicks on at once, but I’m talking about a fleeting completely random 300 Watt demand, which I’ve only caught it doing that once. Goodness knows what it thinks is going on if and when it does that, perhaps it’s an internal check or something. It’s certainly not enough to register on my nighttime usage stats…your situation doesn’t sound similar though, I think?
You can get your own import/export meter very inexpensively: I hard-wired mine, but there are CT-based ones as well, although space may be limited in and around your consumer unit? And you may glean enough information from your IHD and the smart meter itself, but I like to have my own kit as a “second opinion”!
Good luck with it, it’s a frustrating conundrum you’ve got there! Is the Livoltek tech support any good?
Walt. 2013: 3.2kW PV East/West + Fronius IG, >26MWh (of which, to date mid-2025, 20MWh exported). 2023: 2.4kWh LiFePo4 battery. 2024: Tadö wireless smart stat v3; Electriq split unit 2.6kW AAHP (“air conditioner”).
Apolgies
The forum members from whom you have had replies are very knowledgeable and have helped many members.
+5- Plan Zero Hero
In case it’s of any use, these are the contact details I found
Dan Fisher was UK Tech Support last time I heard
Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP}
Many thanks everyone for your help here it’s much appreciated and I will try your suggestions and will let you know how I get on.👍
We had a problem this autumn with our batteries. Different make to yours. We were charging from the grid overnight but only to 60% while there was still power coming from the solar panels. The batteries would start charging (very slowly) drawing power from the grid of their own accord during the day even when already above that 60% level and outside the time set.
It turned out after the installer referred to the manufacturer that for calibration they needed to hit 100% or 10%, which they weren't doing. They were calling for charge because they didn't know their state. They were replaced so the manufacturer could take them back to investigate, and now we've no sunshine we charge the new ones to 100% overnight so that they last all day.
3.99kW solar 2015, 12kWh batteries 2022, Tado.
+3- Carbon Catcher***
What is controlling that
Resolved maybe… After finally getting in touch with the head of Livoltek for the EU, who immediately got Dan from support on this (appears Livoltek has changed all their email addresses), who was brilliant, it appears that whilst the inverter had updated shortly after it was installed, many other updates that had not. It took around 1 hour for all these to be done and now typically the inverter load is around 100 - 150W higher than demand, which I think is about right (losses, DC/AC conversion, etc.)
If anything changes I'll post again. Thanks for all your help on this topic.
What is controlling that
It seems to just be the batteries. They've each some form of self control. AOBOET U Home LFP 2400. They're linked through a luxpowertek LXP Hybrid inverter.
3.99kW solar 2015, 12kWh batteries 2022, Tado.
+5- Plan Zero Hero
What is controlling that
It seems to just be the batteries. They've each some form of self control. AOBOET U Home LFP 2400. They're linked through a luxpowertek LXP Hybrid inverter.
It might be because that battery model is not listed by LuxPower as being compatible.
https://luxpowertek.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/luxpower_compatible_list_20230408.pdf
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