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ESS Battery drawing more power than demand

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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.

waltyboyBest Answer

Rank 8

Hi @WAC768, I’m afraid I’m not familiar with the Livoltek system…I just rely on my smaller inverter not exporting anything to the grid when its storage battery is discharging, mainly at night.

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 @BPLightlog says, check your smart meter consumption to see what exact loads have been running, but I would also check the export kWh in your smart meter, I assume this should be a tiny or even a zero figure? Is it possible your system is exporting a small amount to the Grid, or is the Livoltek not grid tied in any way when it’s not charging? I tried a hybrid ESS system for a few months, but I prefer the on-grid zero export type of setup now.

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, as at 01 Sep 2026 30 MWh, of which 22 MWh exported. 2023: 2.4kWh LiFePo4 battery. 2024: Tadö wireless smart stat v3; Electriq split unit 2.6kW AAHP (“air conditioner”). 2026: Hyundai Inster 02 EV.

BPLightlog

Super User

Hi @WAC768 , the power flow diagram looks like there are parts missing so this is difficult to understand.
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, EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}

W

WAC768Author

Rank 1

Hi @BPLightlog I don’t have solar hence why it may appear something is missing. We do have a smart meter and never thought of cross-referencing the data using this, thanks.

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.

BPLightlog

Super User

Hi @BPLightlog I don’t have solar hence why it may appear something is missing. We do have a smart meter and never thought of cross-referencing the data using this, thanks.

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, EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}

W

WAC768Author

Rank 1

Hi @BPLightlog, check again and the CT is pointing it the right direction. You can see from the screenshot below there’s nothing really coming from the grid yet the battery load is .83 vs load of .44, something very strange is happening...

BPLightlog

Super User

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, EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}

Emmanuelle_OVO

Retired Moderator

@waltyboy @Nick Challacombe @EverythingNeedsAUserName @hydrosam any advice for @WAC768?

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.

H

hydrosam

Rank 4

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

waltyboyBest Answer

Rank 8

Hi @WAC768, I’m afraid I’m not familiar with the Livoltek system…I just rely on my smaller inverter not exporting anything to the grid when its storage battery is discharging, mainly at night.

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 @BPLightlog says, check your smart meter consumption to see what exact loads have been running, but I would also check the export kWh in your smart meter, I assume this should be a tiny or even a zero figure? Is it possible your system is exporting a small amount to the Grid, or is the Livoltek not grid tied in any way when it’s not charging? I tried a hybrid ESS system for a few months, but I prefer the on-grid zero export type of setup now.

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, as at 01 Sep 2026 30 MWh, of which 22 MWh exported. 2023: 2.4kWh LiFePo4 battery. 2024: Tadö wireless smart stat v3; Electriq split unit 2.6kW AAHP (“air conditioner”). 2026: Hyundai Inster 02 EV.