At Solarfix, we’re always looking for ways to help our customers get the most from their solar systems and save money. Winter in Northern Ireland can bring shorter days and reduced sunlight, which can affect the performance of your solar panels. That’s why we’re big advocates for night charging your solar batteries—a simple, cost-effective solution to keep your home running efficiently throughout the colder months.
For those already on the Economy 7 tariff, the benefits are even clearer. By charging your batteries overnight when electricity is cheaper, you’ll enjoy significant savings and reduce your reliance on the grid during peak hours. Plus, setting up a charging profile is quick and easy—just follow our step-by-step guides to get started!
Here’s why night charging is such a great option this winter and how Solarfix can help you make the most of it.
1. Save Money with Economy 7 Night Rates
In Northern Ireland, many customers are already on Economy 7 tariffs, where electricity rates are split into peak (daytime) and off-peak (night-time) hours. Overnight rates can be up to 50% cheaper, making it the ideal time to charge your home storage batteries.
By charging your solar power storage batteries at night, you can store affordable energy and use it during the day when grid electricity costs more. This works well with both battery options we offer: Duracell home battery or SolarEdge Energy bank.
Many of our customers with electric vehicles already benefit from overnight charging using their My Energi Zappi car charger. Why not take the same approach to your home energy system? Combining battery storage with off-peak rates allows you to reduce your energy bills and increase savings over the winter months.
If you’re not already on a day/night meter, you can contact your electricity provider to request a change. Switching to a day/night meter allows you to access off-peak night rates. However, keep in mind that each electricity provider has different pricing, so it’s a good idea to shop around and compare rates. Just be sure to check that you’re not already tied into a contract with your current provider to avoid any unexpected costs.
Once you have swapped over to a cheaper night tariff, you will need to use our handy guides to set your battery to charge overnight - step-by-step guides.
2. Keeping your battery healthy throughout the winter months.
Due to the reduction in sunlight, systems typically don’t generate enough solar to fill your battery. Ensuring that your battery charges and discharges everyday is important for the overall health of the battery, making sure they last as long as possible. Adding a suitable amount of charging hours every night will ensure that you wake up to a full battery, which will then discharge throughout the day, meaning your battery is ‘cycling’ each day.
For some batteries, if they are left under the minimum state of charge for too long, they will go into ‘sleep mode’, we can avoid this by ensuring that the battery is receiving power everyday, keeping it awake and working.
Night charging can then be turned off, generally, when the clocks change in March (dependant on the Northern Irish weather of course). The batteries will generally get enough excess solar to charge and keep it healthy between March and September – meaning you are only utilising the night charging for the winter months – but you’re battery is charged and healthy all year round.
3. Overcome Winter’s Limited Solar Generation
Winter brings reduced daylight, which can impact the generation of your solar panels Northern Ireland. While your PV panels still generate energy, it will not be enough to power your home entirely. By integrating night charging into your system, you create a dependable energy backup to see you through those darker days.
If you’ve invested in solar with trusted solar panel suppliers like Solarfix, adding solar batteries to your system takes your energy efficiency to the next level. A battery storage solution gives you the flexibility to store energy when it’s cheap and use it when it’s most valuable.
4. Setting Up a Night Charging Profile is Quick and Easy
One of the best things about modern solar power storage batteries is how easy they are to use. Setting up a night charging profile is a simple process and doesn’t require any technical know-how.
To make things even easier, we’ve created step-by-step guides on our YouTube channel to help you get set up in no time. Whether you’re using a Duracell home battery or the SolarEdge Energy bank, our tutorials will walk you through the process.
And if you need additional support, the friendly team at Solarfix are always here to help. Just give us a call, and we’ll be happy to assist!
5. Solarfix: Your Local Experts for Solar Power in Northern Ireland
At Solarfix, we pride ourselves on being a trusted name for solar power Northern Ireland. We’ve got you covered. From consultation to installation and aftercare, we’re here to make your transition to renewable energy seamless and stress-free. We offer solutions tailored to your needs, If you’re new to solar power, we can guide you through choosing the right products and designing an efficient system for your home.
If you’re considering adding a battery to your existing system or need a full solar and battery setup, get in touch with us today at 0800 246 5198 or click here to complete our online contact form. Our team will be happy to discuss your options and help you find the perfect solution for your home.
Conclusion: Save Money and Stay Efficient This Winter
Night charging your solar batteries is a simple, cost-effective way to get through the darker months in Northern Ireland. By taking advantage of cheaper overnight electricity rates—especially if you’re on an Economy 7 tariff—you can charge your batteries for less and use that stored energy when it’s most needed.
And don’t forget—setting up a night charging profile is quick and easy. Check out our step-by-step guides on YouTube to ensure your battery is fully optimised for maximum savings.
If you’re ready to make the most of your solar system this winter, and you’re thinking of adding home storage batteries to your setup or you need both solar and batteries, contact us on 0800 246 5198 or click here for our contact form!