Simple timers
Most manufacturer apps can charge during a fixed cheap window and discharge later. This is easy to understand and can work well on a stable time-of-use tariff, but it does not adapt to changing prices or forecasts.
BATTERY OPTIMISATION
Choose when your home battery charges and discharges.
Optimisation turns tariff prices, solar forecasts, expected demand and battery limits into a practical schedule — either automatically or through rules you control.
The best optimiser is the one that fits your tariff, hardware and tolerance for complexity while respecting battery limits and maintaining a sensible household reserve.
HOME BATTERY GUIDE
PLAIN ENGLISHCHECKED SOURCESPRACTICAL NEXT STEPS
Supplier-managed optimisation
A supplier product may schedule a supported battery in return for a payment, enhanced tariff or bundled proposition. It is usually lower effort but can restrict other optimisation services.
Independent automatic optimisation
Platforms such as Capture connect to supported manufacturer systems and build schedules using forecasts and price signals. Check supported models, control permissions, charges and whether supplier switching is required.
Advanced self-optimisation
Home Assistant and PredBat can provide detailed visibility and highly configurable planning. They are powerful but require setup, maintenance and confidence interpreting what the automation is doing.
Measure net value
A plan should account for conversion losses, battery power, usable capacity, export limits and degradation. Review performance over weeks and seasons rather than judging one unusually profitable day.
PLAIN-ENGLISH FAQ
Questions homeowners ask.
Is automatic optimisation always better than a timer?
No. A simple tariff and predictable household may do well with a timer. Automation becomes more useful when prices, solar or demand vary.
Should I keep a battery reserve?
Many households do, particularly where backup power matters. A higher reserve provides reassurance but leaves less energy available for optimisation or export.
Does cycling the battery cause wear?
Battery cycling contributes to degradation. The practical impact depends on chemistry, depth of discharge, temperature, power and warranty terms, so value should be considered net of wear.
Which electricity tariff is best?
There is no universal answer. Compare the full import profile, export rate, standing charge, charging window and control restrictions using your own consumption and generation.
CHECK YOUR NEXT STEP
Start with compatibility, then compare control.
Check your inverter ecosystem before choosing between grid-event rewards, managed optimisation or a self-managed setup.
EXPLORE HOME BATTERY VALUE
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How home battery trading works
Understand grid events, tariff optimisation, export payments and the difference between earning and saving.
Read guide PROVIDER GUIDEAxle Energy explained
A plain-English guide to Axle grid events, eligibility, control, payments and the questions to check before joining.
Read guide GRID SERVICESWhat is a home battery VPP?
How thousands of connected batteries can act together — and what participation means for the homeowner.
Read guide ADVANCED CONTROLHome Assistant and PredBat
What the software does, what it needs and why it suits confident users who want detailed control.
Read guide COMPATIBILITYBattery brands and integrations
Why the inverter often determines compatibility, which connection methods matter and what to verify first.
Read guide