What you’ll need 

• USB A-to-A cable (use a USB-C adapter if your laptop needs one; the video mentions links in its description)
• Laptop
• Access to the GivEnergy firmware downloads, navigate from the main site: https://givenergy.co.uk/

Important safety notes 

• This guide is specifically for GivEnergy Gen3 Hybrid inverters.
• Ensure the system is fully powered down before opening the inverter or connecting the USB cable.
• Only the file named msn.ext must be preserved from the inverter’s USB drive before formatting.

Step-by-step instructions 

1) Fully power down the system 

1. Turn off the battery: Press and hold the battery on/off button (right side of the battery) until you hear a beep and the battery lights turn off.
2. Turn off the battery DC MCB: On the left side of the battery, open the flap and push the DC MCB switch down. Down = off.
3. Isolate the inverter AC power: Turn the inverter AC isolator to the left (circle symbol = off).
• If you have solar PV, turn its AC isolator off as well.
4. Turn the inverter toggle switch off: On the bottom of the inverter, set the toggle switch to off.
5. Confirm lights are off: If any inverter lights are still on, something remains powered; re-check the switches.

2) Access the inverter USB port 

1. Remove the left and right screws holding the inverter’s front plate.
2. Pull the front plate down with a slight wiggle (it’s tight due to the weatherproof seal).
3. Locate the USB socket inside the inverter.

3) Prepare firmware files on your laptop 

1. Go to the GivEnergy site and navigate to the firmware section to find the specific files for your exact inverter model: start at https://givenergy.co.uk/
2. Download the correct Wi-Fi firmware files for your Gen3 Hybrid inverter.

4) Connect and preserve the essential file 

1. Plug the USB A-to-A cable into your laptop and the other end into the inverter’s USB port.
2. A USB drive should appear on your laptop (this is the inverter’s Wi-Fi dongle storage).
3. Open the drive and copy the file named msn.ext to the same folder where you downloaded the firmware files.
• Ignore other files on the drive; only msn.ext is required.

5) Format the inverter USB drive correctly 

1. Right-click the USB drive and select Format.
2. Change the File system from the default NTFS to FAT (it will show “FAT (default)”).
3. Ensure Quick Format is ticked.
4. Click Start, then OK to confirm.

6) Load the drive with the update files 

1. Copy the Wi-Fi firmware files you downloaded, plus msn.ext, onto the now-empty USB drive.
• Note: Some inverter firmware packages include multiple files; copy all items provided for your model.
2. Right-click the USB drive and Eject.
3. Disconnect the USB cable from both the laptop and the inverter.
4. Refit the inverter front cover and tighten the screws to ensure the weatherproof seal.

7) Power the system back up (correct order) 

1. Turn the AC isolator back on (from circle to line, pointing straight up).
2. Push the battery DC MCB back up. Up = on. Close and secure the lid.
3. Press and hold the battery on button for several seconds until you hear a beep and the lights come on.
4. On the bottom of the inverter, switch the toggle from off to on.

8) Let the firmware update complete 

1. The middle status light will alternate red and green, then begin to flash much faster.
2. Allow at least 6–7 minutes for the procedure (it’s often quicker).
3. The system will restart. Once complete, the light will again alternate red/green fast flashing.
4. It may take several minutes for the system to fully come back online.

Tips and troubleshooting 

• If the update keeps failing via the portal, this manual process removes a stuck firmware file and updates in one go.
• Make sure you’ve used FAT, not NTFS, when formatting the USB drive.
• The msn.ext file is essential; do not delete it from your backup or the drive after formatting.
• Double-check you downloaded the exact model’s firmware from the GivEnergy site.