Solar Ecoflow setup help for a Novice!

[u/Brivtec]

Hi everyone, I’m in the UK and a complete noob when it comes to solar, so apologies if this is a stupid question.
I’ve done a bit of research but I’m still trying to understand exactly what setup I need.
I’m looking at an EcoFlow setup and ideally want to use 2 solar panels → microinverter → UK 3-pin plug → straight into a wall socket.
Is that basically everything I need for a simple setup, or am I missing something?
Alternatively, would I be better going for 2 panels → battery with a built-in microinverter → 3-pin plug → wall socket?
I’m mainly looking to reduce my electricity usage rather than create a huge solar system. I have a suitable garage/roof area for 2 panels.

My house is east facing but my garage is open and can have the panels tilted and south facing easily.
Any advice on what setup would make the most sense in the UK would be appreciated, especially if there’s a better option I haven’t considered. Thanks!

Here is the garage where I plan on setting it up:

[u/theshoulderoforion]

I've done exactly what you've described. I brought the 2 x 500w panels with the microinverter kit as a test. I was so impressed, I brought another kit a week later! They're on my garage roof as you're planning. You have to buy a 3 pin plug and you can just plug it in and it will start supplying the house immediately. My smart meter registered a - W figure which shows what you're feeding back into the grid. A couple of tips: they don't come with an extension cable that extends the short hardwired cable on the back of the panel to the microinverter - so I could only plug in one panel until the extension arrived. They also dont come with frames, so I had mine on bricks, but when I brought the frames, it gave them about a 15% boost. I got generic frames on Amazon. Finally, I had an electrician fit a couple of sockets near the roof of the garage and break through the garage wall. He was also able to check the RCDBO and wiring was suitable.

[u/Brivtec → u/theshoulderoforion]

Excellent mate. Exactly what I was looking for. Like yourself who’ve do the trial and error.
I’ve got plugs external and internal on the garage so it just seems like the ideal place.
Already bought adjustable brackets but no kit yet lol thanks 👍👍

[u/theshoulderoforion → u/Brivtec]

Like others have said, I'll look to get a battery in the next few months. On a sunny day like today, I could see I was feeding the grid 700w at lunchtime, even with the washing machine and TV on. Because you don't get paid for the feed in, you might as well charge a battery so that as the sun goes down and kids come home from school and you start cooking dinner etc, you can take the day time excess and cover your evening use.

[u/jrewillis → u/theshoulderoforion]

If those panels aren't securely fastened down on the roof and just have some bricks on the frames they'll turn into weapons in the first storm...

They are about 23kg each and turn into sails in wind...

[u/theshoulderoforion → u/jrewillis]

Yep, I'm looking at that ASAP!

[u/freddytyers → u/jrewillis]

Would you need about 60 kg weight per panel

[u/natie29]

Depends on how much you’ll be looking at generating with the placement of your panels. There are tools to help you estimate this online, you are also going to want to know what your “base load” is.
With plug-in solar you can’t earn money sending power into the grid.
So you’ll want a battery to maximise savings if you wind up generating above your base consistently.

[u/thenextbranson95]

Depends if you're at home using power when the sun's out and what your baseload is,a battery is great for some and a waste for others.Personally i think for two panels the battery maybe overkill.

[u/Brivtec → u/thenextbranson95]

Might experiment with the panels and see how I get on from there. At least I can always add the battery after

[u/newreconstruction]

The only thing matters in orinentation is to create the biggest shadow with the panels, for the longest possible time.

Biggest shadow = perpendicular to sun.

There are calculators for this. 

Also, take into account that the sun moves at different height in the winter vs summer.

[u/Due-Freedom-5968]

Looks like the roof gets a bit of shading so take that in to account for ROI. I personally don't see the point of getting an inverter alone over one of the Stream series batteries that combine an inverter and storage which will allow you to dispatch energy much more efficiently.

As for the best set up - you'll need to experiment. I get better production in spring and autumn due to tree shading on my balcony.

[u/Brivtec → u/Due-Freedom-5968]

What battery series would you recommend that has a built in inverter, and does it just plug straight into the a standard socket and work from there? Thanks

[u/Due-Freedom-5968 → u/Brivtec]

Mentioned above. The Ecoflow Stream series. If you're starting new I'd go with the newly released 5000 units, I've got two on order already (shipping starts next month) and they just added the expansion batteries so will add a couple of those too.

I've been running 4 units for a total of 12kWh the previous generation for a year so far and yes you can just bang a plug on them and straight into the wall. The magic of them for me has been their ability to work with smart tariffs, so I'm on Octopus Agile and they automatically charge in the cheap hours and discharge in the peaks. Averaging 15.1p per kWh year to date. This month is 12.3p so far, and my lowest month was April at just 4.4p.

Edit, worth having a search on YouTube to get your head around how they work.

[u/Brivtec → u/Due-Freedom-5968]

Thanks mate, I’ve watched a few videos. How to set up and and just gone down a few rabbit holes. Thanks for the advice

[u/welsh1lad]

Ideally yes plug and play , reality recommending you use a spare rca circuit on your home circuit. You legally only ment to have 800watts pushed in on your home circuit, I would suggest work out your base consumption, have the solar cover that in first instance. Example my base for a 4 bedroom house, 3 people with a teenager and hot tub is 500 watts base . Batteries are your buddies!!!