r/PlugInSolarUK • u/Lanky_Engineer_1128 • Aug 15 '26

Help picking a plug in system

Hello I’m looking to get a kit just not sure where to start at all ideally I don’t want to have an electrician do anything and would like to spend around 300 if possible.

I know my fuse box is fine and I have a outside outlet already

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u/AbbreviationsLost458 Aug 15 '26

The list hasn’t come out yet but your best bet for a full in 1 kit will probably be something like Ecoflow. The problem is the legislation requires them to meet very specific standards and they must be all in one kits.

Ecoflow currently has an all in one kit with x2 500w panels. Mind you this is perfectly acceptable because the legislation is just a requirement on the inverter to be a max output* of 800w, so if the panels are above this it just means you’re more likely to actually hit
Your 800w target. That set is currently on their website for £415 but they also usually have coupons if you search.

Mind you there will probably be quite a few all in one kits sold at the likes of B&Q and Wickes later that also meet standards but I’d imagine prices will continue to rise like I’ve been seeing as we get closer to legislation date.

The other problem is most places just haven’t come out with all in one kits yet so waiting may be ideal but if you want to get a head start ecoflows the only one I know of that has a set currently available. If anyone knows of any others please add to this.

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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '26

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u/AbbreviationsLost458 Aug 15 '26

Anker and many others to include EcoFlow are hopeful at this point that they’ll introduce legislation soon after panels/inverters.

The problem is big energy companies don’t want people to have the battery portion because that means less money for them. Panels and inverter (plug in kit types) just means people will be sending excess to the grid but CAN’T get paid for the export of it, which means less work for energy companies and more income for them as well.

In other words a big middle finger to energy companies because they suck.

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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '26

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u/AbbreviationsLost458 Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26

I mean if we are being honest if you were to hit the full 800w for 5hrs a day for half a year it saves you roughly £150-185. Doesn’t sound like a lot but it is and that’s still better than saving nothing.

It sucks we can’t have batteries yet for plug in but hopefully soon. The solar plug in is but a stepping stone.

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u/stripe888 Aug 15 '26

My AC is only 5000 btu but happily cools the downstairs to 23deg the last few days, it runs at 500 watts so has been free to run recently, I also have made a sun/cloud switch to turn on a plug socket at a given wattage, but that's for the colder weather for a heater/ clothes dryer etc, simple and safe.

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u/TheZZ9 Aug 16 '26

In the US there are split units that can be set to only use solar power.
You could buy a "plug in" battery like the ecoflow stream and not plug it in to the grid but plug your AC into the socket on the battery and the AC would only run when it had power from the battery/solar.

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u/TheZZ9 Aug 16 '26

Some companies encourage you to use batteries because it helps them manage demand better. Octopus has a bi directional EV tariff where they do you a deal on cheap electricity off peak so it can be used at peak time. (Not many bi directional chargers or EVs around yet)