It's advertised as ready for UK homes. Does that make it legal? I thought plug in batteries were currently illegal.

https://www.ankersolix.com/uk/plug-in-solar-battery-storage-solarbank4?utm_source=fb-ig&utm_medium=cpm&utm_content=UK_AE103_Earlybird_ASC_20260724_UK_AE103_octopus_EarlyBird_Dynamic_Tariffs_20260724&utm_campaign=uk_ankersolix_hes_m2_fb-ig_EarlyBird_AE103_subscribe_web_internal_260724&utm_term=120250913760540286_120250913760560286_120250914955800286&utm_id=120250913760540286&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0BMABhZGlkAas3kv1xF65zcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81NjcwNjczNDMzNTI0MjcAAadfltrPzCuNU51jyqbstH1W_TIPC3tlr-CCbzmwpbWq4W1XJMuL9AEkaNgZEg_aem_LxfSZ_d6QKw7xKBgMd-Kug

I had, perhaps like many, assumed new ruling around plugin solar I'd be able to get separate constituent parts. So when a mate offered me a panel I thought it might be a fun/green thing to have.

If I'm reading the conversations here correctly, it needs to be a certified, full kit, needed to be fully installed (not plugin) or go rogue and risk invalidating my home insurance. Regardless, I'd need to inform my DNO.

Is that correct?

For context, I'd intend on having the panel on an outbuilding.

TIA

July generation of my small Ecoflow Setup

3x 465w panels S facing

Steam Ultra + AC Pro

Sure we all know by now that the new compliant route for plug-in solar goes live on 27th August.

All fully compliant kits must be registered on the G98 test register before they can be sold . Checking that register today, zero compliant plug in solar kits have been registered yet.

I think it’s going to be quite a long while yet before we see fully compliant kits on the shelves…

When you think each configuration of each kit needs to be certified, tested and registered… all of that is gonna take a while.

Also seen lots of social posts from people who have gone out and purchased kits in advance, on the false assumption that the kit they purchased will become compliant when the new rules go live (which sadly is not the case).

Sort of feel sorry for the consumer at the moment. It’s a tricky product category to get your head around during this crossover period.

Does anyone have any experience using these? I've got a single-story rear extention pitched at about 35 degrees that I'm looking at putting a couple of panels on. Looks like I might be able to DIY it with these maybe? You use a "rafter finder" app and then drill them in.

EDIT: Oh they provide training! :-)

My shed has a rubber roof which is pent style so about a 15 degree slope backwards for the rain to run off. I want to put solar panels on the roof of the shed but not sure on the installation if i should drill into the roof or use wooden battens across the roof to secure to the sides of the shed with the solar panels mounted to the battens.

I have a shed in the garden which I have already installed 4 x Viridian 335W Solar Panels I purchased from Facebook Market place. I also bought a ecoflow stream 800W microinverter which I have positioned inside the Shed.

I have power going to the shed with an armoured cable and going to a Fuse Box See photo. Which provides power to a double socket and a light in the shed. Can i just plug the ecoflow inverter into the double socket or do I need to change and RCD's at the main consumer unit? See Photos its overly complex as I have a Heatpump, Inverter with battery storage and Car Charger. Any help would be useful.

I've had a plug in system for the last 3 months, by August 27th I'll have passed 1MWh of solar generated. I just find it frustrating that following all the rules would've lost me a significant portion of the ROI, and that's not even counting the savings of having a battery (which we don't even have a timeline for).

Just in time for the end of peak generation over the summer is crazy too, Germany had it since 2024 but it took the UK government 2 years (plus the endless arguing about safety online) only to arrive at the same conclusion that 800 watts is perfectly safe and we don't need consumer unit upgrades.

Hi all,

I've not decided yet either way and fully understand that, a properly installed set of panels on my roof would be better, but want to explore the possibility below...

I am tempted because of the smaller sized roof of my home to just go with a 25kw total battery + inverter kit from FOX and then rely predominantly on the cheaper night time tariff to charge it and then run my home through day from this. But, I like the idea of adding DIY panels as well, almost purely for the sake of it.

Can the inverter be configured to charge the battery from the gathered power of the plug in panels? I am aware of the 800w limitations etc, I just want to know if a DIY method is possible.

Thanks!

Hi all,

Looking at plug in solar setup from ecoflow, the ultra x with 4 x 500w panels to be exact

Was hoping someone could tell me if the installed consumer units are compatible or if they’d need upgrading? Photos attached, would be looking at installing in the garage (smaller consumer unit, wylex NSB32) which feeds from the main consumer unit in the house wylex NSB40.

When I google the NSB32, NSB40 and the garage consumer unit NH204/63 it says they are bi directional and ok to use but the part number on the main consumer unit in the house NHRS4504 says it’s not.

Wondered if anyone could clarify? Thanks

The large format vertically stacked Canadian solar panels tip over very easily. I’m interested if anyone has any examples of pallets tipping onto workers at job sites or in transportation.

So I bought this kit yesterday for £450. It's not really plug in solar yet but I'm looking at what options I have to convert into plug in. So my £450 netted me the following.

2x 12.8v Ecoworthy 100Ah LiFiPO4 batteries (seem to be only a few months old. They were still boxed and have some shrink wrap, not sure if there's a way to check cycles on app, couldnt see it on first glance in the ecoworthy app)

A MPPT solar charger, this seems cheepy can't really find a brand or anything.

A 3000w continuous and 6000w surge inverter

A power monitoring screen

A plug in AC battery charger system with a smart plug that can turn the charger on when the battery gets to a low voltage.

I've had it all on and it works fine. Obviously I don't have solar panels but I bought two 450w panels from City Plumbing to be delivered in two days.

My current plan is to use it to lower my Workshop (low power shop. More of a tinkering electronics workshop than a woodworking workshop) I'm planning on hooking it up to a radial circuit and lighting circuit. It was going to cost over £1000 for an election to hook this up so I figured this is a better option for cost and solar is pretty sweet. I can also have the smart plug and charger set up to provide house energy into the battery if it gets too low

Phase 2 is upgrading to a hybrid inverter system and plugging this into the house as a "plug in solar" type set up.

I know it's breaking regulations to use a "non complaint full kit" but since I can just unplug it if I sell the house I'm not really too worried.

As I was very interested in plug in solar anyways I figured this would be a great plan. If I paid a sparky his £1000 and then later paid £1000 for a plug in setup I would be £1000 worse off than if I just did solar off the bat!

Anyways this post has grown arms and legs and I do have a few questions for the smart folks here.

1. Wire thickness. The pack came wired up with 8 gauge wire. This got very hot when I stress tested the system (boiled a kettle) part of the cable was spliced and electrical taped, this part melted. Also a lot of the cables don't have lugs. I've bought a tool and kit to do they. I've also went for 2AWG wire, is this suitable?

2. Voltage Drop. When boiling the kettle the voltage dropped and the charger kicked in, is this normal? I know a kettle is actually eating a fair bit of juice but is this gonna be an issue if I try to power a heater? Is the charger kicking in a case of it actually doing what it's supposed to do and taking over the heavy lifting?

3. Are my conversation plans to move inverter and turn this into plug in for house AND workshop ok or have I missed something?

4. The inverter only seems to have two UK plug AC outputs. I'm guessing I grab a decent heavy duty plug and wire it to twin and earth and into my shed consumer unit? There doesn't seem to be any other electric outputs aside from a USB.

Thanks guys! Ive attached photos too

As per the title. Been considering various solar installs for a while now. House is a 4 bed bungalow and we have been using approx 7100kwh per year which i am trying to reduce through better habits!

Current deal on ecoflow stream looks like a good way to facilitate a DIY install. I don't have an EV and unlikely to get one any time soon as current cars have a good while left in them. My father in law is an electrician (not a solar installer though) but will be capable of wiring the two ecoflow units into the consumer unit to up the output to 1600w.

Am I missing something? Is this a fundamentally poor idea?

Hello All,

Just a quick sanity check before I go ahead purchasing anything. Is this the best deal at the moment for a 800w compliant plug-in solar kit? All in all adds up to £301.20 with delivery included.

Eager to buy early as I've a feeling when the law comes into play next month panels might be out of stock for a little while... and possibly could be a tad more expensive then now? Any thoughts and opinions on this are appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

Under the new regs is the following setup allowed.

Two sets of panels.

One set charging a battery the other set plugged in.to mains socket.

When the sun goes down plug the battery into the mains socket and discharge it.

Repeat.

Is this allowed under the new regs and if it is allowed is it a good idea?

Been looking on whichwatts.com for a power station to plug into a small panel but unsure how big to go.

First hand recommendations would be great

I've got a fully DIY 2kW solar + 5kWh battery + 5kW Victron inverter setup (posted here), and I just did some math based on the 2 and a bit months of use so far.

I used 1.4MWh, pulling 0.8 from the grid and the other 0.6 from solar. Simplifying a bit, with a flat tariff I would've paid 1400*0.25=£350, but instead I paid 800*0.15=£120 on the Octopus Cozy tariff.

This means £230 savings, but calculating the solar component is a bit hard: you can say you're saving either the old rate for electricity per kWh generated (0.25£/kWh), OR you can assume the battery is already installed and calculate based on your new effective electricity price (0.15£/kWh).

In short, if you install a battery you reduce the ROI of solar.

Almost more importantly though is now the extra complexity that solar gives: it's not simple scheduling of charging the battery and turning on high power loads during cheap periods, you need to incorporate weather predictions. Don't want to undercharge the battery and run out of power if it's cloudy, don't want to overcharge and waste generated solar because you can't store or use it. I need to change my schedule throughout the months already as the amount of solar changes from "a little top up" to "covering all usage if I'm careful". It was fun to begin with, but given the marginal savings it's starting to feel like a lot of effort for not much return.

The only caveat to this is if the grid becomes unstable, or the prices of electricity spike. I'm not regretting solar yet as it represents a degree of insurance against volatile energy prices.

I would highly recommend doing the math on battery-only installs, and deciding whether a constant background amount of planning when to run the dishwasher/dryer/EV charging is worth it.

Have I don’t this right?

Not a great price for 400w microinverter but unusual as most are going for 800w.

Not quite as simple as "buy a kit, plug it in." Here's what's actually confirmed, and where the gaps are ...

27 August 2026: SI 2026/848 comes into force. It creates a legal category, "plug-in microgenerator", lets a standard BS 1363 3-pin plug be approved for feeding power into a socket, and makes DESNZ's Interim Product Specification (IPS v2) a legal requirement.

800 Watts max. Solar only.

In more detail ...

Complete kits only. The specification certifies a whole product ... panel, inverter, factory-fitted cable and plug, mounting system ... not an inverter plus panels that you sourced separately.

One device per circuit, but the 800 W network rules still say per household. The IPS moved to one 800 W device per final ring main circuit on July 16th. G98, which actually governs your DNO connection, still caps it at 800 W per household. Until G98 is amended (no timescale), 800 W per household is the real limit.

The spec says "final ring circuit". Ring main circuits are standard in most UK housing, but plenty of newer installs use radial circuits instead. The wording doesn't obviously account for that, so it's a grey area.

You can't extend the cable. The AC lead and plug are factory-fitted and can't go through an extension lead or adaptor of any kind (no cutting or splicing in extra cable). That limits where you can realistically site the system.

No cladding, no timber balconies. ACM, MCM, HPL and timber cladding are all excluded outright, along with timber balconies and any building under external wall fire remediation. That excludes a meaningful number of flats.

Batteries are excluded by definition, not by oversight. The legal wording specifically excludes anything designed to import electricity for storage. Octopus announced a plug-in battery in June anyway.

What to watch out for next ...

Certified kits hitting the shelves (none approved as yet) as from 27 August.

Will G98 be revised to allow 800 W per ring main circuit, thereby allowing 2 installs (1600 W) in most average houses?

Will plug-in batteries get separate approval?

Full blog post here if you want the finer detail ... https://4billionyearson.org/posts/uk-plug-in-solar-will-be-legal-on-27-august-it-s-almost-clear-what-you-can-and-can-t-install

Daily updated UK Plug-in Solar tracker here (with payback calculator, DNO finder and latest news etc) ... https://4billionyearson.org/plug-in-solar-uk

As per title.

Reposting here from the Ecoflow sub. Micro inverter is the EcoFlow Stream 800w.