Plug in solar

Reed_Richards

when Mrs QrizB runs her convection heater in her crafting shed in Decemver or January, we do run out by late afternoon

Totally off-topic but couldn't you lend her your portable air conditioner? Run in heating mode it should be more economical than a convection heater.

QrizB

Totally off-topic but couldn't you lend her your portable air conditioner? Run in heating mode it should be more economical than a convection heater.

We've been discussing that 🙂

This is the first year I've had a portable that can heat as well as cool, so we might give it a go when winter comes around.

Aussie_Tips

As of 27th of August it will become law that you can plug in an 800w micro inverter with attached solar of up to 2000w into a standard UK power socket.

This law change only applies to plug in devices that generate from solar only and does not extend to any device which stores electricity for later use (aka plug in battery)

Specific legislatory instrument that has been signed into law

legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/848/made

Note - the plug must comply with the Plugin Solar interim product specification which includes the following

• only one inverter per ring main
• the inverter must be designed not to exceed 800w, so a feature that allows tweaking this (ie by selection of a different country code) does not meet the IPS.
• the DC input on the panel side cannot exceed 2000w, and if it is above 960w it is recommended to get professional assessment of the household electrics before installation
• the AC plug must be protected with a 3.5amp fuse

**IPS is Interim Product Specification

Full details of government review can be found at the link below

gov.uk/government/consultations/plug-in-solar

Qyburn

Any indication of how an end user is supposed to know whether the product he's about to plug in does or doesn't comply? Ideally there'd be a label or something confirming compliance.

Swipe

So plugging into a circuit with a non bi-directional RCD will be covered by the regulations?

lohr500

Do we think this design clause refers to an integrated device with battery storage, or to separate battery storage that may already be part of the existing house wiring?

is not designed to import electrical energy from a low voltage consumer’s installation for the purpose of storing energy for later supply, other than for control or auxiliary functions permitted by the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification;

We already have a G99 approved battery storage system at home (with no solar).
On a few sunny days over the past couple of months where the plug-in solar is generating more output than the house is using, any surplus generation currently charges the G99 approved battery.
It's probably a can of works and I suspect that technically our G99 certification needs updating!!

Newbie_John

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078440#Comment_82078440

I think right now its a bit of wild west out there, but once this goes live and the systems will start appearing at places like Lidl - then they will be fine.

And even if you got the system already - theres no way anyone will ever check.

To be on a safe side sticking to rules of max 2kW panels (up to 4 panels), 800W microinverter, no battery - and you should be good.

I went with that "all in" ecoflow set for £350, hopefully it arirves before end of summer :)

My main issue is trying to figure out how to calculate payback rate/time 😅 - my panels will be facing south-west so decent generation between 16-19 when my ToU rate is 40p, but then also 13-16 10p.. and the amount I used, I will know how much was generated but no idea how much was consumed - so I may need to come up with an algorithm similar to Ocotpus Saving Session based on average during similar days.. I may just do that 20p * (avg - day_usage).

Ectophile

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078446#Comment_82078446

I think it's being quietly ignored. As eFIXX have demonstrated in a YouTube video, there isn't really any problem at all. Within a fraction of a second of the RCD tripping, the solar shuts down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpqcESwQttA&t=69shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpqcESwQttA&t=69s

Newbie_John

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078645#Comment_82078645

Whats been ignored and by who?

sorry i dont watch videos with covers like "breaking news", "truth exposed", "they lied to you". Thats why I use this forum instead.

TroubledTarts

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078645#Comment_82078645

I think electricians were hoping for the rules to say bi directional and ab isolated fused spur setup.

They have been kicking off on forums in Facebook with wild stories of fires.