Plug in solar

Newbie_John

When you attempt to buy Octopus kit you need to check the box with:

I understand these panels are sized at 1.8m x 1.1m and weigh 22kg each.

Martyn1981

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82123884#Comment_82123884

At 8ft / 2.4m, I think you will be into the 600Wp+ range for each panel. Probably a good power match actually for 800W inverter. But the panels don't have to placed landscape, they can be propped up portrait, which will 'only' be about 2.2m wide, and around 1.8m to 2.4m tall vertical, and less at an appropriate angle.

Martyn1981

Thanks, that's good news seeing the prices edging down.

I see they include Hoymiles inverters. Am I right in thinking that these have a good reputation and are popular for DIY installs?

tfhnota

HDM have an approved kit, not clear that it is the duo panel one at £439 inc VAT but not shipping (£65 for me but they do have some pick-up locations). Uses the ecoflow inverter so that promises some more cheap kits as it has to be the most common one in use (wholesale cost is around £50-60), first kit to squeeze through approval with it - Ecoflow themselves are listed as non-compliant. The reference for the approved HDM kit is psk1000 plug-in solar HDMSO/21245/V1/A3 so check it before ordering.

https://outlet.hdmsolar.co.uk/products/balcony-mounted-plug-in-solar-panel-kit-with-ecoflow-stream

QrizB

This website has a list of what kits are actually available to buy, including links to several sellers:

https://www.pluginsolarregister.co.uk/where-to-buy

The cheapest dual-panel 800-watt systems still seem to be £650 or so. Supply and demand at work, I guess.

tfhnota

City Plumbing have three approved kits available, two panel at £650-700 inc delivery, they have a few more kits approved on the ena register as well. Still twice what I would be willing to pay but better than uksol.

Scot_39

I still think I'd be saving my money until early spring.

Hopefully prices will get closer to EU levels and other issues like SEG or not will get clarity.

When the sun starts to come out again - rather than starts to "hide" for half the day (16+ peak summer —» maybe 8 a day in winter for anything other than a trickle of power).

Newbie_John

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82128444#Comment_82128444

Well, I do think that winter isnt as bad as it sounds for just plug-in.

The website that was shared here before does work quite well with estimated solar generation (estinated 102 for me in August and i got 105kWh):

https://decarbonarma.com/solar-generation-calculator.html

For example for 900W panels in my case - I can easily use 30kWh a month by not doing anything extra, 60kWh is probably max if I do some cooking/washing etc during peak sun. So anything above that doesnt matter. Once the winter comes and heating kicks in my self consumption will be close 100% of generation - so savings will be lower but remain around the same £10/month. Summer sounds great, but its useless really.

QrizB

Well, I do think that winter isnt as bad as it sounds for just plug-in.

It does depend on the winter!

The website you link has forecast 84kWh for my 2.7kWp rooftop array in a typical December. That's slightly more optimistic than PVGIS which forecasts 80kWh. In practice, the last five years have seen me generate 41/63/22/34/82 kWh in December; I've only reached the PVGIS forecast once.

A 900W plugin system is ~1/3rd the size of my rooftop so I'd be looking at 14/21/7/11/27 kWh, and that's without taking account that a ground-level array will suffer from worse shading when the sun's low than my rootop does.

We'd all like another bright winter and you generate your hoped-for output, but there's always the risk that it might be another 2023.

Newbie_John

Yep, theres plenty of possibilities and factors to consider..

All I was trying to say that summer is just great on paper, and winter isnt that bad - so i wouldnt use that case to "wait".

There are many more important ones - £700 for plug in is just too much - so I would wait for that reason, once they realise there's low uptake it will go down.. also the possible export payments, peanuts, but speed up pay back.