EcoFlow Stream "plugin" solar

QrizB

Back in mid-March I ordered a "plugin" solar PV bundle from EcoFlow:

• EcoFlow Stream Ultra 1.92kWh battery with four MPPT inputs
• Four EcoFlow 450-watt solar panels

This cost me just over £1100. I thought I'd share my experience here in case anyone else wants to do something similar.

Edit 29/07/26 to add: a system like this, with battery storage, is not covered by the forthcoming Interim Product Standard for UK plug-in solar PV. They can however be hard-wired like a conventional PV system. Government says they're still looking at plug-in PV with battery storage and this might be authorised in future.

QrizB

Purchasing was a trial in itself and almost had me giving up.

EcoFlow's website design doesn't make it easy to find what you want. It is full of flashy animations offering "deals" and "offers" and getting to the right section - past the portable power stations, camping fridges, tent air-conditioners and so on - isn't always straightforward.

Even when I'd got to the correct webpage, EcoFlow's byzantine bundle pricing meant I had to try many combinations of Stream battery-inverter, solar panel and accessories before I settled on what seemed like the best option for my circumstances. Then EcoFlow offered me a discount code if I created an account with them; I created an account, had to re-select my bundle then found the discount code wasn't usable with the already-discounted bundle. Oh well.

Once I'd finally settled on what I wanted to buy and had the bundle in my basket, checking out was relatively straightforward.

QrizB

Delivery didn't whelm me either.

At checkout, I was told it would typically take 7-10 days. I was provided with a tracking link that required the Shopify app, so I installed the app and created an account there.

At no stage did tracking information appear on the Shopify app or in my Ecoflow account.

After ten days of no tracking I phoned EcoFlow's UK customer support number. It was answered by a pleasant-sounding CS rep speaking English with a central European accent; I'm assuming they were in Germany or Poland although they could just as well have been in Shenzen. It took them a little while to find my order and I was then informed that it hadn't been shipped out yet and was still in the warehouse. They assured me that they would speak to the warehouse and get it dispatched ASAP.

Four days after my call, I received an email saying my consignment would be delivered the following day. If the warehouse is in Germany, I guess that's not too bad.

Delivery did take place on the scheduled day. EcoFlow had placed the panels, in pairs in cardboard boxes, flat on a pallet and had then placed the 26kg Stream battery on top of the panels before pallet-wrapping everything together. I was concerned that the panels might've been damaged but thankfully, despite crush damage to the cardboard packing, the panels themselves were fine.

QrizB

I was away for a few days after delivery so didn't get to investigate further until the second week of April. I put a plug on the Stream battery-inverter so I could get some power into it and connect it to the EcoFlow app; this was straightforward enough.

I planned to put the solar panels on the roof of one of my sheds but my fixings were slow to arrive so, in the meantime, Iaid one panel out on my patio propped up at a shallow angle and facing vaguely southwards. I wired this into one of the MPPT inputs and could start generating electricity.

Here's a screenshot from the app showing generation on a mid-April day with clear skies, from one panel lying on my patio.

3.7 Os for a panel that's mostly shaded until almost noon and again from 4pm doesn't seem too shabby!

nologo

So although not the best purchase experience they arrived in good condition,

have you set them up yet?

Screwdriva

Based on your experience, I'd be very keen to know if you can forsee a future where panel(s) can be placed on your property and simply plugged into an outdoor wall socket?

QrizB

In the second week of May (helped by my going part-time at work) I managed to get all four panels installed on the roof of the shed. The shed has an apex roof with a fairly shallow angle; less than 30 degrees. The apex runs very roughly east-west so two panels face north-ish and two face south-ish.

Here's another screenshot from one of those excellent PV days we had towards the end of May:

4.9 Os from a self-installed system where half of the panels (PV1 and PV2) face in the "wrong" direction. I think that's pretty good.

QrizB

Some comments on that last screenshot:

• PV1 and PV2 are the north-facing ones. At the moment they're producing more power than the south-facing PV3 and PV4 until about 1000 BST, when the sun has moved far enough across the sky that the south-facing ones take the lead.
• The "dips" in the curve in the afternoon are where the Stream Ultra battery is full and the system is restricting solar PV output to remain below the 800 watt rating on the inverter.

As of today, total generation since I placed that first panel on my patio in April has been ~252 kWh.

QrizB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82033673#Comment_82033673

In practice, this works already; you could do this today. In fact I know someone who did this in 2021 with four second-hand (ex- solar farm) panels and a used Growatt inverter and which is still generating happily today.

The obstacles are largely bureaucratic, not engineering.

The UK Government (Ed Milliband's DESNZ) has said they'll publish a framework that will authorise plugin solar in the UK before the end of this summer. That's not very far away so we'll have to see if they can manage to do this or whether all the Westminster shenanigans delay it.

jaybeetoo

EcoFlow are a nightmare to deal with. I ordered a bundle 2 months ago. The battery/solar controller was delivered promptly by DPD with excellent tracking data provided and a 1 hour deliver slot. The 4 solar panels are another story. EcoFlow use DX which, in my experience, are also a nightmare. First I was not supplied with any tracking details by EcoFlow. Second, you have to be prepared to wait in all day. I got a text from DX telling me what day they were delivering. On that day, I got another text saying they weren’t delivering. No other information was provided. I contacted them and rearranged delivery for the following week. On the delivery day, they only delivered 2 panels, the other 2 had been left at the depot. I tried to get the missing 2 panels delivered but as I was away the following week, DX said they’d have to return the panels to EcoFlow! Unbelievable given the twice failures to deliver was down to DX. I tried to get EcoFlow to give me another delivery for the 2 missing panels and they kept telling me to be patient. After 2 weeks EcoFlow still couldn’t tell me when they’d be able to despatch the 2 missing panels. At that point I cancelled my order for 4 solar panels. I agreed a date with EcoFlow for collect of the 2 panels they had delivered. I waited in all day and they weren’t collected. I’m considering whether to start a Section 75 claim as I’ve had enough of these jokers. They’ve had my money for 2 months.

NedS

In practice, this works already; you could do this today. In fact I know someone who did this in 2021 with four second-hand (ex- solar farm) panels and a used Growatt inverter and which is still generating happily today.

I have an old 3kW Fox inverter with a single MPPT input. My shed roof is east/west facing (which ideally compliments my main south facing array). I had been contemplating repurposing the old Fox inverter with 4 panels, 2 east facing and 2 west facing.

How would that work out with just a single MPPT input when half the panels would be shaded and half in direct sunlight much of the time? Maybe I'd be better off considering something like this with at least two MPPT inputs?