MSE guide: plug-in solar panels

Heedtheadvice

It is if you are awarded a holiday there :-))

jimi_man

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82125804#Comment_82125804

Yes that’s possible. Though certainly in our case it would make little difference. We are reasonably frugal though Mrs J has never done the washing at night and there would be no point in doing so as we don’t have a nighttime tariff. Leaving aside the issue of leaving wet washing in the machine for any length of time. But we use an express 20 min for pretty much everything.

I think a plug-in setup would work well for us. I’ll wait until there are a few more players in the market then see what’s around.

prowla

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82126836#Comment_82126836

Yes; I think what's available initially is the systems cobbled together for the early adopters and with a hefty premium attached.

We're also moving into Autumn/Winter, where there's not so much sun.

I'll probably defer things until next Spring.

jimi_man

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82126921#Comment_82126921

Yes that make sense. As I mentioned upthread it gives me time to fit an outside socket.

ed110220

I know it's early days but is anyone using plug in panels together with rooftop solar? We have 4.8 kW of rooftop solar and ~30 kWh of batteries. Now we have an EV we've gone from a small net import to a large one so I'm keen to increase our generation. Now I know plugin isn't going to generate a massive amount but it seems like an easy way of increasing it modestly.

prowla

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82127750#Comment_82127750

My plan is to do that; my solar company said it was fine by them.

My general household drain is around 300Wh, so if a plug-in system could offset that then any periods where my main batteries were charging would be reduced.

My main system has 5.8kW of rooftop panels and 11.52kWh of battery.

But it's only viable if the plug-in systems drop to Continental prices; probably next year, once the big names release their products and the market matures a bit.

Martyn1981

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82127750#Comment_82127750

The only issue may be with the DNO, and you may need to advise them in advance for pre-approval. I'd like to add a PnP system, but it would be additional to my current DNO approval of 5.9kW. But as my 6.725kWp system has a 3.68kW inverter limit, but also a 16A export limit*, then maybe (just maybe) it might be allowed as total house export power won't increase. But not sure if the DNO will see it that way. [*Edit - so as my smaller house system ramps up, and a theoretical PnP one too, then the output of the 3.68kW inverter would dial down.]

As kit options and prices imporoves I might look for something in the 1200Wp range, but suspect it's not worth messing around till PnP batts are allowed (if they ever are). I would then consider a ~2 to 3kWp system running through 5 to 8kWh of PnP batts. But still only need the extra 800W DNO approval, which is where all the plans probably/possibly fall apart atm.

I suspect all these issues will see some sort of resolution over time as folk (and maybe press) report successes and failures with DNO approvals and issues.