Plug in balcony solar UK , just a Lidl question

[JohnW2]

People will buy them, plug them into circuits never designed for such things, and hope for the best.

They will - if/when it becomes 'allowed' to import such products into, and sell them in, the UK (with fitted BS1363 plugs).

However, that will be totally reasonable from the perspective of those buying and using them, won't it? The vast number of buyers/users would know absolutely nothing of "circuits never designed for" certain uses and, unless I'm missing something, I think it would be totally unprecedented for the sale of something in the UK (with a fitted BS1363 plug) to be allowed if that something had the potential to cause harm to a (satisfactorily designed and constructed) circuit it is plugged into, wouldn't it?

What surprises me is that we appear to be on the brink of crossing the line and creating that hitherto 'totally unprecedented' situation.

 

[ericmark]

Since it seems you will still need to register your going to use a generator connected to the grid, (note battery still seen as a generator even though it technically just stores energy) then some installed device will need to be registered instead.

It seems we can use a EV point as it stands to transfer energy in both directions, and these are registered, so we can as it stands use a 7 kW plug and socket (20 kW three-phase) but it may be better if there is also a smaller version.

But some plug and socket which needs to be registered seems to be the only option, next question is how to get landlords to fit them?

This thread shows how difficult for a landlord to even get a smart meter installed. To fitting a solar panel connection unit, not only looking at if a landlord is willing, but also if he can get it done.

We have done the idea of a BS1363 to death now, and it seems clear that is not really a safe option. What ever is used, it needs fitting by an electrician who can register the work, so the user can get paid for export, so what we are waiting for, is for the device to be announced as the standard UK bidirectional plug and socket.

Leaders have made errors in the past so it seems Ed Miliband has made an error, the time they said it would take has already expired, now he needs to eat humble pie and admit he got it wrong.

 

[martygturner]

The blissful ignorance of the units themselves being designed safe is a wonder to behold, the fixation with the circuit whilst forgetting the generator has become almost a panto... look at this don't look there because my argument falls flat. The cables will overload, the rcbo will not work, the dangers the dangers ooh the dangers, forgetting that dangers can be mitigated but never removed, which is the key principle in any electrical circuit.

Perhaps the assembled ranks might want to have a quick nay even cursory look at the standards for a plug in solar unit rather than their perceived ideas and then deriving outlandish reasons why they are the devil incarnate.

 

[denso13]

Leaders have made errors in the past so it seems Ed Miliband has made an error, the time they said it would take has already expired, now he needs to eat humble pie and admit he got it wrong.

"The government will work with the Energy Networks Association, DNOs and Ofgem to update the G98 distribution code and wiring regulations BS 7671 to allow UK households to connect <800W plug-in solar panels to domestic mains sockets, without the need for an electrician and with tailored safety standards."

Government to make 'plug-in solar' available within months

'Plug-in' solar panels to be in shops within months, offering households chance to significantly cut energy bills.

www.gov.uk

 

[JohnW2]

Since it seems you will still need to register your going to use a generator connected to the grid, (note battery still seen as a generator even though it technically just stores energy) then some installed device will need to be registered instead.

If these items become 'readily available' in mainstream retail outlets, I'm not quite sure how that would/could work. The vast majority of people buying them would presumably know nothing of a "need to register", let alone actually do anything about 'registering'.

If you're suggesting that retailers would someone be made responsible for the 'registration', that would presumably come with a whole pile of other difficulties/problems. Furthermore, since the devices are 'portable' and hence, as suggested by you, moved around between rented properties, then any registration which happened at the time of initia purchase would presumably become somewhat useless/irrelevant?

I would also note that nearly all the discussion ion current threads here has been about downsides (even 'potential dangers') of plug-in inverters, and those downsides/potential dangers would obviously not change as the result, per se, of any sort of 'registration'.

I'm not convinced that any of this has been 'thought through' - but I suppose we will see!!

 

[JohnW2]

Perhaps the assembled ranks might want to have a quick nay even cursory look at the standards for a plug in solar unit rather than their perceived ideas and then deriving outlandish reasons why they are the devil incarnate.

Yes. I'm rather confused. I'd love to be able to read some detail (both technical and 'administrative') about exactly what it proposed, rather than having to rely on relatively vague press releases, media muttering and lots of speculation, but everyone seems to have been saying that we 'have to wait' before we can see that.

What is the actual situation as regards 'chapter and verse' ??

 

[JohnW2]

"The government will work with the Energy Networks Association, DNOs and Ofgem to update the G98 distribution code and wiring regulations BS 7671 to allow UK households to connect <800W plug-in solar panels to domestic mains sockets, without the need for an electrician and with tailored safety standards."

Government to make 'plug-in solar' available within months

'Plug-in' solar panels to be in shops within months, offering households chance to significantly cut energy bills.

www.gov.uk

Thanks, although I was actually already familiar with that.

However, as I've just written, I remain rather confused about where/if there is yet any actual 'chapter and verse' about what is actually proposed, rather than these relatively vague statements about it.

 

[denso13]

Thanks, although I was actually already familiar with that.

However, as I've just written, I remain rather confused about where/if there is yet any actual 'chapter and verse' about what is actually proposed, rather than these relatively vague statements about it.

Just pointing out that they recognise there is an issue and seem to be discussing it with the right people. Maybe a bit early to say it hasn't been thought through? Time will tell.

 

[ericmark]

The Press release calls it "plug-in solar" it does not say 13 amp or BS1363.

This says within months. Where the press release which says within the month I don't know, neither have I seen any government press release which says BS 1363, this is just something we have assumed it was talking about.

So Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technology Octopus energy explains more and even more here so it seems the plug in system already exists.

The change is not needing a car to plug in, but a battery pack.

 

[denso13]

The Press release calls it "plug-in solar" it does not say 13 amp or BS1363.

Of course not, it's high level press release.

This says within months

Which is 2-6 months, even up to a year.

Some potential suppliers seem to say it will be the summer at least, so perhaps .August. Who knows.

 

[JohnW2]

The Press release calls it "plug-in solar" it does not say 13 amp or BS1363.

If it's not talking about equipment with 13A BS1363 plugs, then the equipment surely would not qualify as "plug -in", in the sense you have interpreted it ('portable', such that it could be moved around from property), would it?

If the equipment came with something other than a BS1363 plug, then it would effectively have to be 'installed', in a specific property, connected to a 'suitable circuit' (e.g. one with a bidirectional RCD) - and hence not 'portable' in the sense you've been assuming?

This says within months. Where the press release which says within the month I don't know, neither have I seen any government press release which says BS 1363, this is just something we have assumed it was talking about.

It seems that, although we are being criticised for not "looking at the standards for a plug-in solar unit", such an animal does not yet exist, nor do we have any clear idea as to when it will exist! Maybe those doing the criticising know something which the rest of us don't know?

 

[JohnW2]

Just pointing out that they recognise there is an issue and seem to be discussing it with the right people. Maybe a bit early to say it hasn't been thought through? Time will tell.

That's really my point. It seems that the 'chapter and verse' does not yet exist for us to look at, so the "not thought through" suggestion really necessarily relates to the speculations about what might ultimately be proposed!

 

[denso13]

Seems there has been work on it since last year, at least,

https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2025/W43/856948999

https://www.arceio.com/success-stories/

 

[JohnW2]

Seems there has been work on it since last year, at least,
https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2025/W43/856948999

https://www.arceio.com/success-stories/

Thanks- but I'm struggling (i.e. so far have 'failed'!) to get to anything useful via either of the links you have provided. Can you help?

 

[denso13]

Only that there was a tender won last October by Arceio, "The objective of this study is to assess whether plug-in solar photovoltaic (PV) connected to certified inverters can be safely deployed in the UK without socket or building wiring modifications. The study will assess technical, regulatory, and practical feasibility, and make clear, evidence-based recommendations for plug-in solar PV in the UK."

On their website it looks like they have already completed the study and reported to the Government (it is on their success stories page).

The Government are obviously pushing ahead with it, presumably based on the study outcome which must have been positive. Speculation, but with possible suppliers and utility companies reporting changes should happen in the summer then I think it's fairly safe to presume it's all systems go.

Subject to DIYnot's electrical forum sign off of course,