Home Solar System

[Yorkshire Andy]

I don't think the bureaucracy has caught up yet. The whole intent of the changes is that you will be able to plug it in yourself. Am going to give it a few months.

I don't know how long I can resist
The EcoFlow Stream is currently discounted to <£100 on the bay.

I'll be picking up Panels if I see suitable ones online. Just missed some great deals!
CityPlumbing don't have local stock.
I'm resigned to the reality that I'll be gifting most of the free energy to the grid, though I'll keep some big batteries topped up. EcoFlow make some tempting battery offers, but I can't make them cost in.

City plumbing free delivery on orders over £75 2x panels = free delivery

[jennyjj01]

The Ecoflow Stream set up does look very interesting. I see that it is possible to set it to never export to the grid using ghe smart meter. In that mode it just cuts the amount of power you have to pay for to the minimum, using the built in battery for when solar isn't doing anything.
The only headache I can see is the actual plug in part - if it does need a spur all to itself, that would be an issue here as renters.
Roll on the law change. Maybe the current energy panic will focus some minds on this?

I think to stop it feeding the grid you need an ecoflow smartmeter, not just your suppliers one. The app all looks rather sophisticated.

[Yorkshire Andy]

The Ecoflow Stream set up does look very interesting. I see that it is possible to set it to never export to the grid using ghe smart meter. In that mode it just cuts the amount of power you have to pay for to the minimum, using the built in battery for when solar isn't doing anything.
The only headache I can see is the actual plug in part - if it does need a spur all to itself, that would be an issue here as renters.
Roll on the law change. Maybe the current energy panic will focus some minds on this?

I think to stop it feeding the grid you need an ecoflow smartmeter, not just your suppliers one. The app all looks rather sophisticated.

Or a shelly din mounted monitor in your consumer unit..

Or the ecoflow smart plugs which are about £10 each you plug onto your big users and they talk to the power stream micro inverter saying "fridge is on I'm wanting 300w " to it

[GeraldTheBonzai]

Was talking to a friend who is an electronics engineer - designs things etc. - with regards to RCDs needed for the plug-in systems. His view was that when the IET specs are released in April, they will probably mandate that the AC and DC parts of the inverter will have to be totally isolated. This would prevent any DC leakage onto the AC - for the systems to be compliant there must be no DC on the AC side. That would remove the need to switch the RCD to a type A over a type AC, which is still very prevalent in a lot of houses, especially with older wiring.

This requires the inverter to be built to a high spec. For reputable companies like Ecoflow, this is very likely not going to be an issue. The problem will be the cheap Chinese imports with badly designed and built circuits.

However just today the IET have done a press release in response to the launch of these appliances. They are saying that consumers should have their house electrics checked before plugging anything in. They specifically refer to older type AC rcds as being an issue. https://www.theiet.org/media/press-rele ... r-products

There is a second gotcha. When you register with the DNO, they will check your meter type. If it's not compliant - it's an old style non smart (mechanical) meter, or an early smart meter, this will trigger a mandatory meter swap (which should be free but will require them to change the meter). However, in older blocks of flats, whilst each property has its own meter, they tend to be of the same type. If one needs swapping then apparently the lot will need to change.

[jennyjj01]

Until last week, the Ecoflow Stream micro inverter could be had for <£100 either direct from their website or on the Bay.
Currently It's £129 on the website, supposedly £50 off.... So I guess it was £80 off before.
Oh hum. I hesitated and seem to have lost out. Currently playing chicken with their shopping cart to see if they send me a discount code.

[jennyjj01]

Until last week, the Ecoflow Stream micro inverter could be had for <£100 either direct from their website or on the Bay.
Currently It's £129 on the website... Currently playing chicken with their shopping cart to see if they send me a discount code.

OK. Another day, another discount code. Currently £119 on the Bay.

I'm not biting yet '
Hoping for an 'abandoned basket' discount offer. I'll probably bite at £110. (tightwad)

Panels should be coming Next week, subject to a few things.

My last set of panels were mounted on a timber tilted frame. Unsure whether I'll get one made with angle steel instead (Plus a lot more concrete ballast)

I'm going to need to look at getting proper cables made up, so will be asking questions about the plugs and mountings.

I wonder what offerings LIDL will come up with, so looked at what they previously offered in Germany....
My impression is that they'll be flogging complete baby systems with inverter and a panel for about £300, maybe under their Parkside brand and maybe at a 300W limit. That won't be for me. If I'm spending £300, you can be sure it will be super VFM with payback pitched at 3 years or less

[GeraldTheBonzai]

Until last week, the Ecoflow Stream micro inverter could be had for <£100 either direct from their website or on the Bay.
Currently It's £129 on the website... Currently playing chicken with their shopping cart to see if they send me a discount code.

OK. Another day, another discount code. Currently £119 on the Bay.

I'm not biting yet '
Hoping for an 'abandoned basket' discount offer. I'll probably bite at £110. (tightwad)

Panels should be coming Next week, subject to a few things.

My last set of panels were mounted on a timber tilted frame. Unsure whether I'll get one made with angle steel instead (Plus a lot more concrete ballast)

I'm going to need to look at getting proper cables made up, so will be asking questions about the plugs and mountings.

I wonder what offerings LIDL will come up with, so looked at what they previously offered in Germany....
My impression is that they'll be flogging complete baby systems with inverter and a panel for about £300, maybe under their Parkside brand and maybe at a 300W limit. That won't be for me. If I'm spending £300, you can be sure it will be super VFM with payback pitched at 3 years or less

I found a really good book if you are building your own.

https://uk-preppers.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... ok#p242120

[jennyjj01]

Panels should be coming Next week, subject to a few things.

My last set of panels were mounted on a timber tilted frame. Unsure whether I'll get one made with angle steel instead (Plus a lot more concrete ballast)

If I'm spending £300, you can be sure it will be super VFM with payback pitched at 3 years or less

Two HUGE and HEAVY Solar panels now received*. Our weekend project is to somehow get them installed.

I've had a brainwave The last lot blew away because of insufficient fixing and Ballast ( Mostly Ballast ) To kill two birds with one stone, I'm inclined to use bought bottled water as ballast rather than concrete or gravel. 100kg of water would be 50 x 2L bottles, which I could sit into the mounting frame on something like a pallet. Come SHTF, We'd have water

*

[jennyjj01]

According to the man on the internet...

16 Mar 2026
Government confirmed plug-in solar will be legalised ✓

1 Apr 2026Next
China removes solar panel export rebate, prices expected to rise

15 Apr 2026
UK wiring rules update. this is the legal foundation that makes plug-in solar possible. What this means for you

Jul 2026 (est.)
BSI publishes the product standard. This is when you can legally buy and connect a kit watch this for plug-in solar

Oct 2026
Amendment 4 transition period ends

Mar 2027
0% VAT on batteries set to expire

[jennyjj01]

Until last week, the Ecoflow Stream micro inverter could be had for <£100 either direct from their website or on the Bay.
Currently It's £129 on the website... Currently playing chicken with their shopping cart to see if they send me a discount code.

OK. Another day, another discount code. Currently £119 on the Bay.

I'm not biting yet '

Tee Hee. Still playing chicken.
20% (£30) Discount code expires today. I'm hoping for an 'Easter Special' Discount code of at least 30%. If I'm wrong I could be an April Fool and lose out on £30

EU Price on German Ebay is between 95 Euro and 117 Euro and I don't rule out buying through Amazon.de or one of the EU ebays.

In other news. I think I'm going to have to get a man in to help us hump the panels onto the roof. They weigh about 30Kilos and are nearly 8 foot long