Plug-in Solar - UK Regulations
Inspite of what you might read on some social media platforms, if you want to be safe and comply with UK laws and regulations, you shouldn't just buy this stuff and plug it in. There are building, planning and electrical regulations - all designed to keep you and others safe.
One of those regulations covers how devices (such as solar & batteries) can be connected. Until August 2026 the UK wiring regulations (known as BS 76761) prohibited any of these devices being plugged in. They could only be used if they were hard wired into the households consumer unit in the same way as conventional solar and batteries.
From August 2026, changes were made to these regulations to allow Solar Only Plug-in system to be used. The emphasis here is Solar Only. Battery and Hybrid systems are still restricted and must be hard wired into the consumer unit to meet UK wiring regulations.
Additionally, there are restrictions on the Solar only systems that can be plugged in:
- only solar inverters with solar panels connected are approved for plugging in
- only one inverter per household is allowed
- the inverter must be designed not to exceed 800w AC output
- the solar panels connected to the inverter cannot exceed 2000w, and if it is above 960w it is recommended to get professional assessment of the household electrics before installation
- the AC plug must used to connect the inverter to the socket must be protected with a fuse of no greater than 5amp
- the circuit that the Plug-in device is connected too should be protected with modern residual current protection (RCBO)
- DNO G98 notification (see below) is required and the inverter must be on the ENA register with an entry that certifies max 800w generation
Full details of government review, legislation and specification can be found at the link below
PAS 63100 which covers battery placement
BS7671 Amendment 4 - wiring requirements
There have also been changed to the Planning regulations in England and Wales to restrict where panels can be mounted (eg you can't mount in wooden surfaces)
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One final note
If this blog has helped and you go on to installing a solar or battery solution, please let me know by leaving a comment and sharing this page as I really like to know I've been able to help.
If you're considering a move to Octopus to charge your batteries in the darker months, please consider using my referral link below (click on the Octopus) as it will give each of us £50 off our Octopus bill.
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