Plug in Solar Panels.....how do they work?

[Dave7]

This is a highly interesting idea. I wonder how much they will cost? I'm sure if even one person did a "ready-reckoner" on how much it could save people, they would sell like hot cakes. Even if it takes 5 years to pay for itself. We both work at home and have a house-bound adult kid, so something is always being used during the day i.e. 3 monitors, PC, laptop, gaming PC, TVs, kettle, washing machine, air fryer, hob....Not to mention the things that are always on like Wifi router, TVs on standby. It's also a good way to help out with the environment? With my tin hat on, I wonder if the energy cartels companies will try to say they don't work, or they "aren't compatible with your meter, and using equipment like this will incur a 15% increase on your bill for the additional strain on the system"?

The article said payback could be as quick as 4 years.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

What happens when .....

If I change a bulb or socket or instal anything electrical, I turn it off at the circuit breakers. But if you use one of these plug in solar chargers, will the wires still contain a charge?

The power in "pumped" in through the systems at one point

but near the mains power

so if you are e.g. changing a power socket then you switch it off at the relevant contact breaker and it is safe in the same way that it is safe from the norma mains

On our "proper" solar system the whole solar system has its own CB so we can isolate the whole thing from everything if we want to

 

[T4tomo]

https://strategicenergy.eu/plug-in-solar-europe/
popular in Germany
To get a decent benefit you probably need a small battery too.
https://balkon.solar/news/2025/03/17/how-does-plug-in-pv-in-germany-work/

 

[welsh dragon]

I read an article this morning that said plug in solar panels will be available to sell in the UK within a few months. Its on the Gov.uk website as well as this article

https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/house-garden/lidl-plug-in-solar-panels-b2945237.html

 

[tom73]

Ecoflow have been selling them for a few years, along with the likes of Aldi they've been linked to this roll out.

 

[blackrat]

If A/C ever becomes necessary in Britain, it will be more economical - and more ecologically sustainable - to grow trees that shade the house, than have solar panels. I've had neighbours cut down their trees in order to have solar panels installed. Some people are incredibly stupid.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

When we had our installed we were told that they could not be put on the front roof as it faced the wrong way

only on the back and side

but we have always thought that in summer the front gets loads of sun for hours

we might try nailing couple to the low bit under the bedroom window and see how it all goes

 

[Alex321]

If A/C ever becomes necessary in Britain, it will be more economical - and more ecologically sustainable - to grow trees that shade the house, than have solar panels.

No it won't. In conditions where it is regularly warm enough to need AC, shading the house with trees (that will take 20 years to grow big enough anyhow) will not cool enough to make a noticeable difference, so you will still need that AC, but will be powering it from the grid, while the solar panels would be generating loads.

 

[presta]

It would be interesting to know what sort of charge these can hold relative to the typical demand from a property.

Not much.

I was looking at the ones on Amazon just to run the boiler in a power cut when Ukraine kicked off, but you need something the size of a caravan battery to give a worthwhile run time.

 

[presta]

What happens when .....

If I change a bulb or socket or instal anything electrical, I turn it off at the circuit breakers. But if you use one of these plug in solar chargers, will the wires still contain a charge?

I think you'll find that they won't switch on if they don't find any mains power to synchronise to, otherwise the pins of the plug will be live when it's not plugged in.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

I watched a YouTube video a month or so ago about solar panels and the positioning of them. The common wisdom is that they should be placed on a south facing roof. However the presenter pointed out that such a setup puts maximum generation in the middle of the day when the majority of people are out. So unless to can automated your home, or have a battery installed too, to make use of it then you may find most is being fed back into the grid at what may not be good rates.

The other option they looked at was east / west installations which gave a longer production window , including into late afternoon/ early evening when home consumption goes up.

Best to look at your own personal use across the day and work out what suits you best.

 

[Alex321]

Not much.

I was looking at the ones on Amazon just to run the boiler in a power cut when Ukraine kicked off, but you need something the size of a caravan battery to give a worthwhile run time.

He was talking about household battery banks, not car batteries.

They vary considerably in capacity, but our 16kWh one stores far more than we ever use in a day.

 

[Tenkaykev]

He was talking about household battery banks, not car batteries.

They vary considerably in capacity, but our 16kWh one stores far more than we ever use in a day.

We have similar 16kWh but with a nominal output of 13.5kWh. It doesn't quite match the load in the coldest days of winter but having it gives us access to split tariffs and it's made a significant contribution to our energy bills since we went all electric last year. This weeks sunshine has seen is getting back into zero bill days.

 

[Alex321]

We have similar 16kWh but with a nominal output of 13.5kWh. It doesn't quite match the load in the coldest days of winter but having it gives us access to split tariffs and it's made a significant contribution to our energy bills since we went all electric last year. This weeks sunshine has seen is getting back into zero bill days.

Yes, during the winter, we charge it up at cheap rates overnight, then use it during the day. The rest of the year we rely on the solar panels to charge it (and export to the grid only when battery is full).

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

When I move next week I will be taking over the FIT (Feed In Tariff) that is still on the property. It’s got 10.5 years left to run and pays 44p per kWh generated, whether I use it myself or export it to the grid. There is an additional 4p per kWh paid on top of the 44p for everything exported.

Sadly those deals are long past and newer ones don’t seem to come close.