Questions people ask

Yes in England, Wales and Scotland since 27 August 2026, for kits of up to 800 W that meet the government's product specification and are listed on the ENA Type Test Register. Northern Ireland isn't covered yet. See the rules.

The government's figures are about £110 a year for panels tilted south and about £70 for an upright east or west wall, for a home where someone is in during the day. Try your home in the calculator.

Not under the current UK rules. Battery systems are outside the plug-in framework and need a fixed connection by a registered electrician. See batteries and the rules.

No. The specification bans extension leads and adaptors. The kit goes straight into one wall socket on a socket circuit.

The kit is designed for you to plug in yourself, but the government advises a check of your consumer unit, especially with an older fuse box, and an electrician for any new outdoor socket. If you're unsure, ask one.

Only with your landlord's permission. Leaseholders usually need the freeholder's or managing agent's consent.

Only if its continuous output is 3,000 W or more, because UK kettles draw up to 3 kW. A few stations have a "lifting" mode that runs a kettle slowly at lower power. The What will it run? tool checks for you.

A typical fridge-freezer averages about 30 W over a day, so a 1 kWh station runs it alone for about a day. Each product page shows hours of cover for a fridge-freezer, router, lamps and phones together.

Possibly, but most boilers are wired into a fused spur rather than a plug. Ask a Gas Safe engineer or electrician before connecting one.

It can sit between the wall and your equipment and take over when the power drops. A switch-over of 10 ms or less keeps most computers, routers and CPAP machines running.

LFP (lithium iron phosphate) lasts several times longer and is more stable. Almost every current model uses it.

Yes. On a time-of-use tariff you can charge overnight and use it in the day, and some makers' apps schedule this. Our "cost per kWh over its life" figure shows whether the battery wear makes it worth it.

About 0.86 kWh a year for each watt of rating at a good angle, so a 200 W panel adds roughly 0.47 kWh on an average day. Far more in summer than winter.

About 15% is lost turning battery power into 230 V, and AC sockets left on drain it slowly even with nothing plugged in. Switch AC off when not in use. Our hours of cover already allow for the losses.

Not always. Panels end in different plugs (Anderson, XT60, DC8020, MC4, USB-C) and voltages vary. Check the connector and the station's solar input range, or buy both from the same maker.

The fan runs hardest while fast-charging from the mains and is usually quiet at light loads. Many models have a slower, quieter charge mode. We show the maker's dB figure where published.

Claim with the retailer you bought from. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you have 30 days to reject a faulty item, and within six months the seller must show it wasn't faulty when sold. After that, use the maker's warranty: register it on day one.

No. A plug-in solar kit feeds your home's wiring through a wall socket and has no battery. A power station is a portable battery you charge and then plug things into; it doesn't feed the house.

Yes. Unplug it, tell your network operator it has been removed, then notify them again when you connect it at your new home.

For power cuts of a few hours, usually yes: it is silent, needs no fuel and can be used indoors. A generator must stay outside but runs as long as you have petrol. Side by side.

A battery power station sold with folding solar panels. There is no engine or fuel. What to check on a bundle.

Only a few miles: a 2 kWh station adds about 5 to 7 miles through a granny charger, by our sums. The sums.

Yes in England, Wales and Scotland since 27 August 2026, for plug-in kits up to 800 W that meet the specification. Flats usually need the freeholder's permission. Balcony solar.

We only link to retailers with a UK affiliate programme we've joined, and we read prices from the seller's own page. Amazon prices change too often to keep accurate.