Guides

• Plug-in solar in the UK: the rules from 27 August 2026
  What became legal on 27 August 2026, the 800 W limit, the one-kit rule, banned surfaces, and what to check before you buy a kit.
• Is plug-in solar worth it? Savings and payback in plain numbers
  The government's own savings figures for an 800 W kit, what changes them, and honest payback times including the extras people forget.
• Keeping the essentials on in a power cut
  How long a power station keeps a fridge-freezer, router, lights and phones going, what a UPS switch-over means, and the boiler question.
• What size power station do I need?
  Watts versus watt-hours explained simply, how to size a power station for your use, and why bigger isn't always better.
• Battery life: LFP, cycles and warranties explained
  What LFP means, how far 3,000 or 6,000 cycles really goes, and how to compare battery cost over its life.
• Solar panels for power stations: what to expect in UK weather
  How much a portable panel really adds in a UK day, connectors and compatibility, and choosing a panel size.
• Plug-in batteries and balcony storage: is an electrician needed?
  Why battery systems aren't covered by the UK plug-in solar rules, and what that means for products like EcoFlow STREAM.
• Safe use of power stations and solar kits at home
  Plain safety rules for power stations and plug-in solar: where to keep them, cables, extension leads and when to call an electrician.
• What owners wish they had known before buying
  The problems UK owners raise most about power stations and plug-in solar, and how to avoid each one before you buy.
• Power stations for camping, caravans and vans
  Weight, quiet running, 12 V sockets and solar top-ups: what matters off-grid and which sizes suit a weekend or a week.
• Power station or petrol generator for a power cut?
  Silent and safe indoors, or more power for longer: how a battery power station compares with a petrol generator for UK homes.
• What is a solar generator? Power stations with solar panels
  A "solar generator" is a battery power station sold with folding solar panels. What to check before buying a bundle.
• Black Friday power station deals: what to check
  Power stations are among the most discounted products on Black Friday. How to tell a real deal from an older model at a bigger discount.
• Can a power station charge an electric car?
  Yes, slowly, and not far. What a portable power station can add to an EV battery, in miles, and when it is worth it.
• Balcony solar panels in the UK: what you can fit
  Plug-in solar on a balcony, wall or garden frame: the 800 W limit, permission for flats, which way it faces and what it makes.
• Are power stations safe to keep at home? Fire risk explained
  Lithium fires make the news. What the real risk is with a home power station, why LFP batteries matter, and the habits that keep it low.
• Are balcony and plug-in solar batteries safe and legal?
  Solar batteries sold for balconies and plug-in kits: why they need an electrician in the UK, the fire-safety questions to ask, and what to avoid.
• Is plug-in solar safe? Wiring, fuse boxes and fire
  The safety worries about plugging solar into a socket, and how the UK rules deal with each: the 800 W limit, RCBOs, socket circuits, mounting and cladding.
• Plug-in solar on an east, west or north-facing home
  How much an 800 W kit saves facing each direction, tilted or upright on a wall, and when it isn't worth buying.
• Is a power station worth it? Who gets value and who doesn't
  Who a portable power station really pays off for (power cuts, home working, medical kit, camping), who should skip it, and how to avoid overspending.

Questions people ask · Jargon buster