When it arrives
What a compliant kit looks like out of the box.
Read thisThe eight checks
All eight come from the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification, Version 2.0, July 2026. A seller who cannot answer them has not read the document their own product depends on.
What the inverter puts into the mains
Ask for the rated output. A compliant device puts no more than 800 VA into the mains, at no more than 3.5 amps.
How much the panels add up to
Up to 2000 watts of panels is allowed, spread across up to four modules, with no more than two wired in series in any one string.
Whether it crosses 960 watts
Past 960 watts of panel capacity, the specification says the installation needs a professional assessment. A listing over that figure should say so.
The plug, already fitted
Look for a moulded plug to the BS 1363 series with a BS 1362 fuse link, already on the device. You should not need to fit your own.
The DC connectors
These have to be supplied by the manufacturer, to BS EN 62852, as matching pairs from the same product family. Mixed connectors are not allowed.
The warning about adaptors
Extension cables, multi-way adaptors, RCD adaptors and travel adaptors are all ruled out, and the instructions have to say so.
The markings on the device
How many may be connected per household circuit, the rated current, and the ISO 7010-M002 sign telling you to read the instructions.
Whether there is a battery in the box
Plug-in battery systems, and solar devices with storage built in, are outside what has been approved. A bundled battery puts the whole kit outside the class.
One device, one household
The specification itself allows one device per final ring circuit, but the network connection rules are stricter. Engineering Recommendation G98 Issue 2 Amendment 1 caps a household at one device, full stop, so a second kit on the same house would not add anything.
Where we stand on the price
We do not put a number on this page. The only figure in the government's own paperwork is a European range for an 800 watt system, not a British shelf price, and it excludes fitting and any socket work. We would rather tell you that than guess.
Why a battery changes the answer
The interim product specification does not cover plug-in battery systems, and it does not cover a plug-in solar device with storage built in. Both are explicitly left outside the approved class. A kit sold to you with a battery attached has not been assessed under this specification, whatever the rest of the listing says.
Questions about buying
Does a higher panel wattage mean a better kit?
Not on its own. A compliant inverter puts out at most 800 VA regardless of how many panels feed it, up to the 2000 watt panel limit. More panels catch more light through the day, but they do not raise the ceiling on what reaches your mains.
Is a kit with a European CE mark good enough here?
No. The UK register and the UK specification are their own requirement. A device built to a European standard is not automatically compliant here, and the plug alone is usually the giveaway.
What if the listing does not mention the register at all?
Search it yourself before you buy. It takes a minute, and a listing that omits it entirely is the one most worth checking.
Also worth reading before you buy
If it isn't compliant
What your rights are if the register does not back the listing up.
Read thisOn this page
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