What needs an electrician
Plugging in a compliant device into a sound socket is yours to do. An outdoor socket, a circuit change, or a socket you're unsure about is electrician's work. The specification says which is which.
Read moreWhat the electrician looks at
Where the panel is going, and how far that is from a suitable socket. What is already on the circuit. The age and condition of your consumer unit. And whether your total panel capacity is above 960 watts, because above that figure the manufacturer has to advise an assessment of the installation.
What they usually fit
Most visits are for an outdoor socket rated IP55 or better. Some are for a change to the circuit's protective device. Occasionally the job is only an inspection of a socket you were not sure about. Whichever it is, you get a plain answer of what was done and why.
Telling your network operator
Within 28 days of installation, a short online form: your name, your email address, and the address the device is installed at. The government describes it as taking around five to ten minutes. It applies across Great Britain, and Northern Ireland sits outside this system. Ring us and we will talk you through each box on a call, if you would rather not tackle it on your own.
One device, one household
Taken alone, the specification permits a device per final ring circuit in your house. Engineering Recommendation G98 overrides that and caps every household at one plug-in solar device, full stop, so there is nothing to add to it later.
Questions about the visit
Does the operator have to say yes before I fit it?
No. You tell them once it is already running, not before. A full rooftop installation is the reverse of this: that gets approved first and connected afterwards.
What if I move house?
The form ties the device to the address, not to you as a person. Take the panel with you to a new house and the sensible thing is to notify the operator there as a fresh installation.
Can I get a quote before I buy the kit?
Yes, and it often helps to ask first. What your electrician finds on the visit can change what kit makes sense.
Before you get a quote
On this page
- What the electrician looks at
- What they usually fit
- Telling your network operator
- One device, one household
- Questions about the visit
Ready for a quote?
Four questions and a postcode. An electrician near you comes back with a price.
Start the four questions