UK Electrical Groups Warn of 6 Plug-in Solar Risks as DIY Kits Spread

2 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jul 2

Six safety risks tied to plug-in solar prompted a joint warning from UK electrical groups, which urged households to use caution and call a licensed electrician if unsure about an installation.
The groups said feeding power back through a standard wall socket can create shock and fire hazards, especially in older homes, and may also complicate grid monitoring and shutdown during outages.
They also flagged cheap or unclear-compliance hardware, uncertain insurance liability, and poor DIY setups that can create trip hazards or send badly mounted balcony panels falling into streets.
More than half of UK housing is over 100 years old, the warning said, raising concern that aging wiring may overheat if households add one or multiple plug-in solar units.
The intervention comes as low-cost self-install solar kits gain attention as a bill-saving option, with industry bodies warning that a rushed rollout could undermine confidence in the wider energy transition.