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Practical and DIY

Hands-on guides, real installation projects, and practical tips from lived DIY solar experience.

Practical and DIY

Scaffolding for Solar Panel Installation: When You Need It and UK Costs

Most pitched-roof solar installations need scaffolding: the decision depends on height, roof pitch, access and how long the work takes.
A simple domestic scaffold typically costs a few hundred pounds: complex access, extra elevations and longer hire periods can take the cost into four figures.
The law requires commercial roof work to be properly planned: the duty includes choosing equipment that prevents falls where reasonably practicable.
Towers and roof ladders have limited uses: neither automatically provides the protected working platform needed for a full solar installation.

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Practical and DIY

You Have Solar Panels – Now What? A UK Post-Installation Checklist

Confirm the DNO paperwork is complete: keep the G98 acknowledgement or G99 approval and commissioning records.
Register for a Smart Export Guarantee tariff: export payments do not start automatically after installation.
Set up generation and consumption monitoring: save an early baseline so you can recognise faults and changing usage.
Judge the system through its first winter: compare trends and alerts, not winter output against summer peaks.

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Practical and DIY

Council Solar Group-Buying Schemes: The Full UK List

Council solar group buying is real and low-hassle: hundreds of households register together, installers compete in a reverse auction, and you get a vetted, fixed-price, MCS-certified install without chasing quotes yourself.
The MCS certificate is the real win, not just the discount: it’s what lets you sign up to a Smart Export Guarantee tariff and get paid for surplus power. A true DIY self-install without MCS can’t access SEG at all.
Budget six to nine months, not weeks: register, auction, personalised offer, a separate acceptance deadline, technical survey, then install. Real homeowner timelines on MoneySavingExpert show this spread.
You’ll pay roughly 20 to 40% off retail list prices, but that’s off full retail, not off a quote you’ve haggled down, so get one independent quote to benchmark.
The full UK list by region, plus the blank spots: Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East have no scheme at all, so look at grants and loans instead.
Push for more panels and a bigger battery up front, and ask for a G99 connection if you’re sizing up. Retrofitting a battery later is fiddly, so get the spec right before you accept.

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Practical and DIY

Can You Legally Install Solar Panels Yourself in the UK?

DIY solar is legal in the UK, but the connection to your consumer unit is notifiable electrical work: a registered electrician certifies it, or Building Control inspects it.
Going DIY costs you MCS, which means no SEG export payments from most suppliers (Octopus Outgoing aside) and 20% VAT on parts instead of 0%.
You can still do plenty yourself: the panels, the racking, the DC side and your own G98 or G99 notification. This is my read of the rules, not legal advice.

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Practical and DIY

Garden Solar Panels UK: Shed, Garage, and Plug-in Options (2026)

Solar panels for a shed: hardwire them to their own breaker via a registered electrician. Plug-in kits are not legal in the UK yet.
Full DIY gives more power — 4 panels + string inverter on a garage roof can cover your home base load.
With a battery, ROI drops to under 3 years — store daytime generation for evening use.
Part P applies: wiring a detached building still requires building regulations notification.
Plug-in kits may become legal later: the government consulted in June 2026 and is analysing responses, with no confirmed date.

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Practical and DIY

How To Upgrade Your Solar from 3.6kW to 5.6kW

G98 covers up to 3.68kW. Beyond that, you need a G99 application to your DNO.
G99 is an application, not a notification — expect 30–60 days for approval depending on your DNO region.
You need a single-line diagram (SLD) showing your full system layout. Templates and examples included.
DIY systems can apply for G99 — you do not need an MCS installer for the application itself.

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Bar chart displaying electricity export data over time, with peaks indicating higher export volumes on certain dates.

Practical and DIY

How to Export DIY Solar Energy with Octopus (No MCS): UK Guide 2026

Yes, DIY solar export can be approved by Octopus in specific scenarios without MCS.
This guide shows the exact process, documents, and checks that matter most.
Done right, export income shortens payback and improves total system returns.

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Practical and DIY

How to Add More Solar Panels With Microinverters (2026 UK Guide)

Microinverters are a practical expansion route when your main inverter is already at capacity.
They solve mixed-orientation and partial-shading problems better than many simple add-on approaches.
Design for compliance and monitoring from day one to avoid retrofit headaches later.

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Practical and DIY

The DIY Solar Panels System I Would Build in 2026

This is the exact DIY system I would build in 2026 based on real install experience.
Component picks are updated for current UK pricing, availability, and performance.
Includes inverter, panel, battery, and accessories with practical trade-offs.

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Practical and DIY

Forecast Solar and Battery Charging. Easy Win at Winter

Automate battery charging using Solar Assistant, PV forecasts, and overnight tariff rates to maximise winter savings.
Simplest setup: charge from grid overnight on Octopus Go at 7.5p/kWh, discharge during peak hours.
Advanced: use Forecast.Solar API + Solar Assistant rules to decide whether to charge from grid or wait for solar.
Works with Sunsynk and Deye inverters via MQTT control through Solar Assistant.

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How to Extend a CT clamp for Sunsynk and Deye Inverters. Go beyond the 15m limit with this DIY hack!

Practical and DIY

The Little Known Sunsynk and Deye CT Clamp Extension Hack

Sunsynk CT clamp accuracy drops beyond 15 metres of cable — signal attenuates over distance.
Budget workaround: extend the cable and calibrate the offset in Solar Assistant config.
Proper fix: install a dedicated energy meter (e.g., Eastron SDM230) closer to the consumer unit.
Why it matters: inaccurate CT readings cause the inverter to export when it should not, or import when it has stored energy.

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Practical and DIY

Fix the Weird Solar Assistant CRC Error on Sunsynk and Deye

CRC errors on Solar Assistant usually mean the RS485 cable is too long, poorly terminated, or picking up interference.
Fix: shorten cable, add 120Ω termination resistor, use shielded twisted pair cable.
Affects Sunsynk and Deye inverters connected via Modbus RS485 to Solar Assistant.

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A person installing solar panels on the red-tiled roof of a brick garage, with two ladders propped against the side. The person is seated on the roof under a partly cloudy blue sky in a residential neighbourhood.

Practical and DIY

DIY Solar Installation: A Journey to Energy Independence

Accessibility
Cost-Effective
Sufficient Space
Solar Panels
Inverter

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Solar gazebo from the side on a sunny day

Practical and DIY

Solar Expansion With Added Value: DIY Solar Gazebo

A solar gazebo doubles as a garden structure and a generation asset — useful if roof space is limited or orientation is poor.
DIY build cost: timber frame + panels + microinverter from around £1,500.
Orientation flexibility: a freestanding structure can be positioned for optimal south-facing tilt.

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Practical and DIY

DNO Registration for DIY Solar UK: G98 and G99 Step-by-Step (2026)

G98 and G99 have different approval paths — getting this wrong causes avoidable delays.
This guide shows the homeowner process step by step with practical documentation tips.
Correct registration protects future export options and reduces compliance risk.

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4117W from a 3.6 inverter. How? Thumbnail.

Practical and DIY

Unlock Hidden Power: How Your Sunsynk 3.6 Inverter Can Process Double the Solar Energy

The Sunsynk 3.6kW can accept higher DC input than many owners realise, within limits.
Correct design and settings matter — otherwise potential yield is left on the table.
This guide explains practical configuration for better generation and export outcomes.

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Practical and DIY

Take Total Control of Your Sunsynk With Solar Assistant Rules

Solar Assistant + Sunsynk automation: Schedule charge and discharge current limits your inverter’s native app can’t handle.
Force solar export: Drop Max Charge Current to 2A during the day so surplus solar goes straight to the grid on Octopus Go.
Real UK export data: These rules helped double grid export from 1,766 kWh to 3,914 kWh year-on-year.
Crash-proof your setup: Never set amps to zero. Solar Assistant can crash and leave values stuck.
Home Assistant solar integration: Bridge Sunsynk data via MQTT for Octopus Agile pricing, solar forecasts, and EV diversion.

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