I wish I knew these 5 things before installing plug-in solar panels in my garden

After hearing the exciting news that plug-in solar panels had become legal in the UK, I was keen to get my hands on a model to see how they work – and came across a few unexpected surprises during my testing.

If you're unfamiliar with plug-in solar panels, they do what they say on the tin – you plug them into a compatible outdoor socket, and the panels generate electricity from sunlight to your home.

If you like the sound of plug-in solar but aren't sure what to expect or whether it will be right for you, I've rounded up the top five things I wish I'd known first.

1. Set-up is easier than I thought it would be

While I knew that plug-in solar panels were easier to install than rooftop panels, I didn't anticipate it being quite this easy. In fact, I've had vacuum cleaners that were harder to set up than the UKSOL Pro Duo Plug-In 890W Solar Kit I tested.

Aside from needing an extra pair of hands to lift them into my garden (they weigh 74.5kg, for reference), they were a breeze to install without the help of a professional, and the whole process took me around five minutes, which I couldn't quite believe.

Once you've checked that your socket and circuit are suitable, all you need to do is plug them in, connect them to the app and you're good to go. You are also required by law to register your solar panels via the online form, according to the experts at Energy Saving Trust.

2. You can track your savings in real-time

While this might not be the case for every plug-in solar panel kit, I was pleasantly surprised that mine had this feature – and even more surprised at how addictive it was to watch the numbers slowly creep up each day.

Not only could I monitor the energy produced by the panels in kWh, but I could also see how much money I was saving and track these results across different times of the day, month and year, as well as the overall total.

When it comes to working out whether your plug-in solar panels are worth it during winter, Kian Milroy, renewables electrical engineer at Heatable, says you should judge your savings based on year-round performance – which this app feature makes very easy to do.

3. They might not be suitable for every home

Measuring 113 x 352 cm, the plug-in solar panel kit I tested was far too big for my tiny terraced garden. If I had attached it to the included ground mount, it would have taken up most of the floor space, so I had to lean it against the fence for the purpose of testing, which is not recommended if installing them permanently.

With this in mind, I would only recommend buying plug-in solar panels to those homeowners with medium- to large-sized gardens, as most models currently available are pretty big and will dominate the space. While it's predicted that they will become smaller over time, I wasn't able to keep these particular panels after testing them out, as they were too big for my garden.

If you're unsure whether they'll work in your space, Jon Skinner, founder of Glow Home, recommends measuring your garden, the access route and the panel itself – plus, checking whether you can position and secure it without blocking windows, escape routes or doors.

4. The savings can be modest

I'd been researching plug-in solar panels for months, so while I knew that the predicted savings were between £70 to £100 a year (according to Andrew Northcott from Energy Saving Trust), I was a little disappointed with what my panels generated day-to-day.

I tested the kit over three days in mid-September, and despite two of them having moderately clear, sunny weather conditions, I only saved a total of 79p – which I had expected to be more.

However, I'll be interested to see how these savings play out over the long term in my partner's parents' larger garden – and with the panels positioned on the proper ground mount.

5. Excess energy won't earn you money

An interesting thing I've discovered about plug-in solar panels is that you only save money on the electricity you use in your home.

For instance, if my panels generated 800W of electricity, but my home was only using 300W, the remaining 500W would be exported back to the grid, and I wouldn't benefit from this financially. This is because at present, plug-in solar panels are exempt from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme which is required for a smart export guarantee tariff with an energy supplier.

So, to get the most from your plug-in panels, it's best to run your appliances during the day when they're generating the most electricity.

While plug-in solar panels didn't end up being worth it for me, they can be a good way for those with larger gardens to make gradual savings on their electricity bills.

Want to learn more? Find out whether your home insurance will cover plug-in solar panels and whether you can put plug-in solar panels in your front garden.