Balcony power plant with 800 watts: Buy a complete set, register it and operate it legally
admin
December 03, 2024
Little bureaucracy, no electrician needed: With a balcony power plant, you can generate your own solar power quite easily. In order for the operation to be legal, you have to observe a few rules and limits with such a small solar system. The registration of the systems is limited by law to 800 watts of inverter power; this is regulated by a new law since May 16, 2024. However, the technical application rules of the Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies (VDE) are lagging behind – they are currently still working on the product standard, which clarifies the conditions under which operation with more than 600 watts is safely possible. We give you an overview of the applicable rules and compare available complete sets.
The most important facts in brief
- A balcony power plant is a small photovoltaic system. It usually consists of one to two, sometimes three to four solar modules, whose feed-in capacity is limited. The electricity normally goes directly into the domestic socket, where household appliances can consume it immediately. Inverter
- In this country, a so-called plug-in solar system may be connected with "in compliance with the regulations applicable to the execution of a grid connection" (. However, the current VDE standards still prescribe 600 watts of feed-in power. The new one, which provides 800 watts and specifies the connection rules, is still in progress. In order to benefit from the simplified rules for balcony power plants, the user must adhere to the defined limit. The previous view was that the power of 800 watts already applies – but if you want to be on the safe side, throttle your inverter to 600 watts by the time the product standard is published. maximum 800 watts§ 8 (5a) EEG)Product standard of the VDE
- To actually reach the power of 800 watts, you need and aHigh-performance solar modules sunny location.
- The new law stipulates that balcony solar systems must now comply with an additional power limit of . Therefore, the number and output of connected solar modules are now limited. The draft of the VDE standard even provides for a stricter restriction to total solar module output. 2,000 watts in terms of the performance of the solar panels960 watts
Which 800-watt balcony power plant is worth it?
Commercially available 800-watt inverters have only two connections for the input current of the solar modules. A third module can theoretically be connected to such an inverter by connecting it in series. Important: The maximum input power and voltage must not be exceeded. If you want to install several more powerful solar modules, you can therefore get a set with a larger inverter or add another inverter. You can then throttle the system (for example with appropriate accessories) to 600 or 800 watts. The advantage: In such a configuration, higher performance can be achieved not only on perfect sunny days, but also in slightly cloudy conditions. Below are two examples.
The set of "Small Power Plant" contains either a Hoymiles HMS-800W-2T or Hoymiles HMS-1600-4T, which can be throttled to 600 and 800 watts respectively, four bifacial 450-watt modules in a full black look. Total price for the set: 738 euros.
The Yuma set includes Bifacial Solar Modules from JA Solar. Bifacial means that the yield is higher because the solar panels can also use light from the back. To this end, Yuma provides a Hoymiles HMS-800W-2T (COMPUTER BILD test score: 1.5), also throttled to 600 watts. Total price for the set: 698 euros.
The Priwatt PriFlat Quattro comes with a 2000-watt inverter from TSUN. This can be throttled to a total of 600 watts or 800 watts. Bifacial solar modules with 445 Wp each from JA Solar are part of the set. By the way, we have the Priwatt PriFlat Duo already built up and his Performance tested. Total price for the set: 938 euros.
How can I increase my balcony power plant to 800 watts?
If you already have a balcony power plant with an 800-watt-capable inverter, you can get the upgrade depending on the model
- via update: Some inverters get the higher output via external update. According to the official press release, the upgrade has already begun, and according to COMPUTER BILD information, it should be ready on June 5. Depending on the model, it works automatically via the desktop version of the Talent Home app or can be installed manually. The retailer describes how to do this in a manual on the subject. AnchorEcoFlowTSUNPriwatt
- per setting: Inverters can be throttled, although the models without WLAN require a separate DTU for this. If you use it, you can use the app to increase the setting for the feed to 800 watts. COMPUTER BILD clarifies how this works using the example of the . HoymilesS Miles InstallerHoymiles DTU WLite
When it is worth switching to 800 watts
Anyone who has had a balcony power plant for a long time may be wondering: Is it worth switching my 600-watt limited model to an 800-watt inverter? "This is only worthwhile from a certain performance of the solar modules," Gerome Körbel, founder and managing director at Yuma, told COMPUTER BILD. For example, only those who direct at least 800-watt module peak power to the south can achieve a 800W Inverter potentially a higher yield in some cases. If you don't realize such a high module output and/or optimal alignment, a 600-watt inverter will suffice. The following questions play a role when you are thinking about switching to 800 watts:
- How much electricity do I produce? Check the electricity production with a measuring device, for example with an energy cost meter, or directly on the inverter (via WLAN or manufacturer accessories). If the output of the balcony power plant often approaches the 600-watt limit, an inverter with 800 watts is potentially worthwhile. If production is far below this anyway, it makes little sense to switch in terms of panel output and orientation – at least without increasing the solar module output. Smart Socket
- Do I consume that much electricity (during the day)? Because balcony power plants do not store electricity, you should consider whether you would use the 800 watts of electricity that are probably most likely to be generated at lunchtime. Because if you use an electricity meter with a backstop or digital meter, you are giving the grid operator surplus electricity. Alternative: use one – but the purchase is expensive. Storage for balcony power plants
- What is the output of the solar panels? In order for the balcony power plant to achieve a feed-in power of 800 watts at times, the solar module output must be higher. Most panels nowadays have a peak power between 300 and 470 watts.
Balcony power unit 800 watts: Frequently asked questions
Can inverters be increased from 600 to 800 watts?
Whether this succeeds depends on the inverter. Since the summer of 2023, reputable specialist dealers have mainly had balcony power plants in their range, which were previously legally operated with 600 watts and now with 800 watts. Sometimes a communication gateway is also required for throttling to 600 watts, for example the one for the Hoymiles HM-800. Its successor, the HMS-800, can also be controlled in the W variant without accessories. Hoymiles DTU WLite
Do you have to register an 800W balcony power plant?
Every power generation plant in Germany must be registered – thanks to Solar Package 1, now only in the market master data register of the Federal Network Agency, and the additional registration with the grid operator has been eliminated. If you want to connect and register your plug-in solar system yourself, you must adhere to the specified limit and may therefore only install systems with up to 800 watts (or 600 watts until the product standard appears) inverter power. For larger systems, you need the help of a qualified electrician.
How much electricity does an 800W balcony power plant generate?
An 800-watt balcony power plant means first of all a plug-in solar system with an inverter that offers a maximum output power of 800 watts. How much electricity the balcony power plant actually generates depends largely on how much electricity the solar modules produce. So it depends on:
- the maximum output of the connected solar modules
- the orientation of the solar modules
- that they are exposed to as direct sunlight as possible and as little shade as possible
Ideally, the output of the connected solar modules is significantly higher than the inverter output – so that a lot of electricity still comes out despite conversion losses and even in less than optimal weather conditions (cloudiness, temperature). Care must be taken to ensure that the power and voltage of the inverter and solar modules are in harmony.
Is a storage system worth it for an 800W balcony power plant?
Balcony power plants feed electricity into the domestic grid. All appliances in the household can use it immediately, the rest flows into the public grid. The first storage solutions for balcony power plants – such as those from Zendure, EcoFlow, Anker – are now on the market. However, the purchase of such a storage system is expensive. Therefore, you have to calculate exactly whether it is worth buying. If you use a large part of the solar energy during the day anyway, you certainly don't need a storage system for your 800-watt power plant. If you want to use the electricity mainly in the evening and at night, it can be more worthwhile, provided that the output of the solar modules is high enough to fill the storage system during the day. In our practical test of various you can read more details on the topic. Balcony Power Plant Storage
Can you retrofit a balcony power plant?
Anyone who already operates a balcony power plant with a 600-watt inverter may wonder whether it could not be upgraded to an 800-watt system. That is already conceivable. Because 200-watt inverters are not commercially available, the prerequisite would then be that you throttle at least one of the two inverters – the new or the previous one – so that both only reach a total of 800 watts. It should be noted that they are either connected by Betteri coupling or connected to separate circuits. Connection of several balcony power plants
What will change for balcony power plants in 2024?
What is the point of an 800-watt balcony power plant during the day?
How much electricity an inverter with 800 watts actually feeds into the grid per day depends on the output of the solar modules and the site conditions – weather, solar radiation, orientation. In ours, we tested the feed-in power of the 800-watt-capable machine under ideal conditions. The result: a maximum of 8.15 kilowatt hours. On a changeable summer day, it reached up to 6.29 kilowatt hours in our test. Inverter TestHoymiles HMS-800
What does the VDE say and when will the product standard be introduced?
He writes to us: "The regulations relevant to grid connection continue to exist [according to] the EEG amendment. From this it can be deduced: The execution of a grid connection must continue to be carried out in accordance with the VDE application rule (VDE-AR-N 4105)." Thus, "the simplified connection of plug-in solar systems is limited to an inverter apparent power of up to 600 VA". VDEGeneration plants at low voltage
According to the EEG, grid operators are no longer allowed to require registration for systems up to 800 watts and therefore the association is adjusting the limit in the new standard. And when will the product standard be introduced? "In May, the VDE published a new draft, which [could be commented on] until July 3. After evaluating all comments, the new product standard can be published. We assume that this can be done this year."
According to the BMWK, what applies to the output of balcony power plants?
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) replied to us: Although the legislator has already predefined the limit of 800 watts, but: , the BMWK told COMPUTER BILD"Currently, the inverter of a balcony solar system may have a maximum nominal output of 600 watts or volt amperes. This results from technical standardization. The information on the type plate or in the unit certificate of the inverter is decisive. A setting in the inverter's software, on the other hand, is not decisive, regardless of whether it is made by the manufacturer or the operator itself.""However, this definition does not anticipate the possible changes in technical standardization".
However, the practice is different. The VDE had previously written in a statement: "Plug-in PV systems offer many people the opportunity to participate in the energy transition. Since May 16, 2024, these systems have been able to feed into the power grid with a maximum inverter apparent power of 800 VA." This was understood as a release. As a result, inverters with a maximum output of over 600 watts and can be throttled are now dominating the market, and 800 watts have been used a lot – at the latest since the law was published. Message
More reading material on the topic of balcony power plants
The editors summarize in the large buying guide on the topic Balcony power plant what is involved in the purchase, Registration and Installation should be observed. Other guides deal with the question of when a Balcony power plant allowed and how you can tell if you have the Replacing the electricity meter . COMPUTER BILD tests balcony power plants and took a look at what performance popular sets of inverters and solar modules really deliver.