Do your solar panels work in a powercut?

[Ukri]

I have to decide this evening whether to install an essential circuit along with our panels tomorrow. It would basically keep a double socket operational so we could run an extension cable to the freezers and/or the wifi router. Unfortunately it can’t power the boiler

does anyone have an essential circuit and do you think it’s worth it?

cost is about £1500

Solar inverters generally don't. You are forbidden from connecting a generator to the mains during a cut (it might kill someone repairing a break) so they automatically cut out if the mains fails. Your emergency socket is a nice touch, it is presumably isolated from everything else, but pretty useless if it won't even run the boiler. OOI, what power is it rated at?

"Off-grid" installations work differently.

Mine won't, the cost of fitting for a system that would was ridiculously more expensive (about double).
I have gone for a back up power supply (double socket), but mine is costing £380 - which I thought was expensive enough.
Agree that it's annoying that it won't be able to power the boiler, as that is hard wired.
As I understand it mine will work from the battery only, not the panels, so would only work to the extent of whatever is left in the battery.
I was very undecided as to whether it include it, but in the end when with it as a fairly low cost element of the overall installation.

I know a few people who buy a petrol generator (or even a camping inverter powered by a car battery) to run the boiler in a power cut.

I think (have not checked) my internet hub runs on 6v DC. If so, it could run off a battery.

P.s.

You can change your boiler to run off a plug and socket rather than an FCU.

If you find the wiring instructions they will mention fuse, isolation of all live connections, and contact separation. Which are easily met by a switched UK socket.

Other countries do not have fused plugs.

If somebody tells you different, ask them for the number of the regulation or requirement.

It is not in Part P.

No.

Ours does.

No because of this. It's a safety feature so as not to kill someone repairing the break. Voltage cannot be travelling through the grid

Interesting.
If I thought about it, I'd have assumed you could (although hadn't considered the Part P regulations) however the, very thick, power cable is plastered into the wall, and tiled over.
Although I guess the power goes from the wire into the FCU, to the controller and then to the boiler, so you could fit a cable from the controller to a plug?
And then replace the FCU with a switched plug socket that you plug the controller into?
It would look messier, as there would be an exposed wire whereas current that wire is in the wall.
In the event of a power cut I'd then have to run an extension cable through the house from the solar power socket - which the installer says has to be attached to the battery, which will be in the loft.

Yes, you can have an FCU removed and a socket fitted.

In the event of a power cut you unplug the boiler from the socket and plug it into your other source.