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Twenty four US states are now considering legislation to allow small, plug-in solar power systems that connect directly into a wall socket. (www.nytimes.com)
submitted 9 months ago by to c/energy@slrpnk.net
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I'm a little wary of plug-in solar in the US. Some of the bills propose allowing 1200 watt panels which can overload wiring depending on what else is on the circuit and how in the wall wiring is run. Limiting plug-in panel wattage to, say, 400 watts might be necessary

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[–] 7 points 9 months ago (4 children)

What happens when electricians need to do work but the lines are energized by these? This is a genuine question. It seems like a really difficult problem to solve

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  • [–] 20 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    The plug in systems aren't meant to provide power on their own, they're meant to supplement grid power and reduce energy costs for the purchaser. They don't provide electricity unless some is already detected on the line, for the exact reason you ask

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  • [–] 17 points 9 months ago

    In Germany, where these "balcony solar" devices have been approved for years and seem to be the most popular out of any country, the panels have all kinds of safety mechanisms. One of them is a mechanism that shuts of the power coming from the panel if it detects that line power has been lost. It seems that this is what would prevent it from shocking electricians working on lines that they think are unpowered. This article goes into details about the various safety mechanisms on these: https://balkon.solar/news/2025/03/17/how-does-plug-in-pv-in-germany-work/

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