How a small solar system fits together

Panel → charge controller → battery → inverter → your stuff.

Every off-grid setup, from an allotment to a campervan, is the same four boxes in a row:

1. Solar panel — turns daylight into DC electricity. Output varies wildly with weather and season.

2. Charge controller — sits between panel and battery, taming that variable output into a safe charge. Never connect a panel straight to a battery.

3. Battery — stores energy for nights and grey days. The heart (and usually the biggest cost) of the system.

4. Inverter — converts the battery's 12/24V DC into 230V AC for normal plugs. Skip it entirely if you can run everything on 12V (LED strips, USB chargers, 12V fridges) — that's cheaper and more efficient.

Plus the unglamorous essentials: properly sized cable, fuses on every battery connection, and isolator switches so you can work on it safely.

From EcoPowerful — plain-English DIY solar & wind guidance for UK homes, with a free instant system plan builder. Guidance is general; 230V fixed wiring always needs a qualified electrician. Last updated 2026-06-13.