The draft lets one plug-in system per household feed up to 800 VA (and 3.5 A) through a normal Australian wall plug, with up to 2,000 W of panels and battery on the DC side. It cannot be used where there is rooftop solar. No extension leads or power boards. Batteries must be LFP or sodium-ion. These are October 2026 draft rules and may change.
On this page (13 sections)
- How big can a plug-in solar system be?
- What counts as a household?
- Can I have more than one?
- Can I use plug-in solar if I already have rooftop solar?
- Does it have to be portable?
- What plug and cable rules apply?
- What happens when I unplug it or the power goes out?
- What does the draft say about safety switches?
- What are the mounting and wind rules?
- What grid settings must the inverter use?
- What labels and paperwork come with a kit?
- What are the battery rules?
- How will kits be approved?
Everything on this page comes from the draft “Plug-in solar and battery systems Technical Bridging Standard” (DR EPWA-TBS-75-001, Version 1, October 2026) and the consultation paper released with it. Clause numbers refer to the draft. Most clauses are written for manufacturers, so I have pulled out what they mean for the person plugging the kit in. Plug-in solar is not legal in WA yet: see is plug-in solar legal in WA.
How big can a plug-in solar system be?
The inverter can push no more than 800 VA into your home wiring, and no more than 3.5 A (clause 4.1). On the DC side, the combined rating of the panels and any battery must not exceed 2,000 W (clause 4.1). The draft also caps the open-circuit voltage at the inverter input at 120 V DC for multi-panel kits (clause 4.2.2).
The standard only covers single-phase, residential systems at 230/240 V and 50 Hz (clause 1). Inverters must be tested at 207 V, 254 V and nominal voltage, and stay under 3.5 A at all of them (clause 6.4.1).
What counts as a household?
The draft defines a household as “a single dwelling unit with its own electricity supply and switchboard” (clause 3.1). In apartments and strata complexes, each dwelling with its own switchboard counts as a separate household. Strata and landlord permission are a separate question: see renters and apartments.
Can I have more than one?
No. “Only one plug-in generator shall be used per household” (clause 1). The plug itself must carry that statement (clause 8.2.3.2), and so must the product marking (clause 8.2.3.1).
A battery only counts as part of the same system if it connects to the DC side of the same inverter as the panels. A solar kit and a battery with its own inverter are “two separate plug-in generators” (clause 1). My reading is that this means you could not use both in one household.
Can I use plug-in solar if I already have rooftop solar?
No. A plug-in generator “must not be used at sites with an existing fixed installation (e.g. traditional rooftop solar)” (clause 1). The draft only names rooftop solar as the example. Whether other hard-wired generation counts is not spelled out, so check the final text. Hard-wired home batteries are outside the standard and stay under AS/NZS 5139 (clause 6.5).
Does it have to be portable?
Yes. The panel “must be portable and must not require permanent fixing, structural attachment, or integration into the building fabric” (clause 6.3). Any attachment must be “reversible and non-permanent” and must not harm the building’s structure, fire performance or weatherproofing (clause 8.3.2).
Portable does not mean loose. “Unsecured mounting arrangements are not permitted” (clause 5.5.1). The instructions must also tell you that you are responsible for:
- keeping escape and rescue paths clear
- not increasing the risk of fire spreading along walls or balconies to neighbours
- not fixing panels to walls that form a boundary between dwellings
- any planning permission
- checking whether the kit affects your insurance or the building’s insurance (clauses 8.3.1 and 8.3.2)
What plug and cable rules apply?
The kit plugs into a normal wall socket with a standard Australian Type I plug with half-insulated pins (AS/NZS 3112:2025, clauses 3.1 and 6.2.3.2). It comes with pre-assembled cables an ordinary person can connect (clause 6.2.1).
The draft is clear on leads and adaptors:
- “Multi-way adaptors, travel adaptors and plug convertors must not be used” (clause 6.2.3.1).
- Multiple inverters must not be joined to the same circuit with “extension cables, plug couplers or in-line connector systems” (clause 6.2.3.4).
- The plug must carry a warning that the kit “must not be connected to extension cable or multi-way adaptor” (clause 8.2.3.2).
- The instructions must say extension cables, multi-way adaptors and travel adaptors are not permitted, and that the kit must not be connected to multiple socket-outlets (clause 8.3.2).
In everyday terms that rules out extension leads, power boards and double adaptors. On the DC side, connectors must lock and only release with a tool, must come from matching pairs from one maker, and Y-connectors are banned (clause 6.2.2). Any spare AC port on the inverter must be capped so it only comes off with a tool (clause 6.4.2).
The kit must also not go into a “damaged, degraded, or non-compliant” socket (clause 8.3.1).
What happens when I unplug it or the power goes out?
The inverter must stop when grid supply stops (clause 6.2.3.2), and must pass the AS/NZS IEC 62116 anti-islanding test (clause 6.4.1). The timings in clause 6.2.3.3.3:
| What | Draft limit |
|---|---|
| Inverter disconnects after it is cut off from the mains, such as when unplugged | within 100 ms |
| Voltage at the plug pins after disconnection | below 34 V within 100 ms |
| Capacitors over 100 nF after disconnection | 34 V or less within 1 s |
| Backup electromechanical protection, if used | dangerous voltage removed within 2 s (clause 6.2.3.2) |
The test applies a load of more than 2,000 ohms across the plug pins for at least 40 seconds after disconnection and after power returns. The draft says the 34 V within 100 ms limit is taken from the German standard, DIN VDE V 0126-95.
What does the draft say about safety switches?
Kits must not stop your safety switch (RCD) from working, “including blinding during normal or single-fault conditions” (clause 5.7). They must meet the DC residual current rules in clause 7.3.8 of AS/NZS 62109.1:2026. The consultation paper admits the threshold “may not be low enough” for type AC RCDs common in Australian switchboards, and more lab testing is proposed.
Makers must tell you to check that your wiring has “modern residual current protection (RCBO and RCD)” and is in good condition (clause 8.3.2). If your switchboard is old, unlabelled or of unknown condition, you must be told to get a licensed electrician to look first (clause 8.3.3). More on plug-in solar safety and whether you need an electrician.
What are the mounting and wind rules?
Makers must supply a mounting system, back it with a structural analysis, and calculate wind loads up to region B of AS/NZS 1170.2:2021 (clause 5.5.1). The consultation paper proposes leaving cyclone regions C and D, in parts of the Kimberley, Gascoyne and Pilbara, out of mandatory testing. It says normal storm preparation, like moving outdoor furniture, would apply. The instructions must give permitted installation heights based on wind (clause 8.3.1).
Other mounting rules: clearances for ventilation and heat (clause 5.5.1), corrosion resistance with salt mist and ammonia tests for kits sold for coastal or farm use (clause 5.5.2), and IP55 weather sealing for outdoor parts, IP44 for indoor parts (clause 5.4).
What grid settings must the inverter use?
Inverters must use region B settings of AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 in Western Power’s area and region C in Horizon Power’s area (clauses 7 and 8.3.1). The draft drops the reactive power, volt-var and demand response clauses of that standard, but volt-watt still applies (clause 7).
What labels and paperwork come with a kit?
The kit must carry the RCM mark (clause 8.2.1). You get a green reflective label at least 100 mm across, printed “PV - Plug in”, to stick on your switchboard (clause 8.2.3.1). If the switchboard is replaced or moved, a new label goes on (clause 8.3.2). Kits with a battery come with a second green label, “ES - Plug in”, showing the battery chemistry’s UN number (clause 6.5.4).
The documents must be in English (clause 8.1) and include instructions and a QR code for notifying your network operator when you connect and disconnect (clauses 8.2.3.1 and 8.3.2). See notifying Western Power.
What are the battery rules?
- Only lithium iron phosphate (LFP) or sodium-ion. NMC is banned (clause 5.8).
- No size cap in the draft. The paper expects most to be 5 kWh or less.
- Only new cells. Second-life cells are banned (clause 6.5.1).
- Rated to at least 55°C ambient (clause 6.5.1).
- Sold as a tested kit with a specific inverter (clause 6.5.1).
- Battery-only kits may charge from the socket, but draw no more than 800 VA (clause 6.5.1).
- The battery management system must shut the battery off on its own if something goes wrong, and fail safe (clause 6.5.2).
- Vented gas must be directed away from living spaces and escape routes (clause 6.5.2).
- A manual way to isolate the battery without pulling the plug (clause 6.5.3).
- A safety data sheet via a QR code on top of the unit (clause 6.5.4).
More in plug-in solar batteries.
How will kits be approved?
Makers type-test kits against the standard, keep a technical file for at least 10 years after the last unit is made, and submit test evidence for registration under the national Electrical Equipment Safety System (clauses 9.1 and 9.3). The grid connection tests need a certificate from a NATA-accredited lab (clause 9.2). The consultation paper says kits would not go through Clean Energy Council approval. The FAQ says products are expected to appear on recognised approved-product lists, but does not name which list.