Glossary
IP rating
An Ingress Protection code showing how well a product keeps out dust and water. Plug-in kits need IP55 or better outdoors.
An IP (Ingress Protection) rating is a two-digit code for how well an enclosure keeps things out. The first digit covers solid objects and dust (up to 6, dust-tight). The second covers water (up to 8, continuous immersion). IP55 means dust-protected and protected against water jets. IP67 means dust-tight and able to survive temporary immersion.
For plug-in solar, the DESNZ product specification requires outdoor sockets and any outdoor components of the kit to be rated at least IP55 (IPS §4.2.3, §5.4). The panels, the microinverter, its connectors and the cable all spend their lives outside, so they are covered.
In practice, if you plan to plug into an outdoor socket, check the socket is rated IP55 or higher; many older outdoor sockets aren’t marked. The kit’s plug must go straight into a fixed socket, with no extension lead or adaptor, so a weatherproof outdoor socket in the right place can decide whether a garden or shed setup works at all. Changing or adding sockets is work for an electrician.