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Will it fit your balcony?

Measure your railing, wall or patch of garden. We check it against the published panel sizes of the kits we track, and show which fit, upright or on their side.

the most common panel size
176 × 113 cm
of railing for two panels on their side
3.54 m
per panel, from makers’ datasheets
21–34 kg
A single plug-in solar panel on the balcony of a brick block of flats
Photo: Yuma Solar / Unsplash
1Where will the panels go?
2How much space is there?

Measure the width of the railing and the height the panels can hang over.

Up to

1,030 Wp

2 panels of 196 cm × 113 cm, on their side, 2 side by side

By panel size

Panel sizeUprightOn its side
238 cm × 113 cm630 W01
196 cm × 113 cm515 W02
191 cm × 113 cm500 W02
176 cm × 113 cm460 / 465 W02
172 cm × 113 cm445 W02

13 compliant kits fit

8 more compliant kits that fit
3 more that fit but aren’t confirmed compliant
1 kit that doesn’t fit

Panel sizes from makers’ datasheets for 17 of the 37 kits we track; kits without a published size aren’t shown. We leave 20 mm between panels and don’t allow for brackets, frames or stand legs.

Worked examples

What fits some typical spaces

Most panels of each size that fit, either way up, with a 2 cm gap between them. Example spaces only: measure your own.

Space238 cm × 113 cm630 W196 cm × 113 cm515 W191 cm × 113 cm500 W176 cm × 113 cm460–465 W172 cm × 113 cm445 WCompliant kits that fit
Balcony railing, 2.5 m × 1.2 m1on side1on side1on side1on side1on side5
Balcony railing, 4 m × 1.2 m1on side2on side2on side2on side2on side13
Wall, 2.5 m × 2 m1on side2upright2upright2upright2upright13
Fence, 4 m × 1.8 m1on side2on side2on side3upright3upright13
Patio, 2.5 m × 1.8 m (stand at 30°)1on side2upright2upright2upright2upright13

We have published panel sizes for 17 of the 37 kits we track. Kits without one are left out rather than guessed. On the ground we fit one row of panels tilted at 30°, using the depth the tilted panel takes; stand legs and ballast can need more.

Panel sizes

Panel sizes in the kits we track

From the makers’ datasheets. Prices are the cheapest in stock, .

Size (each)Panel powerWeight (each)Kits
2,382 × 1,134 mm630 W34 kg
1,960 × 1,134 mm515 W27.5 kg
1,908 × 1,134 mm500 W27.2 kg
1,762 × 1,134 mm460–465 W21–25.5 kg
1,724 × 1,134 mm445 W25.5 kg

Before you buy

Fitting isn’t only about size

A space can be big enough and still the wrong place for panels. These are the rules and the makers’ own instructions, not our engineering advice.

Where you can’t mount

Not on timber balconies, or on timber, ACM, MCM or HPL cladding, or on buildings having external wall remediation (IPS §5.8). Not on a wall shared with a neighbour (IPS §8.3.2).

Secure in all weathers

Mounting must be secure, reversible and non-permanent. Straps, ties, rope or tape alone don’t count (IPS §5.5.1, §8.3.2). The rules cover kits installed as the maker instructs (Explanatory Memorandum to SI 2026/848, para 5.1).

How far they stick out

In England, panels on a wall or balcony may stick out no more than 0.2 m if the wall faces a highway, 0.4 m otherwise (SI 2026/896). Tilting panels out from a railing uses up this allowance.

Weight and wind are down to the mounting. Each panel weighs 21–34 kg by the makers’ figures, and a large flat panel catches the wind. Use the brackets or stand that come with the kit, and follow the maker’s instructions on fixings and ballast. Ask the building owner before loading a balcony.

Makers set their own limits. UKSOL’s manual says its ground stand needs ballast (for the Pro Compact 460: ballast blocks not included; min. 2 x 18kg required), and that the Pro Max 1260 is for ground installation only, not walls. Check your kit’s manual for the same.

Renting or in a flat? You’ll need permission from the landlord or freeholder (IPS §8.3.1): see landlord permission. Then see what your spot makes with the best angle tool, and more on each option in our mounting guide.

Fitting plug-in solar: questions

How big is a plug-in solar panel?

The panels in the kits we track are 172–238 cm long and 113 cm wide, from the makers’ datasheets. The most common size, 176 cm × 113 cm, comes in 460–465 W panels.

How wide does a balcony need to be for two panels?

For two of the most common 176 cm × 113 cm panels on their side, about 3.54 m of railing, with at least 113 cm of height. Stood upright they need about 2.29 m of width but 176 cm of height. That allows a 2 cm gap between panels and nothing for brackets.

How heavy are the panels?

21–34 kg each for the kits where the maker publishes it. Brackets, stands and any ballast come on top.

Can I hang panels on any balcony?

No. The government’s product specification says plug-in kits must not be installed on timber balconies, or on timber, ACM, MCM or HPL cladding, or on buildings having external wall remediation (IPS §5.8). Use the brackets that come with the kit or that the maker approves, and check the railing can take the weight.

How far can balcony panels stick out?

In England, permitted development lets plug-in panels on a wall or balcony stick out no more than 0.2 m if the wall faces a highway, and 0.4 m otherwise (SI 2026/896). Different rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What about wind?

A panel is a large flat surface, so the mounting has to hold it in all weathers. The product specification says mounting must be secure, reversible and non-permanent, and that straps, ties, rope or tape alone are not enough (IPS §5.5.1, §8.3.2). Follow the maker’s instructions for brackets, fixings and ballast; we don’t give our own figures for wind loads.

Sources

  1. DESNZ Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification v2.0 (July 2026), §5.5, §5.8, §8.3
  2. SI 2026/896: Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2026
  3. Explanatory Memorandum to SI 2026/848 (para 5.1)
  4. UKSOL Plug-In Solar Pro safety, installation and operating manual, issue 2.1

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