Core Battery
LiFePO4 Battery 12V 200Ah Lithium leisure battery, Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery for RV, Boat, Marine, Solar
- ✓4.3 ★ (42 reviews)
£229.00
Prices & availability may change.
Why I'll Never Spend £1,700 on a Power Station Again — My 2000W DIY Solar Setup (instead of EcoFlow & Jackery)
My 2000W DIY solar setup with LiFePO4 leisure battery, Victron MPPT charge controller and a 400 W foldable panel for around £850 — more usable kWh per pound than any pre-built power station. Complete UK bill of materials, step-by-step wiring, and an honest side-by-side with EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus and Jackery Explorer 2000 v2.
By Markus Hoffmann · 13 min read I had one of those moments scrolling online. You know the one. I saw the price for a big-name 2 kWh power station and nearly spat out my tea. Over £1,700. For my shed! I just wanted to run my power tools, charge my e-bike, and keep a small fridge going at the allotment without running a massive extension lead from the house.
That price tag sent me down a rabbit hole. I started wondering, “What’s actually inside these magic boxes?” Turns out, it’s five basic components — and a proper solar panel is the part that really makes it pay back. When I priced them up individually, the total came to less than £900: a LiFePO4 leisure battery, an MPPT solar charge controller, a 400 W foldable solar panel, a 2000 W pure-sine inverter and a cable + ANL-fuse kit. So I took a punt, spent an afternoon with a crimper and a drill, and built my own DIY solar power system. Here’s exactly what I bought, how I wired it, the massive mistake I made along the way, and why I’m never going back.
To be clear: I’m not building a portable power station with a handle and a screen. I’m building a modular DIY solar system — a battery, an inverter, an MPPT charge controller, solar panels and safe wiring — permanently fitted in one spot. A power-station alternative for a shed, garage, allotment, off-grid cabin or a permanently-fitted motorhome build.
⚠️ Safety disclaimer: This article shares my personal experience with a DIY solar setup. Descriptions may be incomplete or inaccurate, and products change constantly. You build at your own risk. Working with 12V/24V LiFePO4 batteries, 2000W inverters and 230V AC wiring requires basic electrical knowledge. If you’re not confident with DC/AC wiring, fuse sizing, RCD installation or earthing, hire a qualified electrician — cable fires and electrical injuries are real. For any installation tied to the grid (e.g. hybrid inverter), the work must comply with G98/G99 and be signed off by an MCS-certified installer.
Quick decision: Power station or DIY solar?
You’re here because you’re torn between “I’ll build it myself” and “I’ll just buy a finished box.” This decision table answers it in 5 seconds:
| Your situation | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Shed, garage or allotment (stationary) | DIY solar setup |
| Permanent motorhome / van build | DIY or hybrid all-in-one |
| Weekend camping, market stalls, festivals | Pre-built (EcoFlow / Jackery) |
| Home-office UPS for outages | Pre-built (UPS switchover) |
| Maximum kWh per pound | DIY solar setup |
| Maximum comfort + app + warranty | EcoFlow / Jackery |
| Off-grid cabin with future expansion | DIY solar setup |
| Crimping wires sounds terrifying | Pre-built |
If your answers lean “stationary + max capacity,” keep reading — the rest of this article is your build guide. If you’re more “mobile + comfort,” scroll down to the pre-built recommendations section.
My DIY solar setup at a glance
My goal was simple: 2000 watts of proper 230V AC power, at least 2 kWh of solar-charged storage, and a 400 W foldable panel to top the battery up on a decent British day. I wanted it permanently fitted in my workshop, safe and solid. Here’s how my DIY solar build stacks up against the off-the-shelf power stations.
| Feature | DIY Budget (200Ah / 12V) ★ Recommended | DIY Premium (280Ah pack) | EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus | Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ~£850 | ~£1,500 | £609 | £869 |
| Capacity (nominal) | 2.56 kWh / ~2.0 kWh usable | 5.6 kWh / ~4.5 kWh usable | 1.02 kWh (expandable to 5 kWh) | 2.04 kWh |
| Continuous output | 2000W (4000W surge) | 2000W (4000W surge) | 1800W (X-Boost 2400W) | 2200W |
| Solar input | up to 600W (Victron 100/50) | up to 600W (Victron 100/50) | 1000W | 1400W |
| Mobility | Stationary | Stationary | Portable (15 kg) | Portable (17.5 kg) |
| Warranty | 5–10 yrs per component | 5–10 yrs per component | 5 years | 5 years |
| App control | Optional (VictronConnect) | Optional (VictronConnect) | Yes (EcoFlow app) | Yes (Jackery app) |
The pre-built power stations win on portability and polish. But on usable kWh per pound spent, DIY runs circles around them. Budget DIY (~£850) delivers 2.5× the storage of the equivalent-budget DELTA 3 Plus, and Premium DIY at ~£1,500 offers nearly 3× the capacity of any same-price pre-built. Need more later? Drop in a second battery for ~£200 — try doing that with a sealed box.
Component 1 — LiFePO4 battery: 12V or 24V?
This is the heart of the system, and the one place you absolutely shouldn’t skimp. For me, it had to be LiFePO4 (LFP), no ifs or buts.
- They last forever: 3,000–6,000 full charge cycles. That’s more than 10 years of daily use.
- They’re safe: Unlike other lithium chemistries, they don’t have a meltdown if you treat them badly. Crucial for a wooden shed.
- They handle the British weather: They’ll happily discharge down to -20°C, perfect for an unheated garage or lock-up in January.
The bigger question: 12V or 24V?
Rule of thumb: Up to 1000W, 12V is fine. At 2000W or more, 24V wins. Why?
| Load | 12V current | 24V current | Cable recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000W | ~83 A | ~42 A | 16 mm² (12V) / 6 mm² (24V) |
| 2000W | ~167 A | ~83 A | 50 mm² (12V) / 16 mm² (24V) |
| 3000W | ~250 A | ~125 A | 70 mm² (12V) / 25 mm² (24V) |
At 2000W, 24V halves the current from ~167A to ~83A. In practice: instead of £60–£80 for 50 mm² copper, 16 mm² runs you £15–£20 — and the fuse is cheaper. If you’re starting fresh today, I’d pick 24V almost every time.
Concrete picks (all on Amazon.co.uk):
- Budget 200 Ah / 12V (good for 1500–2000W bursts): LiFePO4 12V 200Ah leisure battery with BMS, ~£229
- Premium 280 Ah pack / 24V (my own setup): two 200Ah or 280Ah LiFePO4 batteries in series, ~£500–£700 total, 5.6 kWh nominal
- Backup if sold out: Renogy 200Ah LiFePO4 deep-cycle or ECO-WORTHY 200Ah Smart with Bluetooth
In all cases: built-in BMS non-negotiable. LiTime / Renogy / Eco-Worthy / Bluetti are safe bets. No-name third-party Amazon batteries: skip them.
Component 2 — Pure sine wave inverter (2000W)
Trust me on this one: pure sine wave only. You’ll see cheaper “modified sine wave” inverters, and they might seem tempting. They’re fine for simple stuff like an old incandescent bulb, but they’ll slowly murder anything with sensitive electronics. Laptop chargers, modern power tool batteries, speakers, LED lights – they all hate it.
In the UK market I’d narrow your choice to two tiers:
- Value (~£210): Renogy 2000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter with UK 3-pin BS 1363 sockets and a built-in UPS function. Hard to beat for the price, and a known brand with UK-based returns.
- Premium (~£525): Victron Energy Smart 2000VA — the industry standard for caravan, marine and off-grid installs. Bluetooth + the VictronConnect app means you get live monitoring of input/output and warning notifications. Crucially, it handles startup spikes from power tools and compressors without flinching. If your shed sees serious workshop use, this is the one.
- Backup if sold out: EDECOA 2000W Pure Sine 12V→230V or Giandel 2000W with UK plug
⚠️ Wiring warning — expert tip: A 2000W inverter pulls over 160 amps at max load on a 12V system. Never use the thin cables that ship with budget inverters. For this power level you need 50 mm² copper cable minimum and a solid ANL or mega-fuse rated 200–300A mounted directly at the battery’s positive terminal. Skip this and your cables turn into heating elements — see my mistake further down.
A few things I looked for in my inverter:
- Automatic shutdown for overload, under-voltage, and overheating.
- A remote switch terminal. This is brilliant because you can mount a little on/off switch wherever you want, instead of having to reach the main unit.
- Decent idle efficiency (over 90%). It’s surprising how much power these things can use just sitting there doing nothing.
My biggest tip: wire the inverter directly to the battery with the thickest, shortest cables possible. Never, ever wire it through the solar charge controller’s load terminals. Keep the battery-to-inverter run under 1.5 metres using 50 mm² cable.
Component 3 — MPPT solar charge controller (50A)
This little box is the go-between for your solar panels and your battery. You’ll see two types: PWM and MPPT. Don’t even hesitate. MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) is what you want. It’s clever enough to squeeze 15-30% more power out of your panels on any given day, which makes a huge difference during our less-than-glorious British winters.
Sizing it is crucial. You need to look at your solar panel’s “Open Circuit Voltage” (V_OC).
| Panel V_OC | MPPT model |
|---|---|
| up to 60V | Victron 100/30 or 100/50 |
| up to 100V | Victron 150/50 or Eco-Worthy 100/60 |
| up to 150V | Victron 250/60 (series-string of panels) |
Here’s the golden rule I learned the hard way on a previous project: Your panel’s V_OC multiplied by 1.25 must be less than the controller’s maximum input voltage. On a bright, freezing cold morning, panel voltage can spike way above its rating, and if your controller isn’t sized to handle it, you’ll hear a sad little pop and smell magic smoke.
Concrete picks:
- Main pick: Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/50 with Bluetooth, ~£137 — gold standard
- Backup if sold out: ECO-WORTHY 60A MPPT or Renogy Rover 60A — functionally similar at lower price
Component 4 — Solar panels (400W rigid or foldable)
You’ve got two main choices here, and it really depends on your setup.
- Rigid glass panels: These are the workhorses. Perfect for bolting to the roof of a shed, a frame at the allotment, or a south-facing wall. They’re the cheapest way to get watts, they’re tough as old boots, and they’ll last 25 years. A 400W panel is pretty big (about 1.7m × 1.1m) but offers the best value.
- Foldable / flexible panels: The choice for motorhomes, campervans, or if you need to pack it all away. They’re lighter and more convenient, but you pay a premium for it.
For my stationary workshop, rigid panels were a no-brainer. One bit of advice: if you’re using multiple panels and there’s any chance of one being partially shaded (by a tree, another building, etc.), wire them in parallel, not series.
Concrete picks:
- Foldable 400W (mobile): ALLPOWERS 400W foldable solar panel kit, ~£400
- Rigid 400W (stationary): Renogy 400W Mono or JA Solar 410W
- Backup if sold out: DOKIO 300W portable kit or BougeRV 400W folding suitcase
Component 5 — Fuses, cables, and connectors
This is the boring bit, but it’s what separates a safe, reliable system from a fire hazard. Getting this right is non-negotiable. Here’s my minimum shopping list:
- A big fuse: An ANL-style 300A fuse, right on the positive terminal of the battery.
- AC protection: An RCD breaker (16A / 30mA) on the 230V output of the inverter, before your sockets.
- Proper connectors: MC4 connectors for the solar panels. They’re the industry standard for a reason.
- Thick copper cable: 50 mm² for the run between the battery and inverter, and proper 6 mm² solar cable from the panels to the controller.
- A kill switch: A big 200A DC battery disconnect switch. It makes it safe to work on the system.
You can buy these bits separately, but I found a kit on Amazon for about £80 that had everything. The one thing you must never, ever skip is that main battery fuse. A dead short on one of these batteries without a fuse is… explosive.
Wiring — step by step
I laid everything out on the bench before I mounted it to the wall. It helps to see it all. Here’s the order I connected everything:
- Battery → DC disconnect switch → Inverter: I used the thick 50 mm² cable here, keeping it as short as I could.
- Battery positive terminal → ANL fuse holder → DC disconnect switch: The fuse needs to be as close to the battery as physically possible.
- Solar panels → MC4 connectors → MPPT controller → Battery terminals: I connected the controller to the battery first, so it knew what voltage it was dealing with, before connecting the panels.
- Inverter 230V AC output → RCD breaker → BS 1363 3-pin sockets: This gives me two standard UK plug sockets, properly protected.
- Earthing: I ran a 6 mm² green-and-yellow earth wire from the metal case of the inverter and the RCD enclosure to a common earthing point.
To power it up for the first time, I flipped the main battery switch on, watched the MPPT controller wake up, and only then did I turn on the inverter. Powering down is the exact reverse.
My biggest mistake — and why cable cross-section isn’t where you save money
I’d be lying if I said it all went perfectly first time. My big mistake was with the cables connecting the battery to the inverter. I had some 35 mm² cable left over from another project, and thought, “That’ll be good enough, it’s only a metre long.”
It wasn’t.
The first time I properly tested the system, I plugged in my 1800W kettle. The inverter hummed, the kettle started to heat up… and then the inverter’s low-voltage alarm started screaming and it shut down. I was baffled. The battery was fully charged. I tried again. Same thing. Then I noticed a faint smell of hot plastic. I put my hand on the big red cable and it was roasting hot.
What I’d completely failed to appreciate was voltage drop. At 12V, a 2000W load is pulling over 160 amps. My “good enough” cable was acting like a resistor, turning precious battery power into heat. The voltage was dropping so much before it even reached the inverter that the inverter thought the battery was flat.
The biggest lesson I learned: Don’t guess with cable sizes. I immediately ordered proper 50 mm² pre-crimped cables. The difference was night and day. The kettle boiled without a single beep from the inverter, and the cables stayed completely cool. It was a stupid, dangerous mistake, but one I’ll never make again. The numbers are there for a reason.
When a pre-built power station still wins
Look, as much as I love my DIY setup, I’m not a complete zealot. There are definitely times when I’d still tell a friend to buy an EcoFlow or Jackery off the shelf.
- If you’re constantly on the move: If you need to chuck it in the back of the car every weekend for camping or a market stall, a pre-built unit with its neat handles and rugged case wins every time. My setup weighs a tonne and is bolted to a wall.
- If you’re renting: If your landlord would have a fit at you drilling holes and fitting permanent electrical gear, a portable station is the only sensible choice.
- If you need a proper UPS: The big brands have a super-fast switchover (under 30 milliseconds) that can act as a proper Uninterruptible Power Supply for a home office PC. My DIY setup can’t do that.
For pretty much any other fixed scenario – your shed, allotment, garage, a permanent motorhome installation – I believe DIY wins by a country mile.
Complete shopping list — all components at a glance
Here’s my UK bill of materials with direct Amazon.co.uk links. Sequence is exactly how I assembled it:
- LiFePO4 leisure battery (Budget 200Ah/12V): LiFePO4 Battery 12V 200Ah Lithium — ~£229
- 2000W pure sine inverter (Value): Renogy 2000W Pure Sine 12V→230V with UK sockets + UPS — ~£210
- 2000W pure sine inverter (Premium): Victron Energy Smart 2000VA 12V/230V with Bluetooth — ~£525
- MPPT charge controller: Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/50 with Bluetooth — ~£137
- 400W foldable solar panel: ALLPOWERS 400W foldable solar panel — ~£400
- ANL fuse + cable kit: FHA50 ANL Inline Fuse Holder 1/0 AWG — ~£17
Pre-built power stations as an alternative:
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus 1024Wh — £609
- Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 2042Wh — £869
A note on availability: If a main pick is sold out, the alternatives I listed in each component section above are direct drop-in replacements — same safety class, similar performance, similar price range. Links marked with (*) are affiliate links; no extra cost to you.
Verdict — when DIY pays off
So, should you build your own? For me, the answer is a resounding yes.
Go DIY if:
- You have a fixed spot for it: a shed, garage, or a permanent spot in a motorhome.
- You’re building it to last and want it to run for the next 5-10 years.
- You like the idea of being able to expand it later by just adding another battery or panel.
- You want the most bang for your buck and are happy to spend an afternoon putting it together.
Buy a power station if:
- You need to carry it around regularly. Portability is king.
- You love the idea of a slick app on your phone to monitor everything.
- You need that ultra-fast UPS feature for sensitive electronics like a desktop computer.
- You just don’t fancy learning about wiring diagrams and crimping lugs.
The choice was simple for me. I now have a beast of a system in my workshop that cost less than half of a big-brand equivalent. And for weekend trips? I picked up a small Jackery Explorer 500 v2. The best of both worlds, and the combined cost was still less than one of those monster 2 kWh pre-built units.
Top Picks
Value
Renogy
Renogy 2000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter, 4000W Peak 12V DC to 240V AC Power Converter with UK Sockets, UPS Function
- ✓4.4 ★ (198 reviews) — solid value pick, UPS function included
£209.99
Prices & availability may change.
Premium Pick
Victron Energy
Victron Energy Smart 2000VA 12V/230V — Pure Sine Wave Inverter with Bluetooth
- ✓Industry-standard for marine, campervan and off-grid builds
- ✓Bluetooth + VictronConnect app (live monitoring)
- ✓High peak-load tolerance for tools and compressors (4.8 ★)
£524.99
Prices & availability may change.
Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 100V 50 amp 12/24-Volt Solar Charge Controller (Bluetooth)
- ✓4.7 ★ (2220 reviews)
£137.28
Prices & availability may change.
ALLPOWERS 400W Foldable Solar Panel, Portable Solar Panel, Solar Charger, Solar Kit, Solar Module for Power St
- ✓3.9 ★ (36 reviews)
£399.99
Prices & availability may change.
FHA50 ANL Inline Fuse Holder Nickel 1/0 2 4 GA AWG Gauge without Fuse 5 Pack
- ✓4.4 ★ (260 reviews)
£16.99
Prices & availability may change.
Pre-Built Alt
ECOFLOW Portable Power Station DELTA 3 Plus, 1024Wh LiFePO4 Battery, Fully Charges in 56 Minutes, 1800W Solar
- ✓4.6 ★ (198 reviews)
£609.00
Prices & availability may change.
Jackery
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 Portable Power Station, Lighter & Smaller 2kWh LiFePO4 Solar Generator, 2200W/2042Wh
- ✓4.4 ★ (40 reviews)
£869.00
Prices & availability may change.
FAQ
Can a DIY solar setup completely replace a power station? +
Stationary use — yes, and usually cheaper with more usable capacity. For mobile use (weekends away, festivals, market stalls), app ecosystems and millisecond UPS switchover, pre-built power stations like the EcoFlow Delta 3 or Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 are still more practical. My rule of thumb: if the setup lives in one spot (shed, allotment, permanent motorhome build), DIY wins. If you move it every couple of weeks, the pre-built box wins.
How big should the LiFePO4 battery be for a 2000W setup? +
For short bursts you can get away with less, but a sensible minimum is 2 kWh usable — meaning 200 Ah at 12V or 100 Ah at 24V. For continuous 2000W loads I strongly recommend 24V: the current halves (~80A vs 160A), cables and fuses get cheaper, and voltage drop becomes a non-issue. For longer off-grid stays, parallel two LiFePO4 batteries through a shared BMS.
Do I really need an MPPT solar charge controller for a DIY setup? +
Yes — if you want your panels to actually charge the battery efficiently. A PWM controller wastes 15–30% of harvested power because it discards panel voltage above the battery voltage. MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) reclaims that energy, which matters even more in the UK's dimmer winter sun. The critical sizing rule: the MPPT's max input voltage must exceed your panel's open-circuit voltage × 1.25. The Victron SmartSolar 100/50 is my go-to for 12/24V builds.
Which is cheaper: power station or DIY solar? +
For small mobile use under 1 kWh, a pre-built unit is often cheaper and easier. The moment you go stationary and want 2+ kWh, DIY wins on £/kWh by a wide margin. My numbers: a 2.56 kWh DIY build runs ~£850, while the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus (1024Wh) sells for £609 — DIY gives 2.5× the storage at similar cost. A 5.6 kWh DIY build with twin LiFePO4 packs runs ~£1,500 — and a pre-built power station of that size is rare under £2,500.
Is a DIY setup actually safe? +
With proper fusing — an ANL fuse at the battery positive terminal and an RCD breaker on the inverter AC output — and a certified LiFePO4 battery with built-in BMS, a DIY setup is just as safe as a brand-name power station. Three things matter most: a certified BMS, a properly-rated fuse (300A for a 2000W setup), and correct cable cross-section (50 mm² at the inverter input on a 12V system).
What does a 2000W DIY setup cost in the UK? +
Component total is around £850 for a 200Ah/12V LiFePO4 (~£229) + 2000W pure-sine inverter (~£210) + Victron MPPT 100/50 (~£137) + 400W foldable solar panel (~£400) + ANL fuse holder and cable (~£17). EcoFlow's UK lineup currently centres on the DELTA 3 Plus (£609, 1024Wh) — much smaller capacity than a DIY 2.56 kWh build. The Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 (£869, 2042Wh) is the closest pre-built equivalent, similar price for 25% less capacity and no expansion path.
Where can I get the best price on the components in the UK? +
Amazon.co.uk is consistently the cheapest source for LiTime, Renogy, Eco-Worthy, BougeRV and Victron components in the UK — usually 10–20% below the manufacturer's direct price. Watch for Prime Day and Black Friday: LiTime 200Ah LiFePO4 batteries drop to roughly £329 during major sales. Buying through Amazon also means a simple UK-based returns path if a component arrives faulty.
How much solar do I need for off-grid charging in the UK? +
200–400Wp of solar gives 1.5–2 full charges per summer day in the UK (4–5 peak sun hours). In winter (Nov–Feb) yield drops to 1–2 peak hours — solar alone won't fully recharge daily use. For year-round autonomy: 600W+ panels plus a B2B charger from a vehicle alternator, or use grid top-up where available.
Are these components compatible with each other? +
Two non-negotiable rules: (1) inverter and battery must share the same system voltage (12V or 24V — pick 24V for 2000W+ to halve the cable current). (2) MPPT charge controller's max input voltage must exceed panel V_OC × 1.25. Mixing voltages or undersizing the MPPT input range will void warranties or fry the controller on a sub-freezing sunny morning.
Do I need to notify Distribution Network Operator (DNO) for a DIY battery? +
For pure off-grid use (no grid export) — no. If you connect the battery to a grid-tied solar system or want to back-feed via a hybrid inverter, the installation must comply with G98/G99 and you'll need an MCS-certified installer. Stand-alone shed/allotment setups are unrestricted.