Another solar thread: Cape Town, Northern Suburbs

[Benedict A55h0le not]

Did you pay the installer extra for registration? How much was this fee?

Was this the R7500 "sundries" fee? Ouch!

 

[Pegging]

Counting down to install date. What questions should I ask?
Gathering from other threads, CT coil installed in the right direction for non-essential use, earth-neutral bond to be in place, anything else.

Also, I have updated post number two with some of the answers received. Please correct me where I have misstated anything or add where I have missed. Would like this thread to serve others, so that they don't have to troll through many pages but can get the gist from the the first 4 posts.

With that, I will also post installation questions and answers in post 3.

I think installers charge extra if you breathe down their necks and ask questions whilst they are working.

 

[Benedict A55h0le not]

I think installers charge extra if you breathe down their necks and ask questions whilst they are working.

They charge you extra even if don`t do that (in CPT). Only CPT has a registration fee that installers charge.

 

[droidx]

Did you pay the installer extra for registration? How much was this fee?

Was this the R7500 "sundries" fee? Ouch!

That fee is for installation, sundries and CoC.
I am not paying an extra fee, I will submit it myself, they will do the required sign offs through their qualified person, provide drawings and CoC and I need to do the submission.

I think installers charge extra if you breathe down their necks and ask questions whilst they are working.

Yeah, I won't bother them while working, rather leave them to do their thing, unless they need my input on placement, etc. Just checking whether there are things I should check either before or after. I don't like people passenger seat driving, so won't do that either.

They charge you extra even if don`t do that (in CPT). Only CPT has a registration fee that installers charge.

This is a fee if you need them to do the work. Depends on your installer.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Counting down to install date. What questions should I ask?
Gathering from other threads, CT coil installed in the right direction for non-essential use, earth-neutral bond to be in place, anything else.

Also, I have updated post number two with some of the answers received. Please correct me where I have misstated anything or add where I have missed. Would like this thread to serve others, so that they don't have to troll through many pages but can get the gist from the the first 4 posts.

With that, I will also post installation questions and answers in post 3.

If you're on prepaid, install a dedicated plug socket on the Eskom side to plug the UI into...

 

[droidx]

If you're on prepaid, install a dedicated plug socket on the Eskom side to plug the UI into...

I am on prepaid but the meter does not plug in and is wired to the DB.
Not sure how this works, but what would I do in this instance?

 

[rh1]

Thanks. What is your experience in winter, are there many days of grid reliance or times when your batteries cannot get charged for night time?

Going for my first winter, system online since August last year, but had sunny days.

 

[soulie]

If you're on prepaid, install a dedicated plug socket on the Eskom side to plug the UI into...

Great stuff .then when the muni finds out your bypassing the meter you get a fine of your ave consumption over 24 months and have to reapply for a connection .

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Great stuff .then when the muni finds out your bypassing the meter you get a fine of your ave consumption over 24 months and have to reapply for a connection .

No idea where you get that from. The meter and UI are two different things. The point of the dedicated socket is for the UI is to prevent it going out of sync with the meter. Exactly the opposite of what you're talking about...

 

[ghaye]

Great stuff .then when the muni finds out your bypassing the meter you get a fine of your ave consumption over 24 months and have to reapply for a connection .

When you apply for solar with CoCT they WILL come an install a split prepaid meter at your house. The part that does the metering is in the box out on the street. In your house is only the bit with the screen and keyboard.

 

[I.am.Sam]

When you apply for solar with CoCT they WILL come an install a split prepaid meter at your house. The part that does the metering is in the box out on the street. In your house is only the bit with the screen and keyboard.

are they going to charge people

or what is this with the city ?

 

[ghaye]

are they going to charge people

or what is this with the city ?

No, nothing changes from a cost perspective. They just move the metering part of the meter out to the street to make it impossible to bypass it.

 

[droidx]

So for those interested, I started the application process with CoCT.

1. I downloaded the application list from their website: https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family and home/Greener-living/Saving-electricity-at-home/going-solar
2. I completed it as far as possible and just placed TBC for everything installation and serial number related.
3. I wrote to the relevant e-mail address at the top of the form, stating that I would like a permission letter to install solar, that I will complete the remainder of the details once the install is complete and submit the outstanding documentation.
4. To my amazement, an hour later, I received a response asking for some additional documentation: SSEG diagram, DoL registration letter for electrical contractor, municipal account and a copy of my ID.
5. I received the first two documents from the installer, added mine and just sent it off. Let's see if there is any further engagement.

I was just going to do everything after the installation, however, a chat with a colleague persuaded me to at least submit my request.

Will update as I receive feedback as there is not much info on this part of the process.

 

[droidx]

So half the install is complete. Inverter and batteries installed and wired into the DB.

They are running behind with installs so will come back for the panels.
Another change I accepted was the Sunsynk 5.12kWh IP65 battery instead of the 5.32kWh version.
Both are listed as current version on the Sunsynk website but couldn’t see the detailed differences.
One notable was that this version is 90% DoD vs 80% on the 5.32kWh. Pricing is similar if not the same. Cycle life seems the same. Not sure if this is to my detriment or much of a muchness.

The 5.32kWh version is on back order for 3 months though, so I took what they had.

So for now, at least I’m done with load shedding.

 

[DawieZA]

Looking good. How did you end up splitting your DB board?

 

[droidx]

Looking good. How did you end up splitting your DB board?

I ended up not splitting it, but put a CBI Astute timer for the geyser. So I’ll monitor that, everything else we pretty much have control over using/not using so I’ll just have to make sure my battery settings are adequate to avoid running out for load shedding slots.

With the system installed I can monitor usage patterns more closely and decide how to setup. Winter will also be the true test.

 

[droidx]

Install partially complete.
They messed up their job card so they only brought 10 panels which was my initial order.
The additional 2 will follow in the next week.

Partially cloudy day and the install finished late afternoon. The west string was producing 2kW and east string 1kW. At 6pm it was producing 800w total.
Partially cloudy conditions and already produced 4.7kWh since completion.

Happy to have this done up to this point, additional 2 panels won’t help too much now anyway, so no harm in waiting the week. Should help in winter.

Will take and post proper pictures of the install when I get a chance.
Need to monitor how it works with my current settings and adjust accordingly.

 

[Mzezman]

Install partially complete.
They messed up their job card so they only brought 10 panels which was my initial order.
The additional 2 will follow in the next week.

Partially cloudy day and the install finished late afternoon. The west string was producing 2kW and east string 1kW. At 6pm it was producing 800w total.
Partially cloudy conditions and already produced 4.7kWh since completion.

Happy to have this done up to this point, additional 2 panels won’t help too much now anyway, so no harm in waiting the week. Should help in winter.

Will take and post proper pictures of the install when I get a chance.
Need to monitor how it works with my current settings and adjust accordingly.

Congrats... Glad to see you got panels, those are like hens teeth

 

[droidx]

Congrats... Glad to see you got panels, those are like hens teeth

Yeah the installer has received quite a bit of stock.
There were some delays hence then first installing my back up system, but all is well. They sat with 2 pallets of panels outside my house that needed to go to Mossel Bay, seems they do have a bit of a back log to fill though.

Glad mine is done!

 

[DawieZA]

Install partially complete.
They messed up their job card so they only brought 10 panels which was my initial order.
The additional 2 will follow in the next week.

Partially cloudy day and the install finished late afternoon. The west string was producing 2kW and east string 1kW. At 6pm it was producing 800w total.
Partially cloudy conditions and already produced 4.7kWh since completion.

Happy to have this done up to this point, additional 2 panels won’t help too much now anyway, so no harm in waiting the week. Should help in winter.

Will take and post proper pictures of the install when I get a chance.
Need to monitor how it works with my current settings and adjust accordingly.

Very glad the panels are up and running. I assume they catered for the two additional panels by having the rails already installed on the roof?