Hefty fines for unregistered solar users

[yogidabear]

One of my customers registered their system in 2023. I supplied a COC. A MECER 5kW inverter was used, supplied by VOLTEX

In Feb 2026 CoCT fitted a new electric meter. Their tech declared the installation invalid as a MECER is not approved. VOLTEX said it was. In May a R7000 fine was added to their rates account. Now VOLTEX were not interested

R16000 for a SunSynk inverter. VOLTEX are providing several excuses why their inverter was declared invalid and will not accept liability

So they got an SSEG certificate and then it was revoked? There is a clause for this but not sure if thats what you mean:

13.2 The City reserves the right to (not unreasonably) alter its requirements for whatsoever reason and the customer will be obliged to ensure at the customer's cost that the SSEG equipment complies with the additional requirements.

 

[Supine]

One of my customers registered their system in 2023. I supplied a COC. A MECER 5kW inverter was used, supplied by VOLTEX

In Feb 2026 CoCT fitted a new electric meter. Their tech declared the installation invalid as a MECER is not approved. VOLTEX said it was. In May a R7000 fine was added to their rates account. Now VOLTEX were not interested

R16000 for a SunSynk inverter. VOLTEX are providing several excuses why their inverter was declared invalid and will not accept liability

I have heard a few cases of this horror story playing out in Cape Town.

Is it legal and is there a justification for doing this? Like can a non approved inverter cause problems to the grid?

From what I have read, CoCT will continue that R7k fine monthly!

 

[Flanders]

When the solar SS arrives at your door:

 

[Next Thing]

So they got an SSEG certificate and then it was revoked? There is a clause for this but not sure if thats what you mean:

13.2 The City reserves the right to (not unreasonably) alter its requirements for whatsoever reason and the customer will be obliged to ensure at the customer's cost that the SSEG equipment complies with the additional requirements.

Requirement for coc is adherance to applicable laws and legislation. Where a coc has been granted contrary to that then it is invalid.
SSeg has its requirements as well, one of which is coc and NRS approved equipment.

 

[Next Thing]

One of my customers registered their system in 2023. I supplied a COC. A MECER 5kW inverter was used, supplied by VOLTEX

In Feb 2026 CoCT fitted a new electric meter. Their tech declared the installation invalid as a MECER is not approved. VOLTEX said it was. In May a R7000 fine was added to their rates account. Now VOLTEX were not interested

R16000 for a SunSynk inverter. VOLTEX are providing several excuses why their inverter was declared invalid and will not accept liability

Easy argument to finish. Produce the type certification for NRS for that exact inverter model. Some models are certified but I think it is only the bigger versions not the cheap entry level

Hope you have liability insurance

 

[Next Thing]

I had a similar situation earlier in the year. Put an offer in on a house. They had solar installed and advertised as part of sale.
COC provided for inspection. The inverter was a nice looking stacked where batteries are integrated. COC excluded solar. Seller wouldn't budge so deal fell through as I insisted on valid coc including whole house. Not my indaba what they have to spend to make it legal.
There were other issues as well on plans etc, but the coc was a big reason for the deal falling through
Last I heard agents were after him for their commission.
Understand what you sign

 

[denmendez65]

I had a similar situation earlier in the year. Put an offer in on a house. They had solar installed and advertised as part of sale.
COC provided for inspection. The inverter was a nice looking stacked where batteries are integrated. COC excluded solar. Seller wouldn't budge so deal fell through as I insisted on valid coc including whole house. Not my indaba what they have to spend to make it legal.
There were other issues as well on plans etc, but the coc was a big reason for the deal falling through
Last I heard agents were after him for their commission.
Understand what you sign

The home owner was being dramatic. He just had to buy the cheapest NRS spec inverter. Solis or Lux power to make it legal, no more. Some 7k. And the cheapest 48V battery. Heck even a used battery. Remove the integrated system and call it a day.

 

[denmendez65]

Requirement for coc is adherance to applicable laws and legislation. Where a coc has been granted contrary to that then it is invalid.
SSeg has its requirements as well, one of which is coc and NRS approved equipment.

So the city has authority to issue fines for homes with invalid COC due to non approved inverters? But not the registration side of things?

 

[Speedster]

I had a similar situation earlier in the year. Put an offer in on a house. They had solar installed and advertised as part of sale.
COC provided for inspection. The inverter was a nice looking stacked where batteries are integrated. COC excluded solar. Seller wouldn't budge so deal fell through as I insisted on valid coc including whole house. Not my indaba what they have to spend to make it legal.
There were other issues as well on plans etc, but the coc was a big reason for the deal falling through
Last I heard agents were after him for their commission.
Understand what you sign

What do you mean "agents were after him for their commission"? Surely the attorney pays the fees across from the proceeds of the sale?

 

[Next Thing]

What do you mean "agents were after him for their commission"? Surely the attorney pays the fees across from the proceeds of the sale?

The sale fell through due to seller not meeting obligations
If a sale falls through due to actions/inaction of the seller, the seller can be held liable for all costs even though the property sale did not complete.

A standard in 99% of all offer to purchases

 

[Next Thing]

So the city has authority to issue fines for homes with invalid COC due to non approved inverters? But not the registration side of things?

Reason I did not comment on fines is I don't know.
But they can certainly disconnect you for an illegal connection
Most municipality has bylaws on what can connect to their distribution grid

COC's fall under national regulations

Edit: simple Google search

 

[Next Thing]

The home owner was being dramatic. He just had to buy the cheapest NRS spec inverter. Solis or Lux power to make it legal, no more. Some 7k. And the cheapest 48V battery. Heck even a used battery. Remove the integrated system and call it a day.

Depends on what was being advertised for sale. You have to be careful of being accused of "bait and switch"
Reverse example would be if I had a r300k system installed when you viewed the property and when you get the keys from me I swopped it for a r40k system

When viewing a property you are assuming everything being sold viewed is up a fully legal standard. If it is not (plans/COC's) etc, it is up the the seller to rectify at his cost to satisfaction of the other party or sacrifice the sale at his liability

When walking away from an otp you always have to be careful you are not at fault

 

[Hemi300c]

 

[denmendez65]

Depends on what was being advertised for sale. You have to be careful of being accused of "bait and switch"
Reverse example would be if I had a r300k system installed when you viewed the property and when you get the keys from me I swopped it for a r40k system

When viewing a property you are assuming everything being sold viewed is up a fully legal standard. If it is not (plans/COC's) etc, it is up the the seller to rectify at his cost to satisfaction of the other party or sacrifice the sale at his liability

When walking away from an otp you always have to be careful you are not at fault

View attachment 1926802

I guess so but Solar adds little to no value to a home. Its like modifying a car. You could have spent 500k in mods for your car and it will still sell for the same as one that doesn't have all of that. I for example would not pay more for a house with solar, I would tell the owner to either remove it or discount it to some 30%.

I guess it depends on the buyer if they really want that particular installation also but its not worth spending an extra 100k plus on a home just because it has Solar.

 

[Next Thing]

I guess so but Solar adds little to no value to a home. Its like modifying a car. You could have spent 500k in mods for your car and it will still sell for the same as one that doesn't have all of that. I for example would not pay more for a house with solar, I would tell the owner to either remove it or discount it to some 30%.

I guess it depends on the buyer if they really want that particular installation also but its not worth spending an extra 100k plus on a home just because it has Solar.

Solar definitely has value. Maybe not full value of property.
A system showing a saving of r5000 a month equals a mortgage of probably about 400k
Saying it has no value is very short sighted

If you buy a r3 mill house , that look exactly the same in all aspects, would you the the one with a R200k install or the one without. And no I won't remove and reduce my price by even r100k. I would wait for another buyer who can do maths

 

[wingnut771]

The point is that NRS is a standard not a law so Eskom direct can do diddly squat. They don’t have commie bylaws they can use therefore cannot issue fines.

 

[denmendez65]

Solar definitely has value. Maybe not full value of property.
A system showing a saving of r5000 a month equals a mortgage of probably about 400k
Saying it has no value is very short sighted

If you buy a r3 mill house , that look exactly the same in all aspects, would you the the one with a R200k install or the one without. And no I won't remove and reduce my price by even r100k. I would wait for another buyer who can do maths

Thats why I said its buyer dependent. But a dumb buyer in my opinion will pay 100k plus extra on a home with Solar when you can install a brand new system yourself for that much.

The buyer is only doing the seller a favor, noone else. 30% of the solar value is as far as I am willing to go. The seller either sells the home at a price as if it doesnt have solar or adds to the price of the house 30% extra of the solar value.

Most solar people are delusional in their pricing. Just because they spent 300k 4 years ago you find them trying to sell for a similar price today. Just go on power forum and see the typical guy trying to sell their batteries for 9k when the same battery brand new is some 12k. Thats pushing your luck and fishing for un-informed buyers.

 

[denmendez65]

The point is that NRS is a standard not a law so Eskom direct can do diddly squat. They don’t have commie bylaws they can use therefore cannot issue fines.

I am curious if they cant get Munis to do it for them at a later stage.

 

[Lupus]

Thats why I said its buyer dependent. But a dumb buyer in my opinion will pay 100k plus extra on a home with Solar when you can install a brand new system yourself for that much.

The buyer is only doing the seller a favor, noone else. 30% of the solar value is as far as I am willing to go. The seller either sells the home at a price as if it doesnt have solar or adds to the price of the house 30% extra of the solar value.

Most solar people are delusional in their pricing. Just because they spent 300k 4 years ago you find them trying to sell for a similar price today. Just go on power forum and see the typical guy trying to sell their batteries for 9k when the same battery brand new is some 12k. Thats pushing your luck and fishing for un-informed buyers.

It's like everything in life, I spent 17k on my PC in 2019, so it's still worth 10k now, though that maybe is true now ;-). But last year no.
When it comes to anything people don't take into account that prices can and do drop, I mean my first system was R140k in 2022, sold it for like 30k, my second system was R140k and it's twice the old one was and that was last years prices.
I won't presume to add that onto the house price if I sold it as it's not worth R140k anymore, it's not like an addition or something to the house that could add value.

 

[wingnut771]

I am curious if they cant get Munis to do it for them at a later stage.

How, its not the munis infrastructure? How would the billing work? Will the muni keep the money for themselves?