Backup still worth the effort?

pinball wizard said:
So are you saying that with maintenance/breakages/etc, you wont even be whole again after 10 years? What's your predicted roi break even then? 20 years? 25 years? Do the panels and batteries last much more than ten years anyway?
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There is literally no maintenance, unless giving the panels an occasional hosedown to remove dust count as maintenance.

Of course there could be breakdowns but it is not a given that something will break, even if it does, the warranties are pretty decent.

All our lithium batteries come with a standard 10-year manufacturer warranty, 7 Years out of the box and a further 3 years once your batteries have been registered on the Pylon Tech website.
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For Pylontech.
 
Carvin said:
So, with reduced loadshedding over the past couple of weeks, how are people feeling who just installed full systems? Especially those in Cape Town?

I am halfway there (have inverter and need battery) but just can't seem to shake the idea that selling the inverter and saving R45k is a better idea currently.

I know we have no idea what the future holds but I would be super disappointed to spend the money and then loadshedding is severely reduced.

P.S I am not oblivious to the fact that the 2024 elections are around the corner...
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Instead of R45 on a battery, what about spending a bit less on a smaller Lithium battery or 2. That way you have backup, more than enough for current loadshedding and easily upgradeable later.
 
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Nerfherder said:
Just spend that money on PV then ?

Can just get a mix of solar and Eskom and the system will pay for its self.

If the LS gets hectic then get a battery.
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Interesting, have not really thought about it this way. Will defs do some reading on this
 
Nemus said:
Instead of R45 on a battery, what about spending a bit less on a smaller Lithium battery or 2. That way you have backup, more than enough for current loadshedding and easily upgradeable later.
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R45k is for a 5kw inverter and 5kw battery but I hear you. It's just that after doing so much reading you realize that if you start small you have to eventually sell off or add to your system anyway. I think a 5kw inverter and battery is a nice starting point.
 
We had ours installed in 2020, I think there was no loadshedding for a month or two afterwards and only lower stages for quite a while thereafter, so I was also a bit concerned about the expense. After the last year of intense loadshedding I'm really happy we went ahead with it.

I'll be optimistic and say that I think loadshedding will improve in the next year, but we'll probably still have lower stages during peak time. Even if we only have two hour slots a few times per week I wouldn't hesitate to get at least some sort of backup power. The mental health and convenience aspects are enough justification.
 
Ϲhristopher said:
We had ours installed in 2020, I think there was no loadshedding for a month or two afterwards and only lower stages for quite a while thereafter, so I was also a bit concerned about the expense. After the last year of intense loadshedding I'm really happy we went ahead with it.

I'll be optimistic and say that I think loadshedding will improve in the next year, but we'll probably still have lower stages during peak time. Even if we only have two hour slots a few times per week I wouldn't hesitate to get at least some sort of backup power. The mental health and convenience aspects are enough justification.
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And we will always have power cuts now and again, it's nice not to have your life disrupted. If I had money I would have backups for everything, backup power, backup water, backup car, backup house, backup wife, never be caught napping.
 
Carvin said:
R45k is for a 5kw inverter and 5kw battery but I hear you. It's just that after doing so much reading you realize that if you start small you have to eventually sell off or add to your system anyway. I think a 5kw inverter and battery is a nice starting point.
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You can also get smaller batteries in 48v ie 50ah but then you should only use about 2.5kw peak load

Nice on the budget and if you buy another battery later and parralel you can use the 5kw peak


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TheChamp said:
And we will always have power cuts now and again, it's nice not to have your life disrupted. If I had money I would have backups for everything, backup power, backup water, backup car, backup house, backup wife, never be caught napping.
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All but the one , she will take your backup house backup car backup power the moment she finds out about your backup wife
 
So now that we're back to stage 2 during the day? Still thinking about it or just going for it?
 
Andre has left, we're only on Stage 2 loadshedding
It'll soon be over, like covid

Get back to a normal life
 
Carvin said:
R45k is for a 5kw inverter and 5kw battery but I hear you. It's just that after doing so much reading you realize that if you start small you have to eventually sell off or add to your system anyway. I think a 5kw inverter and battery is a nice starting point.
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100% true.

Buy with expand ability in mind. Not what you need now, but what what you might need later in such a way that you add rather than replace any hardware.
 
Does anyone look soley at the ROI in financial terms?

If I got no savings on my Eskom or any ROI at all, I'd still have solar installed for piece if mind, not having electronics break with power cuts and not having my electronics default each time power returns
 
I would say backing up your critical load is important for many factors and not just loadshedding. One does not need to be fully off grid. Perhaps you just want lights, a TV, a fridge or two etc...

It's only good for you wallet in the long run, but if you spec your batteries correctly maybe they last 15 or 20 years, and heck, perhaps then you can get xxx battery for R5000. It's good for the environment etc etc etc. I would recommend it in any country.
 
Personally, wanted to prevent loadshedding, but then to hedge against LS ending, and have some form of return, decided to add solar. Made sense to me, but it does require stretching the budget.
So rather than R45k for a 5kw 5kwh backup, opt for R150k for 8kw 10kwh with panels and save R1k per month or more, and hedged against price increases and loadshedding and even partially blackouts
 
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