Cape Town - Solar Install Quotation

SauRoNZA

SauRoNZA

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As requested by @Mike Hoxbig and @RonSwanson.

1652341732331.png

The panels themselves aren't badly priced, but the Inverter and Battery pricing is way out of whack as if someone added extra VAT almost.

Other stuff that really bothers me is the R11730 charge for GS50 Battery Accessories which feels akin to "sundries" bullshit they charge you when they service your car.

SSEG is also quite a bit more expensive than I've seen on other quotes.

Also I have no idea what the Bypass and Combiner Boxes should cost, but they seem pretty outrageous as well.

Even if I fight the hardware pricing down with evidence in hand I'm not convinced.

I knew this was a "big brand" installer going into this and they've supported me well with this conversation going on over a year already and while I'm sure they'll be around in years to come it feels like I'm being ripped a bit.
 
SauRoNZA said:
As requested by @Mike Hoxbig and @RonSwanson.

View attachment 1307266

The panels themselves aren't badly priced, but the Inverter and Battery pricing is way out of whack as if someone added extra VAT almost.

Other stuff that really bothers me is the R11730 charge for GS50 Battery Accessories which feels akin to "sundries" bullshit they charge you when they service your car.

SSEG is also quite a bit more expensive than I've seen on other quotes.

Also I have no idea what the Bypass and Combiner Boxes should cost, but they seem pretty outrageous as well.

Even if I fight the hardware pricing down with evidence in hand I'm not convinced.

I knew this was a "big brand" installer going into this and they've supported me well with this conversation going on over a year already and while I'm sure they'll be around in years to come it feels like I'm being ripped a bit.
Click to expand...
A combiner box is like a DB for solar, it combines the solar strings going into the Inverter mppt, it has fuses and other protection on it. They are unfortunately expensive, you can Google them.

I think a bypass could be a changeover switch, not sure but it dies look expensive.
 
TheChamp said:
A combiner box is like a DB for solar, it combines the solar strings going into the Inverter mppt, it has fuses and other protection on it. They are unfortunately expensive, you can Google them.

I think a bypass could be a changeover switch, not sure but it dies look expensive.
Click to expand...
Oh sorry I didn't mean to say I didn't know what it was, just that I have no idea how the pricing relates.

I also figured the bypass would be for basically going "on grid" and switching the Inverter out of the picture which would make sense in the case of a failure.
 
SauRoNZA said:
As requested by @Mike Hoxbig and @RonSwanson.

View attachment 1307266

The panels themselves aren't badly priced, but the Inverter and Battery pricing is way out of whack as if someone added extra VAT almost.

Other stuff that really bothers me is the R11730 charge for GS50 Battery Accessories which feels akin to "sundries" bullshit they charge you when they service your car.

SSEG is also quite a bit more expensive than I've seen on other quotes.

Also I have no idea what the Bypass and Combiner Boxes should cost, but they seem pretty outrageous as well.

Even if I fight the hardware pricing down with evidence in hand I'm not convinced.

I knew this was a "big brand" installer going into this and they've supported me well with this conversation going on over a year already and while I'm sure they'll be around in years to come it feels like I'm being ripped a bit.
Click to expand...

Yep, your inverter costs do look like there's a 15% markup applied there. I bought my 8KW Sunsynk at the end of March and paid R31 930 after VAT for it (installer price though).
 
Any thoughts on the Dyness batteries (BX48100) specifically?

I was originally very keen on the "single box" type solution but thanks to @shadow_man putting me onto Somewatt Solar I got a very favourable quotation there and they are very keen on the Dyness.

It's not pretty but it would give me the more modular options of upgrading to 20kW easily (from 3 x 4.8 to 4) whereas with the FreedomWon I would either need to go 10 now and 10 later, or 15 now and then another 15 which I know will be overkill.
 
Not sure of other items but the switchgear items are quoted double the market rate.
AC Protection (labelled bypass) is not more than 3K (incl VAT), DC protection also less than 3K.
 
sjm said:
Yep, your inverter costs do look like there's a 15% markup applied there. I bought my 8KW Sunsynk at the end of March and paid R31 930 after VAT for it (installer price though).
Click to expand...
This one I was at least warned about as they aren't a full blown distributor and I guess not buying at cost.

The panels don't seem too bad but then I could get higher wattage elsewhere so it gives and takes.

It's about a 20k difference in the hardware alone (vs Powerforum) and then the extras just seem outrageous.
 
stepper said:
Not sure of other items but the switchgear items are quoted double the market rate.
AC Protection (labelled bypass) is not more than 3K (incl VAT), DC protection also less than 3K.
Click to expand...
Thanks, my suspicion then confirmed.

And market rate you mean at retail?
 
Does seem a bit on the more expensive side, my full install with 12x 535w panels 8kw sunsynk and 4x hubbles was about R210k installed, yes i know there are different components and increases as this was nov last year but yours does seem quite a bit more
 
Snyper564 said:
Does seem a bit on the more expensive side, my full install with 12x 535w panels 8kw sunsynk and 4x hubbles was about R210k installed, yes i know there are different components and increases as this was nov last year but yours does seem quite a bit more
Click to expand...

Yeah I mean SomeWatt, in the fastest response from a solar installer to date came back after 9 last night with a comparative quote for the exact same hardware, granted without a site inspection, for R220k.

He then recommended the Dyness option which I'm strongly considering after scratching around a bit this morning as it brings it down to just about 200k and then I can run it for a while and device to throw that last 20k into another battery or not.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Yeah I mean SomeWatt, in the fastest response from a solar installer to date came back after 9 last night with a comparative quote for the exact same hardware, granted without a site inspection, for R220k.

He then recommended the Dyness option which I'm strongly considering after scratching around a bit this morning as it brings it down to just about 200k and then I can run it for a while and device to throw that last 20k into another battery or not.
Click to expand...
My biggest advice would be max out your array from day 1 its easier to add another battery the array install is the big work.

I regret not doing the full array from day 1 will do that later now.

If you have the money. Its obviously very expensive but its easier at the start than a year later.
 
Last edited:
Snyper564 said:
My biggest advice would be max out your array from day 1 its easier to add another battery the array install is the big work.

I regret not doing the full array from day 1 will do that later now.

If you have the money. Its obviously very expensive but its easier at the start than a year later.
Click to expand...
Oh I'm already doing that because I can only fit so much North facing.

So the only expansion would be putting more on East or West down the line, but I really need to run it for a while to figure out if that makes sense.

So hence why I'm considering the Dyness option as it would be easy to do the rack mount and add the 4th battery later, but my questions there are the 5/10 year warranty thing but waiting for feedback.

Otherwise he's also mentioned Solar MD as a direct replacement for the FreedomWon15 for a bit less money so will go down that avenue too.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Solarman?
Click to expand...
No the App that Sunsynk comes with - Logger or something.

I'm still trying to find out how I can get an app with auto-refresh on a big screen like a tablet that I can mount somewhere... I thought Solarman would do it but it doesn't support tablets.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Oh I'm already doing that because I can only fit so much North facing.

So the only expansion would be putting more on East or West down the line, but I really need to run it for a while to figure out if that makes sense.

So hence why I'm considering the Dyness option as it would be easy to do the rack mount and add the 4th battery later, but my questions there are the 5/10 year warranty thing but waiting for feedback.

Otherwise he's also mentioned Solar MD as a direct replacement for the FreedomWon15 for a bit less money so will go down that avenue too.
Click to expand...
Skip Solar MD - BMS issues at times. FreedomWon have been great if you can justify the cost and it’s like 3rd gen or so already so rock solid.

I’ve got a colleague with the Dyeness and Growatt inverter and he’s very happy with them.
 
SauRoNZA said:
As requested by @Mike Hoxbig and @RonSwanson.

View attachment 1307266

The panels themselves aren't badly priced, but the Inverter and Battery pricing is way out of whack as if someone added extra VAT almost.

Other stuff that really bothers me is the R11730 charge for GS50 Battery Accessories which feels akin to "sundries" bullshit they charge you when they service your car.

SSEG is also quite a bit more expensive than I've seen on other quotes.

Also I have no idea what the Bypass and Combiner Boxes should cost, but they seem pretty outrageous as well.

Even if I fight the hardware pricing down with evidence in hand I'm not convinced.

I knew this was a "big brand" installer going into this and they've supported me well with this conversation going on over a year already and while I'm sure they'll be around in years to come it feels like I'm being ripped a bit.
Click to expand...
I can't see your battery size, but its very similar in price to mine, except my Inverter is 12kW 3-phase. I have a feeling you have more batt capacity than me though.
 
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