Going solar and keeping the conventional geyser.

[ijacobs3]

I seem to recall you or someone else posting yeah.

Wasn’t it still like 20k?

The pump on its own was 14, with install was it 21k, but that included the brackets, plumbing, valves, etc

And still very happy with it, haven’t had a cold shower yet,

 

[SauRoNZA]

The pump on its own was 14, with install was it 21k, but that included the brackets, plumbing, valves, etc

Not too bad but still a major expense.

Will see how things go down the line, especially through winter.

 

[TheChamp]

Maybe a stupid question but what happens when your solar input is 2kWbut your load requirement is 3kW?

Does it take all 3kW from the battery? Or does it split it 2kW sun and 1kW battery.

The latter is what makes obvious sense to me, but just checking I haven’t missed a major deal here.

I know with the Powerwall being AC-coupled that was how it works, but not sure if the same
applies for more conventional hybrid install.

It depends on the inverter, most good inverters you can set the priority of the sources, like solar first and the battery supplementing the rest, or solar and battery working together and AC coming in when there is a shortfall.

 

[ijacobs3]

Not too bad but still a major expense.

Will see how things go down the line, especially through winter.

Ours was installed just before winter , and it made it through winter with no issues ( east rand winter with frozen pipes)

 

[SauRoNZA]

Ours was installed just before winter , and it made it through winter with no issues ( east rand winter with frozen pipes)

I meant more how the solar setup does production wise through winter and if I’ll need to augment it.

 

[system32]

No inverter, you replace the element with a DC element and provide 3 dedicated panels to run it.

Better to put the panels on the inverter.

Use a Hybrid inverter, put the geyser on the Grid side of the inverter use a CT coil, any excess will power the geyser OR get a bigger inverter and put on the load side or non-essential side.

Most hybrid inverters have 3 locations where they can supply power:
1. Essential
2. Non-essential
3. Grid side with CT coil where electric is "blended"

The grid side can have larger loads than capacity of inverter.

 

[Tinuva]

Maybe a stupid question but what happens when your solar input is 2kWbut your load requirement is 3kW?

Does it take all 3kW from the battery? Or does it split it 2kW sun and 1kW battery.

The latter is what makes obvious sense to me, but just checking I haven’t missed a major deal here.

I know with the Powerwall being AC-coupled that was how it works, but not sure if the same
applies for more conventional hybrid install.

As others have mentioned, true hybrid inverters can mix incoming power sources. Goodwe, sunsynk etc. The top end axperts can too, but most axperts can't and will only use one source at a time.

 

[Saman]

I stumbled upon this thread by accident, while I plan to start building a new house this year. Plans have been passed with conventional grid power in mind. This thread has varying opinions and solutions which are all interesting but perplexing to a novice like myself.
Would you guys recommend to rather go solar? Would it affect my passed plans? And what would the cost implications be ie. how much more expensive would it be?
(I'm in the Cape Peninsula btw).

 

[CranialBlaze]

I stumbled upon this thread by accident, while I plan to start building a new house this year. Plans have been passed with conventional grid power in mind. This thread has varying opinions and solutions which are all interesting but perplexing to a novice like myself.
Would you guys recommend to rather go solar? Would it affect my passed plans? And what would the cost implications be ie. how much more expensive would it be?
(I'm in the Cape Peninsula btw).

Given the state Eskom is in, if you can afford solar then do it, it’s going to be decades before Eskom can provide reliable power and that probably only going to be because all those who can have gone solar.

I’d probably not go fully off grid, just in case as that will cost a truck load. Having Eskom as possible backup just in case probs won’t hurt.

As for how much, that the length of string question. It greatly depends on what you can buy and what you need.

Small house with 2 people and I’d probably be in the region of 90% off will run me around 120k, a guy a I know with a larger house just spent 210k.

Do you want solar for backup or do you want to not care about Eskom…

 

[Willie Trombone]

I stumbled upon this thread by accident, while I plan to start building a new house this year. Plans have been passed with conventional grid power in mind. This thread has varying opinions and solutions which are all interesting but perplexing to a novice like myself.
Would you guys recommend to rather go solar? Would it affect my passed plans? And what would the cost implications be ie. how much more expensive would it be?
(I'm in the Cape Peninsula btw).

Aim for R150k-R200k for a 3 bedroom place and you'll get something decent.

 

[TheChamp]

I stumbled upon this thread by accident, while I plan to start building a new house this year. Plans have been passed with conventional grid power in mind. This thread has varying opinions and solutions which are all interesting but perplexing to a novice like myself.
Would you guys recommend to rather go solar? Would it affect my passed plans? And what would the cost implications be ie. how much more expensive would it be?
(I'm in the Cape Peninsula btw).

I don't know how things are done in the Republic of the Western Cape, but in South Africa solar installation has nothing to do with building plans.

 

[semaphore]

I stumbled upon this thread by accident, while I plan to start building a new house this year. Plans have been passed with conventional grid power in mind. This thread has varying opinions and solutions which are all interesting but perplexing to a novice like myself.
Would you guys recommend to rather go solar? Would it affect my passed plans? And what would the cost implications be ie. how much more expensive would it be?
(I'm in the Cape Peninsula btw).

Make sure your roof is perfectly orientated for panels.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I don't know how things are done in the Republic of the Western Cape, but in South Africa solar installation has nothing to do with building plans.

Yup the only thing to maybe plan for is more roof surface and making sure it’s in the right place.

Can also incorporate panels in the design potentially.

If I was going brand new I wouldn’t question going for the thermodynamic geyser for even a moment.

 

[W@P]

I stumbled upon this thread by accident, while I plan to start building a new house this year. Plans have been passed with conventional grid power in mind. This thread has varying opinions and solutions which are all interesting but perplexing to a novice like myself.
Would you guys recommend to rather go solar? Would it affect my passed plans? And what would the cost implications be ie. how much more expensive would it be?
(I'm in the Cape Peninsula btw).

If you are still in the planning phase see if you can dedicate a space to install the inverter and everything else. Chase propper nice and thick conduits, make sure your DB is big enough for further expansion if you want to install aircons or swimming pool pumps, etc. that require their own breaker.

These days the developers install the smallest fsking DB's that they can get away with which leaves no room for expansion.

 

[Koosvanwyk]

The pump on its own was 14, with install was it 21k, but that included the brackets, plumbing, valves, etc

And still very happy with it, haven’t had a cold shower yet,

Mine was R29k, 5.4kWh unit. The quote on the 3kWH unit was R24k (this was 2 months ago) on ITS units. This was to retrofit it to an existing g geyser

It draws between 1400watts and 1850watts depending on where in the heating cycle it is. It averages out to about 1600watts on a cycle.

It is powered by PV when available, otherwise batteries and if that is depleted it draws from AC.

 

[itareanlnotani]

I stumbled upon this thread by accident, while I plan to start building a new house this year. Plans have been passed with conventional grid power in mind. This thread has varying opinions and solutions which are all interesting but perplexing to a novice like myself.
Would you guys recommend to rather go solar? Would it affect my passed plans? And what would the cost implications be ie. how much more expensive would it be?
(I'm in the Cape Peninsula btw).

Yes, go solar.

I have a blog - https://goingsolar.co.za with a bunch of solar related posts, probably worth a read.

Solar isn't the only thing you should be doing.

Building - you can and should put insulation between the outer walls (assuming brick), roofing, go for white roof if permissible in your district. Check carefully, some area's can't in Cape Town as there are restrictions.
Roofing insulation etc.

Make sure the house is oriented correctly - North facing is best, but you also want longer eaves as you then avoid high up summer direct sun, but get lower winter sun.

There are a few design decisions to make like that, make sure your architect or builders are aware.

For solar, you want to make sure your roofing calculations are good for the extra weight. Its not really much - work on an extra 15kg/m or so for PV, if you have SHW on the roof then thats a few hundred kg over a small area. You'll need to put additional supports in those areas, and make sure that the roofing company knows and calculates correctly.

I used Pryde for my roofing design, but they were appalling. I would NOT recommend them. They messed up my design, even after a site visit, and the supplied lengths were too short. I had to order more wood and resubmit my planning to redo the roof due to their huge ****up.

I was busy building in 2019/2020. You might find that the building inspector is full of it, mine was a little bit, telling me utter bs about insulation not being necessary etc. I came out of that nodding and smiling and knowing he knew a lot less than me on that. His plumbing advice was on the mark, but in terms of energy efficiency, he was still in the 80's.

 

[itareanlnotani]

I don't know how things are done in the Republic of the Western Cape, but in South Africa solar installation has nothing to do with building plans.

True, but as I have noted above, it definitely does need planning, especially with roofing.

 

[Saman]

Yes, go solar.

I have a blog - https://goingsolar.co.za with a bunch of solar related posts, probably worth a read.

Solar isn't the only thing you should be doing.

Building - you can and should put insulation between the outer walls (assuming brick), roofing, go for white roof if permissible in your district. Check carefully, some area's can't in Cape Town as there are restrictions.
Roofing insulation etc.

Make sure the house is oriented correctly - North facing is best, but you also want longer eaves as you then avoid high up summer direct sun, but get lower winter sun.

There are a few design decisions to make like that, make sure your architect or builders are aware.

For solar, you want to make sure your roofing calculations are good for the extra weight. Its not really much - work on an extra 15kg/m or so for PV, if you have SHW on the roof then thats a few hundred kg over a small area. You'll need to put additional supports in those areas, and make sure that the roofing company knows and calculates correctly.

I used Pryde for my roofing design, but they were appalling. I would NOT recommend them. They messed up my design, even after a site visit, and the supplied lengths were too short. I had to order more wood and resubmit my planning to redo the roof due to their huge ****up.

I was busy building in 2019/2020. You might find that the building inspector is full of it, mine was a little bit, telling me utter bs about insulation not being necessary etc. I came out of that nodding and smiling and knowing he knew a lot less than me on that. His plumbing advice was on the mark, but in terms of energy efficiency, he was still in the 80's.

Thanks for all the input guys. I'll definitely visit your blog per the link provided.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Not too bad but still a major expense.

Will see how things go down the line, especially through winter.

If you're financing your entire system then you may as well add it at the same time.

R20k over 5 years is only like 400 bucks a month...

 

[SauRoNZA]

If you're financing your entire system then you may as well add it at the same time.

R20k over 5 years is only like 400 bucks a month...

I’m doing it all in cash.