INVERTER - customs duties

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shearder

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Hey Guys,

I am planning to import a 15KW 3 Phase inverter but what are the customs duties on something like an inverter?

Thanks in advance
 
zero rated.

why are you importing? Cost saving?

why don’t you give us an idea of what you‘re planning so you get alternate ideas.

importing is cheap ( well is it ? Shipping rates out of China is gone out of control) but if your unit gets damaged?
 
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So I am.looing at a 3 phase 15kw inverter. Shipping is via UPS. Including shipping is R19.8k

Usually on electronics it's between 5 and 10% VAT

A single phase 8.7kw inverter is between 32k and 43k that inhave seen and that is single phase.

So even with duties 25k is descent.
 
So I want to run at least 10kw but a 15kw inverter is well priced. Start with inverter plus 2 Hubble 4.8kwh or lifepo 5.1kwh batteries.
Then eventually add 20 x 500+ watt panels. Inhave a generator backup. But will add panels and 2 more batteries later.
SA companies have such gap in pricing its obvious they want to get rich from a single deal rather than regular deals and turnover.
 
First of all vat is 15%

second, you must be buying something really crap for it to cost that little including shipping. Shipping alone would cost you that much. Inverters are heavy.
 
The_Traveller said:
First of all vat is 15%

second, you must be buying something really crap for it to cost that little including shipping. Shipping alone would cost you that much. Inverters are heavy.
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Yes VAT is a given and Yeah it's really really crap I mean really crap. No I mean really really crap.

Made by the same.guys that make sunsynk so it's like bottom of the barrel crap.

And for the last 6 years at least I have imported because prices are stupid in SA.

As an example a PARD NVOO7A is almost 9k here, with shipping I paid R5K. BUT AGAIN ABSOLUTELY CRAP.

As you pointed out, because its imported, like 99% of the stuff we buy anyway, it is SERIOUSLY CRAP, I MEAN REALLY REALLY crap because direct we can buy it cheaper.

2 years ago I bought Dahua CCTV cameras different types, quote here, R43k, imported WITH SHIPPING R27k with VAT and duties but I mean they were total crap. Still working but I just got lucky
 
shearder said:
So I am.looing at a 3 phase 15kw inverter. Shipping is via UPS. Including shipping is R19.8k

Usually on electronics it's between 5 and 10% VAT

A single phase 8.7kw inverter is between 32k and 43k that inhave seen and that is single phase.

So even with duties 25k is descent.
Click to expand...
I'm assuming it's this one on Aliexpress.

It follows the sunsynk naming style but not sure if it's made by sunsynk or a clone. Screenshot_20210609-081548_AliExpress.jpg
 
shearder said:
Hey Guys,

I am planning to import a 15KW 3 Phase inverter but what are the customs duties on something like an inverter?

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
How did this work out? Having spent a bit of time comparing inverters and batteries locally to China, I can't help but feel that there is a fair bit of price gouging going on at the moment. Not cool.
 
To be honest, I ended up buying a single phase locally and moved everything to one phase. Other than the borehole everything else is single phase and I have gas stove and geyser so peak usage with aircon is around 2kw. Without aircon around 0.8 to 1.4 without kettle of oven. It just seemed much of a muchness and here it's easier from a warranty perspective
 
yes totally. I actually used a company in Bryanston called freshtec. Always reliable and I have bough batteries, panels etc from them and no issues. Yeah, locally is the safer option i think. International doesn't seem much cheaper any longer. Since Covid and i guess MANY lost orders shipping is now at a premium! Any savings are lost and for the little you do save may as well stay local.
 
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