non grid tied systems

M

madcab

New Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2024
Messages
5
Reaction score
4
With all this talk of having to register grid tied solar systems, I am half way through installing an off grid system to run along side the eskom utility.
Basically I am installing a separate wiring run powering 5 sockets and the house lighting.
As these two are kept completely separate I presume That the solar doesn't have to be registered with eskom.
Am I correct in my assumption.
 
You'd be correct. As in if Eskom connection is disconnected. However, I'd imagine you could face issues should you have a moving meter and solar installed at the same address. I mean, who knows. Are they going to have inspectors coming to check what goes where?

And good for you. Keep us posted.
 
Last edited:
madcab said:
With all this talk of having to register grid tied solar systems, I am half way through installing an off grid system to run along side the eskom utility.
Basically I am installing a separate wiring run powering 5 sockets and the house lighting.
As these two are kept completely separate I presume That the solar doesn't have to be registered with eskom.
Am I correct in my assumption.
Click to expand...
This is South Africa. Hardly anybody has grid tied systems as you would sit in the dark during loadshedding with a grid tied system as it needs a grid connection to work and doesn’t have any batteries.
 
The only thing that's going to help is not having an Eskom connection, as long as their cable is there, all your separate wiring is a waste of time and effort.
 
can you explain why this is a waste of time and effort
 
madcab said:
can you explain why this is a waste of time and effort
Click to expand...

None of it makes sense. The motivation for this is pure thievery and the finer details of enforcing, as usual, come after the geni-arse brainwave.

Sometimes you need to just embrace the uselessness.
 
Flanders said:
None of it makes sense. The motivation for this is pure thievery and the finer details of enforcing, as usual, come after the geni-arse brainwave.

Sometimes you need to just embrace the uselessness.
Click to expand...
Problem is they are using the nersa guidelines for SSEG as their basis and excuse.
Like look you need to register cause you generate electricity, whereas really Nersa was for big producers not Joe doing 5Mwh a year
 
wingnut771 said:
This is South Africa. Hardly anybody has grid tied systems as you would sit in the dark during loadshedding with a grid tied system as it needs a grid connection to work and doesn’t have any batteries.
Click to expand...
I think you might be misunderstanding the term. Even if they have batteries most solar installs in SA are grid-tied to be able to use the grid as backup for cloudy days or when batteries are low.
 
Crusader said:
I think you might be misunderstanding the term. Even if they have batteries most solar installs in SA are grid-tied to be able to use the grid as backup for cloudy days or when batteries are low.
Click to expand...
Grid tied is exporting your solar during the day into the grid because it has to go somewhere if there are no loads and goes to waste otherwise. This is how is is in the rest of the world. Only South Africa systems have batteries due to our loadshitting woes. What you are referring to are hybrid systems. These inverters all meet international standards for grid safety. Due to the exorbitant red tape and costs for us to export to the grid, nobody does that either.
 
Lupus said:
Which means they are using it incorrectly, cause that's hybrid
Click to expand...

wingnut771 said:
Grid tied is exporting your solar during the day into the grid because it has to go somewhere if there are no loads and goes to waste otherwise. This is how is is in the rest of the world. Only South Africa systems have batteries due to our loadshitting woes. What you are referring to are hybrid systems. These inverters all meet international standards for grid safety. Due to the exorbitant red tape and costs for us to export to the grid, nobody does that either.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I think they need to define their definition of grid tied system. In this instance I took it to mean any inverter connected to the grid. A hybrid inverter would also fall under grid tied as far as I can gather.
 
Last edited:
Crusader said:
Yeah, I think they need to define their definition of grid tied system. In this instance I took it to mean any inverted connected to the grid. A hybrid inverter would also fall under grid tied as far as I can gather.
Click to expand...
Yes, and then you need a meter that can count backwards.
 
ok I've found a regulatory site that shows the system I'm installing.
its classed as a standalone system as the two sources are not connected in any way
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20250208-115802.png
    Screenshot_20250208-115802.png
    1.2 MB · Views: 16
madcab said:
With all this talk of having to register grid tied solar systems, I am half way through installing an off grid system to run along side the eskom utility.
Basically I am installing a separate wiring run powering 5 sockets and the house lighting.
As these two are kept completely separate I presume That the solar doesn't have to be registered with eskom.
Am I correct in my assumption.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily.

If you have a grid connection, they will assume any solar pv system is connected, regardless of whether it actually is or not.
See CoCT which now considers non-grid tied grid tied.

You will need to successfully argue with them that the system is completely disconnected, and would have no way of connection.
 
According to CoCT, even if the inverter is not connected to the mains, it needs to be registered.

An inspection here will show the inverter mains input terminals are not connected and the pre-paid meter is switched off

I had it in writing that it must be registered

The electrician who prepared the COC wrote "no supply connected" and this was rejected. CoC regulations do not have a category for this so the bureaucrat who read the COC just declined the application

They said an inspector would call. That was 6 years back so I assume he is not coming. Their office is 10 mins drive away

I still have to pay a R245 connection fee which is added to the rates and water bill
 
I'll get in touch with them about it and see what they say.
Luckily I'm in a rural area and on prepaid at the moment. if there's too much hassle from them I'll have to go completely off grid
 
  • Like
Reactions: rh1
madcab said:
I'll get in touch with them about it and see what they say.
Luckily I'm in a rural area and on prepaid at the moment. if there's too much hassle from them I'll have to go completely off grid
Click to expand...
My take on this is like you on a boat in the ocean, got nothing to do with eskom. Hence I am not worried. If they claim it is unsafe, I will just disconnect. They will lose more revenue.

Register is just away for them to know who to screw with tarrifs.
 
rh1 said:
My take on this is like you on a boat in the ocean, got nothing to do with eskom. Hence I am not worried. If they claim it is unsafe, I will just disconnect. They will lose more revenue.

Register is just away for them to know who to screw with tarrifs.
Click to expand...
Already paying a connection fee and service fee to CP so not sure what else they'd like.
Oooh apparently to them I need a new meter and switch to postpaid so I need to pay more.
Even though my inverter doesn't even feed back
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X