Jack_Offard
Member
Hi all,
I've been a serial lurker of this forum for years, especially this last month or so since I decided to get my own solar installation done. Reason for posting this, well two reasons: @Snyper564 installation thread, and the Monthly Solar Production - Show us yours thread. I have read both from the first post up until today's.
I have been on and off going Solar for the past 6 months now, and every time I would find a reason not to do it, i.e. finances, prices are too expensive I'll wait for them to come down, not worth it, I can suffer through it, blah blah blah...what pushed me over the edge was being at my parents holiday place in Mosselbay over Easter, and for the first time in 6-8 months, not having load-shedding for a week. It's funny, the things I'd tough I'd enjoy most about not having load shedding were not what I expected (wifi, TV - both of which there is none at their place), but it was just having that one extra thing to think about removed for one week, not feeling like another thing out of my control and dictating my day - it was incredible. And to think, not long ago that was the norm.
Anyways, back to the purpose of this post. I pulled the trigger last week Tuesday and will be having my system installed this coming Thursday and Friday. After getting 6 quotes and one DIY option, I selected my installer, a local company who I have done work with previously, and who has done installations for people I know.
My system:
8kw Sunsynk inverter
2 x Hubble AM-5 5.12kWh batteries
14 x Canadian Solar 550W HiKu Mono Perc panels
Our Household:
Family of 6, me, my wife, 3 boys aged 8, 7, 4, and a girl turning 2 in August.
4 Bedroom house, lovely north-facing roofs. Being in Paarl, the sun rises over the Hawequas mountains and sets behind Paarl mountain, in winter I lose about an hour or so's worth of sunlight in the PM.
My wife works from home, the boys are in school, and return home between 14H00 and 15H00 most days.
We have a domestic in 5 days a week.
Gas hob, electric oven, 2 x 150L 3kW geysers, 3 x Aircons, pool pump, fridge freezer, chest freezer and drink fridge. All lights are low-watt LEDs. Will put everything on the Essential side and (hopefully) with some management we'll make it work.
Avg consumption per month for past 18 months is 822 units, but for the last 5-6 months it is closer to 700 units.
I will also be installing CBI Astutes on the 2 x geysers and pool pump, integrating it with Solar Assitant and Home Assistant once I receive my Rasberry Pi.
Will be updating the thread as we proceed. Today I had a team come and verti-cut 7 trees around my property, sad to have cut them, but will hugely assist with winter production and some extra sunshine on the house should assist with winter heating. Will add some photos tomorrow.
Hoping to learn a lot from this forum and to finally be an active, contributing member
Cheers
I've been a serial lurker of this forum for years, especially this last month or so since I decided to get my own solar installation done. Reason for posting this, well two reasons: @Snyper564 installation thread, and the Monthly Solar Production - Show us yours thread. I have read both from the first post up until today's.
I have been on and off going Solar for the past 6 months now, and every time I would find a reason not to do it, i.e. finances, prices are too expensive I'll wait for them to come down, not worth it, I can suffer through it, blah blah blah...what pushed me over the edge was being at my parents holiday place in Mosselbay over Easter, and for the first time in 6-8 months, not having load-shedding for a week. It's funny, the things I'd tough I'd enjoy most about not having load shedding were not what I expected (wifi, TV - both of which there is none at their place), but it was just having that one extra thing to think about removed for one week, not feeling like another thing out of my control and dictating my day - it was incredible. And to think, not long ago that was the norm.
Anyways, back to the purpose of this post. I pulled the trigger last week Tuesday and will be having my system installed this coming Thursday and Friday. After getting 6 quotes and one DIY option, I selected my installer, a local company who I have done work with previously, and who has done installations for people I know.
My system:
8kw Sunsynk inverter
2 x Hubble AM-5 5.12kWh batteries
14 x Canadian Solar 550W HiKu Mono Perc panels
Our Household:
Family of 6, me, my wife, 3 boys aged 8, 7, 4, and a girl turning 2 in August.
4 Bedroom house, lovely north-facing roofs. Being in Paarl, the sun rises over the Hawequas mountains and sets behind Paarl mountain, in winter I lose about an hour or so's worth of sunlight in the PM.
My wife works from home, the boys are in school, and return home between 14H00 and 15H00 most days.
We have a domestic in 5 days a week.
Gas hob, electric oven, 2 x 150L 3kW geysers, 3 x Aircons, pool pump, fridge freezer, chest freezer and drink fridge. All lights are low-watt LEDs. Will put everything on the Essential side and (hopefully) with some management we'll make it work.
Avg consumption per month for past 18 months is 822 units, but for the last 5-6 months it is closer to 700 units.
I will also be installing CBI Astutes on the 2 x geysers and pool pump, integrating it with Solar Assitant and Home Assistant once I receive my Rasberry Pi.
Will be updating the thread as we proceed. Today I had a team come and verti-cut 7 trees around my property, sad to have cut them, but will hugely assist with winter production and some extra sunshine on the house should assist with winter heating. Will add some photos tomorrow.
Hoping to learn a lot from this forum and to finally be an active, contributing member
Cheers
but all thanks to the government. It will be nice to get some feedback from you about the efficiency in times of summer, winter, partial cloud cover and complete cloud cover eg when about to rain etc. 
