Renting solar?

[TheRift]

I really need some advice here. Feel at a point I'm rushing into someting I'm going to regret.

We're looking at Goslr rental for their medium setup. 8x 455W panels, 5KVA inverter and 1x 100Ah lithium battery.
R1580/month, 3 year contract, R20K de-installation.
Purchase option at the end of contract for something like R140K. Can't see anything right now about renewing. That would effectively put cost of ownership if exercising the purchase option at a whopping R220K if I try and factor in annual price escallations.

Consuming R2000-R2500 electricity per month.
Solar geyser. House has 3 aircon units, 1 inverter-based one used most of the night.

Don't have funds to do own installation, but we need to do something to get through this nonsense.

Is Goslr a viable option here? Is there some catch to going with rental (not rent-to-own)?
If you have it, has there been any worthwhile reduction in Eskom costs to offset the rental cost?

I have weird people working here that seem to use a tumble dryer on 34C days.

I know most will say finance as part of bond, but we've been here only 3 years so not sure on that option. Or at least option with inverter and lithium batteries as the base install with panels being added later.

 

[WAslayer]

You seem to be underspecced with the medium system, unless your per unit electricity price is very expensive..

That said, I would rather look at the type of finance option from a place like solar advice and own the system outright at the end of 5 years, which ends up being far cheaper than gosolr..

 

[Tomtomtom]

Consuming R2000-R2500 electricity per month.
Solar geyser. House has 3 aircon units, 1 inverter-based one used most of the night.
...
I have weird people working here that seem to use a tumble dryer on 34C days.

I don't have direct experience with gosolr but I think you've got two separate problems here.

5kVA isn't going to cover your peak load if it's as out of control as tumble drying in summer and 2k/mo even with solar geyser. So maybe get on the energy wise thing first and figure out what's driving consumption because you'll need to economise a bit for an inverter anyway.

Secondly if you're just trying to get through load shedding what do you really need? Washing machine and kettle? Or just electronics, lights and fridge?

The difference is an order of magnitude in cost.

 

[TheRift]

Just electronics, lights and fridge.

I don't have direct experience with gosolr but I think you've got two separate problems here.

5kVA isn't going to cover your peak load if it's as out of control as tumble drying in summer and 2k/mo even with solar geyser. So maybe get on the energy wise thing first and figure out what's driving consumption because you'll need to economise a bit for an inverter anyway.

Secondly if you're just trying to get through load shedding what do you really need? Washing machine and kettle? Or just electronics, lights and fridge?

The difference is an order of magnitude in cost.

Really just electronics, lights and fridge.

The dryer story is my irritation. Don't know why they do that and it will be put to a stop soon. Well, sooner since the dryer doesn't work anymore. They overdid the temperature fuse.

 

[TheRift]

You seem to be underspecced with the medium system, unless your per unit electricity price is very expensive..

That said, I would rather look at the type of finance option from a place like solar advice and own the system outright at the end of 5 years, which ends up being far cheaper than gosolr..

Would that be solar.co.za?

 

[rvZA]

Solar is extremely expensive and unaffordable to most. Not only are you underspecced and may run into trouble in the near future with this contract, but saving up this money over 3 years may easily afford you to emigrate to a country like Portugal on a permanent residency visa. No more loadshedding, collapsing infrastructure, extremely high cost of living, crime, socialism, communism. Just something to consider.

 

[Tomtomtom]

Just electronics, lights and fridge.

Really just electronics, lights and fridge.

Then you might be fine with more like 1 kW / 1 kWh inverter & battery for ~R10-20k.

Solar at whole house scale is a different game and you probably want to optimise consumption first and then do some proper modelling of ROI etc.

 

[TheChamp]

It's not very clear from your post if you want the solar install to reduce your consumption or you want it to get through the loadshedding, because just a battery and inverter could surfice for now if you just want to power the electronics and lights.

 

[Speedster]

Solar is extremely expensive and unaffordable to most. Not only are you underspecced and may run into trouble in the near future with this contract, but saving up this money over 3 years may easily afford you to emigrate to a country like Portugal on a permanent residency visa. No more loadshedding, collapsing infrastructure, extremely high cost of living, crime, socialism, communism. Just something to consider.

Have you considered that your perpetual negativity adds no value to the forum?

 

[TheRift]

Have you considered that your perpetual negativity adds no value to the forum?

lol ... I'm ok with that kinda comment. We are actually gonna be sorting out Portuguese passports on my wife's side this year. If not for the whole family, then at least for my kid should he need it.

It's not very clear from your post if you want the solar install to reduce your consumption or you want it to get through the loadshedding, because just a battery and inverter could surfice for now if you just want to power the electronics and lights.

For loadshedding. Inverter setup seems best then. I will need to look around for options with finance. I see 5KVA setup on solar.co.za will run R1.4K a month, total +- R84K over 5 years. Will just have to do more homework, etc. Save up maybe for initial deposit to make it even better.

Sorry, I had to hop on here and ask these questions as everyone out there is just going rent-rent-rent-happy-happy-happy, but something with it all didn't sit right with me especially the little fine print. R20K de-installation is "ok" at the end, but along comes some major setbacks and expenses and you have to cancel the rental and suddenly you've got a 20K bill to fight as well.

I'm weary of rental deals with options. I don't know, maybe I'm just too old, but if I pay for something I expect to own it.

In my mind solar is still a good option here, but this can be done with inverter and batteries to start with and expand system over time with funds permitting.

I think I will look into hybrid inverter installation instead and take it from there.

I appreciate the feedback from everyone. If there's more info people can add then please do.

 

[Dretastic06]

Solar is extremely expensive and unaffordable to most. Not only are you underspecced and may run into trouble in the near future with this contract, but saving up this money over 3 years may easily afford you to emigrate to a country like Portugal on a permanent residency visa. No more loadshedding, collapsing infrastructure, extremely high cost of living, crime, socialism, communism. Just something to consider.

how easy is it to learn Portuguese?

 

[rvZA]

how easy is it to learn Portuguese?

How easy is it to live in a failed state?

 

[LCBXX]

I really need some advice here. Feel at a point I'm rushing into someting I'm going to regret.

We're looking at Goslr rental for their medium setup. 8x 455W panels, 5KVA inverter and 1x 100Ah lithium battery.
R1580/month, 3 year contract, R20K de-installation.
Purchase option at the end of contract for something like R140K. Can't see anything right now about renewing. That would effectively put cost of ownership if exercising the purchase option at a whopping R220K if I try and factor in annual price escallations.

Consuming R2000-R2500 electricity per month.
Solar geyser. House has 3 aircon units, 1 inverter-based one used most of the night.

Don't have funds to do own installation, but we need to do something to get through this nonsense.

Is Goslr a viable option here? Is there some catch to going with rental (not rent-to-own)?
If you have it, has there been any worthwhile reduction in Eskom costs to offset the rental cost?

I have weird people working here that seem to use a tumble dryer on 34C days.

I know most will say finance as part of bond, but we've been here only 3 years so not sure on that option. Or at least option with inverter and lithium batteries as the base install with panels being added later.

Hate to tell you this, but the setup above is considered a starter setup.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

That's for 8 kW Deye, 14 x 455W panels and 3 x 5 kWh batteries. This should make you 90% less dependent on Eskom and you can run your whole house off it.

If your bill is R2,500, you're really only paying R2,800 extra pm. After 5 years it's yours. So your payback period is another 5 years, since you would be paying R2,500 anyway - and this drops significantly every time Eskom is granted a ridiculous increase.

Sacrifice your next car upgrade and rather do this...

 

[netstrider]

I really need some advice here. Feel at a point I'm rushing into someting I'm going to regret.

We're looking at Goslr rental for their medium setup. 8x 455W panels, 5KVA inverter and 1x 100Ah lithium battery.
R1580/month, 3 year contract, R20K de-installation.
Purchase option at the end of contract for something like R140K. Can't see anything right now about renewing. That would effectively put cost of ownership if exercising the purchase option at a whopping R220K if I try and factor in annual price escallations.

Consuming R2000-R2500 electricity per month.
Solar geyser. House has 3 aircon units, 1 inverter-based one used most of the night.

Don't have funds to do own installation, but we need to do something to get through this nonsense.

Is Goslr a viable option here? Is there some catch to going with rental (not rent-to-own)?
If you have it, has there been any worthwhile reduction in Eskom costs to offset the rental cost?

I have weird people working here that seem to use a tumble dryer on 34C days.

I know most will say finance as part of bond, but we've been here only 3 years so not sure on that option. Or at least option with inverter and lithium batteries as the base install with panels being added later.

I noticed you can apply for Solar finance over 72 months with MFC.

Solar Asset Finance

Apply for solar-energy finance over a period of up to 72 months at a competitive interest rate with MFC, a division of Nedbank.

personal.nedbank.co.za

 

[netstrider]

View attachment 1458971
That's for 8 kW Deye, 14 x 455W panels and 3 x 5 kWh batteries. This should make you 90% less dependent on Eskom and you can run your whole house off it.

If your bill is R2,500, you're really only paying R2,800 extra pm. After 5 years it's yours. So your payback period is another 5 years, since you would be paying R2,500 anyway - and this drops significantly every time Eskom is granted a ridiculous increase.

Sacrifice your next car upgrade and rather do this...

Through who is this?

 

[TheRift]

Through who is this?

I think that's solar.co.za.

 

[TheRift]

View attachment 1458971
That's for 8 kW Deye, 14 x 455W panels and 3 x 5 kWh batteries. This should make you 90% less dependent on Eskom and you can run your whole house off it.

If your bill is R2,500, you're really only paying R2,800 extra pm. After 5 years it's yours. So your payback period is another 5 years, since you would be paying R2,500 anyway - and this drops significantly every time Eskom is granted a ridiculous increase.

Sacrifice your next car upgrade and rather do this...

There is never going to be a car upgrade again. I just want this thing I have paid up.

We are going to look at starting with just a inverter setup to get through load shedding. Start with components that can have the rest added on. So a 8kW Deye and battery to start. Can only make plans end of month when I know what increase I'm getting.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Through who is this?

Solar Advice...