Solar panel installation

neoprema said:
So when it burns down, and there's an investigation and its found that something was done wrong, the guy who did the CoC is going to come forward and say "It was my fault, bill my indemnity insurance" ??

R10 000 says you'll never see the guy again. He will disappear faster than a government official at a court hearing.
Click to expand...
Why should it burn down to begin with?
 
TheChamp said:
Looks like you got tripped up over nothing, next time, for your own sake so that you don't become a victim of the scam that is insurance, the guy who does the CoC for you after you have installed solar is the one who installed the solar, it doesn't matter who was on the roof laying the panels or drilling the wall to mount the inverter.
Click to expand...
This makes no sense to me even if I can't really go solar due to costs. Surely, one can get independent guy to give CoC ?

p.s. You know what, it kind of makes sense to me now but here is another point. Electrically compliant is what insurance would look for but then what if roof tiles cave in due to faulty panel installation?
 
surface said:
This makes no sense to me even if I can't really go solar due to costs.
Click to expand...
Okay, have you ever had anything that needs repairs done at your house? Let's take the geyser example, a guy will pitch up there with his guys, you will hear in the manner he speaks that he is the main man, the qualified plumber, after discussing everything, some scruffy guy or guys will go up the roof, not the important guy you were talking to, he might or might not have a big tummy that won't fit through the trap door, but that's a discussion for another day.

The important guy might disappear for a while during the day only to come back later fter the scruffy guy has done with all the plumbing work. If the guy is bothered he might poke his head through the trap door and ask his scruffy guys some few questions then he will tell you everything is fine, you can enjoy a hot bath.

If there is any insurance related paper work who will be doing it, the scruffy guys who did all the work or the important guy?
 
surface said:
This makes no sense to me even if I can't really go solar due to costs. Surely, one can get independent guy to give CoC ?

p.s. You know what, it kind of makes sense to me now but here is another point. Electrically compliant is what insurance would look for but then what if roof tiles cave in due to faulty panel installation?
Click to expand...
roof tiles are a sore point ,assesors love to look for the source if water damage to ceilings .cracked tiles , modified tiles ,sorry you have a problem .the person who modifies a tile now renders that tile as no longer sabs approved ,he then becomes liable , next week hes no longer at builders .
 
TheChamp said:
Okay, have you ever had anything that needs repairs done at your house? Let's take the geyser example, a guy will pitch up there with his guys, you will hear in the manner he speaks that he is the main man, the qualified plumber, after discussing everything, some scruffy guy or guys will go up the roof, not the important guy you were talking to, he might or might not have a big tummy that won't fit through the trap door, but that's a discussion for another day.

The important guy might disappear for a while during the day only to come back later fter the scruffy guy has done with all the plumbing work. If the guy is bothered he might poke his head through the trap door and ask his scruffy guys some few questions then he will tell you everything is fine, you can enjoy a hot bath.

If there is any insurance related paper work who will be doing it, the scruffy guys who did all the work or the important guy?
Click to expand...
eish - I now choose wisely after dealing with "important" guys in my early days in SA. My important & scruffy guy is now just one guy called Victor. May flying spaghetti monster bless him with noodles.
 
soulie said:
roof tiles are a sore point ,assesors love to look for the source if water damage to ceilings .cracked tiles , modified tiles ,sorry you have a problem .the person who modifies a tile now renders that tile as no longer sabs approved ,he then becomes liable , next week hes no longer at builders .
Click to expand...
even if he at builders, there is no paperwork between you & him. :ROFL: :ROFL:
 
TheChamp said:
Why should it burn down to begin with?
Click to expand...
house fires in sa are very common ,we dont clean our roof spaces and dust ignites ,once in a roof space a fire moves quicker than a dassie on the highway .knotty pine ceilings , boet , once the inverter has exploded and set the curtains covering it alight , its history .does your local fire dept even have an operational tender ? is there water in the hydrant ?is the hydrant still there?has the property owner built a rock garden and cabbage patch over it?its a today problem in sa .
 
Last edited:
surface said:
This makes no sense to me even if I can't really go solar due to costs. Surely, one can get independent guy to give CoC ?

p.s. You know what, it kind of makes sense to me now but here is another point. Electrically compliant is what insurance would look for but then what if roof tiles cave in due to faulty panel installation?
Click to expand...
Then you have issues, that's why you need to make sure that the roof does not cave in, but I would say if your roof caved in after installing panels you have way more issues on your house, the wall might also fall on you while you are watering the garden.
 
TheChamp said:
Then you have issues, that's why you need to make sure that the roof does not cave in, but I would say if your roof caved in after installing panels you have way more issues on your house, the wall might also fall on you while you are watering the garden.
Click to expand...
Yes, anything can happen. That's why insurers work on risk - not YOUR perceived risk, theirs (and what their calculations say)

What they also work on, is 9999999 ways to get out of paying for a claim because ultimately that is their risk.

The whole point of a COC is not a "checkbox". its to ensure that the installation was done completely by or under the constant supervision of the skilled, registered and responsible person.

I had an electrician come to my house once and said ok this person will do X,Y,Z i'll come back later to check and give you the COC. I said clearly nope. I'm not paying for a COC i'm paying for a proper job, which means the person certified to sign the COC must supervise the whole job.

Hence this clause:
Only a registered person may issue a COC. Therefore the person must have a licence issued by the Department of Labour. An unregistered person may work at the property, but only under supervision of a registered person.
 
Annexure M in SANS 10142-1:2021 Edition 3.1:

1676567378926.png

Advice for consumers https://ecasa.co.za/news/advice-for-consumers-are-you-in-safe-hands/
Before allowing any electrical contractor to do work at your premises, ask the contractor to provide you with a document from the Department of Employment and Labour that confirms his/her registration as an electrical contractor as well as the type of registration they have obtained. This document not only declares that the contractor is legally registered but also provides you with the information of when the registration expires and the identity of the registered person in that company.

The next thing you should ensure is that the registered person who signs the certificate of compliance for an electrical installation has personally inspected that installation. The electrical contractor cannot do an inspection on behalf of the person signing the certificate.

In these times of loadshedding, many people are considering installing a backup system whether it is a generator, an inverter with batteries, or solar panels, but before you allow any person to do an installation it is imperative to ask that person for proof that they’re registered as an electrical contractor with the Department of Employment and Labour

The regulations are in place to protect people and their homes.

Remember, it is your legal responsibility to ensure that you appoint a registered electrical contractor who may issue a certificate of compliance for the work undertaken. It is your responsibility to obtain this certificate and the contractors’ responsibility to issue it.
Click to expand...
 
Marthinus100 said:
This thread turned out to be a very entertaining read. Thank you all for contributing.

I am a qualified instrumentation artisan that started from an electrical back ground and have been working for over 15 years in the field. Its not my intension to skimp on cost or to fraudulently obtain a COC, not by a long shot.

Ill get in touch with my insurance broker just in case. If they need Pr.Engineer to design the panel installation, that's doable. As I install I do have a contractor that is a qualified IE with all the necessary paperwork (Qualified electrician, N6, wireman's license and installation rules) that I ask advice. I just haven't asked him his opinion regarding panel installation as he is out of town with other projects. He does come over and oversee, so he does not have a problem to do final tests and COC.

I really didn't give it a thought about roof weight spread etc. and also not aware of the battery cables, so thanks for that input, Ill make sure that is all in spec. After everything in addition, I will get a MIE to sign off (Different person to IE).

This also makes me wonder if all the installations popping up everywhere are designed by a Pr.Engineer? I doubt the roofs get inspected before adding all that weight? Do most of these "green card installers" inform clients to clarify this requirement with their insurance? Also a lot of COC's are issued without the legal person doing the actual work, its also just overseen, so how would a DIY installation be different if everything is overseen and approved step by step?
Click to expand...
see my latest post .probably above this one ,some more info and yes i am an IE and have done my MIE but dropped mie registration its a nutcracker
 
TheChamp said:
Looks like you got tripped up over nothing, next time, for your own sake so that you don't become a victim of the scam that is insurance, the guy who does the CoC for you after you have installed solar is the one who installed the solar, it doesn't matter who was on the roof laying the panels or drilling the wall to mount the inverter.
Click to expand...
another fully illegal bit of bad advice from a mybb champion.shame on you ,people are gullible and may believe you .if its on a forum it must be gospel .
 
Last edited:
Marthinus100 said:
This thread turned out to be a very entertaining read. Thank you all for contributing.

I am a qualified instrumentation artisan that started from an electrical back ground and have been working for over 15 years in the field. Its not my intension to skimp on cost or to fraudulently obtain a COC, not by a long shot.

Ill get in touch with my insurance broker just in case. If they need Pr.Engineer to design the panel installation, that's doable. As I install I do have a contractor that is a qualified IE with all the necessary paperwork (Qualified electrician, N6, wireman's license and installation rules) that I ask advice. I just haven't asked him his opinion regarding panel installation as he is out of town with other projects. He does come over and oversee, so he does not have a problem to do final tests and COC.

I really didn't give it a thought about roof weight spread etc. and also not aware of the battery cables, so thanks for that input, Ill make sure that is all in spec. After everything in addition, I will get a MIE to sign off (Different person to IE).

This also makes me wonder if all the installations popping up everywhere are designed by a Pr.Engineer? I doubt the roofs get inspected before adding all that weight? Do most of these "green card installers" inform clients to clarify this requirement with their insurance? Also a lot of COC's are issued without the legal person doing the actual work, its also just overseen, so how would a DIY installation be different if everything is overseen and approved step by step?
Click to expand...
Too true

Three people i encountered and their install problems with COC

1 his electrical bill was R2000 a month more than before , also required manual intervention every loadshedding to get the power on again (incorect settings)

2 blown devices during install at least R15k damage, 3 phase victron with 3x 3kw whole house is essentially critical loads ie all on the system including geysers
So no rocket scientist needed to know what happens when load shedding hits , manual intervention needed

3 had other devices that didn't work afterward, did not tighten all breaker screws when restructuring the db for critical non critical loads

This was 3 different installers

My advice to anyone having an install read up as if you are gonna do the install yourself before you get a contractor

If you get multiple quotes it will help deciding which should not touch with a barge pole
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X