Solar power system installations plummeted in the first half of 2024 in South Africa

Enzo Matrix said:
Dont waste money on 5kva. One kettle, a toaster and a hairdryer and you are looking like a fool in front of your family
Click to expand...
during load shedding yes, simply enable bypass mode, thus when load exceeds the 5kw/5kva the inverter goes in bypass mode and uses eskom until load goes down and switch back to solar

the sunsynk and other hybrid is a way better solution it will assist the 5kw from the inverter from eskom meeting the shortage with eskom, ie you still stay on mostly PV

while off-grid you will solely use eskom and the PV isn't lost it just gets religated to charging battery only

yes if bypass is disabled on off-grid types you land in the trip scenario
with bypoass you can skip a lot of these headaches

have a 5kw with a low kw element in a feeder tank, main geyser with 3kw element not on inverter
i have a homeassistant monitoring the load and switch geyser on/off under scertain scenarios
have the whole house incl stove/oven on inverter,

yes if budget isn't tight go for one 8kw or two 5kw
if budget is tight a 5kw can work just takes a bit of work/time in the setup
 
Last edited:
Syphonx said:
After suffering through LS for years, finally installed inverter and battery in December 2023. Then LS stopped a few months later 🤬. But will still install panels this year so that the system can start paying for itself.
Click to expand...
I feel your "pain". Our system was installed on 19 March; we haven't tested our system during load shedding, yet. But we're saving lots on electricity bills every month so I'm not going to complain.
 
Thestealth said:
I feel your "pain". Our system was installed on 19 March; we haven't tested our system during load shedding, yet. But we're saving lots on electricity bills every month so I'm not going to complain.
Click to expand...
It is a blessing during power failures, it really is
 
Greglsh said:
You can also cover them with a camo net to fool those stupid people and AI. ;)
Click to expand...
If you can't afford panels yet invest in some black paint for the roof

And keeping with tradition , with these posts paint them with the roof each time to have a perfect colour match
 
Last edited:
leon.davibe said:
the sunsynk and other hybrid is a way better solution it will assist the 5kw from the inverter from eskom meeting the shortage with eskom, ie you still stay on mostly PV
Click to expand...
As does the Victron Multiplus and Quattro.
 
Enzo Matrix said:
Dont waste money on 5kw. One kettle, a toaster and a hairdryer and you are looking like a fool in front of your family
Click to expand...
I run my entire farm on a 5kw system. 10 x 550w panels. 3 X 5,5kWh Hubble Lithium Ion batteries. It runs 3 fridges, 2 freezers, microwave, iron, washing machine, electric blankets, hair dryer, farm workshop, water pressure pump, toaster, Kenwood Chef. Gas stove and hob, stove top kettle, gas geysers.

In more than 10 years I've yet to look like a fool.
 
LCBXX said:
Solar-system retailers and installers are being exposed for scalping.

Let them burn.
Click to expand...
Yea many say not saving as much as i thought i would if asked about their solar system

Installers often misrepresent expected production

ie qoute the max possible per day x30 to give a saving per month

Most are still happy with the savings though
 
leon.davibe said:
Yea many say not saving as much as i thought i would if asked about their solar system

Installers often misrepresent expected production

ie qoute the max possible per day x30 to give a saving per month

Most are still happy with the savings though
Click to expand...
Unless Eskom hikes the price/kWh by another 1-2 preposterous percentages, most PV systems will take decades to pay for itself.

Especially if one goes the 8kW+ inverter route, backed by 400Ah@48v battery storage to become completely off-grid.
 
Solis s6 8kw pro is awesome, got mine at R28000
 
LCBXX said:
Unless Eskom hikes the price/kWh by another 1-2 preposterous percentages, most PV systems will take decades to pay for itself.

Especially if one goes the 8kW+ inverter route, backed by 400Ah@48v battery storage to become completely off-grid.
Click to expand...
Not really the more battery you have up to a point the easier it becomes to use whatever the panels can produce

With just a 5% increase ie normal inflation rate with 5.5hrs avg full sun hours
If in the cape have to adjust and use 4ish area dependant approx 73% of these figures

You would be able to generate over 5years /10yrs
If you can use everything panels produce with a startng point per unit of R3.07 that i pay now

6kwp. 12045 units a year R204,327 / R465,107

8kwp 16060 units year
R272,436 / R620 142

10kwp 20075 units year
R340,546 /R775,175

Now naturally if the system is overkill and you can't use what you produce figures change
Most systems will ROI well under a decade likely 5years
 
Last edited:
Baring any maintenance cost I am saving 50% of my energy cost a year that is approximately 30000ZAR. Based on this estimate my payback is 6 years. The other way I see it is I payback a component of my system each year I have 2 batteries each cost 28000 so that will be cleared in 2 years. My 2 5KW inverters cost 19000 each so 1. Something years and panels 1 year That’s 4. 5 and a half years throw in the last .5 years for additional costs even mounting equipment and the long wires to my garage, boxes and smart switches. I think if your consumption numbers are high the payback is sooner. I have not even had a full summer yet and I have a family member who stays in flat and uses excess electricity but that will not make much difference as that is the reason I save that much. When they move out I will use the flat for short term rental that will bring the energy costs down and potentially ensure we almost off grid but our energy expenditure will also decline so savings numbers will be lower. I am waiting to see how the summer numbers look with my additional panels and will recalculate. All I need is for the system to not need any major repairs within 5-7 years. At this point we installed I wasn’t even concerned about the ROI more fun part as well as controlling my own energy needs.
 
Last edited:
My ROI is around 10 years with my 5.5kWp + 8kW inverter + 10kWh battery if R/kWh remains unchanged and I don't increase usage. I am planning on getting an A/C for the house to increase my power usage in the afternoons when the power draw is currently near 0 and the battery is full. That will increase my QoL while also decreasing the ROI time.
 
Can one do a self install and get an electrician to do that bit? Any recommended spots to buy from?

www.inverter-warehouse.co.za

Solar Panels

A range of solar panels for residential and commercial applications. Canadian Solar, Jinko and more.
www.inverter-warehouse.co.za www.inverter-warehouse.co.za
 
Praeses said:
My ROI is around 10 years with my 5.5kWp + 8kW inverter + 10kWh battery if R/kWh remains unchanged and I don't increase usage. I am planning on getting an A/C for the house to increase my power usage in the afternoons when the power draw is currently near 0 and the battery is full. That will increase my QoL while also decreasing the ROI time.
Click to expand...
Yea and thanks to increases at 5% it will shave of 1.5 years

And 10% it shrinks by 2.5years

12% shrinks down to 7 years

And if eskom gets what they ask for comng year ie 30% and only gets 5% every folowing years just a tad over 7 years

It is unbelievable how much time the increases shave of

In winter i barely make it past 300 units a month on 3.65kwp 307.25 so far this month

Summer i have hit 557 in jan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter