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

duderoo said:
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
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Some won't some will

they make a bit on equipment by getting a better price

The price may be a bit higher if you do most of the work and supply devices

A person has to realise you have to take care, if you accidently break something it may chow a chunk of savings

Have a few buddies over to help handle the panels though
 
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leon.davibe said:
Some won't some will

they make a bit on equipment by getting a better price

The price may be a bit higher if you do most of the work and supply devices

A person has to realise you have to take care, if you accidently break something it may chow a chunk of savings

Have a few buddies over to help handle the panels though
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Thank you. Any best spot to buy the equipment?
 
leon.davibe said:
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
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In my case, the majority of demand is after sundown. On average, the household uses 10kWh during the day, which the panels easily provide, whist the other 25-odd kWh is when there is no sun (geyser, A/Cs, TV, etc). My current 200Ah/48v, best case and actively being frugal, gets me through 10-hours before it's down to 15% and cuts over to Eskom.

The solution is to either invest in more battery storage, adding another 200Ah 48v battery or switching out things like the geyser to solar; point is, it will cost more money which further offsets the ROI timeframe.
 
LCBXX said:
In my case, the majority of demand is after sundown. On average, the household uses 10kWh during the day, which the panels easily provide, whist the other 25-odd kWh is when there is no sun (geyser, A/Cs, TV, etc). My current 200Ah/48v, best case and actively being frugal, gets me through 10-hours before it's down to 15% and cuts over to Eskom.

The solution is to either invest in more battery storage, adding another 200Ah 48v battery or switching out things like the geyser to solar; point is, it will cost more money which further offsets the ROI timeframe.
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1 x 100Ah = R15k
 
LCBXX said:
In my case, the majority of demand is after sundown. On average, the household uses 10kWh during the day, which the panels easily provide, whist the other 25-odd kWh is when there is no sun (geyser, A/Cs, TV, etc). My current 200Ah/48v, best case and actively being frugal, gets me through 10-hours before it's down to 15% and cuts over to Eskom.

The solution is to either invest in more battery storage, adding another 200Ah 48v battery or switching out things like the geyser to solar; point is, it will cost more money which further offsets the ROI timeframe.
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A 200L feeder tank that is in series with normal geyser can make it easier to make it overnight with geyser off with timer shifting load to day

Can soak up 10kwh R8K vs R30k for 10kwh battery

Yea not all load can be time shifted meaning battery is the only way to have solar savings on it unfortunately
 
leon.davibe said:
A 200L feeder tank that is in series with normal geyser can make it easier to make it overnight with geyser off with timer shifting load to day

Can soak up 10kwh R8K vs R30k for 10kwh battery

Yea not all load can be time shifted meaning battery is the only way to have solar savings on it unfortunately
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150l is R4k.
 
LCBXX said:
In my case, the majority of demand is after sundown. On average, the household uses 10kWh during the day, which the panels easily provide, whist the other 25-odd kWh is when there is no sun (geyser, A/Cs, TV, etc). My current 200Ah/48v, best case and actively being frugal, gets me through 10-hours before it's down to 15% and cuts over to Eskom.

The solution is to either invest in more battery storage, adding another 200Ah 48v battery or switching out things like the geyser to solar; point is, it will cost more money which further offsets the ROI timeframe.
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Depends how much solar is wasted at the moment

if you have enough solar to charge batteries

A single battery that can be cycled once a day down to 20% would ROI itself in 3 years

Naturally if you don't have enough solar it would need more money thrown at panels again stretching the time
 
duderoo said:
Thank you. Any best spot to buy the equipment?
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Price is king imo
Most places sell the same equipment
So whichever supplier has best price and naturally if local and you can do pickup when you pay it rules out any scammers

Can't recall the name of the guys that also sell batteries at good prices wingnut will probably chime in the name

SolarewarehouseSA.com
ElectromannSA.co.za
LithiumbatteriesSA.co.za
Lifetide.co.za
Geewiz.co.za
 
leon.davibe said:
Price is king imo
Most places sell the same equipment
So whichever supplier has best price and naturally if local and you can do pickup when you pay it rules out any scammers

Can't recall the name of the guys that also sell batteries at good prices wingnut will probably chime in the name

SolarewarehouseSA.com
ElectromannSA.co.za
LithiumbatteriesSA.co.za
Lifetide.co.za
Geewiz.co.za
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R12.75k now:
1722427444784.png

Shop - LiFePO₄WER Lithium Batteries

LiFePO₄WER is a South African Importer and Distributor of backup Lithium Batteries. Available in 12/24/48V and 8Ah/100Ah and 200Ah capacities.
lifepower.za.com lifepower.za.com
 
leon.davibe said:
Depends how much solar is wasted at the moment

if you have enough solar to charge batteries

A single battery that can be cycled once a day down to 20% would ROI itself in 3 years

Naturally if you don't have enough solar it would need more money thrown at panels again stretching the time
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Either way if they going to throw more money on battery, they might as well invest in more panels to fill up the extra battery.
 
wingnut771 said:
How much solar is going to waste at the moment?
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Not sure exactly how much.
It starts taking solar-charge from about 09:00 and I have it set to cut back back to discharge when it reaches 60%; the current 200Ah-48v battery is full latest 14:00. This is on days when my Domestic is here, using the Dishwasher/Dryer/Washer/Vacuum/etc.

My problem is with how much I can store and what extra I need to not have to worry about it running out by 22:00-ish, whilst also not being conservative with usage. I've calculated that another 200Ah battery could take me to 04:00 or so.

If I upgrade to 800Ah+ battery storage, I will be able to run completely independent with abundance. I'll probably also need 4 more panels to get the batteries pumped when it's cloudy.
 
LCBXX said:
Not sure exactly how much.
It starts taking solar-charge from about 09:00 and I have it set to cut back back to discharge when it reaches 60%; the current 200Ah-48v battery is full latest 14:00. This is on days when my Domestic is here, using the Dishwasher/Dryer/Washer/Vacuum/etc.

My problem is with how much I can store and what extra I need to not have to worry about it running out by 22:00-ish, whilst also not being conservative with usage. I've calculated that another 200Ah battery could take me to 04:00 or so.

If I upgrade to 800Ah+ battery storage, I will be able to run completely independent with abundance. I'll probably also need 4 more panels to get the batteries pumped when it's cloudy.
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You want your solar output graph to look like a nice boob.
 
wingnut771 said:
You want your solar output graph to look like a nice boob.
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If things remain as they are with loadshedding, I'm not going to invest more money into my system.
If it comes to R6/kWh from Eskom, maybe, but by that time I'm hoping we'll have a grid-joined Nuclear plant and my battery would be near EOL.
 
kory said:
Either way if they going to throw more money on battery, they might as well invest in more panels to fill up the extra battery.
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depends on the system /load

a person has to expand as need dictates

since the battery is the costly items many go smaller 5/10kwh shying away from the ultra high cost
but do install the big array of panels

i don't feel a person should expand these just because a guy on the internet says good idea
ie for the guy that carries his whole house overnight, and the battery is full before end of day
there is little reason to upgrade , since all needs are met

if you still buy units and the battery is full early then battery expansion is a good idea

someone said he does not see the point to cover just 2kwh he buys daily
while over the life of the system he would actually save a lot
if eskom increases just 5% a year you would save R75k over 20 yrs after battery roi
10% you would save R110k after battery roi

how much you could make by investing the money i don't know if you get more than eskom increases you may come out ahead not buying the battery
 
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