brook

Hi there, From what you’ve described, your setup looks well done since the conduit and cable are properly supported by the aluminium pipe without any sagging. For outdoor wiring, SANS standards require cables that are UV-resistant and protected from weather and physical damage. If your PVC conduit is rated for outdoor use, then it should be acceptable. When you add the second 16mm flat twin and earth cable for the inverter, using a separate PVC conduit as you mentioned is the right approach. The earth wire in the flat twin and earth cable is not large enough for the inverter, so running a separate 16mm earth wire is the correct option. Keep the existing earth wire connected as it still provides bonding for the circuit. For grounding the solar panels, a 6mm cable is generally suitable, but it should be a proper green and yellow earth wire instead of regular solar cable to meet safety and grounding requirements.

That really sounds frustrating. You changed all your lights to 220v GU10 downlights and started with 5w Voltex bulbs, but many stopped working or started flickering right away. Even the more expensive bulbs you got later didn’t last much longer, and now it feels like you’re always changing them. The two Osram bulbs that have lasted 14 years show that some brands are just made better. To avoid this problem, try buying GU10 bulbs from well-known brands like Osram, Philips, or GE. Check the box for a warranty and make sure other people say good things about them. Paying more at the start can be worth it if the bulbs actually last.

Yes I have tried some standalone solar lights with backup batteries and they work really well especially when the weather is cloudy or the lights do not get enough sun. One brand I would recommend is Mazuzee because their waterproof Led lights hold a charge for a long time and are pretty reliable. Hope that helps.

A lumen is a light output unit of measurement; thus, a lumen is still a lumen no matter what is used as a source or diffuser. Nevertheless, the distribution of light can be effectively carried out through the factors such as the bulb shape, diffuser, and beam angle. Light from a narrow-beam GU10 spotlight is concentrated in a restricted area, therefore you will probably have to use more fixtures to light a larger area. Conversely, a surface-mount LED panel or table-mounted LED panel interferes with the light distribution, so there are fewer fixtures that can wrap around a room. Speaking of the energy efficiency aspect and hence making light only with low power consumption, the recessed LED lights can be the best option water head, because of being the uniform and wide option with low wattage consumption. For example, conventional ES27 bulbs that might already give out good light, can still be energy wasteful, and also they may look too old-fashioned as compared to the more trendy bulbs. In a nutshell, the type of lighting chosen is based on the combination of them you prefer, the amount of biological time you can use for them, and the level of evenness that you want.