City Power in Jhb continue to not give their intentions RE SSEG any publicity. But I was just at one of their walk in centers and they have nice posters all over the place about the SSEG registration process. This can be done in advance or if you already have a system installed. This is for systems rated at less than 1mW.

They want some documentation. They need a COC, a certificate from the installer, and a line drawing.

I don't know what that drawing is (OK... it has lines), and I'm pretty sure I can't do it. So I would need somebody suitably qualified to come and do that for me, yes?

NB. If City Power decide to start laying down the law, this could be a nice little earner for somebody.

If I may ask what certificate from the installer ? 

 

The line drawing I am too asking questions of because I can make it beyond simple or rather complex, they need to stipulate what info they require on the line diagram. 

My next question I have in general can they go retrospective, i.e if it was installed before all this data needed why is it needed when the rule comes. I have so many questions and no one can help, I get 10 different answers. 

On 2023/10/10 at 9:47 PM, Bobster. said:

and a line drawing.

I don't know what that drawing is (OK... it has lines),

I don't know specifically what they are looking for, but I suspect they mean what I would call a "single line drawing". It's like a circuit diagram, except the details of phases and neutrals are abstracted away to a single line. There might be a diagonal bar on the line indicating whether it is 3-phase or single phase; usually the neutral is assumed. So for example a transformer could be represented as one "component" with one line coming in and one line going out. Similarly for an isolator, relay, load (one line only), and so on.

On 2023/10/10 at 9:47 PM, Bobster. said:

I'm pretty sure I can't do it.

Depending on the level of detail required, you possibly could, but they might want to see it signed off by someone with particular qualifications. It might be possible for you to draw it yourself, print it, have an electrician check it, perhaps make some modifications on the spot, and have the electrician sign off on it. That might carry more weight, but that's pure speculation on my part.

On 2023/10/10 at 3:28 PM, Dylboy said:

If I may ask what certificate from the installer ? 

 

The line drawing I am too asking questions of because I can make it beyond simple or rather complex, they need to stipulate what info they require on the line diagram. 

My next question I have in general can they go retrospective, i.e if it was installed before all this data needed why is it needed when the rule comes. I have so many questions and no one can help, I get 10 different answers. 

Me too. They've left it too vague for too long. Even now there's been no announcement, I saw the posters at a walk in centre.

@Coulomb has given my memory a prod. It is a *single* line drawing that is required.

I have more questions. Can I be on prepaid and have PV? What if I was on prepaid before I got PV? 

But as you say, you never get the same answer twice.

@Bobster.

The last time I checked their documentation requirements, you will still need the system to be signed off by a Pr.Eng. If SANS 10142-1-2 ever gets released, I have heard from one source close to the development of the national SSEG registration guidelines indicate that the intention is this requirement will fall away and electricians will be able to provide the requisite legal sign-off. Practically and economically, this makes sense.

As for being on prepaid - not according to the COJ electricity bylaws. As soon as you are able to generate your own power with PV, you need to do the SSEG registration and along with that comes a bidirectional power meter on a Time-of-Use tariff. So until COJ decides to remove your meter or start enforcing the SSEG requirement, I would just keep the status quo. Can you imagine the administrative poo-storm that will occur when they decide to enforce the registration 😄. When the time comes, depending on your power consumption, it may make more sense to avoid all this hassle, upfront and fixed ongoing costs, and buy some more solar/batteries and a small generator and go off grid.

Edited October 13, 20232 yr by AlexTZA

1 hour ago, AlexTZA said:

@Bobster.

The last time I checked their documentation requirements, you will still need the system to be signed off by a Pr.Eng. If SANS 10142-1-2 ever gets released, I have heard from one source close to the development of the national SSEG registration guidelines indicate that the intention is this requirement will fall away and electricians will be able to provide the requisite legal sign-off. Practically and economically, this makes sense.

As for being on prepaid - not according to the COJ electricity bylaws. As soon as you are able to generate your own power with PV, you need to do the SSEG registration and along with that comes a bidirectional power meter on a Time-of-Use tariff. So until COJ decides to remove your meter or start enforcing the SSEG requirement, I would just keep the status quo. Can you imagine the administrative poo-storm that will occur when they decide to enforce the registration 😄. When the time comes, depending on your power consumption, it may make more sense to avoid all this hassle, upfront and fixed ongoing costs, and buy some more solar/batteries and a small generator and go off grid.

Thanks for that information and advice.

I don't have a problem with the concept of having standards and requiring compliance. The problem in this case is that the City has not gone out of their way to publicise these requirements and so everything has been left hanging in the air. So what am I supposed to do 4 years down the line? I can't be the only person in this situation.

COCT's requirements are not universally popular, but at least you know that there's a requirement and a process. COJ have let an ever growing grey area develop.

Edited October 13, 20232 yr by Bobster.
Case not place

@Bobster. Totally agree - and it would be helpful if the application process could be done online, like most things in the 21st century.

Edited October 13, 20232 yr by AlexTZA