Hi all, we don't yet have a Solar setup but looking at pulling the trigger on a system based on the below:

We'd like to purchase the equipment ourselves - while we are trying to decide on the actual size system we want as well as what can be afforded, we need to also consider installation costs and whatever other "hidden" surprises that sometimes crops up. I know it's really difficult to give an exact figure for these things but a rough ballpark would be nice - and what would be even better is for someone to come out and assess who is willing to give us a no obligation quotation so that we can decide what will fit the budget. Is there anyone on the forum who can recommend / suggest / vouch for any installers in the JHB south area who can help us get an estimate for the installation, wiring, and config + COC and all required peripherals for a system based roughly on:

1x 6Kw or 8Kw Hybrid inverter (load dependent)

2x 5Kw batteries or 1x 10Kw battery depending on what we can find pricing wise

between 8 and 12 panels (again price and wattage dependent) if we go with 8 to leave enough space on the roof to add more relatively easily at a later stage

I hope the above is enough info to work with but happy to provide more info on anything else, just shout 😊👌

1 hour ago, Chickenlip said:

Hi all, we don't yet have a Solar setup but looking at pulling the trigger on a system based on the below:

We'd like to purchase the equipment ourselves - while we are trying to decide on the actual size system we want as well as what can be afforded, we need to also consider installation costs and whatever other "hidden" surprises that sometimes crops up. I know it's really difficult to give an exact figure for these things but a rough ballpark would be nice - and what would be even better is for someone to come out and assess who is willing to give us a no obligation quotation so that we can decide what will fit the budget. Is there anyone on the forum who can recommend / suggest / vouch for any installers in the JHB south area who can help us get an estimate for the installation, wiring, and config + COC and all required peripherals for a system based roughly on:

1x 6Kw or 8Kw Hybrid inverter (load dependent)

2x 5Kw batteries or 1x 10Kw battery depending on what we can find pricing wise

between 8 and 12 panels (again price and wattage dependent) if we go with 8 to leave enough space on the roof to add more relatively easily at a later stage

I hope the above is enough info to work with but happy to provide more info on anything else, just shout 😊👌

Make sure to use a reputable company so much online fraud in Solar at the moment its honestly scary. Double check references and preferably only pay when they done with the installation.

Thanks @KevinH we got a contact from a colleague who had an install done in 2023, we going to try them so long - they seem legit and refutable https://gropower.co.za/

19 hours ago, Chickenlip said:

Hi all, we don't yet have a Solar setup but looking at pulling the trigger on a system based on the below:

We'd like to purchase the equipment ourselves - while we are trying to decide on the actual size system we want as well as what can be afforded, we need to also consider installation costs and whatever other "hidden" surprises that sometimes crops up. I know it's really difficult to give an exact figure for these things but a rough ballpark would be nice - and what would be even better is for someone to come out and assess who is willing to give us a no obligation quotation so that we can decide what will fit the budget. Is there anyone on the forum who can recommend / suggest / vouch for any installers in the JHB south area who can help us get an estimate for the installation, wiring, and config + COC and all required peripherals for a system based roughly on:

1x 6Kw or 8Kw Hybrid inverter (load dependent)

2x 5Kw batteries or 1x 10Kw battery depending on what we can find pricing wise

between 8 and 12 panels (again price and wattage dependent) if we go with 8 to leave enough space on the roof to add more relatively easily at a later stage

I hope the above is enough info to work with but happy to provide more info on anything else, just shout 😊👌

Hey @Chickenlip , I can vouch for Bernardus Rossouw - 0824160614. He wasn't my initial installer (unfortunately). He was the installer the insurance company sent out when we had the lightning strike in 2024. All I can say is that he is really passionate about his craft and workmanship is top quality. I used him again last year when we expanded the system.

19 hours ago, Chickenlip said:

1x 6Kw or 8Kw Hybrid inverter (load dependent)

2x 5Kw batteries or 1x 10Kw battery depending on what we can find pricing wise

between 8 and 12 panels (again price and wattage dependent) if we go with 8 to leave enough space on the roof to add more relatively easily at a later stage

Three comments at this stage:

• There is an old Afrikaans saying: "Goedkoop koop is duur koop". It's good to be price conscious, but be aware that the saying "you get what you pay for" is quite true. You will be inverting in a long-term project, and electricity is dangerous if not handled correctly, so rather spend a bit more by buying good quality, proven brands... Also be aware that "upgrading later" can be difficult... Take batteries for example, there are currently 3 "main" battery cell manufacturers (CATL, BYD and REPT) in the World (and perhaps a few other small ones that I don't know about...), but even though they are all LiFePO4 cells, batteries made with one type are not compatible with the other types - this makes it difficult to change "brands" when adding more batteries later on.

• Be aware of the VOC (Open Circuit Voltage) of the PV panels that you plan to use vs the maximum MPPT voltage specification of the inverter. Solar panels increase their operating voltage inversely to temperature (read up about "negative temperature coefficient"...) - in practice this means that one cannot connect more than 8 panels (depending on panel and MPPT specs.) in a string, else the MPPT/inverter will be killed by a too high voltage. There is also a minimum MPPT startup voltage, below which the MPPTs won't produce any power. In my case, this is 125V per MPPT (string), translating into a minimum of 3-4 PV panels per string (again, depending on specs.). Inverters work more efficiently (e.g. earlier startup in the morning) at PV voltages closer to the maximum, so in practice one should have 7 or 8 solar panels per string - with your planned 8-12 panels total that would likely work out to two strings (2 MPPTs), one with 7 and one with 5 panels. If you have enough roof space I would suggest you rather plan for two strings of 7 or 8 panels each (again, depending on the actual panels, MPPTs and/or inverter (many have built-in MPPTs...).

• Be aware that even a little bit of shade on even just one panel can have a serious impact on your solar harvest whilst that panel is shaded - do a visual survey around your house at various times during the day, and check if you need to trim or remove any trees (or break down chimneys 🫠) that might affect your solar panels during the day (early morning and late afternoon is not so critical...). Also consider that shadows grow longer or shorter depending on the season, and plan for that as well.

Good luck with your installation.

Thank you @HennieL solid advice!