Solar installation

Yes. We install solar panels, inverters and lithium batteries for homes and businesses. Some clients want backup power only, to keep the lights, Wi-Fi and security running during load-shedding. Others want enough panels to carry most of the day and cut their electricity bill. Many start with backup and add panels later, which a well-planned system allows. We look at what you need to keep running, how much electricity you use and the space on your roof. Then we design a system to suit, with room to grow. Because we also install gate motors, alarms, electric fences and cameras, we make sure your security stays powered during outages. Every job starts with a site visit and a written quotation, and nothing is ordered until you accept it.

Yes. When we install a solar or backup system, we put the gate motor, alarm, electric fence, intercom and cameras on the backup circuit. They keep working when the grid goes down, alongside your lights, Wi-Fi and fridge. Outages are when many people feel most exposed, so keeping security running is one of the main reasons to install backup power. A gate or camera far from the house can also run on its own small solar panel and battery, with no cable to dig in. This suits long driveways, farms and large business sites. The gate motor and alarm already have their own small batteries, and solar backup takes the strain off them during long outages. We plan which circuits go on backup on the site visit.

How long the batteries last depends on their size and what's running. A system sized for the essentials, such as lights, Wi-Fi, the fridge, TV and security, can carry a home through a long evening of load-shedding and often through the night. Switch on the geyser, the oven, a kettle or air conditioning and the batteries empty fast, because these use far more power. This is why most systems keep heavy appliances off the backup circuit. With solar panels, the batteries recharge during the day, so you start each evening full. We size the batteries to the hours you need and the appliances you want running. On the site visit, we go through what you'd like to keep on, and show you how long the batteries should last.

Usually, yes. Every solar installation needs an electrical Certificate of Compliance from a registered electrician, confirming the wiring is safe. Most municipalities also want a grid-connected system registered and approved, even if you don't plan to feed power back into the grid. In Johannesburg, the approval comes from City Power. Other municipalities, such as Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, have their own processes. A system installed without the right paperwork can cause problems with your insurance or when you sell the property. Off-grid systems with no connection to the grid have fewer requirements, but still need a certificate. We explain what your property needs on the site visit, before anything is installed, and include the paperwork in the written quotation where it applies.

The cost of solar depends on the number of panels, the size of the inverter (the unit turning battery and solar power into household power), the size of the batteries and how much of the house or business needs to keep running. A backup system for the essentials costs far less than a system designed to carry the whole house through the day. The batteries are often the largest single cost. Your roof, the distance from the panels to the distribution board and any electrical upgrades add to the price, as do municipal approval and the certificate of compliance. A well-designed system can be built in stages, starting with backup and adding panels later. We don't quote from a price list. We price each system after a site visit, with a written quotation before anything is ordered.