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The Queensland government requires new (or upgraded) solar systems with total inverter capacity of 10kW and above to have an “Emergency Backstop” device installed. The device allows Ergon/Energex to turn off solar systems in an emergency, to prevent damage to the network. This will add a small extra cost to a solar installation and also mean that the systems may be turned off when/if Ergon sees the need. Why? The purpose of the backstop (AKA a Generation Signalling Device (G

Why install solar batteries? What’s the benefit? Essentially batteries store unused energy produced by your solar panels. That stored energy can be used overnight, in times of inclement weather or when power is charged at premium rates (Time-of-Use tariff customers). Batteries give you ‘certainty of supply’ and allow you to create your own energy supply rather than relying predominately on the grid (Ergon, Energex etc).   The three main benefits of installing a solar battery

THE “SUN TAX” – What does it even mean? Over the past few weeks, there has been talk of a new “solar/sun tax” being introduced in Australia. There have been numerous Facebook posts, news articles and radio segments indicating that solar owners are soon going to be charged to sell back/export any excess electricity (instead of getting paid for it as you do now). This obviously created quite a stir within the solar industry as if it was true (spoiler: it’s not), it would impact

REC is known for producing high-quality solar panels, but which one is best for you ?  The REC Alpha Pure and TwinPeak 4 are both good-quality solar panels. We proudly recommend both to our customers and in fact, have been installing REC panels for more than 5 years. We’re totally confident in both panels’ performance, reliability, and longevity.  How are they similar? Both panels feature a half-cut design, have an impressive 25 year product warranty, and are backed by a la

In a nutshell: To work out what size solar PV system you require, you need to analyse your household’s daily electricity consumption. Your monthly or quarterly electricity bill measures your household’s electricity consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Using your current average daily electricity consumption, as well as your expected FUTURE consumption, we size and design a system to suit you and your needs. Sizing a solar power system should not be a ‘One Size Fits All’ pro

Director of Electrical Sensations, Nigel Phillips has been accepted into the Clean Energy Council’s (CEC) Installer Reference Group. The...

The inverter is certainly one of, if not the most, critical components of the solar system. When it comes to good quality, premium solar inverters , SMA and Fronius are both industry leaders. They have both been manufacturing inverters for more than 20 years and have a solid reputation in Australia for producing reliable, efficient and long-lasting products. So, which one should you choose? While we install and recommend both the SMA Sunny Boy and Fronius Primo to our cu

Solar panel selection can be one of the most confusing aspects of having a solar power system installed… There are always new...

In Australia, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing a solar installer. With over 8,000 CEC accredited installers , knowing which one to pick can get pretty confusing. While there are plenty of high-quality, local installers out there, there are also a lot of dodgy installers who only have one thing in mind: getting your money.  But how can you decipher a trustworthy company from a not-so-trustworthy company? Here is a list of seven red flags to look out for wh

Researching and comparing solar power systems can be a daunting and confusing process – especially when it comes to understanding the different warranties. Solar panels have two different types of warranties: The Output Performance Warranty  and the  Manufacturer’s Product Warranty . They are VERY different.  Solar Panel Product Warranty The manufacturer’s product warranty is much more meaningful, important, and useful than the performance warranty. Ranges from 10-30 years.

1. Home visits to create a customised, quality solution for your home A local solar installer is more likely to fully evaluate your situation by visiting your property before the installation. During an onsite visit, the installer will: Check out the switchboard to see if there is any work that needs to be done for it to meet Ergon/Energex requirements Check the size of the mains cabling to ensure it is big enough for solar Determine the best layout for the panels on your roo

What’s normal : If there is a blackout, it’s completely normal for your solar power system to shut down. It should turn itself back on once the power is back on. It’s also normal for your system to be producing significantly less than usual when it’s very overcast in the lead-up to the storm.  What’s NOT normal : Error lights on the inverter after a storm OR the inverter not turning itself back on after the power is back on.  When you should get your system inspected by a pro

Long story short: ‘Tier 1’ is one of the most misused and misleading terms in the solar industry. To be quite blunt, Tier 1 is a marketing term a lot of cheap solar installers exploit to give the buyer a feeling of confidence in a substandard product.  The tiering system was created by BloombergNEF & has nothing to do with the quality of the solar panels.  It was created to separate solar manufacturers (NOT the panels) based on their ‘bankability’, which BloombergNEF defines

Inverters are an essential component of any solar power system. The inverter's basic function is to invert Direct Current (DC) from the solar panels, into Alternating Current (AC) that can be used to operate your household appliances. The excess electricity that is not used in your home is then fed into the grid or stored in a solar battery (if you have batteries installed – this is a whole other topic that will be covered in a later article). With inverters being the main po