Frequently asked questions about solar panel installations
What equipment do I need to go with my solar panels?
On grid solar systems help to supply your power and offset your electricity costs, however if the grid goes down and your home is in a black out, unless you have a battery (eg. Tesla Powerwall) and change-over system installed your solar panels won’t be able to give you any power either. For peace of mind, you can decide to have a standby generator for your home which can keep your home powered when there's a blackout.
What size solar system should I buy?
As a general rule a 6.6kw system would be ample for electricity bills up to around $750/quarter; for $750 to $1200/quarter you would look for between 6.6kw and 10kw; for bills above $1200/quarter you would be looking at a 10kw to 12kw system.
The best return on your investment is if you can utilise your solar power yourself when it is being made, as this offsets the full price of electricity you would have otherwise had to purchase. If your’e not home to use the power your excess power will be sold to the grid at an agreed price from your electricity provider (OriginEenergy, AGL, Red Energy, etc.) This resale price is always less than what you buy your power for.
How much does it cost to get solar panels installed?
The cost for the system will vary depending on the installation and brands of equipment used.
For a solar installation of a mid-range system with a minimum 10 year life expectancy, you should expect to pay around $750/kilowatt, so for a 6.6kw system around $5,000.
Contact us with your requirements and we can email you a suggested layout and estimate of how much solar would save you on your home.
Are there government solar rebates available?
Yes! In order to promote the use of solar energy, the government does provide a rebate for the installation of house solar panels, and there are also interest-free loans available for solar battery installations.
How long does it take to install a solar system?
Our accredited solar installers can usually get most residential solar panel installations completed in one day. The whole process is generally 2 to 4 weeks from when you’ve confirmed your system to completed installation.
Can I run my house on solar power alone?
The short answer is YES. However, power use is dynamic and not everybody has the same habits and patterns, so it is important to get some professional advice to ensure the design of the system is right for you and that your expectations are inline with how the system will perform. There are a number of components to an off grid system which need to be considered, including solar panel size and layout, battery capacity and chemistry, inverter sizes and solar charger types and ratings.
Some points to keep in mind
All solar systems will pay for themselves over time, and give you a return on your investment. The return will always be better if you can use the power yourself; have a look at a CATCH Power device for your hot water unit as a good cheap alternative option to a battery.
You may be limited on how much power you can send back to grid by the electricity network. In general, 5kws in urban areas and 3kws in rural areas is all that is allowed. So a 10kw system on a 3kw export limit is going to be a waste of money if you can’t utilise the power when you are making it during the day.
