Solar FAQ
The size of your PV solar system will depend on:
- The area available for the installation of your panels
- How much you are prepared to invest
- What portion of your electrical consumption you wish to generate
Batteries come in all shapes, sizes and various 'recipes'.
Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are commonly used for grid connect solar. They store excess energy production for use at night or during low production days. If you are working during the day and consuming the majority of your production at night, use medical equipment or would like an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), it may be more economical to install a larger solar system and feed back to the grid than install batteries. We can assess this for you.
Yes. Rebates are available in the form of Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs).
STCs are an electronic form of currency created by the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000. The amount of STCs you are eligible for depends on the size of the system and the Zone within Australia you live. The price of STCs change according to market conditions on a daily basis.
STCs are most commonly assigned to your accredited installer for a point of sale discount on your solar system.
A feed-in tariff pays you for excess electricity generated by your PV solar system. Under a net feed-in tariff, a premium is paid for any solar energy that goes back into the grid from your house. So if you have surplus energy generated by your panels, you get paid for it as an offset against your next electricity bill. Feed-in tariffs vary between electicity retailers, so it pays to shop around for the best feed-in tariff and overall discounts on offer.
The output of a PV solar system depends on many factors including size of system, shading, roof orientation, roof inclination and seasons. However, the average daily output for South Coast NSW is:
| System Size | Output per Day |
| 1.5 KW | 6 kWh |
| 2 KW | 8kWh |
| 3 KW | 12 kWh |
| 4 KW | 16 kWh |
| 5KW | 20 kWh |
| 10 KW | 40 kWh |
To connect your system to the grid you will need a Smart Meter to be installed by your electricity retailer as per regulation by the NSW Government from 1 December 2017. THe Smart Meter replaces your current general meter and will monitor your consumption and excess electricity being exported to the grid. generally most retailers install this meter for free, however it can take 4 to 6 weeks. We can help you with this application.
Should you decide that a solar system is the right investment for you or your business, we are here to help with the process.
- Contact Karen on 02 6494 3115 for an obligation free site inspection and quote.
- If you accept the quote, we'll submit an application to Essential Energy on your behalf.
- Once approval is received, we ask for a 20% deposit and order the material needed for your system.
- We will arrange installation on a day that suits you. Depending on the size of the system, installatoin can take 1 - 4 days to complete.
- Our staff will explain to you how your system works and the maintenance needed to optimise your output.
- You will need to complete some paperwork and finalise the balance of the invoice.
To ensure your system is performing at its peak, we've compiled a list of system maintenance procedures you should undertake on a regular basis.
Weekly
Check inverter performance during the day. Keep it clean, dust-free and check for any vermin infestation.
Monthly
Check your Solar Export Register to ensure it's reading any surplus solar power that is being exported to the grid.
Quarterly
Check cables and plugs, check or shading, check panels for dust build up.
Every other year
Maintenance Check of whole system and, if required, cleaning of panels - this can be scheduled with Lakeside Electrical.
Warranty is an important issue for a large investment like a solar system and should not be taken lightly.
Failure of an inverter or panel is rare, but should it happen, help is at hand. We offer a 10 year workmanship warranty as well the manufacturers' warranties. We use only quality system components that guarantee a minimum 5 year warranty on inverters and a minimum 12 year warranty on panels with a panel output warranty of 25 years.
There are many products available for solar systems. We only use quality products that have been proven in the market for years from manufacturers who are financially stable and who invest in development, and whose warranty services are up to our standard.
It is essential to compare 'apples with apples' and not 'apples with rotten bananas'. Don't be fooled into buying a 'cheap' solar system that will end up costing you more in the long run.
Our prices are very competitive, we offer ongoing support and - for those systems we can monitor - we will check on an ongoing basis at no extra charge.
Hot Water Diverters are a logical solution to reducing your peak or off-peak consumption, using your excess solar production and diverting energy to your standard electric hot water tank or solar hot water tank. Forget about constantly changing tariffs. Catch assesses how much off-peak has been used and adjusts to maximise use of your solar power. We recommend the Green CatchPower Hot Water Diverter.
Green Catch diverts excess household solar power.
- The Catch Diverter is installed in the meter box
- It monitors power coming and going from your premises. When the diverert senses solar power leaving, it redirects that power to your hot water service.
- The Catch Control Pad gives you greater control of your hot water heating, allowing for shorter days in winter or an extra boost if needed (eg if you have more visitors).
- The Control Pad can be adjusted to heat water immediately (from general tariff electricity) to never using mains power at all.
- Green Catch will automatically adjust the timer set to make best use of your solar power.
- Solar, together with Catch, can reduce your reliance on mains supplied power by an average of 85%.
- Lakeside Electrical is your local Catch Installer Partner.