The thought of moving entirely off the Eskom grid is a great thought but how practical is it? Here are some facts relating to Grid Tie.
Grid Tie Solar Electricity: (Grid Connected)
This is by far the most popular choice of solar for home electricity. In laymen terms, sun is absorbed by the Photovoltaic collector panels A.K.A (PV Panels). This energy is converted to DC voltage which is transferred to the “brain” of the Grid tie solar systems, known as the Grid Tie Inverter. These come in various sizes namely 1kw / 3kw / 5kw/ 10kw and so on. We currently use a German brand inverter as seen below. This is the brain of the system and manages the voltage produced by the solar and voltage supplied by Eskom.
Currently the most popular size is 3 kw solar system. This will supplement a standard households electricity demand by as much as 65%. This is based on 6 solar hours per day @ 3 kw = 18 Kw. Many homes would only use 25 – 35kw per day so the 18kw that is produced by the sun is a large chunk of electricity you wont be paying for.
The 3kw system has 12 x 250w Photovoltaic modules (Sunmodule SW Poly-Crystalline Solar Panels) connected to the Grid tie Inverter. The ideal angle of these modules, when installed on the coast, is 31-36 degrees.
To find out more call 0860 448367