High load shedding stages are back and dodgy solar installers are waiting…

High load shedding stages are back with dodgy solar installers and sellers of knock-off equipment waiting to cash in on for consumers who finally had enough and are ready to opt for solar. Now is the time to beware and do your due diligence on your solar journey.  

The solar energy boom has given rise to a proliferation of fly-by-night contractors who suddenly sprung up trying to cash in.

Fly-by-nights cash in on solar boom

Not a day goes by that you do not hear about an unsuspecting consumer getting taken for a ride and ripped off with either a bad deal, outdated or unfit technology, wholly unqualified installers or non-compliant installations. More recently, counterfeit and even stolen equipment, have been added to the mix.

One Energy marketing director Teresa Kok says that, in some of the worst cases, these fly-by-nights even disappeared with large deposits taken from clients.

Kok warns consumers to not be lured into the many cheap solutions punted on the market by drop-and-go shippers and to be especially wary of the many unqualified fly-by-nights who popped up recently.

“The installation and management of solar PV systems is a complex and highly skilled undertaking sitting on top of your most expensive asset: Your home or business and therefore you do not want to get it wrong. Absolutely no one becomes a solar specialist in a few months.”

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Going solar: Choose qualified professionals as installers

She urges consumers to do their due diligence on the solar installer they choose thoroughly in order to find qualified professionals with long-standing track records, qualifications and experience in the market.  

“Also consider that the lifespan of your solar PV system is a good 20+ years which means it is not a short-term relationship with your provider. You must be sure that he will be around for the ongoing back-up, support, warranty management and servicing of your system and that there is a succession plan that comes with working with either a national group or franchise network.”   

Kok says the bottom line is that the journey to greater grid independence is a complex and highly technical undertaking. 

With so many new solar products and changing technology, it is difficult to know what the right system and tech is for your needs now and in the future.

“Every component in your system must be compatible. Not every inverter is compatible with every battery and even different makes of municipal electricity meters can prove problematic. In addition, remember that even the best equipment will fail and perform badly if it is not installed and programmed correctly.”

She says the consequences of a non-compliant installation is poor system performance, premature battery failures and in the worst cases, an outright safety and fire hazard and if the worst should happen, any insurance claim will be rejected due to non-compliance. 

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Checklist of what to watch out for when going solar

One Energy compiled this handy checklist of all the important aspects you should assess any potential solar provider on:

Track record

Choose a partner with the technical expertise and a proven track record over time to ensure you get it right first time for the long haul. No one becomes a specialist in six months. Ask for client references and do the necessary due diligence.

Think carefully before working with solo operators. What is the succession plan to provide ongoing back-up and support on your system which has a 20+ year lifespan if the original installer is no longer around for whatever reason? How prepared are you to pay upfront deposits of 70% or more to solo operators where you have no recourse at a head office if things go awry?

Whether you intend to finance your deal or pay upfront for it, consider working with bank-approved solar providers who have been through the stringent vetting, quality and compliance checks to become bank-approved solar installers.

On-site consultation and energy audit

Before any installation happens, will your installer provide an onsite consultation and energy audit at no charge? Has a site assessment and energy audit been done to ensure that your proposed solution is fit for purpose and your needs? Do you know how much power your system will generate and what your expected savings will be on electricity costs?

Does your installer fully understand your expectations and are the capabilities of your proposed system aligned and capable of any required future expansion if needed?

Finance options

For many homeowners the upfront capital outlay of financing a solar PV system is not manageable, but be circumspect on the type of finance option you choose.

Many solar rental options appeared on the market, offering seemingly low initial monthly instalments, but the contract fine print hides hefty initiation fees and above inflationary annual escalations, never-ending “ever-green” rental terms for systems you will never own, hefty penalties for early cancellations and are simply not financially sound.

Rather finance your solar PV system for your home in the same way that you finance your car or other assets with trusted financial services providers, taking full ownership of your system after the loan is repaid.

Unlike many rental options, there are no penalty fees should you choose to settle your loan earlier.

Commercial clients have the option of fixed-term rental options with no escalations whereby you own the equipment at the end of the finance term.

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Regulations and registration of installers

Scalability:

Many people start with a scalable solar hybrid solution that takes care of immediate needs for back-up power during load shedding and power failures, much like a UPS and then allows you to scale up in future to self-generation by adding solar panels and additional batteries if needed.

However, not all inverters offer this scalable functionality and therefore it is essential to work with a solar partner who is experienced in this field and understands your objectives.

NRS-097 regulations

Check that the inverter specified is on the list of inverters or equipment in terms of NRS 097-2-1 and that they can be legally connected to the grid.

Do your research on the proposed components and be comfortable that the products are best-in-class.

SSEG Registration

All councils require you to apply for authorisation of an embedded generation system, such as a rooftop solar PV that is connected to the grid.

As the property owner you will have to make this application in person, or your installer may offer to do this for you at a fee to handle the documentation and application process.

It is one of the reasons why One Energy only installs inverters on the NRS-097 list to ensure that equipment complies with any SSEG registration process.

Be especially wary of any provider who does not inform you of this important process upfront or says it is not required.

Safety and compliance

A non-compliant installation has significant implications for your safety and insurance cover if things go wrong and you need to claim.

Make sure that you receive an electrical Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for your installation from a qualified electrician. This will be a supplementary CoC for the solar installation only and you will need your valid initial COC for your home or business premises in place already.

Does your installer comply with relevant health and safety regulations during your installation?

Membership of a professional industry body

Check whether your provider is registered and a current member of professional industry bodies such as SAPVIA. Is your installer a certified PV GreenCard installer?

Insurance

Does your installer have the requisite business insurance, such as public and contractor’s liability and goods in transit cover to insure your goods while in storage and transit to your site?

If your contractor is involved in an accident or his vehicle is hijacked and your equipment is damaged or lost, is he suitably insured for the hardware you likely paid at least a 70-80% deposit for?

Once the equipment is delivered to your premises and installed with a valid CoC, the liability for its care and safe keeping then rests with you and must be added to your insurance cover.

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Warranties and product quality

Does your installer have the financial backing and proven reputation of standing by all product warranties and money-back guarantees? What are the warranties on the equipment?

Be especially wary of pricing on equipment that is too good to be true because it probably is.

Theft and resale of stolen equipment is rife, as is counterfeit/rip-off goods. Those rock-bottom prices are often indicative of the many cheap, counterfeit goods flooding the market from dodgy dealers.

Work with installers who only procure their equipment from legitimate vendors who can provide certificates of authenticity and are authorised importers of original equipment manufacturers.

Quality management

Check whether your provider has a CRM system which records the detailed installation and service history of your system, which means consistent quality control, warranty management and business continuity for you.

Is there the back-up of a national franchise or branch network if your original installer is no longer around in a few years’ time?

Handover

What is the handover process of the solar plant once installed?

Typically, this will involve an overview or induction of how your system operates, details regarding monitoring and maintenance and setting up of your details for remote monitoring, handover of warranty documents, issuing of the supplementary CoC by a qualified electrician and establishing any service requirements.

Back-up and support

Check that your solar installer provides ongoing support, annual site inspections if needed and services.

Solar geysers and heat pumps, for example, require an annual service and inverters and batteries will need firmware updates from time to time.  Does your provider offer remote monitoring, maintenance and technical support to keep your system working optimally?

 Kok says the journey to grid independence is a big and important step and you need to be sure that the steps you take today are right for your needs down the line.