Posts By Anthony Bennett On SolarQuotes

Steve’s Solar Shock: How I Sorted His Dodgy $4,000 Electricity Bill

Simply energy gets the bill wrong

Just before Christmas, one of my best mates finished installing solar on his shed. Six weeks later his eagerly anticipated new electricity bill came.

He was mortified when he opened the envelope to reveal his bill had tripled; and was almost as surprised when I openly laughed at the nearly $4000 allegedly owing. [Read more…]

Natural Causes: Solar Panels The Scapegoat For A Leaking Roof… Again

water leak caused by leaves

As a roofer, I’ve been sent out to investigate some mysterious drips. And too often, the problem is blamed on solar, simply because installers were the last trade on the roof.

[Read more…]

The 100-Year History Of The Electromobile Leads Us To A Renewable Future

Image credit “Modern Power Generators” printed 1908

The first car I ever owned turns 100 this year.

What tenuous link does this have with solar energy for your home or business? Well, I guess it’s mainly about fuel… and access to it. [Read more…]

Overcoming A Skinny Grid Connection: How To Get More Amps To Your House

Australians eager to fully electrify their home often hit an unexpected snag: the size of the copper cable from the grid to the house. This small but crucial detail can stall your electrification ambitions.

Here are some options for overcoming a skinny grid connection. [Read more…]

When Solar Panels Are The Scapegoat For A Leaking Roof

roof leaks

Recently, at SolarQuotes, we hit a snag: Jono, our marketing guru, has been dodging drips from his ceiling in recent years, suspecting his solar setup might be the culprit. It was time for some detective work.

[Read more…]

Solar Horror Stories: How MC4 Plugs Become The Point Of Failure

Some months ago, I penned an article about how critical the humble MC4 plug is to solar PV systems. Today, we’ll explore the failures that these plugs often present and how to avoid them.

[Read more…]

Solar Safety Servicing: The Art Of Maintenance

Solar array maintenance rules

Excerpt from AS5033, the solar array standard.

As part of an ongoing series, I’d like to touch on some important points for maintaining solar. [Read more…]

Sigenergy Battery: If It Lives Up To The Claims – It’ll Be Amazing

sigenergy inverter and battery

*Updated 18/3/24: Errors corrected based on Sigenergy feedback

In the rapidly evolving world of renewable energy and storage, we have often seen products that spark a lot of interest, but turn out to be a flash in the pan. So, you’ll have to forgive my scepticism when a brand-new company puts out a well-orchestrated media release, rave reviews and a showy launch bringing yet more new products to a crowded market.

Sigenergy is certainly making noise, announcing a new range of all-singing, all-dancing, all-in-one energy solutions.

[Read more…]

Budget EV Diaries: Running on Empty and the RAA Rescue

Emergency road service van charging an EV

As I wrote last week, I’ve recently picked up a really cheap electric vehicle. Since then, I’ve been testing out the battery, mulling over why we feel the need to name cute cars… and trying out the RAA’s new emergency charging service for EVs. Oops.

[Read more…]

Balancing Act: Do You Need Three Batteries On A 3 Phase House?

Power Plus and Selectronic Inverters

One battery and three of the best inverters made anywhere.

It wasn’t so long ago that 1kW was the average size of a solar power system. Keen customers bought 1.5kW. The first 2kW job I did was on a garage full of Mercs that overlooked a winery. Fast forward just a decade and a half and 6.6kW has become the basic measuring stick for quotes, with average system sizes surpassing 10kW.

As system sizes have grown, so has demand for 3 phase solar power.

[Read more…]

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