So you’ve made the tree change, shifted to the dream country block or taken over the farm now Dad has retired. While the peace and quiet is great, the fringe of grid power can prove problematic.
[Read more…]
How To Reinforce Skinny Rural SWER Connections With Solar Batteries
Do You Really Need A 3-Phase Battery To Backup Your 3-Phase Home?
If only home batteries were this simple
Today’s post explains that no matter how hard you pedal, if you take two wheels off your tricycle, it won’t go anywhere.
In other words, a single-phase battery won’t power a three-phase appliance. [Read more…]
Queensland Finally Allows Faster EV Charging With Solar
Ergon and Energex have rewritten their rules on EV charging in Queensland, so properties running on a single-phase supply can now charge ahead at a full 7kW capacity.
[Read more…]
A Solar Installer’s Guide to Beating Confusing Electricity Tariffs
As a solar installer, I’ve had to deal with electricity retailers a lot. So much so, that I sometimes wonder what I did in a past life to deserve this. In this post I’ll share my frustrations but also offer 3 solutions to get the better of the retailers and their increasingly incomprehensible tariffs.
[Read more…]
Steve’s Solar Shock: How I Sorted His Dodgy $4,000 Electricity Bill
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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