SOLAR POWER CAN REDUCE YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL!

Our grid-tied solar power systems can halve your power bill by producing power, for free, from the sun’s rays. It is best to size your system to cover your daytime loads as best possible, we take the guesswork out of this during our in-house assessments.

SOLAR POWER HAS NEVER BEEN CHEAPER

A few years ago Photo voltaic solar power systems would take in excess of 60 years to pay for themselves, which for most of us was far too long.  However over the last few years the cost has crashed to the point where it will now only take as little as 7 years to pay for itself. We can thank our global economy for this and only hope that the downward trend continues.

CAN I SAVE MORE?

Yes. The more power you can use during the day rather than night, the better it will be for you. Doing things like always washing your clothes during the day, or heating the spa and swimming pool only during daylight hours will help increase your daytime base load and decrease your night time load (which is when you are not producing your own power). Another great way is to install energy efficient LED lighting which can reduce your lighting bill by 90% which, same as before, will reduce your night time load.

YOU WILL REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOT PRINT

Becoming the owner of your own solar power system has more great bonuses than just reducing your power bill; it is a sustainable, environmentally friendly way to reduce your carbon foot print. Unlike average consumer electronics that are frequently replaced, your average solar system is expected to reliably continue its operation in our harsh New Zealand environment without fail. A period of 25-40 years of operation is not uncommon for solar panels.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • How does a solar PV system work?

    The solar panels mounted on your roof convert sunlight into electricity. An inverter then converts the energy into 240V AC for the home and any excess energy is stored in your hybrid energy system or fed back to the grid.

  • What energy provider does the payback scheme?

    Most energy retailers are now providing feed in tariffs, however for the best returns we recommend sizing your solar system to maximize self consumption.

  • How much does a system cost?

    Systems are sized based on how much power you are consuming however as an indication of price we have systems starting from $6000 installed. We suggest contacting us for a no obligation quote or discussion regarding your solar system requirements.

  • Do your systems come with warranty?

    At SolarCraft we only install quality equipment that is backed up by rock solid warranties. We use quality solar modules with a workmanship warranty of 10 years and are warranted to provide at least 90% of their rated output at standard conditions for a minimum of 10 years and 80% for a minimum of 25 years.

  • How long will it take to install?

    Most solar PV systems take less than a day to install, some of the larger 6Kw and above may take a couple of days depending on roof conditions and mounting systems.

  • What is the power output of a panel?

    We use high quality panels that are at the top of their product range. Their power output ranges between 285W and 325W. However this is increasing as the technology improves.

  • Where is the inverter mounted?

    Most of the inverters we use are weather proof allowing them to be mounted on the exterior wall of your house or roof as well as inside your garage. The only limitation is that they require adequate ventilation so as not to overheat. We can discuss this during the site assessment.

  • Do you have to clean the panels after installation?

    Under normal operation your panels will keep themselves relatively clean via rain and wind. We suggest giving them a clean if any visible dirt or moss build up occurs.

  • Is it easy to expand an existing system?

    In most cases systems can be expanded if necessary, however we recommend sizing the system appropriately in the beginning.

  • Can I take the system with me when I move house?

    Yes you can, however we recommend selling it as an asset to the premises and upgrading yourself to a new system when the need arrives.

  • Is my house suitable for a solar PV array?

    A north-facing roof is preferable but a north-west or north-east facing roof is also ideal for a solar PV array. The main thing to take into consideration is if there will be hard shading on any part of the roof where your PV array will be positioned. Shading can be cancelled by using micro inverter technology or even better, getting rid of the shading permanently e.g. trimming trees or shortening vent pipes.

  • Do I require a building permit to install a solar PV array on my house?

    For the installation of solar PV arrays you do not need a building permit although there are certain guidelines installers must adhere to which relate to loading and wind zones.
    On the other hand solar hot water systems do need a building permit as they create loading issues that go with the weight of the actual systems.

  • What direction should my solar panels face?

    To set up and get the most out of a solar PV array in the southern hemisphere the array should be facing as close to true north as possible as this is where the array will receive the most sunlight hours throughout the year.

  • What is the difference between solar hot water and PV solar electricity?

    Solar hot water systems use the sun’s energy to directly heat the hot water for your house’s consumption, whereas solar PV electricity uses the sun’s energy to create electricity for your entire household to use, whether it’s on lighting, water heating or general power!

  • What are solar panels?

    A solar panel (solar module, photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel) is an assembly of solar cells or photovoltaic cells that turn light into electricity.
    We generally fit multiple solar panels together to generate the required amount of energy for a residential or commercial application.

  • How much does a solar panel cost?

    Over the last 2 years solar PV panels have dropped in price close to 70% from near $4.00 per watt to $0.60c per watt. This has made them much more affordable!

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