Solar Power and Off Grid

Different Roof Types Will Affect the Final Price

Installing a system on a metal/tin roof is generally easier and uses fewer components, therefore has a lower cost. Tile, bitumen and shingle roofs are likely to have a higher solar panel installation cost due to the extra mounting components. Tilting panels to a higher angle on flat roofs might be a requirement that could also infer extra cost.

Other Factors That May Affect the Total Price

• Switchboard Upgrade - If the existing one is too old and non-compliant, or doesn't have enough room for the solar switches.
• Scaffolding - may be required for homes with 2 stories or more.
• Travel Cost - For locations that are rural or far away from the solar installer's base, a travel cost may be incurred for the installation.
• Lines company charges - Some local lines companies don't charge to connect a solar power system to the grid, while others will charge a fee between $100 and $200 for administration fees to accept your solar power system's export of excess power into the grid. Find out every lines company solar fees here.
• Council consent for solar - Most local councils around New Zealand don't require consent for solar installations. Find out which local councils do require consent here

North is ideal for the most sunshine hours, but east and west are also good options.

Depending on where you live, your solar panels may need to be cleaned once a year with water and a soft brush and avoid using chemicals. It's easy to do!

When choosing a solar company to work with, you'll want to make sure that the products they offer are well known, trusted brands that perform well in NZ conditions and have a good local NZ warranty.

Look for a company like PERL Electrical that are qualified electricians that have solar experience and can help you find a solution that will work the best for your situation. They also need to have a reputation for looking after their customers so look at their recent customer reviews and examples of previous solar installations. A fully in-house model works the best to ensure standards are maintained.  Many solar companies simply sub-contract out elements of design, supply and installation to other less reputable installers.  This makes the process, product quality and standards extremely difficult to control. And for peace of mind your solar company should be a member of the Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand (SEANZ).  Like PERL Electrical they strictly adhere to their Code of Conduct and quality assurance principles allowing you peace of mind knowing your solar investment is safe and sound.

Because everyone has a different roof and aspect and uses their power differently, there is no clear answer. Use our calculator above to find out the potential, and for a better idea, talk to our team of PERL Electrical Solar Electricians for a free analysis and quote to see the potential for your home, farm or business.

With our smart monitoring software, you'll be able to track your off-set of carbon, usually thousands of kilograms every year.

But it is without doubt that every system installed makes a positive ongoing positive environmental impact. 

The benefits of installing solar are huge!

Saving money, environmental impact, energy independence and even adding value to your home.

Yes - currently there are two basic types of solar module available - thin film (or amorphous) solar modules and crystalline modules. Within the crystalline category there are two primary subgroups - multi (or poly) crystalline and mono (or single) crystalline modules.

Batteries are designed to store the excess unused power generated throughout the day.  In most cases you can pre-set how much power you want to discharge from the batteries in the evening, however it is important to note the more you discharge the batteries each night the less lifespan you will get from them. Around 50 to 60% depth of discharge is not uncommon.

Thin film and crystalline modules behave differently when partially shaded. If a crystalline module is partially obscured by heavy shade then some of the module may cease to provide any output. Thin film modules on the other hand will continue to provide an output under such conditions, proportionally reduced by the area exposed to shading. Potential shading is an important factor in.

Once installed, solar electricity generating systems are generally fully automatic systems and require no day-to-day input from the owner of the system. Once or twice a year the surface of the solar modules should be cleaned with water to remove any build-up of dust, dirt or lichen/mould.  PERL Electrical can arrange for scheduled solar checks and cleaning to ensure maximum energy output.  Please call your local PERL Electrical to arrange an appointment.

If not please don't hesitate to contact us and we'll be happy to answer any further questions you may have!