Many Australians are having an epiphany: electric vehicles are big batteries on wheels that could, in theory, be used to power our homes using a V2H (Vehicle to Home) system. [Read more…]
About Anthony BennettAnthony joined the SolarQuotes team in 2022. He’s a licensed electrician, builder, roofer and solar installer who for 14 years did jobs all over SA - residential, commercial, on-grid and off-grid. A true enthusiast with a skillset the typical solar installer might not have, his blogs are typically deep dives that draw on his decades of experience in the industry to educate and entertain. Read Anthony's full bio.
Good Flashings For Solar; Holes In Your Roof Made Waterproof
Image credit: Solar Depot
There are many ways to make a weatherproof cable entry to your iron roof, but as far as I’m concerned, all of them except one are wrong. In this post, I’ll explain what 20 years of roofing experience has taught me about making the perfect wiring penetration. [Read more…]
Why Faster Home EV Charging Gives Better Returns
Charging at 16A on 3-phase = 11 kW charging rate.
Solar power systems have been saving us money for years, but what about saving some for later? With large solar arrays on houses becoming the norm, finding places to store all the goodness is becoming more important. Faster EV charging is an excellent place to start. [Read more…]
Failed Flashings: When Solar Roof Penetrations Go Wrong
Think about the tin roof over your head. Its primary function is to keep the rain out. Now picture putting holes in that tin sheet for a fat bundle of cables. It’s risky if not handled properly. [Read more…]
How To Reinforce Skinny Rural SWER Connections With Solar Batteries
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…]
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.
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