You may have seen inverter companies promoting “battery-less backup” – a feature that lets you power lights and appliances with your solar panels during grid outages and without the need for batteries.
[Read more…]
Why You Can’t Have Enphase Sunlight Backup
Improving Australian House Construction: The Case for Service Ducts

Spot the difference.
The sound of Dad’s drill bit, as long as my arm, boring through the thick stone walls of our 1875 home, was a childhood constant. The sound of regular home improvements. [Read more…]
“THEY’RE STEALING MY ELECTRICITY!” The Truth About Feed-in Tariffs
For some time, I’ve been both amused and increasingly disappointed by how people perceive solar feed-in tariffs. [Read more…]
George And His Terrible Solar Install
There are dents in the roof and solar panels right behind the air conditioner.
Some weeks ago, I was cruising the wilds of social media and found a solar thread causing a stir. The victim of a shoddy solar installation was seeking help, and of course, a few comedians were making light of the misfortune. [Read more…]
The Pleasures And Sorrows Of Enphase
Thanks for the image, Matt Hines
Certain products earn a loyal following for a reason, and Enphase, the world’s biggest microinverter maker, is no exception.
REC Alpha Pure-RX: 470W Of High-Voltage, Low-Current Goodness
Prominent Singapore-headquartered PV module manufacturer REC has dropped the specifications of its latest line of residential solar panels, the REC Alpha Pure-RX Series. The “pure” part of this name refers to the panels being lead-free. [Read more…]
New Tasmanian Metering Rules Could Add $1,000s To Solar Installs
Attention, Tasmanians looking to invest in solar energy: the Tasmanian Metering Code of Practice has undergone changes and is now strictly enforced, which could hit your wallet hard. [Read more…]
SMA Unveils Its Long-Awaited Hybrid Inverter & Battery Range
Image: SMA (modified)
Got an old red SMA solar inverter that’s still kicking? These tough-as-nails units are a testament to when SMA ruled the roost in grid-connected solar tech in Australia. [Read more…]
Why Solar Installers Hate Tiled Roofs
You can see from the dirt, this isn’t a fresh break, it’s just a typical tile failure.
You’d be silly to build a house with a tiled roof.
I can’t make it any simpler, but as we explore more subjects in the series of how to talk to builders, hopefully I can explain the many reasons why tiles make a poor choice for solar roofing. [Read more…]
How To Stop Your EV Draining Your Home Battery
I think AI is going to design my next house.
Don’t want to waste the energy in your home battery charging your electric car? You’re not alone. Discover a straightforward wiring tweak that fixes this—no fancy gear needed. [Read more…]
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