The One Question You MUST Ask Any Solar Installer (+ 6 Other Solar Buying Mistakes)

man asking question

You may have read Finn’s original ‘7-mistakes’ article, followed by ex WA-installer Kim’s take and SA Installer Chris’s version. Now here are the biggest mistakes I’ve seen people make buying solar during my years on and off the roofs of South Australia: [Read more…]

My Shed Is 75+ Metres Away, Can I Put Solar Panels On It?

Solar panels - shed installation

Image: StarryAI “Big Shed With Solar Panels”

Top tips for installing solar on your man-cave. Or lady-lair.

So there’s a shed at your place that seems ideal for solar panels, but it’s well down the back of the block. Can you install solar panels on it, and if so, how much? [Read more…]

Seven Technical Tips For Buying Solar Like A Pro

Technical tips for buying solar power and battery systems

When buying solar or batteries, or both, it is easy for a technical nuance to be overlooked. Sub-optimal decisions at the design stage affect the performance and savings for the life of the system – typically 25 years or more. [Read more…]

The (Next) Top 7 Mistakes People Make When Buying Solar Systems: A Sequel

A few years ago, SolarQuotes founder Finn wrote about the top 7 mistakes made when buying solar.  [Read more…]

Solar For Strata Properties: 3 Easy Steps

Solar power for strata homes

Do you own a strata property and want solar power?

Then you’ve probably hit a giant roadblock: although you own the property, you probably don’t own the roof. And that’s a problem if you want to put panels on some of that roof.

Well, I have some good news for strata property owners. Installing solar on that shared roof could be easier than you think. [Read more…]

The Most Challenging Solar Installation I Ever Did

A very challenging solar power system installation

(trigger warning for solar nerds – this story has a very sad ending)

Finn asked me to write a post on the worst solar installation I ever had to do. The worst? Ah, let me count the ways I could interpret that… this could become a series. [Read more…]

The Pragmatist’s Guide to Violating Solar Panel Exclusion Zones

edge zone

When it comes to installing solar arrays on buildings, one particularly edgy subject is exclusion zones. [Read more…]

The Ugly Truth About Conduit And Solar Panels

Solar installations - conduit on roof

Cable conduit can look awful on a solar roof, and is overused by crap installers. But sometimes a little bit of rooftop rigid conduit can be justified. Image: Crap Solar Facebook Group

Protective electrical conduit is a small part of every solar install, but using it properly can make or break both the compliance and the aesthetics of that job.

This post will explore the use of cable conduit in and on a solar roof. [Read more…]

Which Solar Panels Can Be Installed Flat Without Voiding Their Warranty?

Installing solar panels flat and warranty

Solar panel warranties have lots of interesting conditions in them.  Some require panel cleaning while others forbid any shading of any panels.  [Read more…]

Solar Panels On A South Facing Roof Can Pay Anywhere In Australia

South facing panels - worth it in Australia

TLDR: Can you put solar panels facing south in Australia? Hell yeah!

In 2010, when Australian rooftop solar power really started to take off, nearly every Australian solar system faced north to maximise energy yield.  But today, on an unshaded roof, panels facing any direction can pay for themselves.  This includes the ‘worst’ direction: south. [Read more…]

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