A little while back, SolarQuotes’ in-house installer Anthony Bennett wrote a solid post on a niche issue: whether power and data cables can run in the same conduit.It was based on a video I recently made of a difficult EV charger install.
The YouTube comments under the installation video were enlightening.
Not about the technical issues encountered. About the culture of electrical trades in Australia.
Instead of discussion or curiosity, what turned up was the usual: point scoring, nitpicking, and dunking on an install crew who were clearly trying to do the right thing.
I’ve copped it too. I’m not a licensed electrician – I’m an electrical engineer with my head in the theory. For some people, that’s all they need to dismiss you. But like most of you reading this, I care about quality. I want to get it right. And I’ve spent a good chunk of my life trying to help others do the same.
Across the solar industry, in Facebook groups, forums, comment threads, we’ve developed this nasty habit of tearing each other down. Electricians bagging out engineers. Engineers talking down to sparkies. Electricians attacking each other over conduit runs, labelling choices, inverter spacing, or trench depth.
A Distraction From The Real Problem
And while all that noise plays out, the real problems go unchecked.
The dodgy operators? They’re not in the comments. They’re not posting photos or asking questions or trying to clarify compliance. They’re smashing out a gazillion installs a week for a sales company whose call centre sales team have never heard of AS/NZS 5139, and never will.
The people who do show up, who want to get it right, are the ones we should be encouraging. But too often, we turn on them instead.
And yep, I’ve done it too. I’ve been the guy quoting standards and picking apart an install photo. It feels like protecting quality, but sometimes it’s just flexing. I’ve learned the hard way: it helps no one.
We don’t need more ego. We need more trust, shared learning, and a bit of humility.
Solar and battery installs aren’t easy. They’re often full of nuance, compromise, and edge cases. If you’re doing residential work properly, planning, documenting1, checking, fixing, you’re already on the right side. TAFE, uni or school of life. On the tools or off.
Let’s Reform The Culture
So here’s the ask: build each other up. Speak to teach, not to tear down.
Because the real enemies of good solar aren’t in the comment thread.
They’re being dispatched by overseas call centres – rushing installs, cutting corners, and leaving customers with mess they’ll never see until it’s too late.
Let’s stop eating our own.
Footnotes
- OK, forget the documenting – I know almost no one leaves an SLD (Single Line Diagram
) with the customer these days ↩
About Finn Peacock
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This is a trend in every sphere of life now. I work in local government, and it’s a pile-on every second of every day, from beginning to end, non-stop complaint and abuse. My wife is a teacher and the same happens there, a continuous stream of bile and criticism and anger, from parents and children and politicians and community members.
What I like about Solar Quotes is that it found a way to introduce genuine expertise into this social media world. Of course nothing can be perfect, so you’ll cop it as well, but it was a way to at least try to meet the online tsunami of stupidity and bad faith anger with genuine knowledge and experience.
Totally agree Finn,
Negativity is unfortunately all ove the internet.
Keyboard warriors are quick to put down others.
Why can’t people be positive, supportive and nice?
If we want to shift the tone in the solar industry, that change has to start with the loudest voices.
You a solid point about the harm caused by nitpicking and takedowns — but let’s be real: some of the biggest platforms helped shape that culture. Reviews from places like SolarQuotes and MC Electrical have often blurred the line between critique and ridicule, with a tone that sometimes feels more like rage bait than helpful analysis.
Absolutely, transparency matters. And yes, some products deserve scrutiny. But when the tone becomes about provoking rather than informing, it undermines trust — not just in brands, but in the industry as a whole.
If we’re serious about lifting the standard and moving forward, we need to reflect not just on what’s being said — but how, and why.
Well said Finn
Well said Finn.
We do need good installation QUALITY which includes good paperwork – including a Single Line Diagram (SLD) to show the next electrician who looks at the Switchboard/installation what is actually there.
With two incoming supplies and a changeover system, ie the Grid and Inverter from Solar Panels or battery, there in a major affect on complexity and therefore safety (possible electrocution) and much easier for the electrician or whoever is fiddling with the installation, getting caught out.
The way the Contractor AND Inspector left my installation was disgraceful and I had to arrange to get it made safe!
As an electrical engineer, I was the one who drew up the SLD so that I AND anyone else could check out he installation SAFELY!
Finn, thank you, I appreciate sensible informative comment on installations but not dumb criticism which doesn’t always present a solution to a (potential) problem.
Fair comment Finn
Yep..spot on Finn