Solar and energy solutions

Northland gets plenty of sun, and more homes and businesses around Bream Bay are putting it to work. A solar system is only as good as its design and its wiring, though. The panels are the visible part; the inverter, the switchboard connection, the protection and the paperwork with the lines company are what decide whether it performs safely for the next twenty years. As electricians, that side of the job is our home ground.

How a grid-connected system works

Solar panels produce direct current when light falls on them. An inverter converts that into the alternating current your home uses and feeds it into your switchboard. Whatever the house is using at that moment runs on solar first; surplus flows out through the meter to the grid and your retailer pays you for it at their buy-back rate. At night you draw from the grid as normal. A battery adds storage, so surplus from the middle of the day can run the house in the evening. The diagram on this page shows how the parts connect.

Designing around how you use power

The right system depends on your roof, your shading and, most of all, when you use electricity. A household that is out all day uses most of its power in the morning and evening, when the panels are producing least. A business running machines and refrigeration through the day can use almost all of its solar directly. Before we recommend a system size we look at your power bills, your roof orientation and pitch, anything that shades it, and the state of your switchboard, then explain plainly what we would install and why. We also look at whether a battery makes sense for you now, or whether it is worth leaving space in the design for one later.

Choosing an installer

EECA, the government's energy efficiency agency, suggests getting two or three quotes and asking installers about their experience and what is included. Its guide to solar quotes and installation is worth reading before you decide, and it points people to Master Electricians to find an electrician, which is the association we belong to. We are happy to talk through another company's quote with you too.

Connection and certification

A solar system that exports to the grid needs approval from the local lines company before it is connected, and around Bream Bay that is usually Northpower. We look after the application, install the system and certify the electrical work as the regulations require. The approval is straightforward when the system is designed to the lines company's requirements from the start. If your switchboard has no room for the solar circuit or needs protection brought up to date, we tell you before we start and price it with the job; our residential electrical page covers switchboard upgrades in detail.

Looking after your system

A well installed solar system needs very little attention, but it is worth watching. Most inverters have an app or display that shows what the panels produced each day; a sudden drop on a sunny day usually means a fault or new shading worth checking. Panels in coastal Northland collect salt and dust, and occasional cleaning helps. We can check an existing system, including one we did not install, if it is not performing as it should.

Energy-efficient upgrades

Solar is not the only way to cut power costs. Replacing old halogen and fluorescent lighting with LED, installing a correctly sized heat pump in place of plug-in heaters, and putting timers and smart controls on the loads that run when nobody needs them can all make a difference, often for less outlay. For businesses we look at lighting, machinery and heating together.