Planning a Solar System for Load Shedding
Work out what you need to power, understand panels, batteries and inverters, and size your system.
Step 1: Know what you want to keep running
List the essentials you want during load shedding or at night — lights, fridge, WiFi, TV, a few plugs — and their approximate power (watts) and how many hours you need them. This list is your system's foundation.
Step 2: Understand the three parts of a solar system
- Solar panels — generate power from the sun during the day.
- Battery — stores that power for load shedding or night-time use.
- Inverter — converts stored power into the electricity your home uses.
The battery is what carries you through load shedding — solar panels alone don't keep the lights on at night.
Step 3: Size it roughly
Add up the watts of your essential appliances to find the minimum inverter size (leave headroom for start-up surges). Multiply your hourly consumption by the hours of backup you want to size the battery. Then size the panels to recharge that battery within a sunny day.
Step 4: Use the Solar Calculator
The Solar Savings Calculator does this maths for you — enter your essentials and it estimates system size, cost and payback period. From there you can browse solar solutions and add components to a quote.
Step 5: Get a professional install
Solar installations must be done by qualified installers for safety, insurance and warranty reasons. Use Book an Installation to arrange a site survey — our team assesses your roof, wiring and needs before finalising the quote.
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