Fequently Asked Questions and Answers

Q: Who are the makers of the main components?

A: Multicrystalline Panels are made in China by LIGHTWAY Green New Energy Company and Monocrystalline panels by ZN Shine Solar. Inverters made by Sunna (Taiwan) and Delta Energy Systems. We occasionally use other components, however all components we use comply with Australian standards AS4777, AS/NZ3000 and AS1170-2 for Solar installation and wind ratings.

Q: Is the designer accredited by the Clean Energy Council (not just the installer) ?

A: Both our company and our installers are BCSE/Clean Energy Council approved.

Q: Who does the electrical hookup to the grid?

A: Enviromate does all the wiring back to the switchboard (We can't go any further according to electrical
standards). Your power supplier then does the rest.

Q: Does the price quoted include all the necessary metering changes and paperwork for my local
electricity supplier?

A: No - lets explain..

1. New PV electricity system is installed in customers home by our BCSE accredited install team.
2. Installers leave a copy of installation report in the switchboard and contact EnergySafe inspector to
   come and check the install. This is required as installing a new PV system is a prescribed
   electrical install, as it generates power.
3. The inspector then faxes the customer's energy retailer i.e. AGL, Origin, Red Energy, etc re requiring
   the installation of a new digital/smart meter.
4. The customer's energy retailer then arranges install of a new meter with their respective energy
   wholesaler i.e. CitiPower, Jemena, Powercor, SP Ausnet.
5. The energy wholesaler then contacts the customer and arranges install of a new meter, the charge for this is
   generally between $120 - $170.

Q: Can you provide me with references in my area?

A: We can send various pictures of many happy customers completed installations, but can't give out customers
details due to the privacy act.

Q: How will I know if my system is performing to it’s maximum potential on a day to day basis?

A: Read from the display on the inverter, or connect the inverter to a computer for information. Look at your power box meter.

Q: What is the lead time from my payment to getting electricity from the panels?

A: Generally, 10-12 weeks. Some delays may occur caused by events outside our control, however we will do all we can to keep you informed if this is the case.

Q: Do you handle all the rebate paperwork for me so I just have to pay the difference?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you give an accurate estimation of system production with your quotes?

A: Yes. Average kWh per day per annum. Actual calculation is :-
Panel wattage x no. of panels x 5.1 (peak sunlight hours in Melbourne) less 10% (variable) =
annual average kWh/d We also encourage you to download the Clean Energy Council guide to PV installations.

Q: Does the mounting system allow airflow under the panels to help cool them?

A: Yes.

Q: What performance guarantees do I get for the system as a whole?

A: Full 10 Year Warranty (covering labour and parts) on installation, inverter, cables and racking. 25 year performance warranty solar panels still
producing > 80% effectiveness.

Q: Which guarantees/warranties are your responsibility and which are the manufacturer's?

A: All ours, and where we need to have interaction with a third party, we arrange it all.

Q: If I have to deal with the panel or inverter manufacturer in the future, do they have an Australian
office?

A: Yes, this information is all provided to you at time of installation so there are no problems either now or in the future.

Q. Will I eliminate my electricity bill?

Solar panels certainly give you the opportunity to eliminate your electricity bills; however, it is greatly dependent on the size of your solar system, how much power you consume during the day, and when you use your power.

Q. What is an inverter?

The Inverter converts the DC power from the solar panel PV array to AC power, which is the same as the main grid power, and then feeds that power back into the grid.

Q. The larger the inverter the more electricity?

No. It is the PV panel array size that determines how much power is sold.

Q. Do I get electricity if it’s cloudy?

When the sun is shining at its fullest, the solar panels will reap the greatest amount of power. On a dark and cloudy day, the amount of power will not be as great. however the solar panels will generally still generate power.

Q. What is the difference between Multicrystalline and Monocrystalline panels?

Monocrystalline panels are made of single wafer cells which have a high efficiency yield when sunlight is perpendicular to the angle of panel. Multicrystalline panels are made of multiple layers of wafer cells which have a higher efficiency yield over greater angles of sunlight.

Q. The lowest price solution is generally the best?

Like anything, you often get what you pay for. Some solar retailers can offer greater discounts depending on their buying power, however this does not necessarily translate to lower quality goods and nor does high cost systems mean better quality.

Q. What happens at night?

At night when the sun’s energy can no longer be used to generate power; your house will switch back to using power solely from the electricity grid.