This is a system where you are connected to the grid. DC power from the PV modules is converted by the grid-tied inverter to AC power to feed your consumption during the day and feed excess power back into the grid.

This is dependent on your municipality regulations.  If the regulations does not permit it an external meter to limit excess power being fed back into the grid will be installed.

There are no batteries involved – the utility is the battery. So when the utility is off, your system is also off. This system offers massive savings on your electricity bill. Batteries can be connected at a later stage with an additional inverter, this is only possible with selected brands.

Example: Average house uses 1000 units per month

1000 units ÷ 30 days ÷ 5.5 sun hours = 6.06 kW/h

6 kW grid-tie inverters

16 x 400 W PV Modules (6.4kw PV)

Railings, cable, connectors, breakers, fuses, etc.

Hybrid Solar Systems runs on solar power or mains power or both, with battery backup for power outages or period of no sun. All excess power generated by the solar panels is able to be returned to the grid.

Hybrid solar systems combine the best from grid-tied and off-grid solar systems. These systems can either be described as off-grid solar with utility backup power, or grid-tied solar with extra battery storage.

Hybrid non-grid feed in, which is for backup and self-consumption, are connected to the PV modules, utility or generator, batteries and to the load. There is no need for a charge controller/regulator.

Example: 5 kVA

5 kVA hybrid inverter

12 x 400 W PV Modules

5 x 2.4kwh Lithium batteries (12kwh) rated to discharge to 80% = 9.6kwh

Combiner box, fuses, breakers, cable, railings, connectors.

Backup power :  9.6kwh discharging @ 500wh = 19 hours more or less

We have UPS or backup solutions for when the utility fails. When the utility fails the UPS changes over automatic within milliseconds. The inverter is sized by your load you want to use and the batteries are sized to the backup time you want when the utility fails.

Example: 5 kVA (4000 W) load for 3 hours backup

Inverter/charger 5 kVA

5 x 2.4kwh Lithium batteries (12kwh) rated to discharge to 80% = 9.6kwh

Cable, breakers, etc.

Backup power :  9.6kwh discharging @ 500wh = 19 hours more or less

This pumping solution is used where there is no utility and is too expensive to get the utility on the site. A normal existing 230 V or 380 V pump can be used for pumping. A solar pump controller is used to convert the DC, of the solar panels, to 230 V or 380 V AC.

The system runs only during normal sun hours. Applications from 0.75 kW – 37 kW can be used. The PV modules for this system is sized 1.8 – 2 times the size of the motor. This all depends on how string would work out, sometimes it will be up to 2.3 times oversized. Your pumping cost will be zero for 25 years.

Example: 11 kW pump + motor

11 kW solar pump controller (solar VSD)

64 x 400 W PV Modules = 25.6kw

Railings, cable, connectors, etc.

And your pump is running for FREE!

Do you need to upgrade for your solar system or is it in need of a repair or maintenance?

Solar system are prone to give some sort of problem if not maintained, Sonop Solar provides a check list for maintenance as well as suggestions with every installation. If these are followed only a regular yearly maintenance check would be required to ensure that the system is working at optimal.

Please ensure that you have gone through the following:

Your product manual contains:

• Features
• Behaviour
• Specifications
• Limitations
• Installation instructions
• Troubleshooting steps

You must read it to understand how to use your product safely and reliably.

Sonop Solar offers technical assistance on grid tied systems, off grid systems, hybrid systems and solar pumping systems in and around South Africa.

We at Sonop Solar have a lot of technical expertise which could be beneficial to anyone trying to put a system together but don’t know how the components work or are put together to communicate properly with each other.

Some people has the practical and technical abilities but does not know how the certain products are connected to each other.

That is where we come in to try and help you to technical assist you the best possible way we can.

Therefore we ask a separate fee depending on system.

We can also pre build and pre wire a back plate for you for easy installation to basically just plug and play your system.

We advise that the system is at all times installed by a professional who can supply a valid Certificate of Compliance otherwise all products warranty will be void.

Sonop Solar offers System designing which can be beneficial to someone that has no expertise with PV Systems, for Sonop Solar to design a system we need to determine what your consumption is during daytime and night time, what time of the day you peak power usage is and what your average load and usage are.

For Sonop Solar to do this we need to install an energy logger for 7 – 10 days.

We recommend all systems to be installed with a monitoring device. This will enable you to track your PV Systems performance. It provides information about energy production, consumption, optimization of energy being used and detect errors if any.

Sonop solar does energy logging in the Western Cape, for us to do a proper system design we need to install an energy logger. We ask a fee depending on area to install an energy logger for 7 – 10 days.

What system monitoring include:

Sonop Solar takes responsibility to check the systems for performance and errors if any if client takes responsibility, client will have to inform Sonop Solar if support is needed to help take a look at the system which will be at an additional fee.

What energy logging include:

• Install logger for 7 – 10 days
• Determine what your average and peak load is
• Determine what your daytime and night time loads are
• Determine what your total consumption is in 24 hour period is

Sonop Solar does not supply any financing solutions but can put you in contact with the relevant institutions to help you through the process.

There are a couple of options that could be looked at when financing a system.

For individuals and sole proprietors there is Green fin and your own bank. We have found that the best is to use a bond on your property where the system should be installed.

For companies there is financing through your bank and rental agreement.

All the products that we use are bankable products.

The banks are constantly developing new products for the Renewable market, so please get in contact with us for any new developments.