WHO MAY INSTALL SOLAR SYSTEMS

[Dave A]

How many people or companies have been charged ?

Interesting question.

Tell you what - I wouldn't be surprised if Ethekwini is one of the first to start...
And they'll be going for the owner if the system isn't registered with them.

Now there's some food for thought.

[Isetech]

Interesting question.

Tell you what - I wouldn't be surprised if Ethekwini is one of the first to start...
And they'll be going for the owner if the system isn't registered with them.

Now there's some food for thought.

Have yo tried to register a solar system with them?

[Dylboy]

I went to the solar show, NERSA said go to your munic and eskom I had to explain what an electrical contractor was....

The left and right arms dont know of each other.

I went to Joburg Munic website and nothing I can find to register a system at all... Probably some stupid hidden link but I cant find it at all.

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[Isetech]

I went to the solar show, NERSA said go to your munic and eskom I had to explain what an electrical contractor was....

The left and right arms dont know of each other.

I went to Joburg Munic website and nothing I can find to register a system at all... Probably some stupid hidden link but I cant find it at all.

Sent from my CPH2197 using Tapatalk

I must give eThekwini credit, their website id very helpful. You can find most of the information on the website. Their response time to to emails I send them are generally within 48 hrs. If they are going to take on this mammoth task of trying to police the solar industry, they are going to need a lot more staff and training.

https://www.durban.gov.za/pages/residents/electricity-services

[Dylboy]

Dug deeper and it seems City Power here in Joburg rule the roost with the registering of PV systems... Goign to phone tomorrow and email to find more info.

Intrestingly they speak of 25% of main CB for max size of inverter if grid tied.

They even say 60A main CB may not have a a system larger than 4.6 KVA...

I smiled my supplier this and some questions to see what they say... Other wise every Hybrid 5kw is illegal if they have an AC input from the Grid

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[Derlyn]

Felt like doing some maths.
Single phase voltage is 230V with a 10% tolerance either way, so anything from 207V to 253V is acceptable.

So 25% of 60A = 15A.

So at the lowest acceptable voltage, the power will be 207V x 15A = 3.105 Kw.

At the highest acceptable voltage, the power will be 253V x 15A = 3.795 Kw.

It will be interesting to know how they calculated it to give a result of 4.6 Kw.

[GCE]

Felt like doing some maths.
Single phase voltage is 230V with a 10% tolerance either way, so anything from 207V to 253V is acceptable.

So 25% of 60A = 15A.

So at the lowest acceptable voltage, the power will be 207V x 15A = 3.105 Kw.

At the highest acceptable voltage, the power will be 253V x 15A = 3.795 Kw.

It will be interesting to know how they calculated it to give a result of 4.6 Kw.

230V x 80 Amps x 25% = 4.6

[Dylboy]

Yes sorry maybe have been 80A none the less they even have a table..

If you Google Joburg city power solar application then Segen have a PDF you can download that outlines it.

I went to City power site and can not easily find the forms but the process sowmhere is written there

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[Justloadit]

Dug deeper and it seems City Power here in Joburg rule the roost with the registering of PV systems... Goign to phone tomorrow and email to find more info.

Intrestingly they speak of 25% of main CB for max size of inverter if grid tied.

They even say 60A main CB may not have a a system larger than 4.6 KVA...

I smiled my supplier this and some questions to see what they say... Other wise every Hybrid 5kw is illegal if they have an AC input from the Grid

Sent from my CPH2197 using Tapatalk

Let us know what info you get.
Will be very interesting

[Isetech]

It seems all metros are using the same document.

I believe this document should be discussed in more detail, so that everyone can understands the contents and calculations.

When I enquired about registration, I was told to check to first check the guidelines. I have downloaded it but been pre occupied this week (at least we got news today) so I should be able to focus on work from today.

[Derlyn]

The 25% limit. Is this for all provinces.

Just spoke to an installer now that's busy with an 8Kw grid tied inverter installation. He says it's applicable in Western Cape and Gauteng but, as yet, not in Eastern Cape.

Don't shoot me, I'm only selling what I bought.

Any thoughts ?

[Isetech]

Just for the record, I dont believe there should be prosecution until there is more public awareness and registration training provided.

It is so typical of SA, they will pull you over and fine you because your vehicle is not roadworthy, yet nobody is held responsible for the extremely dangerous roads we have to travel on.

Like this solar industry, they dump us in the deep end with stage 6 load shedding, create a massive shortage of solar equipment, threaten they going prosecute for non registration with the metro who dont have the manpower or skills to deal with this massive problem. Allow private companies to make up rules as they go, offer training to people who are not suitably qualified, sell product which have no certification to anyone who feels they can DIY the installation.

We wonder why everyone takes the solar industry with a pinch of salt.

It should start with public awareness, a set of regulations accredited by the DOL and added to the sans book, certified training for suitably qualified people.

The metro's should employ and train people to deal with questions, registrations and policing.

It also doesn't help if the DIYer can buy the equipment from certain websites and install it cheaper than an accredited installer who has to register and sign off the project.

It is not rocket science to track and trace, people who are installing DIY systems and using people advertising to sign off the jobs at a small fee

All you need is google, access to solar forums and groups, a profile of customers electricity accounts and you can literally pin point the date of installation.

[GCE]

The 25% limit. Is this for all provinces.

Just spoke to an installer now that's busy with an 8Kw grid tied inverter installation. He says it's applicable in Western Cape and Gauteng but, as yet, not in Eastern Cape.

Don't shoot me, I'm only selling what I bought.

Any thoughts ?

It is a NERSA stipulation , the 25% , which obviously Eskom , various utilities etc all sit around the table and come up with the document.

So in short - it is applicable to the eastern Cape.

It is also a NERSA requirement that the utlities keep an updated list of where and how many KW of PV are installed under there area .

It will be Nersa that will force the utilities to go look and find the PV systems that are not registered.

With regards to the 25% - First read the definitions then the content


generator size
maximum change in active power flow at the point of utility connection for a generator trip (or rapid
reduction in output) when generating at full active power output
NOTE Some or all of the power generated may be consumed by the customers’ local loads. Where there is no
local storage the generator size is the active power rating of the installed generation. In cases with local
storage, the storage can be used to reduce the effective size of the generator by compensating for variations in
generation output, hence the definition used above.


4.1 General
NOTE 1 The NRS 097-2 series of specifications specify the minimum technical requirements for LV
generators connected to the South African grid, as aligned to the requirements of the grid connection code for
renewable power plants connected to the electricity transmission system or the distribution system in South
Africa.
NOTE 2 Requirements given in this section of NRS 097-2 should be used to evaluate LV generator grid
interconnection applications. LV (230 V/400 V) connected generators that fall within these criteria are proposed
to follow a simplified connection process that will not require detailed network studies.
NOTE 3 Simplified criteria rules are subject to the following:
a) An individual limit of 25 % of NMD will typically support a penetration level (percentage of customers that
install a generator) of 30 % to 50 %, which is considered a reasonable and acceptable compromise
between restricting individual generator sizes versus restricting penetration levels.
5 NRS 097-2-3:2014
b) The network feeder design After Diversity Maximum Demand (ADMD) is unknown.
c) The size of plant, type of generation, location of plant and date of installation of ALL generating plants
should be captured and documented by the utility CONTINUALLY.

4.1.7 Utilities may modify the criteria, or add additional criteria, to meet their specific requirements
considering their network characteristics.

[Isetech]

I believe part of the problem is also that most people are relying on tits and bits they "hear", instead of studying all the facts.

I know I am guilty of this, partly because I have been around long enough to know that the chances of being caught is so slim, due to the lack of man power skills and and policing.

[Isetech]

Do we have to comply to this document ?

This document is not a South African National Standard

https://www.sseg.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/NRS-097-2-1-2017-Edition-2.1-published-2020-07-20.pdf