ENERGY
From page 20
more you have in back-up
(and assuming they are fullycharged), the more is
available to you without
having to use a generator in
bad weather.
Stephen built a stand on
which the panels are
mounted, installed the panels,
pulled through all the wiring
from the panels to the charge
controller and from the
inverter to the existing
The solar panels are angled at the
optimal degree to catch winter sun
for a proper charging cycle,
which as those of us with
load-shedding back-up
distribution board panel in the north) and the angle at which generators will attest, can be
an expensive exercise.
house.
the solar panels are tilted is
your latitude (in my case 26°) On his system, Stephen has
The panels are not roof
an electric fence, alarm
mounted due to the structural plus 10°, thus 36° for
system, security lights and
Randfontein. It gives you the
integrity and age of the roof
refrigerator that run conoptimal angle for winter
trusses.
stantly. There is also a
“This is where I saved a lot of sunshine for a static system.
computer, decoder, projecter
Stephen says the biggest
money by doing the work
(he doesn't have a TV), sound
obstacle to overcome was a
myself. The stands have to
mind-shift of when to use the system and he runs one to
face north (not magnetic
two loads of washing in the
power optimally without
washing machine, in the
discharging the batteries to
evening.
80% for although they could
He swopped all his lights for
actually be discharged to a
220V LED tube lights, or 1 or
much lower percentag