What to look for when buying a Solar System

What to look for when buying a Solar System.

If you are thinking of installing a solar system for your farm in Gippsland or the Latrobe Valley you should consider this. Have you ever thought to yourself why don’t things last anymore? Well, the answer is generally because people are using cheap products that aren’t made to last. That’s ok if you are buying a consumer product that will only have a shelf life of several months or so. There is no big deal as you can just go and buy a new one.

But what if you are buying an energy system? A system that will produce enough energy that powers your appliances every day. Would you be satisfied if it kept breaking down or shutting off everytime you wanted to use the power? Of course, you wouldn’t.

Yet people still buy Solar Systems from companies that just do not have the credentials to do it right. That’s because they are looking at the price. In most cases, a Solar System is sold by the concept that it will either make or save you money. But if your system breaks down constantly and parts have to be replaced you are never going to save or make any money. It becomes a financial burden.

So, if you a looking for a Quality Solar system for your Farm here are some pointers to help you make the right decision.

1. Make sure the person selling the system is qualified technically.

A lot of Solar companies have sales people via the phone (telemarketing) or making an appointment with you themselves. Be careful of this approach as this is a sales person, not a qualified installer. They will look at your energy bills and say, “yes we can save you money, just sign here.” These people are selling money savings and not the system.

2. Make sure the people selling you the system talk about their equipment and why they use that equipment.

This is important as in the first point the person selling money and savings will also be trying to do the same for the company he works for. Therefore, it is often the case that they will use the cheaper products so they can make and save money. Cheap products often lead to a cheap and useless system.

3. Make sure you can talk to the installer.

There are good Solar companies that have their installers talk to the customer and not a sales person. Even better when the person you are talking to owns the company. This is because if the person owns the company then it is their reputation that is on the line. So, it is harder for them to shortcut you on the cheaper products.

4. Make sure the installing company is Clean Energy Council (CEC) accredited.

The Clean Energy Council accredited installers have demonstrated that their Solar Systems meet extremely high standards of safety and performance. By using an accredited installer means you can have confidence, performance and reliability of your Solar System for many years to come. There’s also a financial benefit – to receive government rebates for your solar PV system, both the designer and installer must be accredited by the CEC. You must remember It is not an easy thing to become a CEC accredited installer.

So, if you are looking at a Solar System do your homework and talk to someone who knows what they are doing. This way they can design a system specifically for your needs and not theirs.