Afri-Solar is a newly formed company comprising a father-son team. Both of us have electrical knowledge and I have worked for years in one of Eskom's large power stations namely Kriel. Being a qualified electrician with a wireman's license it made sense in the current climate to invest in solar. To be able to install and supply South Africans with power whenever they need it.

 

Load shedding is rapidly becoming the norm in many South African households, and the problems associated with this seems to grow daily.

 

We, here at Afri-Solar provide an alternative to energy supply by means of solar. If you need a Grid-Tie system were daily load is taken from the solar panels with no batteries at all and in the evening the main power supply takes over, or Off-Grid were in the event of mains failure you are completely self-sufficient with the help of batteries, we can help.

 

In the event of  not having a power source at all, we can assist with our micro-grid systems that are available for the DIY person to install or we can do the installation for you. The systems come complete with lights, switches, built-in cel charger and solar panel, and on the larger kits, a TV and even a 12v fridge!

 

We service the Gauteng area, and the Free-State area but we are not limited to this, If you are situated anywhere in South Africa, give us a call and we will do our best to guide you and to set you up.

 

Understanding Solar

Solar is quite easy to understand. It comprises of a number of components namely:

 

1) Solar panels

2) Inverters

3) Charge controllers

4) Batteries

5) Various measuring devices

 

Using these together you create a very effective energy system.

 

Sun on the solar panels creates electricity in DC (Direct Current) this is in turn fed down to the inverter which converts it to usable voltage suitable for home usage (AC) Alternating Current.

 

Batteries supply the Inverter with power in the night time in the place of the solar panels. A common practice is to allow the solar panels to supply most of the load during the day and, when the load is less and night then allow the batteries to take over. This reduces the cost of installing many batteries. This is a very basic overview on how solar fits together, but it must be setup correctly from the beginning to ensure safety and long term life out of the equipment.

 

Using Solar also enforces a mind change in the user. All of us must conserve energy, and this is even more so with solar! Conventional geysers, heaters, stoves, air conditioners and heating devices such as oil heaters are not ideally suited to solar, and alternatives to these must be implemented. It is essential that power is used wisely to get the most out of your solar system.