Gauteng · Local solar and inverter installers
Inverter battery problems in Johannesburg and across Gauteng
Batteries that used to last the evening and now run out early have either lost capacity, or the house is asking more of them than it did. A look at the inverter's readings usually tells which before anything is replaced.
Get a battery quote
A solar installer near you phones you and quotes before any work starts. Nothing to pay to be put in touch.
What this usually involves
Check what is on the backup circuits now against what was on them when it was installed. A second fridge, a heater, or a pool pump that ended up on the wrong circuit is a common reason batteries run down faster.
Lead-acid batteries lose capacity faster than lithium, especially when they are run down deeply and often. If yours are lead-acid and a few years old, the batteries themselves may be the answer.
Lithium batteries last longer but still fade over many cycles. The battery's own app or display shows its health, and that reading is worth seeing before anyone quotes for new ones.
Batteries that never seem to charge may not be getting the chance: panels that are shaded or faulty, or settings that hold the battery back. Those are settings and wiring, not a new battery.
Also: Battery retrofits and upgrades · Inverter not working · Repairs and servicing
How it works
- 01
Tell us what you want running
Not what size system you think you need. What you actually want to keep on: fridge, lights, wifi, geyser, the whole house.
- 02
An installer sizes it
A real load calculation off your bill and your usage, not a package picked off a shelf because it is what they have in stock.
- 03
A written quote
Itemised: panels, inverter, batteries, mounting, labour, CoC. So you can compare it against anyone else's.
How we check an installer first
- We speak to them before your jobBefore your job goes to an installer, we find one near you and talk to them ourselves. That is a different thing from the PV GreenCard register on this site, which is a public list of accredited companies and most of the companies on it have never heard of us.
- We check their public recordTheir existing reviews, their trading history and whether the business is who it says it is. If we cannot find any of it, we do not refer to them.
- We stop referring to anyone who lets you downTell us what happened. If they let you down, we stop sending them work.
That is the whole list. We are not going to show you a badge for something we have not done, and we are not going to call a company checked because it appears on somebody else's register.
- Sizedoff your bill, not off a shelf
- Writtenitemised quote you can compare
- Freenothing to pay to be put in touch
- CoCcompliance certificate on completion
Solar247 is not an installation company. We are a Gauteng referral service that finds you a local installer, checks them and stays out of the way. You deal with them directly and pay them directly.
What decides the price
A solar quote is the easiest one in the trades to mislead somebody with, because almost nobody can compare two of them. These are the things that actually decide the number, and the questions that make two quotes comparable.
| What you want to keep running | The whole price, more than anything else. A system to keep the lights, wifi and fridge on through load shedding is a different object from one meant to run a geyser and a pool pump. Give every installer the same list or you are not comparing quotes. |
|---|---|
| Batteries | Usually the single biggest line, and the one that varies most between quotes. Storage is priced per kWh, so ask for the kWh figure rather than the brand name. |
| The inverter | Its size, and whether it is hybrid, grid-tied or off-grid. An inverter sized for the panels you have today but not for the ones you will add is a cost you pay twice. |
| The roof | Tile, IBR or flat changes the mounting and the labour. So does the pitch, the direction it faces, and how far the cable has to run back to the DB board. |
| Paperwork | An electrical Certificate of Compliance, and SSEG registration with your electricity supplier. City Power asks for solar systems to be registered and makes no exception for zero-export ones. Ask whether both are in the price or extra. |
Worth asking, before you say yes
- Can I have it itemised: panels, inverter, batteries, mounting, cabling, labour, CoC?
- What is the battery in kWh, and what is the usable depth of discharge?
- What are the warranties on the panels, the inverter and the battery, and are they the manufacturer's or yours?
- Is SSEG registration included, and who submits it?
- Is that including VAT?
Rather fill in a form than WhatsApp? Get a solar quote at the top of this page.
Questions people ask
How do I know if my inverter batteries need replacing?
If the backup lasts clearly less than it did with the same things switched on, the batteries have probably lost capacity. A lithium battery reports its own health; lead-acid needs testing. Ask for the reading before you agree to a replacement.
Can I replace just one battery in a bank?
Usually not well. A new battery in a bank of old ones gets dragged down to their level. Batteries in one bank are best replaced together, with the same make and type.
Are you an installer yourselves?
No. Solar247 is a referral service. We find an installer near you, check them, and pass your job on. They contact you directly. You deal with them and pay them, not us.
What does a system actually cost?
Anyone who quotes you a number before seeing your bill is guessing. It depends on what you want running and for how long. A backup-only setup and a full solar installation are very different prices, which is why the first step is a look at your bill and your house rather than a figure.
Do I get a compliance certificate?
You should, and you should insist on it. Solar and inverter work is electrical work. A Certificate of Compliance protects you, matters for insurance, and you will need it when you sell the house.
Does my system need to be registered with the municipality?
If it is grid-tied or hybrid, yes. The registration goes through whoever supplies your electricity: City Power for most of Johannesburg, the City of Tshwane in Pretoria, your own municipality elsewhere in Gauteng, or Eskom wherever it bills you directly. It is the installer's job to handle, but ask to see it done rather than taking their word for it.
Can I start with backup and add panels later?
Usually yes, and for a lot of households it is the sensible order. Tell the installer that is the plan up front so the inverter they put in can take panels when you are ready.
Do you cover my area?
All of Gauteng: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Ekurhuleni and the East Rand, the West Rand, the Vaal and the areas in between. We look for an installer near you, and if nobody is close enough to be worth your time, we tell you so. Outside Gauteng? Send a message anyway and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.
What happens to my details?
They go to the installer who is going to phone you, and nowhere else. We do not sell contact details on. Message us and they are removed.
Why are other solar installers listed on this site?
Because the PV GreenCard register is public and useful: it lets you check that a company is certified before you sign a quote. We show the certified companies near you. It is not a list of who we recommend, and most of them have never heard of us. If you want an installer, WhatsApp us and we look for one near you. Any company on the register can have its entry taken off this site for free by sending one message.