FAQ

Solar energy is a clean, renewable and abundant source of power that can help you avoid load-shedding, save money on your electricity bills, increase the value of your property, and reduce your dependence on the national grid. Switching to solar energy also reduces greenhouse gases and air pollution.

A home solar energy system uses sunlight to generate electricity for your household. It typically consists of solar panels, an inverter, batteries and other components such as wiring, switches and surge protectors. Depending on your location, needs and preferences, you can choose from different types of home energy solutions from Avo, including hybrid and battery-only systems.

When the sun shines onto a solar panel, energy from the sunlight is absorbed by the PV cells in the panel. This energy creates electrical charges that move in response to an internal electrical field in the cell, causing electricity to flow. The panels convert the energy to DC current, which flows to an inverter. The inverter converts the electricity from DC to AC, which you can then use to power up your home. The energy that a panel produces must be either used (demanded from the panel) or stored.

A system consisting of a hybrid Inverter, solar panels and a lithium-ion battery. This system gives the best of both worlds. It operates with either solar power or grid power. The solar energy can be directed to provide power to the home, including the charging of batteries, during sun hours. The batteries allow backup power during times of grid power outages.

A system consisting of a grid-tied inverter and solar panels only. The primary benefit of this system is to reduce your electricity bill. Batteries cannot be connected to this system, as the inverter for this application is incapable of transporting energy to a battery. Please note that Avo Solar does not currently offer grid-tied solutions, as all our systems include batteries.

A system consisting of a hybrid inverter, solar panels and multiple lithium-ion batteries without any connection to the public utility grid. It uses an inverter to convert energy received from the solar panels into electricity and then stores the electricity in batteries until it is required.

While the solutions that Avo Solar offers require that your home remain connected to the grid, it is possible to power your home almost exclusively with solar and battery power, depending on the size of your system and the type of installation.

There is no national legislation that deals with delinking from the national grid. Instead, local ordinances and zoning regulations indirectly accommodate and facilitate the off-grid transition.

The best way to choose the right solution is to review your household energy needs and compare the specifications of the various solutions we offer. Avo Solar will conduct a needs analysis before installation to advise you on the best option for your needs and budget from our range of hybrid or battery-only options.

We recommend that an inverter twice the total wattage of the devices you will be running on the inverter. This allows a safety margin to prevent the risk of overloading. Our consultants will assist with measuring your usage and advise you on your essential load requirement. This is the total wattage required to be managed by the inverter.

Battery storage enables energy from solar panels and the grid to be stored and then released when required during power outages and during the evenings when there is no power being generated from the solar panels.

By using less electricity from the grid, you will be able to reduce your monthly electricity bill. In addition, by managing your cost per unit, you can mitigate the impact of expected electricity price increases and eventually generate a profit from your system. The incentive scheme that offered tax rebates for home solar purchases expired on 29 February 2024 and no provision for extending the scheme was tabled in the 2024 National Budget.

A hybrid solar energy system includes a battery that stores electricity from your solar panels and uses this to power your system in times when the panels are not providing enough electricity directly, such as at night or during cloudy weather. This ensures that your home will always have an alternative source of energy available and reduces your dependence on the grid. A battery-only system functions as a backup in the same way, except that the battery stores electricity drawn from the grid and makes it available when the grid is not producing power, like during load-shedding. This is why a battery-only solution will provide backup power but won’t reduce your electricity bill.

They have a high energy density, meaning they can store a lot of energy in a small space. This translates to longer battery life and faster charging times.

Ultra-fast maximum power point tracking (MPPT) constantly monitors the voltage and current output of the solar panels. MPPT functions by checking the output of a PV module, comparing it to the battery voltage, determining the ideal output needed to charge the battery, and converting the current to the best voltage to get maximum current into the battery. This ensures that the optimal amount of power is produced by panels and harvested for storage. All of our SynSynk inverters have built-in MPTT.

Our solar solutions use high-quality components from tier 1 solar manufacturers that have been vetted by Nedbank.

All our packages offer a reliable source of backup electricity to power your home during power outages. Depending on the size of your inverter and the number of solar panels, you can get up to 8 hours of backup electricity to run several household appliances. You can see a detailed breakdown of the capacity of each package on our packages page .

A solar energy system can last for 25 to 30 years, depending on the quality of the components and the maintenance of the system. The solar panels are usually the most durable part of the system, as they have no moving parts and are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions. The inverters, batteries and other accessories may need to be replaced over time, depending on their usage and lifespan.

A solar energy system requires minimal maintenance, as it has few moving parts and is mostly self-cleaning. However, it is wise to check the system regularly for any signs of damage or malfunctioning, such as cracks, leaks, corrosion or loose connections. It is also recommended that you clean the solar panels occasionally with water and a soft cloth or sponge to remove any dust or dirt that may reduce their efficiency. You should also consult a qualified technician for periodic inspections and repairs, if needed.

To log a fault, please email avosolar@avo.africa or call us on +27 0 31 820 1021 from 06:00 to 22:00, Monday to Friday.

Yes, you can add additional components such as batteries and solar panels to your existing Avo Solar system, as long as those components and the system are compatible. These added components must be bought from Avo Solar in cash – added components cannot be paid off in instalments.

You can choose to keep your system in place, which could add value to your property, or you can pay to have your system removed by a qualified technician and installed at your new address, if possible. If you are paying for your system with a payment plan, you have to continue paying your monthly instalments according to your agreement, regardless of where your system is installed.

No. All our packages can either be paid for in cash or through an MFC payment plan, regardless of whether you bank with Nedbank or not.

You can buy the whole system outright with a once-off payment or pay for it in instalments, either through MFC asset finance or by adding solar financing to your existing Nedbank home loan.

No. While we provide a range of finance options that allow you to pay for your system in instalments, One of the benefits of a system from Avo Solar is that you will fully own the system once you have paid it off.

Yes, although the repayment terms may differ from those displayed on this site. You can discuss the details with our solar consultant during the callback.

Yes, all packages include installation of the system offered. If you choose to add additional components to your system at a later stage, you may be charged an additional installation fee.

Installation is done by Nedbank-approved service providers and not by Nedbank directly.

Once you’ve completed our form to request a quote, our solar consultants will be in touch within 24 hours to conduct a needs analysis and guide you through the installation process. There are 5 steps to getting your solar solution installed. It starts with your submitting our contact form. Once you have done this, our solar consultants will be in touch within 24 hours to conduct a needs analysis and offer a recommended solution with payment options. Our service provider will then schedule a site visit and manage the rest of the installation process.

Our consultants normally respond to queries within 48 hours. We cannot provide timelines for site visits and installations after the initial callback, as these are scheduled and conducted by our service providers and not directly by Nedbank.

Several factors influence how a solar energy system functions, including the position of your home, the slope and material of your roof and your home’s current electrical installation. A site visit is necessary to prepare our installers to complete their work efficiently and get your system up and running as soon as possible.

To make the most of the sun in South Africa, it is best to install panels on north-facing roofs. Panels can be mounted facing north-west or north-east, however, these positions will be less effective.

There are health risks associated with asbestos, and this includes asbestos roofs. Please refer to the Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020. Further to this, the South African Department of Employment and Labour issued an instruction on 9 November 2022 stating that departmental inspectors have been instructed not to allow work that entails the installation of any panels or sheets onto existing asbestos roofs.

You need a certificate of compliance (CoC) before installation can start. This is an official document issued by an electrician who is registered with the Electrical Conformance Board of South Africa and states that the electrical system in your home is compliant with current safety standards and regulations. If you live in a sectional-title property, you will also need written authorisation from the body corporate.

A certificate of compliance (CoC) is legal proof that a qualified electrician has inspected your home, and that your electrical installation was found on the date of inspection to be compliant with all the legal requirements as laid out in the Electrical Installations Occupational Health and Safety Act of South Africa.

A CoC remains valid for the lifetime of an installation but excludes maintenance items and any alterations that have been made to the electrical installation. The owner must obtain a supplementary CoC where any addition or alteration (installation of inverter) has affected the original electrical CoC. The supplementary CoC is attached to the original CoC where the original certificate number is stated to authenticate the supplementary CoC.

Once installation has been completed, you can start using your solar system immediately.

All our solutions are installed by accredited installers and are covered by a 10-year warranty. Nedbank Insurance also offers stand-alone solar cover to protect your system from theft and damage. We recommend insurance for clients who choose to pay cash for their solar solutions. Insurance is a must for clients who opt for financing. You can call 0800 333 111 to get a quote.

The warranty covers all solar panels, batteries, inverters and installation materials such as wiring and switches.

We use only the highest quality brands from Tier 1 manufacturers to minimise the risk of hail damage and ensure that the solutions we offer are durable and reliable. You can also take out insurance as added cover for damage to your system.