FAQ

The system usually consists of three main parts:

• solar panels on the roof
• a microinverter on the back of every panel
• the rails or mounting system that hold all the panels in place on the roof.

And if you are prone to power cuts or want extra power, a battery can be added.

Solar panels on the roof use photovoltaic (PV) cells to capture the energy from the sun in the form of direct current (DC) energy. The system’s inverter converts this into alternating current (AC) energy, the type of energy used in the home. The inverter is connected to your switchboard, allowing you to use this for power.

This depends on how much energy your household uses, the size and location of your property, and some of the physical surroundings. We will come out to see you to create an accurate design of the solar energy system that will work best for you.

It’s important to note that you can start small and scale up. The brands we work with make it easy to add solar panels and gradually increase the size of your system.

A typical small property usage is 3KW which, depending on wattage size of the panel, is 6 to 8 panels. A typical medium property usage is 6.5KW, which is approximately 14 to 16 panels. And a typical large property usage is 10KW+ which is 24+ panels. Our microinverters are expandable up to 500 panels!

There are a few very important questions we recommend you ask when you’re talking to providers of solar panels and systems:

• Do you work with brands that use modern day slave labour practices? Do you have any way of tracking and proving this?
  This may seem like a strange question, but any reputable solar company will appreciate you asking. There is a lot of slave labour, child labour and other unethical labour practices that occur around the mining of lithium and the production of other components used in solar systems. At Vital Solar, we have worked hard to find brands that are taking proactive steps to stop these practices. Read more about this on our Products page.
• Do you use subcontractors or labour hire – or do you install the systems yourself?
  Many companies sell you a product and then hand you over to a subcontractor who will install it. The trouble with this is that the installers weren’t involved in the initial consultation or site visit and aren’t familiar with your property. They are a company you don’t have a relationship with and likely won’t be available for after-sales support as you get used to using your new solar energy system.
  Vital Solar designs a solar energy system specifically for your property, sources ethical products, installs them, monitors their use, and stays in touch with you as you start to reap the benefits of solar.
• Are you a member of SEANZ?
  It makes sense to only deal with a company that is proud to be a member of the Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand (SEANZ) – the independent organisation that keeps providers accountable to the industry and their customers.
  Yes, Vital Solar is a member of SEANZ!
• Do you have licensed electricians on your team?
  If the company you’re buying your solar panels from doesn’t have electricians on staff, then they’re simply salespeople.
  Almost everyone on the Vital Solar team is a licensed electrician. We know the inner workings of the solar energy systems we sell and install, and we can answer your questions with technical knowledge and first-hand experience.

There are two ways you can store up any energy produced by your solar panel system that you don’t use. First, any excess power generated by your panel system is sent to the grid in exchange for energy credits – energy that you’ll use in future. So when you’re away on holiday, your solar panels will earn you energy credits to use when you’re back.

Another way of storing energy is by using a battery added on to your system. This provides you with energy to use at night or when there are power outages when the grid goes down.

We 100% think solar panels are worth it. A lot of people have different motivations and reasons for using solar energy. They often want to be more self-sufficient.

One of the questions we like to ask is, “Do you feel secure that in the next 5, 10 or 15 years the supply for the NZ national grid is going to be stable, consistent and cost-effective?” If people are honest with themselves, they know the answer is no. And with the rise in the use of electric products like EV cars and heat pumps, along with the growing NZ population, these factors are all inevitably going to put pressure on our national grid.

Thinking about whether the right support and funding are going into this infrastructure, we believe that solar energy is a fantastic way to become independent and more energy sustainable so that you can be in more control of your energy pricing and consumption.

A solar energy system is seen as a valuable asset to have in a home when it comes time to sell your property. Just as buyers pay a higher price for a home with a high-end kitchen or one with new, modern appliances, a quality solar system offering “free” energy is something that would be extremely attractive to potential home buyers in the coming years.

Solar energy systems work all over the world in different climates. On days when it’s raining, your solar panel system will still work, as solar panels work from UV. They may not produce as much energy as they would on a sunny day, but you will still have power.

Renewable energy is power generated from renewable or natural sources. These include sunlight, wind, water (hydro), geothermal energy (heat from the earth) and bioenergy (biomass, organic materials such as wood, charcoal, dung).

The other way to produce energy is through the use of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas – which are non-renewable sources. When fossil fuels are burned to produce energy, they create harmful greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide or CO2.

Whenever possible, it’s much better for people and the planet when we use renewable energy sources and reduce emissions. Offsetting your carbon use is great, but it’s even better if we can all do our part to reduce the amount we’re producing.

Renewal energy, such as solar power, is also a more sustainable source of energy – we’re not going to run out of sunlight or wind any time soon.

The team at Vital Solar will take care of everything before and after installation of your solar power system. We will source the right products for your residential or commercial property – and we only work with manufacturers with ethical supply chains. We’re licensed electricians, so we’ll design, install and maintain the system for you. And we’re on hand to help you as you get used to using solar power and if you have any questions or issues along the way.