Can Tigo optimisers be used with a 3 phase inverter?
Update 2024: Please note that we no longer recommend Tigo optimisers. For more details, please refer to our recent blog post: Tigo Optimizer Recall. Since writing my latest post on Tigo Energy, there have been claims by some in the industry that Tigo optimisers cannot be used with three-phase inverters on residential solar systems. This mini-blog […]
Tigo Energy Optimiser Review
Tigo Energy optimisers are the quiet achiever of the Solar industry. In part one of this blog, I’ll explain how installing solar panels in shade will affect your solar production. I’ll show, through a series of tests, how solar panel bypass diodes work reasonably well to combat shade, but I’ll also explain why solar panel […]
Fronius Inverter Review
It’s no overstatement to say the Fronius Primo inverter and Fronius Symo inverter has a cult following in the Australian solar market. But does the Fronius Inverter deserve its reputation? Before scrutinising the inverter, we’ll start with a brief history of the company Fronius. We’ll then have a glimpse at the mothership, Fronius International, and […]
The Queensland Government Solar Rebate 2018
Qld Government Solar Rebate and Interest-free Loans It’s time for a new Solar Rebate Qld! In a previous post, I showed there is no such thing as interest-free solar. In fact, going “interest-free” with companies like Brighte and Certegy will end up costing you more than genuine low-interest loans. It turns out that there is […]
Solar Panel Design : North-East-West
Can I face solar panels North, East and West? It’s a solar panel design question I pose to almost every electrician and solar salesman I interview: “Can we install solar panels without optimisers on three different orientations?” Nine out of ten times, their answer is wrong. To explain the answer, I’ll go back to the […]
What size solar system do I need?
What size solar system do I need? It’s one of the first questions you should ask when looking for solar: What size solar system should I get? This post will first dispel the “Goldilocks solar” myth of accurately sizing a solar system to match your daytime power consumption. I’ll then explain why for several years, […]
Do I need solar panel tilt frames?
You’re looking to buy solar, but your best section of the roof is close to flat. The bloke down the road has mounted hideous tilt frames on his roof, and you are wondering if you really need to do this to your home, your castle. In this post, I’ll first explain the theoretical reason behind […]
Absolute Energy Solutions in Liquidation – What Now?
Absolute Energy Solutions went into official liquidation on the 31st of January, 2019. Another Brisbane Solar Power company to bite the dust. A sad day for the employees of a decent Brisbane solar installer. A rough day for Absolute’s past customers. You might be asking yourself, what happens now? This post is going to briefly go […]
Interest Free Solar – debunking a myth
Is Interest Free Solar too good to be true? Why wouldn’t everyone be jumping at the chance? Get the solar power loan you need for installing solar and pay it off without the added cost of interest. Well, it turns out that interest free solar loans are often too good to be true. In this […]
Introducing Huawei’s New Battery-Ready Inverter: A Game Changer?
Global leader in solar PV inverters, Chinese manufacturer Huawei is set to take the Australian market by storm with their 5kW inverter. While you may not recognise the name Huawei, these guys have been around for a long time, and are a leader in mobile technology and electronics around the world. They’ve also been making […]
