What size solar system does your home actually need?
Solar adverts throw around numbers — 3kVA, 5kVA, 8kVA — as if everyone knows what they mean. You don't need to. Here's how to think about system size in terms of your actual life.
Forget the units. Answer two questions.
Every system size question comes down to this:
- What must stay on when the grid goes down?
- For how long — a few hours, or right through the night?
Everything else is engineering detail, and it's our job to translate your answers into the right equipment.
The three levels most homes fall into
Level 1: "Keep the essentials alive"
Lights in every room, Wi-Fi, TV, phone and laptop charging. This is the entry point, and a small system handles it comfortably. If your main frustration is sitting in the dark and losing internet, this level solves your problem at the lowest cost.
Level 2: "Protect the food, too"
Everything in Level 1, plus the fridge and freezer running around the clock — including overnight. This is the most popular choice for family homes, because spoiled food is one of the most expensive and annoying costs of load shedding. It needs a mid-size system with a decent battery.
Level 3: "I barely want to notice outages"
Nearly the whole house: essentials, fridges, microwave, washing machine, perhaps a borehole pump. Power cuts become a non-event you read about in the news. This needs a larger system, and it's where careful engineering design matters most — a few smart choices here can save you thousands.
What usually can't run on a modest system
A few appliances are power-hungry enough that they change the whole design: electric stoves and ovens, geysers, welding machines, and large air conditioners. They're not impossible — but if you want them on solar, say so upfront so the system is designed for it. Many families simply keep the stove on gas and the geyser on a timer, and save a fortune.
Quick exercise before you ask for any quote: walk through your house tonight and write two lists — "must stay on" and "nice to have." That one page of paper will get you a more accurate quote than an hour of phone calls.
Why "just buy the biggest" is bad advice
An oversized system wastes money on capacity you never use. An undersized one leaves you frustrated. The right answer is a measurement, not a guess — which is why we always visit your property, look at your actual appliances and design from real numbers. The visit is free, and you'll know your exact system size and price before spending a cent.