Design your solar system around your actual usage, not a guess.
We size your system from your real consumption pattern, so what you install matches what you use.
Solar PV panels turn light into electricity. You can read more about solar PV panels.
Every installation is quoted separately because every property is different: the roof size, pitch and type, where the DB board is, and whether you run a pool pump, machinery, appliances or electronics.
Your power use over the past 12 months shows your peak requirements and the months they fall in, alongside the sunshine available. From that we design the right system, one that sees you through your peak times with ease.
A well designed system meets today's needs without compromise. It also lets you expand later, to feed more demand or to get closer to power independence, if that is one of your goals.
A family home we have designed runs a 16 kW inverter, a 12 kWh battery and 27 x 600 W panels (16.2 kWp), and EFJS Printing's 30 kW FoxESS system paid back its investment in 2.5 years. And we can do the same for you.
How we go about this:
1. Send your bill and book your free on-site assessment
An on-site assessment is essential, because it shows what complexities there are to overcome when installing your solar system. Send us your Eskom bill, and we schedule a site visit.
- We assess your building, appliances, Eskom bill and the general layout of the property
- We do the calculations while we are there
- You get your options, and we work through them with you
- Your report shows your system size, equipment list and payback time
2. We design around your roof, DB board and 12 months of use
Your Power Objectives: It is important to know and understand what the initial system should be designed for, to be evolved, or built onto. This means that you can start and then build onto the system without compromise, by simply adding panels, a second inverter, and if you are using battery backup, then add or upgrade these too.
This means having the right basic units in place first, of the right size, so that what is added complements what is there.
3. Track and expand over time in the app
With our mobile device software you get to monitor and can study your consumption over time. The information from this analysis is the very intelligence you need to make your next decision on. This is first hand ‘reporting’, outside of predictions and calculations, that now provides you a true reflection of your summer and winter consumption. Based on this you build out your system. The app also sends pop-up notifications to you, the owner.
What does design factor in?
When designing your system, this is the information needed in order to get the right configuration for your exact needs:
- Your initial solar power requirement purpose/ objectives
- The design layout of your roof (pitch, angle facing), roof type
Every property’s roof, usage and electrical layout is different, a generic system size wastes money either way. We believe every South African deserves a system designed around their own numbers.
Get a design built for your property.
With your 12-month consumption history and site layout factored in, we size for your real peak load, which means no shortfalls and no wasted capacity.
Room to grow.
We size the inverter and DB wiring with headroom, which means you can add panels or a battery later without replacing what is already there.
Designed for your peak month.
We use 12 months of your bills, not one, which means your system is not under-sized for the month you need it most.
It all begins with an honest consultation, answering some key questions, your finance situation and wherewithal. The solar equipment selected will tailor to your needs and information provided.
Correctly designed solar starts with your actual 12-month consumption history, roof geometry and DB board position, get that design step right and the benefits (lower bills, more energy independence, a system you can expand later) follow; get it wrong and you'll under- or over-size the system.
It explains the factors a proper solar design accounts for, roof pitch and orientation, DB board position, appliance load, 12-month usage history, so you can prepare a better brief. It doesn't produce a finished design; that requires ZenSolar's on-site assessment.
A single month's bill doesn't show your seasonal peak, winter heating or summer air-con can shift your highest-demand month entirely. Twelve months of history lets ZenSolar design for your actual peak, not an average that under-sizes the system for the month you need it most.
Daily electricity use is divided by local peak sun-hour availability to get a baseline capacity figure, with extra capacity added for system losses and cloudy days. That number is then adjusted against your roof's real usable area, orientation and shading before it becomes a final design.
Roof pitch, orientation and material all change the design, a north-facing roof performs best in South Africa, tile roofs need hook-based mounts that limit penetrations into the waterproof layer, and flat roofs need angled, ballasted frames instead. ZenSolar assesses these factors during the on-site evaluation before finalising a design.
ZenSolar sizes the initial inverter and DB wiring with headroom, so panels, a second inverter, or extra battery capacity can be added later without replacing what's already installed. The key is specifying the right base components upfront, not just the right panel count.
kWp is your panels' rated peak output under test conditions; kWh is the energy actually produced or consumed over time. The kWh figure is what actually offsets your bill, and it varies with your location, panel orientation and the weather on a given day.
Yes, for any grid-tied design, ZenSolar's process includes preparing the single-line drawing and municipal SSEG application as part of the design and installation package, not as a separate step you have to manage.
It depends on your system size, how much battery storage you want, your roof or site, and whether you are on single or three phase power. A tailored quote follows your free energy assessment, and SSEG fees and meter costs are included in your quote.
Yes. Homes can rent to own, lease or buy outright. Businesses can also ask about a PPA, which is for businesses only. Speak to a tax practitioner about any business tax allowances that may currently apply to your business.
Savings depend on system size, energy usage and your tariff. Many homes and businesses offset a large portion of their electricity costs, up to 92%.
Most jobs take about 1 to 3 weeks from your first call to the day your system switches on. It depends on how quickly approvals come through, whether your paperwork is ready, and the size of your system. Bigger or more complex sites can take longer.
It depends on the options you choose when you sign up, because sites and equipment vary. Every system carries a 10-year swap-out warranty on the inverter and battery.