NEXT GENERATION OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEMS
EXPLORE OUR NEW RANGE OF OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEMS
Our new ULTRA off grid solar systems using the latest technology are made in New Zealand and priced from $17,995 inc GST. The base system sizes below are a guideline only. Additional panels and battery modules can be added to each base system depending on your daily loads and the sunshine hours for your region. When you’re ready for a quote, get in touch. Our design service is free. Or, go ahead and Book a 15 Minute Phone Meeting at a time that suits you.
TINY HOME, CABIN OR BACH – BASE SYSTEM [PS: TINY] OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM: FROM $17,995 inc GST*
*This off grid solar system excludes generator and installation (ask us for options). Your package includes the components below and is easily expanded based on your region’s sunshine hours and your daily load:
Free design service to correctly size your system 4 x 380W high-efficiency solar panels (1.5 kW total)1 x 5.6 kW all-in-one inverter, charger, controller unit 2 x 3.2 kWh Lithium Ferrous Phosphate battery modules (6.4 kWh usable power)All fusing, isolators, fittings, rails, DC cabling. NZ Compliant Pre assembled, tested, installer-friendly to save on installation costsTop and bottom steel cabinets, warranties – ongoing supportWiFi and APP monitoring
In some parts of New Zealand you will need additional solar panels. This will depend on the sunshine hours for your area and your power-use patterns. Please get in touch to get help with correct sizing.
For a deep dive into tiny house systems, check out our latest article on tiny house off grid solar.
Like the larger Small House Base System (PS:Small) which has more panels and battery storage, this base system includes a single 5.6 kW off grid solar inverter, charger, controller unit.
This allows you to plug in up to 5.6 kW of appliances at any one time. That’s enough AC power to run the jug and washing machine together. This is a good amount.
Click on the video to watch an overview of the ULTRA-Single unit.
With the PS: Tiny unit, you’d need to use gas, solid fuel or diesel for hot water, cooking and heating.
If you need your off grid solar system to power these items (especially an oven or electric hob), you’ll need to upgrade. Our PS: Small or PS: Medium systems may be the right size.
EXPANDABILITY
With only four solar panels and two battery modules, this Tiny system is really only suitable for high sunshine areas. However, it can be easily and cost-effectively expanded – up to a point.
In fact, you can add up to 6 kW of solar panels (the base system comes with 1.5 kW). And, the battery bank can be doubled (from two batteries providing 6.4 kWh to four batteries providing 12.8 kWh) – or somewhere in between.
If you decide to add more battery storage, then you’ll need to add more solar generation (panels) otherwise the battery bank won’t be filled in winter. For help with sizing, please get in touch.
Once the limit of 6 kW of panels is reached, the PS: Tiny can’t be easily or cheaply expanded. However, at 12.8 kWh battery power, this would be sufficient to run a medium family home with all the usual appliances and gear.
No, you probably still can’t run the oven. You’ll need to upgrade to the PS: Medium or PS: Large base system to do that.
THE PS:TINY OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM CAN POWER THE FOLLOWING:
The PS: Tiny base system is designed to run basic appliances only.
These could include:
- Up to four or five LED lights on at the same time
- Small fridge/freezer
- Washing machine (daytime use only)
- Approved water pump
- Kitchen range hood and bathroom fan
- Small microwave (800W)
- Jug, toaster
- Internet router and phone/device charging
- Laptop computer for a few hours per night
- Small 32″ LED TV and Sky box for a few hours per night
- Miscellaneous appliances such as a vacuum cleaner, blender, tools etc.
The list above is indicative only. There is a lot of variation between appliance brands and how they are used.
For more detail on what’s involved in correctly sizing your system take a look at our off-grid Load Evaluation article. This will give you an in-depth explanation.
If you want to get the sizing correct, use our experience and get in touch to discuss your situation and requirements.
HOW MUCH TOTAL POWER WILL THE PS: TINY OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM PROVIDE OVER 24 HRS?
When we talk about power use, there are two factors to consider. The first of these is AC ‘flow-through’ in kW. This is simply how many appliances (or equipment) you can use at the same time.
The PS: Tiny and the PS: Small base systems are limited to 5.6 kW at any one time because they have one inverter.
The second factor is how much power you’ll actually consume over a 24 hour period.
Power use over time is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). For example, if a 100W Television runs for 10 hours each day, it would use 1,000 watt hours – or 1 kWh per day.
The PS: Tiny system will provide up to about 4 kWh per day in winter. Maybe a bit more. Again, more than four panels may be needed, but for perspective the ‘average’ family home in New Zealand will use about 25 kWh per day.
YOU WILL *NOT* BE ABLE TO POWER THE FOLLOWING:
All off-grid solar systems have limitations.. This is based on the number of panels, the size of the battery bank, and the capacity of the inverter/s.
The PS: Tiny system is a small system for very basic requirements and will not be able to power the following. Attempting to do so may cause damage and void your warranty:
- Electric hot water
- Electric hob or oven
- Heat pumps or electric heating
- A separate chest freezer
- A dishwasher (probably)
- Most powered sewage or grey water systems
- Desktop computers that need to be on all day
- UV water treatment systems (probably)
If you need to run any of these appliances, you’ll need a larger system. Talk to us about sizing and your options.
WHAT REGION ARE YOU IN?
The sizing of our off grid solar systems are intended to be a basic guideline; a starting point.
The fact is, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. All systems are customised to your specific situation.
The number of solar panels needed will depend on your region. This may affect your final price. It’s because different areas around New Zealand have varying official sunshine hours according to NIWA.
You can read more in our latest article “Off Grid Solar For Dummies”.
The PS: Tiny off grid system only comes with four solar panels (1.5 kW total). This will not be sufficient for many locations around Aotearoa.
Areas with lower sunshine hours include, the Manawatu region and the Central Plateau (Taupo/Turangi area). The West Coast of the South Island and anywhere south of the Canterbury region will have reduced sunshine hours. Extra solar panels will be required in these regions.
IS THE PS: TINY OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM RIGHT FOR YOU?
Use our expertise to see if the PS: Tiny system is right for you. When you are ready to get in touch, you can use our free and no obligation design service.
We’ll help you to accurately size your system.
SMALL HOUSE – BASE SYSTEM [PS: SMALL] OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM: FROM $27,995 inc GST*
*Excludes generator and installation (ask us for options). Your package includes the following components, but is designed to be easily expanded based on your region’s sunshine hours and your daily load:
Free design service to correctly size your system 10 x 380W high-efficiency solar panels (3.8 kW total)1 x 5.6 kW all-in-one inverter, charger, controller unit 3 x 3.2 kWh Lithium Ferrous Phosphate battery modules (9.6 kWh usable power)All fusing, isolators, fittings, rails, DC cabling. NZ Compliant Pre assembled, tested, installer-friend to save on installation costs Top and bottom cabinets, warranties – ongoing supportWiFi and APP monitoring
This system has four extra panels (total 10) and one more battery module (three modules providing 9.6 kWh total) than the PS: Tiny system. It will provide power for more than just the bare basics.
However, in some parts of New Zealand you will need additional solar panels. It just all depends on the sunshine hours and your power-use patterns. Please get in touch to get help with correct sizing.
For a comprehensive look at tiny or small house off grid solar living, read our latest article on tiny house off grid solar.
Like the smaller PS: Tiny system, the PS: Small comes with a single 5.6 kW off grid solar inverter, charger, controller unit. It will allow you to plug in up to 5.6 kW of appliances at the same time.
This system could allow a couple or family of three to live comfortably, full time, with basic appliances.
With the PS: Small unit, you’d need to use gas, solid fuel or diesel for hot water, cooking and heating. A benchtop airfryer or small heat pump may be OK.
Click on the video to watch an overview of the ULTRA-Single unit.
Need more power? To run your hot water and/or cooking, you will need to upgrade – to the PS: Medium or PS: Large off grid solar systems.
EXPAND YOUR OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM
With 10 solar panels and three battery modules, the PS: Small house system can be easily and cost-effectively expanded – up to a point.
You can add up to six more panels to your system for a total of 16 (from 4.5 kW to 6 kW). You can also add one more battery module. This will increase from three to four (from 9.6 kWh to 12.8 kWh).
However, once this limit is reached, the PS: Medium unit cannot be easily expanded. You still may not be able to run a stove top or oven (an airfryer may be okay).
Will you need even more power than the PS: Small house off grid solar system can supply? If you do, or if you want to use your system to power your hot water, cooking or heating in the future, please talk to us. We can advise you about upsizing to the PS3: Medium or Large systems.
THE PS: SMALL OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM CAN POWER THE FOLLOWING:
The PS: Small unit sized to run basic appliances and equipment with supplementary appliances.
If your appliances and equipment total add up to about 6-7 kWh per day, then the PS2: Small House unit could be suitable for you. Get in touch and we can help you with the calculations.
Appliances could include:
- Up to 10 LED lights
- Large fridge/freezer
- Washing machine (daytime use only)
- Approved water pump
- Kitchen range hood and bathroom fan
- Microwave Oven (1,000W)
- Jug, toaster
- Small chest freezer
- Internet router and phone/device charging
- Two laptops for a few hours per night
- Heated towel rail (4 hrs on a timer – daytime only)
- Med/Large LED TV and Sky box for 6 hours per day
- Miscellaneous appliances such as a vacuum cleaner, blender, tools etc.
- Dishwasher (possibly)
- Powered septic system (possibly)
- Small heat pump (possibly)
- UV water treatment (possibly)
- Benchtop airfyer (possibly)
- Electric hot water
The list above is a guideline only. That’s because there is a lot of variation between appliance brands, wattage draw and performance.
Use our experience and get in touch to discuss your situation and requirements.
Go ahead and learn more about about off grid power use and other factors with sizing in our Load Evaluation article.
HOW MUCH TOTAL POWER WILL THE PS: SMALL HOUSE SYSTEM PROVIDE OVER ONE DAY
Generally, there are two factors to consider when we talk about power capacity with off grid solar systems.
The first of these is AC ‘flow-through’ in kW. This is simply how many appliances (or stuff) you can plug in and use at the same time.
[If you remember, the PS: Tiny and PS: Small systems are limited to 5.6 kW at any one time. They only have one inverter.]
The second factor is how much power you’ll actually consume over a full 24-hours.
Power use over time is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). For example, if a 100W television runs for 10 hours per day, it would use 1,000 watt hours – or 1 kWh per day.
Also, the ratio between how much power you are likely to consume during the day vs night time, is also a factor. When we speak, we’ll want to understand this because this ratio can affect the size (and price) of your system.
For example, if you can use more power when the sun is shining, it may mean you’ll need less battery storage for after dark, and pay a lower price.
Overall, the PS: Small House off grid solar system will provide up to about 6-7 kWh per day in winter. Maybe a bit more. For perspective, the ‘average’ family home in New Zealand will use about 25 kWh per day.
Our design process covers all of these factors. This includes checking what appliances you want to run and understanding your goals and lifestyle. As well, we’ll also calculate the number of solar panels you’ll need based on the official sunshine hours for your region.
YOU WILL *NOT* BE ABLE TO POWER THE FOLLOWING:
All off grid solar systems have limitations. This is based on the number of panels, the size of the battery bank, and the capacity of the inverter/s.
Specifically, the PS: Small system is suitable for basic requirements (plus a bit more). However, you will *not* be able to power the following. If you attempt to do so, you may cause damage, inconvenience and void your warranty:
- Electric hob or oven
- Heat pumps or electric heating (probably not)
- A medium or large separate chest freezer (small is OK)
- Most powered sewage or grey water systems
- Desktop computers that need to be on all day (laptop could be OK)
- UV water treatment systems (probably not)
If you need to run any of these appliances (especially the oven or electric hob), then you may need a larger system. Talk to us about sizing and your options.
SUNSHINE HOURS FOR YOUR REGION
The sizing of our off grid solar systems are meant to be a basic guideline; a starting point.
The fact is, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. That’s because all systems are customised to your specific situation.
Undoubtedly, the number of solar panels you will need for your property will depend on your region. This may affect your final price. Notably, different areas around New Zealand have varying official sunshine hours according to NIWA.
The PS: Small system comes with 10 high-efficiency solar panels (3.8 kW total). However, in some areas with lower average sunshine hours, you will probably need extra additional solar panels.
Areas with lower official sunshine hours include the Manawatu region and the Central Plateau (Taupo/Turangi area). In the South Island, the West Coast and anywhere south of the Canterbury region will also need more solar panels.
Go ahead and read more about regional differences (plus lots more), in our latest article “Off Grid Solar For Dummies”. It has been updated for 2023.
IS THE PS:SMALL OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM RIGHT FOR YOU?
Use our expertise to see if the PS: Small system is right for you. Then, when you are ready to get in touch, you can use our free and no obligation design service.
We’ll help you to accurately size your system and work you through a Load Evaluation.
MEDIUM HOUSE – BASE SYSTEM [PS: MED] OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM: FROM $38,995 inc GST*
*Excludes generator and installation (ask us for options). Your package includes the following components, but is designed to be easily expanded based on your region’s sunshine hours and your daily load:
Free design service to correctly size your system 16 x 380W high-efficiency solar panels (6 kW total)2 x 5.6 kW all-in-one inverter, charger, controller units (11.2 kW) 4 x 3.2 kWh Lithium Ferrous Phosphate battery modules (12.8 kWh usable power)All fusing, isolators, fittings, rails, DC cabling. NZ Compliant Pre assembled, tested, installer-friendly to save on installation costsTop and bottom steel cabinets, warranties – ongoing supportWiFi and APP monitoring
It has *two* 5.6 kW all-in-one inverter, controller, charger units. This means you can add more panels (this system comes with 16, but you can add up to 32 – for a total of 12 kW).
With two inverters you system is future-proofed. It allows for up to 11.2 kW of appliances and equipment to be run at any one time. This includes an electric oven and other high draw appliances. The 11.2 kW of AC power available is called your ‘AC flow-through’.
This level of AC flow-through is quite a lot. It would suit 90% of New Zealand homes and large families using standard appliances.
You may need more than the 16 solar panels included in this base system. It just depends on your daily load and the sunshine hours for your region.
Click on the video to watch an overview of the ULTRA-Double unit.
The limitation with the PS: Medium unit is not the twin 5.6 kW inverters. The limitation is the size of the panel array (16 included) and battery modules (4 included).
If your daily load is over 9 kWh, you’ll need to upgrade by adding additional solar panels or battery modules.
Every household and situation is different. That’s why we can give professional design advice to ensure correct engineering design.
EXPAND AS YOUR NEEDS CHANGE
The size of your final system is based on the Load Evaluation that we do with you. When checked against the official sunshine hours for your region and other factors, that helps us to make recommendations about sizing.
You may need more power for more appliances or equipment. If so, the PS: Medium House base system can be expanded by adding to the 16 (6 kW) it comes with, all the way up to 32 panels (12 kW).
Likewise, the battery bank can also be doubled. The four battery modules (12.8 kWh) that it comes with can be increased all the way up to eight (25.6 kWh of total useable power).
While the PS: Medium will cope with basic appliances for a large home (including an electric oven) you can expand it. Simply add more battery storage to run a range of high-draw appliances. These could include a spa pool, electric hot water, induction hob, heat pumps, satellite internet, EV and more.
With 12.8 kWh of usable power provided with the PS: Medium, that’s a decent amount of power.
YOU CAN POWER THE FOLLOWING:
The list below is a guideline only. This is because there a number of variables to take into consideration.
These include the actual type and power draw of appliances, the time-of-day you use of certain appliances and more.
The PS: Medium House base off grid solar system can run:
- Up to 12 LED lights on at the same time
- Electric oven
- Large fridge/freezer
- Washing machine (daytime use only)
- Microwave oven
- Dishwasher (daytime use only)
- Medium chest freezer
- Approved water pump
- Jug and toaster
- Internet router and phone/device charging
- A couple of laptops for a few hours per night
- Large LED TV (Max 55″) and Sky box for up to six hours per day
- Second smaller LED TV for a few hours per night
- UV water treatment (on timer)
- Heated towel rail on a timer for a few hours daytime only
- Miscellaneous appliances such as a vacuum cleaner, blender, tools, stereo, garage door opener, etc.
- Hot water heat pump (maybe)
- Small/med heat pump (maybe)
- Powered septic or grey water system (maybe)
- Second small fridge (maybe)
- Satellite internet (maybe)
Talk to us about the pros and cons of different types of internet services, water pumps and sewage or greywater systems.
HOW MUCH POWER CAN THE PS: MEDIUM OFF GRID SOLAR SUYSTEM DELIVER IN OVER 24-HOURS?
There are two factors to understand when we talk about power capacity with off grid solar systems.
The first of these is AC ‘flow-through’, as explained earlier. This is simply how many appliances you can plug in at the same time. The PS: Medium allows for up to 11.2 kW.
The second factor is how much power you’ll actually consume over a 24-hour period.
Power use is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). For example, if a 200W desktop computer and monitor runs for five hours in one day, it will use 1 kWh in.
Another factor is the ratio between how much power you are likely to consume during the day as opposed to the night time. Understanding this ratio is important to sizing your off grid solar system.
For example, can you use more power when the sun is shining? This may mean you’ll need less battery storage for after dark, and pay a lower price.
The PS: Medium off grid solar system will handle total power use of about 9 kWh per day in winter. It may allow for more, depending on your local sunshine hours.
For perspective, the ‘average’ family home in New Zealand might use about 25 kWh per day.
THERE’S NOT MUCH YOU CAN’T RUN
All off grid solar systems have limitations and certain operating parameters. This is a function of the number of panels, the size of the battery bank, and the capacity of the inverter/s
Technically, the PS: Medium off grid solar system will power all of the appliances below. Just not all at the same time!
And remember, if we were to add up the total power use over 24 hrs, it shouldn’t be more than about 9 kWh per day.
From time-to-time, if you were to exceed the 9 kWh recommended daily load, it’s not the end of the world. That’s because the auto-start generator is there to cover this.
However, if this happens too frequently, the generator will run far too often. This will be an added cost in fuel. And, apart from the noise, it may cause unwanted strain on the system which may reduce its lifespan.
Talk to us if you need to power the items below. Better to get it sized correctly from the get go.
More more insight into sizing, take a look at our article that explains the load evaluation process.
- Electric hot water (maybe)
- Electric hob or oven (maybe)
- Heat pumps for heating (maybe)
Again, the limitation for the PS: Medium House base system is not any individual appliance, it’s your *total* kWh power use over 24 hrs.
YOUR REGION MAY AFFECT YOUR PRICING
The prices and system sizes on this website are general guidelines only.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution because all systems are customised to your specific situation.
The number of solar panels you may need will vary from region to region, and may affect your final price. This is because different areas in New Zealands have different official sunshine hours according to NIWA.
The PS: Medium system comes with 16 solar panels (6 kW total). However, in some areas of New Zealand with lower average sunshine hours, you will require extra panels. It all depends on your power consumption over one day in winter.
Areas with lower sunshine hours include he West Coast of the South Island, and anywhere south of Canterbury. Also the Manawatu region and the Central Plateau (Taupo/Turangi area) will require additional solar panels.
We can give you some guidance as part of our free design service.
You can read more about regional sunshine hours and a whole lot more in our popular article “Off Grid Solar For Dummies”.
IS THE PS: MEDIUM OFF-GRID SOLAR SYSTEM RIGHT FOR YOU?
This system could be the ideal size for you. When you are ready to get in touch, you can use our free and no obligation design service.
Everyone is different. We’ll give you an accurate quote – and options – over the phone.
LARGE HOUSE – BASE SYSTEM [PS:LARGE] OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM: FROM $49,995 inc GST*
*Does not include generator and installation (ask us for options). Your package includes the following components and items, but is designed to be easily expanded based on your region’s sunshine hours and your daily load:
Free design service to correctly size your system 20 x 380W high-efficiency solar panels (7.6 kW total)2 x 5.6 kW all-in-one inverter, charger, controller units 6 x 3.2 kWh Lithium Ferrous Phosphate battery modules (19.2 kWh usable power)All fusing, isolators, fittings, rails, DC cabling. NZ Compliant Pre assembled, tested, installer-friendly to keep installation costs downTop and bottom steel cabinets, warranties – ongoing supportWiFi and APP monitoring
Compared to the smaller PS: Medium system, it has four more panels (20 panels with 7.6 kW total) and two more batteries (6 modules providing 19.2 kWh of total power).
It comes with twin 5.6 kW all-in-one inverter, controller, charger units.
This means you can plug in up to 11.2 kW of appliances and equipment at any one time, including an electric oven and hob. The amount of power you can use at one time is called your ‘AC flow-through’.
With 11.2 kWh of AC flow-through (a good amount), this would suit 90% of large families using standard appliances.
Whether the PS: Large off grid power plant is suited to you depends on you daily load in kWh and the sunshine hours for your region. We can calculate these for you as part of our free design service.
You can also read our Load Evaluation article on correctly sizing your system. This is such a critical thing to get right because you risk over-capitalising if it’s too big. Or, even worse – in winter – you risk the system shutting down or using too much generator fuel if it’s under-powered..
Click on the video to watch an overview of the ULTRA-Double unit.
The limitation with the PS:Large unit is not in the twin 5.6 kW inverters, but rather in your estimated daily load over a 24 hour period.
If your daily load is over 14 kWh, you may need to upgrade by adding more panels and battery storage.
EXPAND AS YOUR NEEDS GROW
The PS: Large off grid solar system can be easily and cost-effectively expanded. Simply add more panels from the 20 that it comes with, all the way up to 32 panels (12 kW).
Likewise, the battery bank can also be increased from the six modules included, up to to eight (25.6 kWh).
The PS: Large can cope with basic appliances for a large home. If you needs change and you need more power, you can always grow your system. Ultimately, you can run a spa pool, electric hot water, oven and hob, heat pumps, a powered septic system, satellite internet, EV and more.
YOU CAN POWER THE FOLLOWING:
The list below is a guideline only. This is because there variables to take into consideration.
They include the actual type and draw of appliances, the time of day you use of certain appliances, the local sunshine hours and more.
The PS:Large system can run:
- Up to 18 LED lights on at the same time
- Electric oven
- Large fridge/freezer
- Washing machine (daytime use only)
- Clothes dryer
- Microwave oven
- Dishwasher (daytime use only)
- Medium or Large chest freezer
- Approved water pump
- Jug and toaster
- Internet router and phone/device charging
- All day running of laptops
- Large LED TV (Max 55″) and Sky box for up to eight hours per day
- Second smaller LED TV for a few hours per night
- UV water treatment (on timer)
- Heated towel rail on a timer for a few hours daytime only
- Miscellaneous appliances such as a vacuum cleaner, blender, tools, stereo, garage door opener, etc.
- Hot water heat pump
- Small/med heat pump
- Powered septic or grey water system
- Second small fridge
- Satellite internet
Talk to us about the pros and cons of different types of internet services, water pumps and sewage or greywater systems.
HOW MUCH POWER CAN THE PS:LARGE OFF-GRID SOLAR SYSTEM PROVIDE IN ONE DAY?
There are two things to understand when we talk about power capacity with off grid solar systems.
The first of these is AC ‘flow-through’, as explained earlier.
The second factor is how much power you are estimated to consume over the period on one day in winter.
The month of June in New Zealand is the month with the lowest sunshine hours. We use the official sunshine hours in your region to help with calculations and sizing.
Power use in any home is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). For example, if a 100W LED TV runs for 10 hours each day, it will use 1 kWh per day.
The ratio between how much power you are likely to consume during the day vs night time, is also a factor. When we speak, we’ll want to understand this because this ratio can affect the size (and price) of your system.
For example, where possible, try to run appliance such as the dishwasher or washing machine during the day when the sun is shining (or use a timers). If you can do this, you may be able to operate with a smaller battery bank.
Deliberately using appliances during daylight hours where possible (particularly after 10:00 am in winter), is called ‘load shifting’. Our service includes tips with appliance selection and personalised coaching.
The PS: Large House off grid solar system will handle total power use (over one day), of about 14kWh in winter – maybe a bit more. It all depends on your local sunshine hours.
For interest, the ‘average’ family home in New Zealand will generally consume about 25 kWh per day.
THERE’S NOT MUCH YOU CAN’T RUN
All off grid solar systems have limitations and certain operating parameters. This is a function of the number of panels, the size of the battery bank, and the capacity of the inverter/s.
Technically, the PS: Large unit will power *nearly all* of the standard appliances in the modern off grid home. This could include a spa pool, a hot water heat pump and an electric hob. Just not at the same time!
From time-to-time, if you were to exceed the 14 kWh recommended daily load, it’s not the end of the world. That’s because the auto-start generator is there to cover this.
However, if this happens too frequently, the generator will run far too often. This will be an added cost in fuel. And, apart from the noise pollution, it may cause unwanted strain on the system which may reduce its lifespan.
Better to get it sized correctly from the get go.
Again, the limitation for the PS:Large off grid solar system is not any individual appliance, it’s your *total* kWh power use over 24 hrs.
YOUR LOCATION MAY AFFECT YOUR PRICING
The prices and system sizes on this website are general guidelines only.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution because all systems are customised to your specific situation.
The number of solar panels you may need will vary from region to region, and may affect your final price. This is because different regions have different official sunshine hours according to NIWA.
The PS: Large House system comes with 20 solar panels (7.6 kW total). However, in some areas of New Zealand with lower average sunshine hours, you will require extra panels – depending on your load and lifestyle.
Areas with lower sunshine hours include the Manawatu region and the Central Plateau (Taupo/Turangi area) in the north. In the south, the West Coast of the South Island, and anywhere south of Canterbury will need extra solar panels.
We can advise as part of our free design service.
You can read more about all aspects of off the grid solar sizing in our comprehensive article “Off Grid Solar For Dummies”. If you are new to this subject, there’s lots of useful information to help.
IS THE PS: LARGE OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM RIGHT FOR YOU?
Use our expertise to see if this sized system is right for you. When you are ready to get in touch, you can use our free and no obligation design service.
We’ll help you to accurately size your system and work you through a Load Evaluation over the phone or via Zoom.
MEGA HOUSE – BASE SYSTEM [PS: MEGA] OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM: FROM $59,995 inc GST*
*Excludes generator and installation (ask us for options). Your package includes the following components and items, but is designed to be easily expanded based on your region’s sunshine hours and your daily load over 24 hrs in winter:
Free design service to correctly size your system 26 x 380W high-efficiency solar panels (9.9 kW total)2 x 5.6 kW all-in-one inverter, charger, controller units 8 x 3.2 kWh Lithium Ferrous Phosphate battery modules (25.6 kWh usable power)All fusing, isolators, fittings, rails, DC cabling. NZ Compliant Pre assembled, tested, installer-friendly to save on installation costsTop and Bottom steel cabinets, warranties – ongoing supportWiFi and APP monitoring
This is our largest system that utilises the double 5.6 kWh inverter, controller, charger units.
The PS:Mega off grid solar system is at the limit of battery expansion (eight batteries total), however it is easy to connect two of these systems together for even more power. We call two of these connected our Quad System. Please get in touch for more information.
Compared to the smaller PS:Large unit, The PS:Mega has six more high-efficiency solar panels (26 panels or 9.9 kW total) and two more 3.2 kWh battery modules (8 modules total with 25.6 kWh of total power available).
This means you can plug in up to 11.2 kW of appliances and equipment at any one time, including an electric oven and hob. The amount of power you can use at one time is called your ‘AC flow-through’.
With 11.2 kWh of AC flow-through (a decent amount), this would suit 90% of large families using standard appliances.
Click on the video to watch an overview of the ULTRA-Double unit.
Whether the PS: Mega system is suited to you depends on you daily load in kWh and the sunshine hours for your region. We can calculate these for you as part of our free design service.
The limitation with this unit not just in the 11.2 kW AC flow-through capability. It’s also your estimated daily load over a 24 hour period, in winter.
EXPANSION OPTION
It’s possible to increase the number of solar modules by six, from 26 to 32. This would give you 12 kW of solar generation.
And, if your daily load is over about 18 kWh per day or if you live in a part of NZ with lower than average sunshine hours (like Palmerston North or Invercargill), you may need to upgrade to our Quad System (Double-double).
This is where two of our double systems are connected together. Effectively, means two cabinets beside each other. This allows for up to double the capacity of the PS:Mega off grid system. Please get in touch for pricing.
YOU CAN POWER THE FOLLOWING WITH THE PS:MEGA OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM:
The list below is a guideline only because there variables to take into consideration.
They include the actual type and draw of appliances, the time of day you use of certain appliances, the local sunshine hours and more.
The PS: Mega system can run:
- Up to 18 LED lights on at the same time
- Electric oven
- Large fridge/freezer
- Washing machine (daytime use only)
- Clothes dryer
- Microwave oven
- Dishwasher (daytime use only)
- Medium or Large chest freezer
- Approved water pump
- Jug and toaster
- Internet router and phone/device charging
- All day running of laptops
- Large LED TV (Max 55″) and Sky box for up to eight hours per day
- Second smaller LED TV for a few hours per night
- UV water treatment (on timer)
- Heated towel rail on a timer for a few hours daytime only
- Miscellaneous appliances such as a vacuum cleaner, blender, tools, stereo, garage door opener, etc.
- Hot water heat pump
- Small/med heat pump
- Powered septic or grey water system
- Second small fridge
- Satellite internet
Talk to us about the pros and cons of different types of internet services, water pumps and sewage or greywater systems.
HOW MUCH POWER CAN THE PS8 DELIVER IN ONE DAY?
There are two factors to understand when we talk about power capacity with off grid solar systems.
The first of these is AC ‘flow-through’, as explained earlier.
The second factor is how much power you’ll actually use over a 24 hour period.
Power use is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). For example, if a 100W LED TV runs for 10 hours, it will use 1 kWh in (forgive us if this is too basic!).
NIGHT VS DAY
The ratio between how much power you are likely to consume during the day vs night time, is also a factor. We will want to understand this because this ratio can affect the size (and price) of your system.
For example, can you use more more power during daylight hours? This means you’ll need less battery storage for after dark, and pay a lower price.
The PS: Mega off grid solar system will handle total power use (over one day), of about 18 kWh per day in winter – maybe a bit more. This will depend on your local sunshine hours.
For perspective, the ‘average’ family home in New Zealand might use about 25 kWh per day.
THERE’S NOT MUCH YOU CAN’T RUN
All off grid solar systems have limitations and certain operating parameters. This is a function of the number of panels, the size of the battery bank, and the capacity of the inverter/s
Technically, the PS:Mega house system will power *nearly all* of the standard appliances in the modern off grid home including a spa pool, a hot water heat pump and an electric hob. Just not at the same time!
From time-to-time, if you were to exceed the 18 kWh recommended daily load, it’s not the end of the world. That’s because the auto-start generator is there to cover this.
However, if this happens too frequently, the generator will run far too often. This will be an added cost in fuel. And, apart from the noise pollution, it may cause unwanted strain on the system which may reduce its lifespan.
To learn more about system sizing, go ahead and check out our article on system sizing and the Load Evaluation.
Better to get it sized correctly from the get go.
Again, the limitation for the PS:Mega system is not any individual appliance, it’s your *total* kWh power use over 24 hrs.
YOUR LOCATION MAY AFFECT YOUR PRICING
The prices and system sizes on this website are general guidelines only.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution because all systems are customised to your specific situation.
The number of solar panels you may need will vary from region to region, and may affect your final price. This is because different regions have different official sunshine hours according to NIWA.
The PS: Mega system comes with 32 solar panels (12 kW total). However, in some areas of New Zealand with lower average sunshine hours, you may require additional panels which means upgrading to the ULTRA-Double system.
Areas with lower sunshine hours include the Manawatu region and the Central Plateau (Taupo/Turangi area). The West Coast of the South Island and anywhere south of Canterbury will also require additional solar generation.
We can advise as part of our free design service.
You can read more about regional differences in sunshine hours and more, in our latest article “Off Grid Solar For Dummies”.
IS THE PS: MEGA OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEM RIGHT FOR YOU?
Use our expertise to see if the PS: Mega system is right for you. When you are ready to get in touch, you can use our free and no obligation design service.
We’ll help you to accurately size your system and give you an accurate quote.
OFF GRID SOLAR SYSTEMS: FAQs
After more than a decade of designing and manufacturing off grid solar systems for New Zealand families, we’ve collected a bunch of Frequently Asked Questions. Click below to read the most common and popular questions we get on a regular basis. When you are ready you can get in touch for help, or book a 15 min phone consultation.
OUR PARTNERS
The components that go in to our New Zealand made, off grid solar systems are carefully chosen and tested from these local and overseas suppliers
WHAT’S NEXT?
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