Frequently Asked Questions.

The short answer is yes, unless the hail is very big. All solar panels that are on the Clean Energy Council list of approved products that can be installed in Australia are tested to withstand hailstones of around 20 mm. Anything bigger than that and you’re very likelty going to have much more damage than just your solar panels! We always advise customers to add their solar system onto their home and contents insurance just in case.

We've installed more than 1,800 solar power systems on homes and businesses throughout Toowoomba & the Darlings Downs region.

There is no denying that getting solar can save you big bucks on your electricity bills, but will it completely wipe it out? The truth is probably not. While it’s possible, very few solar system owners completely eliminate their electricity bills anymore (unless they have batteries/off-grid). Here’s why: Solar only works when the sun is shining. All of the electricity you use at night, you have to buy from Ergon/Energex (unless you have batteries). Over time, electricity prices have risen and the feed-in tariff has reduced. With the current Ergon feed-in tariffs, you pay around 3 times more for the power you buy from Ergon than what they pay you for any surplus that is sold back. Ergon/Energex also charge a daily connection fee which is quite substantial.

All of our installers have been trained by us and are our direct employees, not sub-contractors. That allows us the greatest control over the quality of the workmanship.

Our standard 6.6kW solar systems for a home in Toowoomba, tin roof, single storey, single phase, start at around $8,500 depending on the inverter and panels. Three phase premises, tile roof installations, switchboard upgrades, main cabling upgrades and tilt frame installations are potential extra costs that might apply.

Grid-connected means that the solar power system is connected to the electricity grid (the Ergon/Energex network) that currently supplies you with power. At night time and in periods of inclement weather, you will be buying power from your electricity supplier if your solar power system is not producing enough power to meet your consumption.

Solar panels REC Alpha Pure & TwinPeak 4: 25 years product and performance warranty SolarEdge Smart Panels: 25 years product and performance warranty Inverters SMA: 10 years parts & labour Fronius: 5 years labour/10 years parts SolarEdge Optimisers: 25 years product warranty SolarEdge Inverters: 12 products years Enphase Microinverters: 10 years product warranty Selectronic (for off-grid systems): 10 years product warranty Workmanship Guarantee If any defect in our workmanship becomes apparent within 5 years for solar and battery installations, and 1 year for other electrical work, we will remedy it.

Maintaining your solar system is important to ensure its long-term efficiency and performance and your savings. We recommend a few key steps for maintaining your solar system: 1. **Regular Inspections:** Periodically inspect your solar panels for any dirt, debris, or obstructions like leaves and bird droppings. Cleaning the panels with water and a soft brush typically fixes those issues. Avoid using a pressure washer (such as a Gernie), abrasive materials (such as steel cool or scourers) or harsh chemicals that could damage the panels. 2. **Monitor Performance:** Keep an eye on your system's performance through your inverter screen or the monitoring software portal or app. Look for any significant drops in energy production, and faults or errors which could indicate a need for maintenance. 3. **Shade Management:** Ensure that no new shadows or obstructions, like growing trees or newly erected structures, are affecting your panels' exposure to sunlight. 4. **Professional Servicing:** While solar systems are generally low-maintenance, it is advisable to have a professional service your system every year or so. Our team can check for potential issues such as loose connections, degradation, or wear and tear, ensuring your system operates at peak efficiency. Regular maintenance and professional servicing not only extend the lifespan of your solar system but also maximize your return on investment. Contact Electrical Sensations to schedule an inspection or service and keep your solar system running smoothly.

While we totally support the installation of solar power systems, we believe the high up front cost of dedicated solar hot water systems is just too high for many home owners. A high-quality solar hot water system can easily cost more than $5,000, while an electric hot water system has a significantly lower upfront cost - typically around $2,000 - $3,000. By installing a timer for an electric hot water system and connecting it to the same tariff as your solar power system, you can achieve almost the same savings as with a dedicated solar hot water system—not quite, but almost! The cost saving from choosing an electric hot water system and a timer compared to a dedicated solar hot water system is huge.

Yes! Nigel is qualified to install both on and off-grid solar and battery systems (Solar Accreditation Australia Lic no. S2079911). There is a LOT to designing an off-grid solar power system to suit your specific requirements. The systems and products that we install are designed for whole home power, not 'micro' systems that will run a light and a power point (for example) only.

We can put you in touch with financiers BUT we don’t provide interest-free finance options. Some of our customers have used Plenti and Parker Lane for finance – both of which have (at the time of writing) specific loans for solar and battery installations. Our customers report that both Plenti and Parker Lane are easy to get along with and make the process simple. Some of the major banks are now offering specific green loans for solar as well. Electrical Sensations is not a licensed financiers and can’t give advice on which financial products to use. We prefer to leave arranging finance to the experts and stick to what we do best – installing quality solar systems.

Solar inverter have a specific "AC rated capacity" e.g: 5kW but can handle more panels without issues, up to their design limits. Having more panels than the inverter size is known as "oversizing" or "over-clocking" the system, Most inverters installed in Australia are designed to take panels that are up to 133% of the inverter capacity. For example a 10kW inverter can handle up to 13.33kW of panels and a 5kW inverter can handle up to 6.67kW of panels. The Clean Energy Council and electricity supplier (Ergon/Energex) rules allow panels of up to 133% of the inverter capacity for standard grid-connected solar power systems. If you have batteries, some inverters can handle up to 200% panel capacity and that configuration is also approved by the CEC and the electricity suppliers. Why do it? In reality, solar panels will rarely producing their maximum power because conditions are rarely ideal. During early-mid mornings, mid-late afternoons, cloudy days and certain seasons, the energy production from the panels may be lower than the inverter’s maximum capacity. Installing a larger array (more panels) allows you to generate more power during the non-ideal times. Oversizing is a cost-effective strategy to ensure you get the most out of your solar investment. Inverters are designed to take more panel input than the inverter capacity and there is no additional wear and tear on the inverter. Oversizing does not shorten the life of a the solar system and in fact, the vast majority of solar systems installed have more panels installed than the inverter capacity. It is acceptable, approved and very much "the norm".

Over time dirt, debris and dust can build up on your solar panels, creating a barrier that prevents the sun from reaching the solar panels. How often your panels need a clean depends on where you live and how dirty they get. If you are in town and your panels are on the pitch (not flat) then a clean every 6-12 months is usually enough. If you live on a dirt road, near paddocks or a construction site, have lots of trees or birds or bats, they will need more regular cleaning. Some may need a clean every couple of months, while others can get away with cleaning every 3-6 months or so. These times are only a guide – it really does just depend on how dirty your panels are.

No. Unless you have batteries, your standard grid-tied solar power system will not operate during a blackout or power outage situation for safety reasons. The systems are designed to shut down the instant there is a power outage or blackout, to prevent back-feeding electricity into the grid, which could endanger Ergon/Energex workers. If you have a battery storage system integrated with your solar panels, your setup can continue to provide power to your home during a blackout. The battery storage will take over, supplying you with electricity from the stored solar energy. We can install battery backup solutions that keep your lights on even when the grid is down, providing you with reliable power and peace of mind. Reach out if you'd like more information or to discuss the best backup options for you.

Short answer - it depends! The size of your solar PV system will depend on: The physical unshaded roof area available for the installation of your panels. How much your current electricity bills are. Your future plans for electricity consumption e.g: EVs, extra air con, pool, spa. How much you are prepared to spend. What portion of your electricity consumption you wish to generate. What size Ergon/Energex will allow you to install. To work out what size solar PV system you require, you need to get an idea of your household’s daily electricity consumption. Using your current average daily electricity consumption, as well as your expected FUTURE consumption, we can size a system to suit you. Sizing a solar power system should definitely not be a ‘one size fits all’ process. Our team of Solar Accreditation Australia accredited solar designers can help work out what size system will suit you best.

Export-limiting is when the electricity provider (Ergon or Energex in Queensland) impose limits on the amount of electricity your solar system is allowed to send back to the grid. In Queensland, this is particularly relevant due to grid capacity limitations, aging infrastructure and the high saturation of grid-connected solar power systems. Even if your solar system produces a large amount of electricity, the amount that can be exported back to the grid might be capped at a specific level, such as 5 kW, to maintain grid stability. Export limiting (or dynamic control of export) is necessary for solar power systems with inverters greater than 5kW on single phase premises and greater than 15kW on three phase premises. In some areas though, it's possible that the export level stipulated by Ergon/Energex may be even lower than 5kW per phase. It's important to understand that when you have a grid-connected solar power system installed, you USE the solar production FIRST. If you need more it just comes seamlessly from the grid. If you're producing more than what you're using, it goes back to the grid, up to whatever level Ergon/Energex will allow. At Electrical Sensations, we ensure that your solar system complies with all Ergon/Energex regulations. By understanding and playing by the rules, we help you maximize the benefits from your solar investment while keeping Ergon happy.

For residential systems, the lead time is generally 2-6 weeks depending on: a) Ergon/Energex application turn around time. Smaller residential systems are generally approved quickly, while larger commercial systems take much longer to progress through the electricity authority. b) The availability of components - panels and inverters etc.. c) Weather. Rain, strong winds and blistering heat waves make solar installations unsafe and just not possible. d) Time of year - October till December is the busiest time of year for most solar installers The expected start date and duration for the installation will be clearly stated on the agreement that forms part of the pre-installation documentation.

It depends! The solar panels and power optimisers that we use are warranted by the manufacturer for 25 years. So, technically they will last 25 years – because if something was to go wrong before then, it would be replaced under warranty. Inverters on the other hand have a warranty period of 5-12 years (depending on the brand). We have seen systems that have lasted and been producing power for 22 years and cheap, poor-quality installs that haven’t even lasted 1 year.

Yes, you can! There are a lot of factors to consider though... Firstly need to have enough panels to produce the extra power needed to charge the batteries, or enough space on the roof to add additional panels. You also need permission from Ergon/Energex and a suitable location for the batteries to be installed. There are ‘all-in-one’ solutions available, such as SonnenBatterie, Tesla PowerWall, Sigenergy and Redback that have the battery/batteries as well as the battery inverter in one enclosure/stack. There are a lot of details to get right when designing hybrid solar power systems. It isn’t as easy as grabbing any cheap batteries off eBay and hooking them up. If you're considering batteries, give us a call. We'll be more than happy to go through the options for batteries with you.

Absolutely! In fact, in some cases, east/west facing panels match the owner’s electricity usage better than a north-facing system. If you have the typical morning and afternoon spikes in usage, east/west systems can be preferable to a fully north-facing system. ​

It depends! The amount of the 'rebate' depends on the size of the solar system, date of installation and postcode of the installation address. The bigger the system, the more the rebate. At the moment, the ‘rebate’ works out to be roughly around $350 - $400per kW installed. This means the total rebate you receive off the cost of a solar system is approximately $2,100 - $2,300 for a 6.6 kW system. Under current legislation, the amount of the 'rebate' reduces on 1 January every year.

Installing a solar power system will significantly reduce your electricity bills, but is not likely to completely eliminate them. Factors influencing the resultant savings from the installation of a solar power system include the size of the system, quality of components and and critically your household's energy consumption - in terms of both total usage and time of usage. For example, if you use most of your power through the night time, a solar power system won't save you much money off your power bills. However, if you can and WILL use as much of your power as possible through the day time, you'll save a whole lot more money off your power bills. If you have the choice of using an appliance through the day time of the night time, do it through the day time, while the sun is shining and the solar is producing. Similarly, we advise you to stagger your electricity usage if you can. A solar power system can only produce so much power at any one time, so if you use a lot of high-draw appliances at the same time (such as oven, dishwasher, microwave, iron, cooktop) the solar won't be producing you enough power and you'll be buying a large portion of your usage. Though some customers do achieve a zero electricity bill, they are absolutely the exception rather than the rule. Our team provides thorough assessments and tailored advice to help you understand the benefits and realistic outcomes of solar installation.

Yes, IF you install a battery and inverter combination that's capable of it. Not all batteries can provide power in a blackout situation - go figure! When we connect a battery to a grid-connected solar power system we separate the switchboard into "essential" and "non-essential" circuits. We then wire the battery backup to the essential circuits only, so that the battery will last as long as possible in a blackout or power outage situation. You don't want the battery to run flat and lose a fridge full of food because you've had the air con blasting.... The goal of a battery is to keep your essential items (such as power points and lights) going for as long as possible, because you never know just how long a blackout is going to last.

Yes, you can! "All-in-one" storage systems such as the Tesla PowerWall, SigEnergy, RedBack and Sonnen Batterie can be added to any existing solar system. The All-in-one solutions have a battery inverter and battery cells in the same enclosure making them a neat looking solution. Give us a call to learn more about optimizing your solar investment with battery storage solutions - 07 4637 2744.

Our over-arching advice is to get the best fans that you can afford! In our experience cheap ceiling fans tend to wobble, be noisy and cause no end of angst for customers. We strongly urge AGAINST purchasing bargain fans from the Big Box hardware stores. Which fan will suit you best depends on factors such as: * Room size * Preference for colour and blade material (e.g: aluminium Vs composite) * Number of blades * Whether a remote control is required * Noise level - some fans are much quieter than others * Energy Efficiency - DC ceiling fans use much less power than traditional AC fans * Design and Style * Warranty - most ceiling fans come with manufacturer's in-home warranty * Whether you want a light integrated with the fan * What type of light - integrated LED or replaceable LED. We particularly like the Voltex brand of ceiling fans. They are a DC fan, so cheap to run and quiet; sleek and modern looking and have an outstanding 7 year manufacturer's parts and labour warranty. Voltex are our first preference for residential ceiling fans. Check them out here: https://www.voltexelectrical.com.au/c-375-ceiling-fans.aspx

MAYBE. We're more than happy to accommodate customers who provide their own brand-new, equipment and appliances—such as ceiling fans, bathroom exhaust fans, ovens, and stoves. However, if you purchase a small item such as an XYZ brand power point or light fitting brand from sources like eBay or even the Big Box hardware stores, we'll kindly decline installation. Why? The primary concern is potential complications if that fitting malfunctions down the line. Our warranty covers our workmanship and the materials we provide. In the event of an issue with a fitting supplied by the owner (not involving our workmanship), any labour for the inspection and replacement would be charged to the owner. We've found in the past that once the customer has purchased the cheap XYZ brand fittings they often forget that they have the burden of warranty for those items.

Yes we can absolutely install interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms to comply with the new standard for smoke alarms in Queensland! To find out more about the requirements, take a look at: https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-04/New-Smoke-Alarm-Legislation.pdf We generally prefer to install the Voltex brand of smoke alarms. Voltex have an outstanding 7 year manufacturer's parts and labour warranty. We've been installing Voltex branded products for well over 10 years and have the upmost confidence and trust in their products and warranty backup and support. Check out the Voltex smoke alarms here: https://www.voltexelectrical.com.au/c-229-smoke-detector.aspx

We are more than happy to provide estimates over the phone based on the information you provide. It can be tricky though - every house is diffrent! To ensure efficient allocation of our tradesman's time, we aren't able to conduct on-site assessments for work that we anticipate will amount to less than $700. This approach allows us to focus on delivering the best service possible for projects that align with our expertise and capabilities. For complex or larger projects (e.g: switchboard upgrades, mains upgrades, shed wiring) within our service area, site visits allow us to better understand the scope of the work, address any specific requirements, and provide you with a comprehensive quote.

Yes! Nigel holds the necessary security license which allows him to design and install security systems including cameras and alarms. Eufy, HiLook and HikVision are some of our favourite brands that our customers find to be easy to use, reliable with top quality imagery.

Electrical Sensations services all areas of Toowoomba and the greater Darling Downs region including Wyreema, Westbrook, Cambooya, Pittsworth, Highfields, Oakey and Withcott. We can also travel to Warwick, Roma, Ipswich, Chinchilla and the Surat Basin for larger jobs.

Electrical Sensations are fully licenced and insured Queensland electrical contractors (Lic no. 84691). Director Nigel Phillips’s qualifications: Electrical Fitter/mechanic Lic no. C29123 Solar Accreditation Australia SAA solar designer and installer (grid-connected solar and stand-alone systems) Lic no. S2079911 QLD Security Adviser and Equipment Installer. Lic no. 4323710 Diploma in Project Management Certificate IV in Small Business Management Certificate III in Telecommunications Certificate IV in Working in Hazardous Areas Electrical Sensations Partnerships: SMA PowerUp Partner REC Solar Professional Accredited Sonnen installers Tesla PowerWall installers