Frequently Asked Questions

When the sun’s light hits solar panels, its energy is converted into DC electricity. Since your house runs on AC electricity, an inverter is used to convert DC to AC so that the power can be used in your home. If you produce more electricity than you need, the surplus can either be stored in a battery or automatically sold back to the grid.

Check out our blog post on how solar panels work for more information.

A typical house will have around 10-24 panels. 

To ensure the best return on your investment, the design of your solar system should always be tailored to your home and your unique lifestyle. Get in touch with us to conduct a survey on your house to see how many solar panels will work best for you.

Very little! The only regular maintenance needed is to check your panels every six months to ensure they are clear from twigs, leaves and other obstructions. For optimal performance, you should clean them every couple of years

We do recommend getting an installer to check over the system once every five years, to make sure everything is working well.

Yes. North facing solar panels will produce the most total energy, but the difference in production might be smaller than you think. The difference between a fully East or fully West array and a North facing array is 15% at most.

If you use power in the morning or evening and are not using power around midday, an East or West array could actually suit you better. For systems that include battery storage, it will matter less at what time of day you are producing power, as the battery will even things out. 

We can design a system to suit most aspects.

Yes, the Powerwall 2 can be retrofitted to your existing solar systems, allowing you to store excess solar energy for later use and increase your energy independence. We will assess your setup to ensure the Powerwall will integrate with your current system.

Yes, the Powerwall 2 can be charged using electricity from the grid. This allows you to take advantage of lower electricity rates during off-peak periods and use the stored energy during peak periods, reducing your overall electricity costs.

Yes, the Powerwall 2 can provide backup power during a power outage. The changeover to backup power is instant, and the Powerwall has a high discharge capacity of 5kW to ensure that your home remains powered even when the grid is down.

The Powerwall 2 comes with a 10-year, unlimited-cycle warranty, which is one of the best battery warranties available. The warranty guarantees a minimum energy retention capacity of 70% at the end of the warranty period.

The Powerwall 2 is known for its high energy capacity, sleek design, and interactive monitoring app. While there are other home energy storage solutions available, the Powerwall 2 stands out due to its advanced technology, performance, great monitoring and ease of use.

The Powerwall 2 is designed to be virtually maintenance-free, with no regular maintenance or servicing required. If any issues arise, the Tesla mobile app and remote monitoring capabilities allow Tesla to diagnose and address most problems without the need for a service visit.

There is currently no government funding for residential solar systems in New Zealand

There are several ways to finance your solar system. Currently, one of the best ways is through a ‘green’ home loan. Most banks offer very low or even no-interest loans for energy-efficient upgrades, including solar and battery storage. Read more about bank loan options here.

Think Solar Group are a group of solar specialists across the South Island that design and install grid-tied solar, battery and off-grid solar systems. Each branch is locally owned and operated.

Currently, we operate in Christchurch, Dunedin, Nelson, Queenstown and Wanaka.