What to Prepare Before a First Consultation

Most first consultations go sideways because the homeowner hasn't thought about what they actually need to keep running during load shedding. You don't need to be an electrician, but you do need to know which circuits matter most to you. That single piece of information shapes everything else: inverter size, battery capacity, and the final cost.

Start with your essential load

Before you meet anyone, walk through your house and list what must stay on when the grid drops. For most families that's the lights, the Wi-Fi router, a fridge, and maybe a TV. Some add a laptop charger or a medical device. Write down the wattage of each item — it's usually printed on the back or in the manual. Add them up. That number is your essential load, and it's the first thing your consultant will ask about.

Know your load-shedding schedule

Your municipality publishes the load-shedding timetable for your area. Bring a copy or at least know the typical stage and duration you're dealing with. A system sized for two-hour outages may not be enough if your area regularly sits at Stage 4 or higher. This context helps the consultant recommend the right battery bank instead of guessing.

Check your roof and available space

If you're considering solar panels, take a look at your roof orientation and any shading from trees or neighbouring buildings. You don't need to calculate angles — just note which side of the roof gets sun for most of the day. Also check where you'd mount the inverter and battery. Indoor space is often overlooked, and it becomes a real constraint once you're looking at a wall-mounted unit or a floor-standing battery cabinet.

Bring your last electricity bill

Your average monthly consumption, measured in kilowatt-hours, tells the consultant a lot about your usage patterns. It also helps with sizing a grid-tie system if you want to offset your bill rather than just survive outages. If you have a prepaid meter, bring a few recent purchase receipts so they can estimate your monthly draw.

Write down your questions

It's easy to forget what you wanted to ask once the conversation starts. Jot down things like: how long will the installation take, what happens during a warranty claim, and is there a maintenance schedule for the inverter filters. Also ask about the transfer time — how quickly the system switches to battery when the grid fails. That matters if you're running a desktop computer or a sensitive appliance.

The consultation is your chance to compare options, not to make a final decision on the spot. A good consultant will walk you through the tradeoffs between different inverter brands, battery chemistries, and panel configurations. Come prepared, take notes, and ask for the reasoning behind each recommendation. That's how you end up with a system that matches your home and your budget.