I have now been somewhat exposed what happens in our rural town.
I gave given someone in our town panels, 24V inverter, batteries…came out of an house in an estate that has upgraded to 48V
Came on a mounted board with the then requisite breakers etc.
I now upgraded my system and sold 24 175W panels. 12 was bought by guy in Kwanonqaba, Mossel Bay and the others to guy I helped before (as well as 24V Victron inverter and solar controller). He sold what he had before to someone down his street.
In our rural town they get power direct from Eskom and in Kwanonqaba from mun.
Neither of these in our town will be installed via the ‘correct’ channels…more jury rigged into the 230V connection they have.
Interestingly I sold the 175w Panels cheap as they were 15yrs old…Facebook Market place…over 4000 views and 45 actual enquiries.
So I wondered…where do older or upgraded equipment end up, like older cars, older computers etc.
So further wonder if over time older solar systems will become more prevalent and connected to the grid nary a worry about the consequences.
Another point of interest
I sold six 280W panels to a farmer in Kimberley. For his borehole pumps. They steal them and he told me the newer large sized panels don’t work on his pumps. The panel voltage is too high.
He has to search for the correct voltage range for the solar pumps he has
Hier by ons op die plaas buite Windhoek gaan dit net so rof. Boere probeer hulle panele wegsteek maar nou is dit so droog jy sien van Windhoek tot in Gobabis deur die bome.
My pa het sy panele in 'n staalraam vasgebout en gesweis, binne in 'n ou sement dam (dit hou die vier-been bobbejane weg). Dis ver van die hoofpad, en die hekke is gesluit wat dit verder bemoeilik. Die panele self is ook ou Siemens panele uit die 90s, so niemand wil dit in elkgeval meer hê nie.