Two accredited installers in harnesses setting a solar panel onto roof rails

Solar installation

The panel is the easy part. The install is what lasts.

Two identical systems on two identical roofs can perform very differently, for twenty-five years, based entirely on who put them up and how.

Installing across the ACT, NSW & Tasmania

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or call 1300 517 120 · Mon–Fri 9–5 AEST

Why it matters

Most solar problems aren’t panel problems.

Panels are a mature, heavily standardised product with long manufacturer warranties. The variable that actually decides how your system performs — and whether your roof still keeps water out in ten years — is the workmanship.

Roof penetrations — every bracket is a hole in your roof. Flashed and sealed properly, it lasts the life of the roof. Done badly, you find out in the first heavy rain.
Array layout and shading — panels wired into the wrong string, or placed where a chimney shades them at 4pm, cost you output every day for decades.
DC cabling and isolation — DC wiring carries current whenever the sun is up. Cable routing, clipping and isolator selection are where sloppy work becomes a genuine hazard.
Switchboard and earthing — many older boards need work before they can safely take a solar system. Skipping that is the shortcut that causes problems later.
Commissioning — a system that is switched on is not the same as a system that has been tested, documented and confirmed to be exporting correctly.

Install day

What actually happens.

Here’s the order it happens in, so nothing on the day is a surprise.

STEP 01

Arrival and set-up

The crew walks the site with you, confirms the array layout against the design, and sets up roof access and fall protection.

STEP 02

Mounting and flashing

Rails and brackets go on first. Every roof penetration is flashed and sealed before a single panel is lifted.

STEP 03

Panels and DC wiring

Panels are laid in, one at a time, into a level array. DC cable is routed, clipped and protected — not left resting on tiles.

STEP 04

Inverter and switchboard

Inverter mounted, AC connection made at the board, isolators fitted and labelled, earthing checked.

STEP 05

Test, commission, hand over

System tested and commissioned, monitoring connected to your Wi-Fi, and you’re shown how to read it before we leave.

Your installer’s responsibilities

What an accredited installer is actually signing up to.

Accreditation is not a sticker. It carries specific, auditable obligations — and the accreditation can be suspended if they aren’t met.

Physically be there

The accredited installer must attend the site and take responsibility for the install. Accreditation is personal to them, not a licence the company borrows.

Design the system for your roof

Array layout, string configuration, inverter sizing and cable sizing all have to suit your actual roof, orientation and shading.

Work to the Standards

Not to a rule of thumb. The relevant Australian Standards are listed below and they are specific about mounting, wiring, isolation and labelling.

Make the roof watertight

Correct flashing and sealing at every penetration, and mounting into structure rather than into battens that won’t hold.

Certify the electrical work

A licensed electrical worker must issue the compliance certificate for the electrical installation. You should receive a copy.

Commission and document

Test the system, confirm it’s generating and exporting correctly, hand over the documentation, and set up monitoring.

The rules the work is done to

Three Australian Standards govern a solar install.

These aren’t Astra’s standards — they’re the national ones every compliant install in the country is built to. Worth knowing the numbers, because you’re entitled to ask any installer whether their work meets them.

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AS/NZS 5033Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic arrays — mounting, DC cabling, isolation, labelling and array configuration.
AS/NZS 4777.1Grid connection of energy systems via inverters — how your system connects to and behaves on the network.
AS/NZS 3000The Wiring Rules — the general electrical installation standard that covers the switchboard work and earthing.

After the crew leaves

The paperwork you should end up with.

If an installer can’t produce these, that tells you something. Keep them — you’ll need them for warranty claims and when you sell the house.

Electrical compliance certificate

Issued by the licensed electrical worker who did the connection.

Warranty documents

Panel product and performance warranties, inverter and battery warranties, and workmanship cover.

System design and layout

What was installed, where on the roof, and how it’s strung together. You’ll want this if anything is ever added.

Monitoring set up

App connected to your Wi-Fi and reporting before we leave — not left for you to work out.

Certificate names and issuing bodies vary between the ACT, NSW and Tasmania. Your consultant will tell you which applies to your install.

Common questions

Solar installation FAQs

How long does an installation take?

It depends on system size, roof access, and whether your switchboard needs work first. Your consultant will tell you what to expect for your job before you commit — not on the morning.

Do I need to be home?

Someone over 18 needs to be there to give access and to be shown the system at handover. You don’t need to watch the whole install.

Will my power be off?

Yes, for a period while the connection is made at the switchboard. The crew will tell you when and for roughly how long on the day.

What if my switchboard needs upgrading?

It’s common on older homes. We look at your switchboard photo before the install is booked precisely so this is priced and planned in advance rather than sprung on you.

Who does the install — your team or a subcontractor?

Every install is carried out by SAA-accredited installers. The accredited installer attends the site and is responsible for the work.

What happens if something goes wrong afterwards?

You call 1300 517 120 and we deal with it. We keep your install record on file — panels, inverter, battery, wiring — so you never have to re-explain your own system. See how support works →

Start at step one

Find out what your roof supports.

Book a Home Energy & Battery Assessment — one phone call with a consultant. Your roof mapped from aerial imagery, your bill worked through, your numbers in writing.