Sizing
What size solar inverter do I need for a South African home?
Most busy SA family homes land in the 5–8 kW hybrid inverter class; smaller flats may suit ~3–5 kW; large homes, three-phase supplies or EV charging often need 8–12 kW+. Match continuous backup rating to essential loads, and leave headroom if you will add panels, a heat pump or an EV charger later.
Inverter kW vs battery kWh
Inverter size = how much power you can run at once (kW). Battery size = how long you can run (kWh). A 5 kW inverter with a tiny battery still browns out quickly; a huge battery on a 3 kW inverter cannot start heavy loads.
Single-phase vs three-phase
Many suburban homes are single-phase. Townhouse clusters, large estates and light commercial sites may be three-phase — which changes inverter choice and EV charger options. See single vs three-phase.
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