Effectively the same considerations apply to considering a load shedding solution as a Domestic Solar PV solution.
The only difference is that at the outset the PV panels are omitted.
In order to provide yourself with the best opportunity for a seamless upgrade path we recommend using all the same consideration criteria.
Avoid low cost poor quality inverters and AGM / Lead acid batteries at all cost.
Modified sinewave inverters do not work well with anything using a motor and can damage the devices. The vast majority are poor quality.
The lack of proper battery management with AGM and Lead acid batteries means your batteries will reach their end of life much sooner that you would expect. Most small modified sine wave inverters 2-3kW for example can usually only cater for one or two low power PV panels which are becoming harder to find coupled with the same relatively high cost of installing them. Such low end devises more often than not use PWM and not MPPT controllers which further reduces their performance
All in all really low cost systems will have you spend more money in no time having to replace equipment for better quality products.
As a rule of thumb if you can’t afford to by a good system outright, you would be better to go for a rental option.
The reality is that the power situation in SA is not going to get better any time soon so most of us will end up having to provide our own backup power systems.
To coin the Afrikaans Saying: Goedkoop is Duurkoop
Let us help you future proof your investment.