Rob and Mandy Everall

Rob and Mandy Everall purchased their wonderful property on Rakino Island in 2014. Rakino Island lies in the Hauraki Gulf, just beyond Motutapu Island and is a three quarter hour ferry ride from the Auckland CBD. There is no reticulated power so an off-grid system is the only access to electricity.

Rob and Mandy’s home had an existing 12V DC system that was in a very poor state and our first task was to lend them batteries until we got a system up and running. Rob had a budget that he was working to so the next thing to do was a load analysis and assess exactly how they were intending to use their holiday home. We then came up with an agreed solution that fitted within Rob’s budget and commenced putting the project together.

Basically, the system included a new 1200Wpeak roof-mounted photovoltaic array, a Studer inverter/charger that provided a 230V AC supply and also enabled charging of the batteries via a petrol generator, and the complete upgrade of the 12 V DC system to meet current standards.

All work was then independently inspected and a Certificate of Completion and a Record of Inspection were issued to give Rob and Many the assurance that all work was carried out to the latest regulations and electrical standards.

What they had to say:

“It was a refreshing and genuine pleasure to work with Perry Hutchinson on the solar electrical upgrade of our holiday property on Rakino Island in 2014-5. As a long-time ‘off grid’ island bach owner, Perry brings a wealth of practical experience to bear, starting with a methodical and meticulous analysis of current and future power needs, which is steadily refined into a comprehensive proposal document and quotation, backed up with technical appendices and circuit diagrams.

He was also more than ready to consider subsequent change proposals, which enabled us to refine the final design and indeed to integrate some of the existing solar power equipment within the new installation, bringing an additional layer of flexibility.

We continue to be genuinely delighted with the result, which has transformed our enjoyment of the property and enables us to run a full size domestic fridge/freezer 24/7…..luxury indeed!

We’re 100% confident of Perry’s ongoing support and assistance to ensure we get the very best out of our investment”.

Rob & Mandy Everall
March 2018