Straight answers to the questions we get asked most

Yes. Vital Energy offers the full range of electrical services, from wiring, lighting and switchboard upgrades through to solar design and installation, EV charging, smart home automation and energy storage. One trusted team for everything.

We are not just solar installers, we are your Energy Partner for Life. With a background as electricians servicing failed systems, we have seen the pitfalls of cheap products and poor installs. That is why we only use Enphase, SunPower, Schletter and EVNEX, brands we know and trust, and why we back our work with a 10-year workmanship guarantee.

Enphase (microinverters and batteries), SunPower (high-efficiency panels), Schletter (racking), EVNEX (NZ-made EV chargers), FranklinWH (aPower batteries) and Sigenergy (hybrid inverter and battery platform). All chosen for reliability, safety and long-term performance in New Zealand conditions.

Enphase microinverters 25 years (parts and labour), Enphase batteries 15 years, SunPower panels up to 30 years, Schletter racking 25 years, Sigenergy 10 years, EVNEX 3 years. Vital Energy adds a 10-year workmanship guarantee aligned with SEANZ and Master Electricians standards.

For most residential projects, one to three days depending on system size and property access. Commercial and larger projects take longer. You get a clear timeline before we begin.

Yes. Tailored maintenance packages keep your electrical and solar systems in top condition: annual inspections, switchboard checks, and cleaning and performance monitoring for solar panels.

We are based in Henderson and cover West Auckland, the North Shore, Auckland Central and greater Auckland.

Vital Energy is a Master Electricians member and a member of SEANZ (Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand). Our electricians are EWRB registered and all work is certified.

In New Zealand a registered electrician has completed the National or New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering Theory and Practice (Level 4), passed the EWRB registration exam, and holds a current practising licence that must be renewed with ongoing competence training. Only registered electricians can legally do and certify prescribed electrical work.

Fixed quotes for almost everything. You see the price before we start and it only changes if the job does. For fault finding where the cause is unknown we agree a diagnostic fee first, then quote the fix.

Every home is different, so we quote from your electricity usage, roof and site conditions rather than a fixed package. A typical premium system uses SunPower panels and Enphase microinverters, with battery storage available on top. Book a free assessment and you get a written quote and a customised savings report.

Most Auckland homes can offset 50 to 80% of their electricity bill with solar, and more with battery storage. A family using around 800kWh a month could cut $150 to $250 off their monthly bill. We include a customised savings report with every proposal.

Yes. Panels still generate under cloud cover, and SunPower panels are especially good in low light, producing more in mornings, evenings and overcast days than standard panels.

Each panel works independently, so shading or dirt on one panel does not reduce the whole system. You get panel-level monitoring, a 25-year warranty backed directly by Enphase, and rapid shutdown for fire safety.

One to three days for most residential systems, depending on size and access. Commercial systems take longer. You get a clear timeline before we start.

Enphase microinverters 25 years (parts and labour), SunPower panels up to 30 years, Schletter racking 25 years, and a 10-year Vital Energy workmanship guarantee aligned with SEANZ and Master Electricians standards.

Most NZ banks offer green loans or home loan top-ups for solar at low or 0% interest for a set term. We will point you to the current options when we quote.

For many Auckland homes, yes for daytime use. A well-sited 5kW system produces roughly 6,000 to 7,000kWh a year here, close to an average household's total consumption, but solar only covers what you use while the sun is up unless you add a battery. We size from your actual bills and usage pattern rather than a standard kit, so you may land above or below 5kW.

Look for SEANZ membership, Master Electricians membership, electricians on staff rather than subcontracted install crews, tier-one products with long warranties (our Enphase and SunPower gear carries 25 to 30 years), a written workmanship guarantee, and real local reviews. Ask who will service the system in year eight. If the answer is vague, keep looking.

Not necessarily. Panels alone cut your daytime use. A battery lets you store excess for evenings and outages, increases independence from the grid, and provides backup power during blackouts.

It depends on your goals. Enphase IQ Battery 5P (15-year warranty) pairs with Enphase microinverter systems. FranklinWH aPower (13.6kWh, generator-ready) suits homes that want strong backup. Sigenergy SigenStor suits larger homes, farms and commercial sites that want an expandable all-in-one platform.

Yes. We regularly retrofit batteries to existing systems, including systems we did not install. We will check compatibility with your inverter and switchboard first.

Yes, with the right setup. Batteries like FranklinWH aPower or Enphase IQ Battery can be configured for whole-home or partial backup, and Sigenergy's gateway switches to backup in under 10 milliseconds. We can also integrate a generator.

The SigenStor hybrid inverter, modular battery and gateway each carry a 10-year warranty. Enphase offers longer inverter warranties (25 years); Sigenergy's strength is scalability and its all-in-one design.

It depends on capacity (5kWh to 48kWh+), the brand, and how much of the house you want backed up. Enphase IQ 5P suits homes adding modest storage to an Enphase system, FranklinWH gives 13.6kWh of backup in one unit, and Sigenergy scales in 8kWh blocks. We quote the battery with the rest of your system so you see the payback on the whole thing, not a headline unit price.

It depends what is on. A typical evening load of lights, fridge, TV and cooking draws around 1 to 2kW, so 10kWh covers roughly 5 to 10 hours. Limit backup to essential circuits and it stretches much further; add a generator and it runs indefinitely. We model this from your usage when we size the system.

A garage wall or a shaded exterior wall with clearance and ventilation, close to the switchboard to keep cabling short. FranklinWH aPower and Enphase IQ batteries are rated for outdoor installation. We confirm the spot on the site visit against the manufacturer's clearances and NZ standards.

Yes. With battery storage and generator integration we configure systems for full off-grid resilience, or for grid-connected homes that want to ride through long outages. Rural and coastal properties around Auckland are where we do most of this work.

Our battery range is Enphase, FranklinWH and Sigenergy, chosen for warranty, backup performance and local support. If you are comparing against Tesla Powerwall 3, ask us and we will give you an honest like-for-like comparison on capacity, backup and warranty.

We install EVNEX smart chargers, designed and manufactured in New Zealand. They integrate with solar so you charge from surplus first, and are controlled from an app. We can install other brands on request.

Yes. EVNEX uses Type 2 connectors, compatible with all modern EVs in New Zealand including Tesla, BYD, Hyundai, Nissan Leaf and more. They can be configured for single or three-phase power.

Schedule charging for off-peak rates, prioritise solar surplus, track usage and export reports for tax or work reimbursement, and receive firmware updates automatically.

Three years, backed by a New Zealand-based team. Because they are designed and supported locally you get fast after-sales and technical support compared to many imported chargers.

Sometimes. Older boards may not have the capacity or protection for a 7kW or 22kW charger. We check this in the assessment and quote any upgrade up front.

Signs include ceramic or rewireable fuses, no RCDs, frequent tripping, flickering lights, burning smells, or a board that cannot take new circuits for solar, a heat pump or an EV charger. If you see any of these, get it assessed.

Most residential upgrades are completed in one day, with power off for part of it. Commercial boards vary and we plan around your operating hours.

Yes, for a few hours while the board is swapped. We schedule it to suit you and tell you exactly when.

It depends on the size of the board, the number of circuits, whether the mains and earthing need work, and whether we are adding capacity for solar, a battery or an EV charger. Send us a photo of your current board and we will give you a fixed price, no site visit needed for most homes.

Yes, and it is often the most cost-effective time to do it. We assess board capacity as part of every solar, battery and EV charger quote.

When it is designed around your routines and wired in properly, yes. The best results come from combining convenience (lighting and climate control) with energy savings (running loads from solar and off-peak rates).

Yes. Many systems retrofit without rewiring. New builds and renovations give the most options, so involve us early if you can.

Yes. We integrate automation with Enphase, Sigenergy and EVNEX systems so appliances and EV charging prioritise your own solar.

Yes. We install and service energy-efficient heat pumps and air conditioning across Auckland, keeping homes warm in winter and cool in summer.

Yes. With solar and smart control, heating and hot water can be scheduled to run when your panels are producing, which is one of the best ways to use your solar.

Yes. We install and connect hot water systems as part of our residential electrical service and can advise on the most efficient option for your household.

Yes. Rather than separate solar thermal panels, we heat water from your solar PV: a hot water cylinder or hot water heat pump runs on a timer or smart control while the panels are producing, so the biggest load in most homes runs on your own power.

Yes. From a single power point or a faulty light through to full renovations, you get the same registered electricians and the same standard of work.

Yes. Our electricians are EWRB registered and Vital Energy is a Master Electricians member. All work comes with the required certification.

We are based in Henderson and cover West Auckland, the North Shore, Auckland Central and greater Auckland.

For most jobs we give a fixed price up front rather than an open hourly rate, so you know the number before we start. What moves the price is access, the age of the wiring, whether the switchboard needs work, and materials. Send photos and a description through the form and we will quote it; for bigger jobs we visit first.

Ask to see their current practising licence, then check the name on the Electrical Workers Registration Board public register at ewrb.govt.nz. Every Vital Energy electrician is EWRB registered and the business is a Master Electricians member, which adds an independent workmanship guarantee on top of ours.

Yes. We plan commercial work around your operating hours, including nights and weekends where needed, so your business keeps trading.

Yes. Planned service packages with testing and repairs prevent downtime, and urgent call-outs are available when you need them.

For businesses with daytime energy use and roof space, usually yes. Payback is typically five to seven years with savings continuing for decades. We start with an energy audit and design a system around your profile.

Yes. We install commercial-grade EV charging for workplaces, retail, hospitality and public spaces, designed to integrate with your electrical infrastructure and grow with demand.

Large-scale power distribution, control systems and automation, switchboard installations and upgrades, machinery installation and maintenance, and preventative servicing to reduce downtime.

Yes. We plan installation and servicing around your shifts and shutdowns to keep disruption to a minimum.

Yes. Large roofs and daytime loads make industrial sites strong candidates for solar and storage. We start with an energy audit.